I just competed in my first IMAC event with an Aeropro Cap 232 with a G62 in it. I learned very quickly that the plane is not suited for IMAC. It is too heavy to correctly perform the maneuvers and the G62 does not have the power to pull it through the vertical maneuvers.

I have a MAC 85cc twin to put in another plane and was looking for something suitable. I know this does not have the power that the DA's and 3W's have, but I don't have the funds to plunk down for that type of engine. My wife says what ever I spend on airplanes she gets to spend double on clothes and shoes so I am trying not to put myself in the poor house.

I was looking at the Wild Hare Giles 202 ARF or a Giantscaleplanes Giles 202 ARC. I was leaning toward the Giantscaleplanes one, because I wanted to design my own color scheme. Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Randy

If you're leaning toward the GiantScalePlanes I think you need to lean the other direction. I've heard so many bad reports on RCU about them that I couldn't recommend them. I had a friend that had a 96" Giles made by them about three years ago. It looked good, but the very first time he flew it the wing separated and the plane was destroyed. A post mortum showed that the wing was made of very cheap foam and the block at the end of the phenolic tube which holds it in place was not even glued in. Also the phenolic itself had only a few dabs of glue on it. When he talked to customer service at GSP they tried to bully him into dropping the complaint until he threatened to get a lawyer and sue them or publish pics of the crashed plane on the internet. They offerred him two new 40% ARCs to drop the complaint and he accepted. When he got the kits he cut into the wings on both planes and found exactly the same conditions that had plagued his Giles. Needless to say, because of this and a lot of other complaints on several online forums, I would not touch GSP with a ten-foot pole! On the other hand I have read numerous good reports on the Wild Hare Giles. Your 85cc engine ought to do a good job in it. Good luck in whatever you end up buying and I hope you do well in IMAC.

Shadow:
I also would not touch GSP. But I do own 3 Wild Hare G-202's. This is one great flying airplane. My first one has a ZDZ-80 and the weight is just over 24# with a dual servo setup in each wing also heavy batteries and other little stuff. the second one we saved over a pound in weight.
Call Tom at Wild Hare and ask him if he has any white only
left or when they are coming in. He may have some insight on the engine combo you have too. Also look at his new EDGE 540 built and designed for the g-62 for $399. I would like one myself.[link=http://www.wildharerc.com/]Wild Hare R/C[/link]
Kevin

For your Mac 85 look into the Horizon Extra. It was designed around the Zenoah 80 twin so the Mac 85 should work just fine. If you can get a better engine later as you move up in the classes you could use the same plane.

EXCAP232

The Lainer 90" Edge is also a good plane for the Engine that you have and I think you can get them now for around $600
Thanks
Milton

Thanks for everyone's help. After I posted this I check RCU further and saw the posts on GSP. I am going to avoid them and check into the other planes everyone has suggested.

I saw the Wild Hare Edge and it looks good, but I was trying to find something for the twin cylinder and I think it will a little small. I hadn't seen the Lanier or Hanger 9 planes so I will check into them.

Again, thanks for all the help.

Randy

Randy, what class are you flying?
You should be OK for Basic and Sportsman.

I would take a look at the new Wild Hare Edge 540 designed around the Zenoah G62 (like Kevin mentioned above). Looks like a sweet plane and is supposed to rock with the G62.

I just got my Lanier Edge 540, 90", Yellow/White, for my G-62. It looks real good. Super covering job. Real nice detail on the cowl, they included a metal screen breather just like the real one has, nice touch. I have not put it together yet, wont have time to do so till winter comes to call.

They also offer a 96" Laser 200 for the same price. I have flown several of them with a G-62 and they fly GREAT!! You will not get super "Prop Hanging" power for this size plane out of a G-62, but you will have a great plane to begin your IMAC training with.

I got my Edge and a 22x10 wood prop for $600 from the LHS. Talk to your local guy and see what he will do for you. If you support him and not mail order, he will return the favor most of the time. Good luck and have fun.

I E-mailed Tom at Wildhare and asked about the Giles. He e-mailed me back and said the Mac twin is on the heavy side, but the Giles should handle the weight. He also said he is having an October sale and the Giles is $500.00. This much plane at that price is pretty hard to pass up.


Geistware:

I have only competed in one event and that was in Basic. I understand that some events that have a limited number of contestants will eliminate the Basic and only have the Sportsman.


Thanks everyones, I appreciate the help and advise.

Randy

The reason I brought it up is that when you move up in class, your plane needs to have a higher thrust to weight ratio to do the sequence correctly.

Just an idea:
Sell the G-62 and the Mac. Buy a DA 3W ZDZ BME 100cc engine.

It's an idea. They are all going to be lighter than the current powerplants that you have. Maybe not lighter oz. for oz.---- but HP/Weight ratio; they are all lighter.

Not criticising your engines- just an idea.

If you are worried about money and are looking for a plane that will preform with a Mac 85, you might want to look at the great planes giant Extra 300. My Dad has one of these and the specs are VERY close to the Composite-ARF, but the KIT only costs $270 from tower. Best deal in IMAC if you ask me. It is designed around the MAC 85 and I can put it through the advanced sequence with no problem. (He has a ZDZ 80 in his, but with the MAC you will have no problem balancing it.)

After flying his for three years my Dad likes his so much he is building another.

Good Luck

Rob

I'd like to throw my $.02 in here. First, thanks to you guys who suggested the Wild Hare planes, I can always use a plug here on RCU.

From my experience, I suggest that this gentleman take his G62, put an electronic ignition on it, and use it on one of the new 28% Extras from Wild Hare that are due in eary March.

The Edge is a fine plane, particularly for 3d stuff, but the swept leading Edge of the Extra wing makes it a bit more stable in drawing straight lines, which is what you need for IMAC. There isn't a big difference, but small things become important in competition.

The Giles is a great IMAC plane, but that Mac 85 engine I believe is too long to fit the Giles and heavier than I'd like to see. While I like to sell the Giles, I prefer to have happy customers and I think that's more probable with the Extra 28%/G62 combo, an excellent match-up for IMAC.

Tom Fawcett
Wild Hare R/C

Not to get off topic too much but I was amazed that WildHare introduced their new plane and suggested a G62! Tom any vids of the new bird with G62 flying yet? Id love to see it fly with that combo.

A G62 on ignition will swing a 24x10 and give good performance. A friend had a 22 pound Stinger and his G 62 could hover it, so I think on the lighter Edge it would be a lot of fun. If I had a G-62 laying around, I'd consider the Edge.

I was frankly amazed when I flew the first Edge prototype with a G62 at how well the engine pulled the plane and what a really nice engine it was. Very responsive, easy to start, and as a bonus it's very quiet. The G62 exhaust port is shaped in a way that makes it inherently less noisy than other designs. With a Bisson wraparound pitts muffler it had excellent power and was very user friendly. NOw, remember, this is with a C&H electronic ignition, I do not have such a high opinion of the engine with a magneto.

I am expecting two Edges in by air freight in the next couple days. I will be assembling one with the G62 getting photos for the manual. The other one is going to Joe Hunt to do testing with a DA 50. Hopefully Joe will be able to do a video.

Tom Fawcett
Wild Hare R/C

Tom:

We discussed several times, via e-mail, what the best alternative would be for what I have to work with and I decided to purchase the Giles. It arrived last week. What a beautiful airplane. Other than the fact UPS managed to punch several holes in the boxes and knocked off one of the canopy hold downs everything arrived intact. No wrinkles in the covering and everything fits together very well. The instruction manual is very clear and concise.

I am in the process of mounting the engine and it should fit OK. I will have to notch the cowl for one of the plugs or use an adapter for smaller plugs. Since the engine is heavy I was going to mount the rudder servos in the tail. Hopefully this will help with the balance.

So far I am a very happy customer.

Randy