I have a kit built Tower Kaos 40 that I really enjoy. I'd like to have a back-up but......... we all know that story. The Sig Kougar looks like the closest thing still in production. I'm wondering if anyone has flown both of these and how they would compare.
Thanks
Steve

Tower still have a Kaos ARF.

You can get Kaos kits here: http://www.bridiairplanes.com

Someone is selling original bridi kits on ebay as well.

The Kaos and the Kouger do not compare. The Kaos is a much better flying airplane IMHO.

I've ordered and built an XLT from these folks and the kit was superb. The folks at bridiairplanes were even better to deal with.

Check this out: http://www.bridiairplanes.com/hangar/utterchaos40.html


Cheers,

The Kaos is a great beginner's pattern airplane. The Kouger is just a fun airplane to fly, not really a pattern airplane but very fun to fly. Both serve a purpose and those purposes are not the same. The Kaos would be a very easy plane to scratch build and Bridi does still sell the kits.

I disagree. They compare very favorably, IMO. I've built two Super Kaos 40s, and built and still have a Kougar. The Kaos is a bit more involved to build, but not drastically so. You do need a wing jig, though, to ensure a straight wing. That double-tapered built-up wing can be tricky without a jig. The Kougar has a simple foam wing. The only drama with it is locating the gear block cut-outs properly.

Both are very honest airplanes that will do just about anything you ask of them. The Kougar's big brother, the King Kobra, was a well-regarded Pattern contender in its day. My Kougar seems to handle wind better than either of the Super Kaos 40s I did; they got bounced around a lot on gusty days. The Kougar doesn't react nearly as much to gusts.

BTW, the word is that Sig has discontinued the Kougar. Dunno if its a fact or not.

Wow, where did you hear that. Sig has been good about keeping their older stuff in production.
thanks all
Steve

I have owned and flown both and both are great flyers. IMHO I would rate the Kougar as more mild mannered. The Kaos is more of a Sport Pattern Ship. The Kougar will land slower due to the wing washout. Both,however, have spirited performance.

I guess I should have been more specific in my statement that the Kaos is a better flying ship. Truth is, the Kaos is a much better flyer in that it grooves better in pattern type maneuvers than the Kouger. I view the Kouger as a great sport model but if you put them side by side in pattern competition the Kaos is more capable.

As for tracking, yes the Kaos is more pattern-ee. But I placed a small dorsel fin under my Koug and it fixed it right up. The Koug can achieve higher speeds and better climbs, but the Koas does naturally track better with that long tail moment.
They are so similar, that I would not consider having both of them in my fleet at the same time.

Having sung the praises of the Kaos and Koug, (the Koug being the favorite of all time for me), There are some awesome ARF quasi pattern ships these days.

And while I'm speaking of alternatives, the little Kobra is a kick !!! All the tracking and even performance of the Koug, but with a slightly smaller landing envelope. Folks are really stunned by the performance out of that little plane. We used a 32.

The Kougar is still for sale on the Sig site. I had heard that rumor myself, 13 years ago. Thats when I ran out and bought my Kougar. That is such a great plane, if Sig does stop selling it, then we know something is very wrong at Sig !!!

I read it here. Someone posted that they had spoken with Sig and confirmed it. That was a while back, but I definitely remember it. But it was an unsubstantiated (by me) rumor, which is why I said "I dunno"...