w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I'm from the class of 68

daniel9314

Class of 88, 68, no big difference LOL.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

BLW graduated from Auburn too. But I've lived in Ohio since I graduated from Auburn.

So I have close to 40 years of model flying experience right here in North Central Ohio. I was up here between quarters for a year before I graduated.

daniel9314

Ok using the info on this site:

weights (all no muffler)

OS AX .46 - the "consensus engine" - 17.25 OZ anything lighter needed ballast. Interesting, In order to not beat the subject to death, looks like using the saito .82 is not so unreasonable, I think that is the winner. Can then spend my cash on a saito 125 for my profile project!


OS FL70 - 16.5
OS FS70 - 20.1
OS FS90 - 21.3

Magnum 70 - 21.4
91 - 22.4

Saito
62 - 14.7
82 - 16
91 - 18.34
100 - 19.20
125 - 21.87

Ed_Moorman

My Feedback: (1)

Look, a lot of people are suggesting a large engine without giving you any reasoning. Here's what I think.

The LT40 has a flat bottom airfoil and it has some positive incidence. If you over power, it will climb like mad when you advance the power. You'll end up with a lot of down trim. There are 2 problems with that. When you throttle back for landing, the plane will tend to dive because of the down trim and you'll need to hold a lot of back stick to even make a nice final approach.

The second problem is on take off. When you add power and the lpane gets moving, the down trim comes into play again. This time the plane can't lower its nose to compensate, so it lifts the tail. If you don't watch it, you'll be rolling on the nose wheel and one main. The increased pressure on the nose will also tend to make the plane zig-zag. You can compensate by holding up elevator all through the take off roll. Most novice pilots are afraid to do this because they think the plane will lift off prematurely and stall.

You can alleviate the problem by adding a couple of popsicle sticks under the trailing edge of the wing to lower the incidence.

A really good 4-stroke with plenty of power for an LT40 is a Saito .56. It is an excellent, high quality engine that won't be too much for the plane. There is a new OS FS-56a, but it is fairly expensive.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

The plans show 6 degrees of down thrust. I'm not exactly sure about using that much right now. Ed is right about shimming the trailing edge to take out some of the angle of incidence. I have a Xtra Easy 2 that will actually bend the nose gear enough to nose the plane into the dirt if I don't hold some up elevator like Ed suggested.

The Saito .56 is an excellent choice for the right amount of power. If you really want more, then I would suggest something bigger.


War Eagle! I attended when I retired from the service. Class of 2000. I liked it so much that I stayed in the area.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

The Magnum XL .52 RFS and the Thunder Tiger F-54s would also be very good fits for the Kadet LT-40. While they're both a couple of ounces lighter weight than the O.S. .46 AX, they're not so different that moving your flight pack battery forward wouldn't balance things out.

After discounts, you could buy two of the Magnum XL .52 RFS 4-strokes for the price of a Saito .56, but the Saito .56 is a very solid investment if you don't mind the price tag.

Edit - If you've ruled out the .50-size 4-strokes then you might want to look at the Thunder Tiger F-75s. It's only $169.99 from www.thundertiger4u.com and that includes free ground shipping on all orders $150 or higher. This will give you the extra power you may want to fly in extra wind or while carrying floats or a video camera setup.

bbagle1

My vote is for a YS .63. You don't see too many YS powered trainers. It only weighs 17 ounces and makes as much power as any of the engines listed here.

rjbarthel

My Feedback: (2)

I have a OS 40FX on mine and its not underpowered at all. Im running a APC 10x6 prop. With 15% nitro. Ive had the Kadet for 7 yrs now and I still love to take it out from time to time . It was my first .

speedster 1919

My Feedback: (3)

I vote for thr Mag or ASP 70. I have a LT 40 orange one and just took out the 46 Tiger Shark. I will put a new ASP 70 in. We have a club member that flys a Cub Cadet with a 70 and does drop parashutes and tows 40 size trainer (now glider) and can do 3D with his Cub. My same Cub with a strong Saito 50 is no match. I say my Cub and LT40 are almost the same size and weight. You mentioned price so a Mag 70 would be the ticket.

TCrafty

I've got a Kadet Sr with an OS .91 4-stroke in it. I LOVE IT !!! I know that the LT is a little smaller so I'd lean toward the Saito 82. A trainer can do so much more than just train if you give it a chance. I was doing one-wheel figure 8s last weekend before the wind kicked up. Accordng to many here, my OS is over-propped with a 15X8 MAS but, it idles great, sounds great and with a couple of clicks, it's flying. Also, someone said about turning down the throttle when in trainer mode, I disagree. I think that having the larger engine in the plane makes the trainee learn throttle control.

I understand what Ed Moorman is saying and my plane does go up when I stab the throttle. I thought that's what planes were supposed to do when you give them throttle. So, only give it as much throttle as you need to. I strongly suggest the Kadet Sr with a 91 4-stroke to anyone wanting to learn. I fly 3-D planes, giant scale and such but I'm still learning what my Kadet trainer can do as well. Anyone who tells you that they've, "outgrown their trainer" is lying. IMHO. Now, I'll take my soap box and go home so no one trips over it.

daniel9314

Lots of good posts, and good opinions. If this lt-40 was actually going to be a trainer, it makes no sense to put a big 4 stroke on it, I agree with Ed on the Saito 56 probably being a perfect match for the plane and its intended role. But for me, its really going to be more of a "pretend" trainer, I'll put my 5 yr old on the budddy box, but with a 30 second attention span, I'm not expecting a whole lot, he does get a big thrill out of "driving" the plane. I figure I'll be doing 95% of the piloting for a long while.

I learned to fly 30 yrs ago at age 12, got as far as flying the now old fashioned "balistic' pattern planes. Got away for a few years, and came back to a 3d world. Spent the last 2 summers hanging on the prop. I think TCrafty is on the right track, It will be a lot of fun to show just what a trainer can actually do. I find it completely amazing the lack of ability of the average flyer to fly low and slow. The average trainer should be touching down at hardly more than a slow jog, but go to the field and watch them zooming in like an '80's pattern ship, after a landing pattern large enough for a full scale plane. And there is a truley misguided perception that once you solo, learn a loop, a roll, its time to buy an extra, edge, P-51, etc. Then they having trouble getting them back down onto a 500ft runway, because the only airspeed control they know is to chop the throttle and push the nose over. Coming in Hot! My 5yr old can loop and roll the twist! I learned to fly full scale from a 10,000 hour pilot, and the number one thing he preached was airspeed control, use the elevator to control airspeed, throttle to control altitude.

I'm not wanting the power for speed, just looking to have the torque available to pull the nose up and around when desired. Will most likely fly this with a wide flat bladed prop, just like a 3d plane. In fact I have a feeling this is one Kadet that is going to spend a lot of time with it nose to the sky.
I think the Saito 82 (since I already own one) is going to fill the bill.