trailsman

Hello, this is my first post, and am glad to be part of the group. The posts and experienced advice that I have read appear priceless..I'm sure to be on her learning from vetren flyers for a very long time. Having said that, and being a "newbie" here's my take on arfs. First, if it wasn't for arfs, I can tell you, I WOULD not be a flyer. Why? I work seasonally..10 to 14 hours a day. Without my first Vam ar trainor arf..1.I would not have spent 500 dollars plus at my local hobby store. MAAC would have one less member. My flying club would also be one less member short, less funds, and the field owner would be short 50 bucks cash. I would not have purchased my second arf (super stick). Now that I have had an arf or two..I want to build a kit. Then, a plane from plans, and I'm sure I'll be hardcore building in the future..All because of an ARf..So, I, like many have put the "arf before the kit" It will in some small way, help the hobby as a whole. The down side...I would not have needed stitches in two of my fingers..LOL . Thanks for this site...

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Well, now.

ARFs.

An RCM40 with a Magnum XLS 40.
An UltraStick 120 with a Saito 4 stroke.
A Magic with an OS 46 FX.
Hobbico Diablo with an OS 4 stroke.

And that's it. As far as ordinary ARFs are concerned.

All the rest are scratch, kit, or plan built. Plus an ARF that is bashed beyond recognition as an ARF, it's not an ordinary ARF.

Start with a 60 size high wing trainer, bash the pooh out of it.

Result? Mid wing, nacelle mounted twin engines, an entirely different plane, but it was not almost ready to fly this way, at thesame time it is not a scratch build, wasn't a BIY kit, and it wasn't built from plans.

So this is the middle ground between a regualr ARF and a kit.

ARF bashing needs tp be considered also.

Bill.

The bashed 60 trainer:

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Bill, it looks elegant ! What was the name of the original arf ?

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Rajul:

Flies very nicely too, and thanks for the kind words.

It was a Hobbico "HobbiStar 60."

I entered it in Model Airplane News' "Great American ARF Redesign Contest," they liked it too. Took second place. February 2003 issue on page 96. Also sent me a nice check.

Bill.

*Crash*Johnson*

My Feedback: (7)

Bill,
Gotta say, sharp looking! You re-designed that?

Everyone else,
I never bought an arf, and dont think I would. I like the money savings (considering the cost of everything else) and the pride in creation., not to mention the need to create. Pulling that final product outta your trunk and proudly say "I built it" makes me smile. Now all I gotta do is build one. 4*60 on order, hopefully will be here by weekend.

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Crash:

Thanks for the compliment. Yes, I did the bash.

The only part still with the original covering is the tail feathers. And the original plastic tips can be seen.

Picture attached is another twin, 100%scratch built, including the functional "Oleo" struts. And yes, I did it too.

Bill.

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Can't see the struts in that last picture. Here's a better shot.

The blue pipe near the middle is the engine exhaust.

Bill.

raptor5900

My Feedback: (4)

i like to build and fly.....i've built 2 arf's so far and 3 sratch 1 kit.......i will build a one more arf soon.....a creek hobbies quest 90 it's suposed to be built really well......the landing gear are the only bad part about it..............while flying to me is more fun than building i still like to build.

airbatic

A.R.F. means Ain't Really Fun.

Time? An hour per evening three evenings per week adds up to a beautiful creation.

Kraus

Highlander

I have never built an ARF the first time , I found out that all I have to do is go to the field on weekends and pick them up out of the barrel almost always two or three in there ,

so far I have rebuilt 2 something extras ,an easy 2 60 size trainer and I still have the 2 more something extras to do winter time projects ,LOL a couple of ultra sticks have also been redone and are flying again incidently without all the needed weight in the tail like when you get them out of the box .

Ive bought 2 ARFS in my whole life ,one EP glider and a 60 size super stick, the stick is still in the box ,just dont seem to have time to assemble it between rebuilds and kits and scratch building .


Highlander