LS171Malibu

My Feedback: (16)

I'll try to make this quick! I started flying in 1986 when Santa brought me a Sig Riser and a Conquest 4. Dad had been flying for years. We built it together and Dad put an OS 10 on the nose and installed a landing gear. I was 8, and enjoyed learning to fly on this beatiful bird. I have been an avid flyer of powered models since.

In about 2000, I bought a Zagi 400. I somehow ended up flying it on a slope one day, and love the experience. Living in North Texas is not optimal for slope flying, but I bought a Zagi 3c and continued until I changed from JR to Futaba, and never put a new receiver in it.

For the last five years or so I have been lurking on NSP's site dreaming about which powered hotliner I wanted.

For the last couple of months I have been looking at the pure sailplanes instead of the powered ones. A few weeks ago a club member asked me to test fly his Electra, and although it was a beat up swap meet find, I really enjoyed flying it. I have now been looking a sailplanes and reading all the info I can find. I like the look of the scale birds, and consistantly find myself drawn to some pretty high dollar composite models. I think that after some soal searching, and as much as I want to skip this step, I should get something to learn to thermal, and see if I enjoy it as much as I feel I will.

So, I have pretty much settled on two planes, and was hoping from the experiance of the members here, to make a desision. (will begin by hi launch, get winch if I grow into it) BTW I have the 9Z WCII, and would like to learn to use the sailplane functions along the way.

Multiplex Cularis- I like the look and size of this one, and the lhs has the version with the servos installed. I do not care for the foam construction, and am concerned as to whether it will handle hi launch.

Great Planes Spirit Elite ARF- It seems like a logical full house thermal trainer. I don't care for the looks.

Price of both will be roughly equal after equiping the Spirit with servos.

Please advise

Tinkrerpilot

My Feedback: (2)

Go back to when you started and build a Riser 100. Pure glider with rudder, elevator and spoilers. This is just to get you started. Then decide from there. Oly II or III would be another good choice. Big Bird series from Skybench as another good option. Start simple then jump into the complex. Just an opinion since your wanting to try gliders. Take the riser and build a second fuselage and make it electric powered and there ya go. Just some thoughts.............

LS171Malibu

My Feedback: (16)

Thank you. Although I love to build, I do not have the time to build a kit and have it ready to fly this season.. I've got NEEDS!!! So this one's going to need to be an arf.

fudi50

My Feedback: (3)

I purchased the Spirit Elite when it first came on the market as an ARTF F/G version I found it to be a great full house ship. I went from that to more expensive higher performance ships my last being the Vladamire Organic 2M now sole yesterday I took delivery of what ? a Spirit Elite and a spare fuselage to add electric to for me as a 2M ship and I stress 2M is the best dollar value on the market to day, Tower Hobbies has just reduced the ARTF version to $109 also FYI there is a video Performance Tuning for gliders by Paul Naton it features the Spirit Elite from set up to flight.
Dave AlchinAKA Thed Brit

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I like my Spirit Elite, its a bit on the heavy side but takes winch launches if you don't do them with a lead foot and lets you experement with camber and crow mixing.

davidj

Check out the Radian

LS171Malibu

My Feedback: (16)

I like the Radian, in fact I suggest it to people on occasion, as it appears to be a RTF that anyone could learn to fly. I just have the craving to use a hi start, and force myself to search for a thermal.

LS171Malibu

My Feedback: (16)

Fudi50 and BarracudaHockey, thank you for y'alls perspective on the Spirit Elite.

LS171Malibu

My Feedback: (16)

Thank you all for your input. I have ordered the Spirit Elite ARF and a Dynaflight heavy duty hi start. I will use carbon pushrod for the elevator, and kevlar thread for a rudder pull pull. To further assist in lowering the wieght of this bird, which hitec (available at LHS) servos would be the lightest offering the required torque. I am not familiar with torque requirements for non-powered planes.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I'm pretty sure I use HS56HB's on everything but the flaps and 65mg's on the flaps.

CST composites sells very thin carbon pushrods that work well for both the elevator and rudder and weigh next to nothing, with the added benefit of not changing length with weather.

The next thing I would go after is that brick of a wing rod but I haven't been able to find one in carbon, its like 7mm or some weird size.

LS171Malibu

My Feedback: (16)

CST's are what I keep on hand, very nice and convenient. Would you mind verifying the servos? From what I have read, 7mm is correct. Thanks again!