I just purchased the plans for the Discovery jet from rcstore.com and will be doing a complete build pictorial as I progress through the building stage. I'm hoping to have her ready to fly for the upcoming Louisiana Jet Rally in July. May is going to be a busy month for me with my brother getting married and my son graduating high school. And I regret that I will not be able to attend the 15th Annual Mississippi Afterburner.

So stay tune as I wait to receive the plans and start the pictorial. Of course if anyone has information on building this jet please feel free to share this posting. Judging from what I've from the http://www.uflyhobbies.com/discovery.htm website the Discovery jet looks to be a good flying, sport, grass field turbine jet. I'm planning on glassing the entire fuselage and wings, then painting with latex paint. I'm also going to go with "live" hinging on the wings too. This should speed up the building process because once I vacuum bag the wing, the wing should be basically done.

JR Gautreaux

I would love to see a thread on live hinging

Mike,

Live hinging is the way to go in my book if you are going to glass the wing. I helped a buddy do it on his Facet 2300 and after having first hand experience with the process it's a great way to hinge the control surfaces.

JR Gautreaux

JR,

The Discovery looks kinda like a stand way off scale T-33. With some rounding off here and there it could really look pretty good....especially the intake area. The wing span looks a little too wide in relation to the rest of the plane. Are you one of those people that like to modify or kit bash or you going to build per the plans?

With a name like Gautreaux, you must be from bayou country?

Mike,

I grew up in South Texas but I do have relatives that live in a small town called - Meaux by Abbyville. And then a few other kin folk around the New Iberia area. My dad grew up in Lafayette. So yep, I'm part coon-ass!

Judging from modifications being done on other sites relating to the Discovery jet I will probably extend the nose a bit to get it more pointier. Someone is also sweeping back the horizontal stab which might add to the looks. So, yes I plan to do some slight modifications and I will take a look at the intake area too.

I mainly fly from a 600' grass field and I prefer a jet that I can take out on the weekend and just fly like any other sport plane. I like turbines because of the sound and reliability they provide. I'm not a speed freak by no means, I just like to fly the pattern and get some stick time. And I think the Discovery will fit the bill. I have a Super Reaper now and even though I really like it, I want something that does not take so long to get down. The Reaper really likes to float which makes other fields around my area unsuitable to fly at. One thing I enjoy is going to other fields in my area, flying and meeting new friends.

JR Gautreaux

Received my plans for the Discovery jet yesterday. Started my build pictorial page on my website - http://www.houstonhobbies.com/jets/d...covery-jet.htm

Wood has be ordered, pictures to be posted soon.

JR Gautreaux

JR, this plane looks a lot like your jet design, with a lot of less work and head scratching! good luck with this project and hope to see soon in this thread the maiden flight report.

Enrique

Enrique,

Yes, judging from the plans it is a straight build and I should be able to complete it quickly. There is still some design work I need to complete on the Phoenix before I try building it out. But I think the Discovery jet will be a good grass field sport jet which is exactly what I want.

JR Gautreaux

Hey JR, you bringing the Reaper to Austin?

We will be there with the Maverick and the Cutlass. I'd like to bring the AV8R but Im short a turbine. Wish I knew someone selling a 12lbs. turbine pretty cheap that isnt worn out.

Could always go with a JJ .... They are pretty cheap, and.... they would be tough to wear out [X(]

Todd

lol

Shok,

I'm almost finished with the wing repair on my Reaper. Hoping to get it back in the air this weekend. I emailed Mick and he replied back with a cost of 55 British pounds and 100 British pound to ship. Quite steep for a wing. So I opted to repair my wing, it wasn't all that bad after all. Once the Discovery is built, I will put the Reaper into retirement.

As for a second turbine, I've been looking seriously at the Artes Bee. I've kinda of started to re-think future jet purchases and now leaning towards smaller then bigger. While I would love to have a nice big scale jet, the majority of my flying is done at my local grass field and so I want something that is manageable and stress free to fly. Plus as part of my T Shirt company's (Bail Out Apparel) marketing campaign I plan to make more r/c flying events (other then just jets) so I'd like to have a jet that can handle most fields.

JR Gautreaux

JR Gautreaux

Yeah the Bee and the P-60 look like real winners.

Update 4-19-05

Received my foam wings and a few extra parts that Bill added in the box since I had to wait longer then expected for my wings. I have to say that U Fly Hobbies (Bill and Jackie) are great at customer service. A day after placing my order Jackie called to say that my order would be delayed for a few days so they could find a suitable box to ship my wing in. Wow, that was cool and a good personal touch in customer service. She then phoned again a few days later saying the wings had shipped and gave me a tracking number.

The wings arrived in a well packed box and Bill had even place cardboard over the trailing edge of the foam wing for added protection. And he even took the time to trace out where the formers should be placed in the wing.

The wood for my Discovery jet should be arriving soon too and I will start the build process.

JR Gautreaux

Started on the wings today. Got the channels routed for the landing gear spars. Will post more pictures on my website tomorrow but for now here are a couple.

JR Gautreaux

First write up on session 1 of the construction of the Discovery jet is posted on my website

http://www.houstonhobbies.com/jets/d...t-session1.htm

JR Gautreaux

JR, a dremel works good for channels in Foam with the "Tile grout removing" bit. I tend to install wood in foam with poly glue, and anything that gut cut too much gets filled in during many different steps of the process. "Hog it out" is a phrase I am accustomed too.

If the tile bit is too short, a strategically inserted 1/8" drill bit works well also! I have a dremel router attachment that I can set depth of cut.

Looks good,

Sean

Thanks Sean. The airfoil is quite thick and I'm not sure a dremel bit would have gotten completely through.

JR Gautreaux

How much is this?

Plans are available from www.rcstore.com do a search for Discovery. The plans are around $30. The wings are available from U Fly Hobbies but you can cut them from foam if you have a foam cutting machine. I just spent about $100 on wood to build this model. I believe U Fly Hobbies will be selling a complete kit soon once they test fit their laser cut parts. Don't know a price for their kit just yet. I will probably end up building a few of these jets if things come out as I'm suspecting. I plan to let a few of my friends and club members get some stick time once I'm done.

Check my site out, link posted above, for more information.

JR Gautreaux

Update 4-26-05

Got all the formers cut out and the fuselage clamped together to see how things look. I ended up making the fuselage 6" wide starting from F4 (former 4) to allow more room to install my turbine. I will be installing my Ram 750P not a 500 series turbine inside so had I not increased the width things would have been really tight. Plus I might be able to get more room for fuel.

Session 2 details - http://www.houstonhobbies.com/jets/d...t-session2.htm

JR Gautreaux

I too have these plans. I have just started cutting all the wood parts. This will be scratch built. I will be cutting my own cores as well. I have redesigned the back end slightly. Just didn't like that flat back end. The tail surfaces will not be sheeted foam as the plans call for, but I am going to stick build and fully sheet. I will be installing Springair retracts as well. This jet will be mostly built out of what I have in my scrap box!!! Ready to fly without turbine should be less than $500 (and that's Canadian!). I am using this airplane as my intro to the turbine world. No more excuses that its too expensive now!!!

Jeremy

Jeremy,

I'll probably end up building at least 2 more after I get mine completed. The second one will get a set of retracts and perhaps some other minor modifications. But I have a few people in my local club that have been interested in turbines and I think once they see the Discovery it will make them take the next step. The Discovery is cheap to build and is a suitable entry level jet in my opinion. Good luck on building yours and feel free to post here your progress.

JR Gautreaux

JR, is the reaper ready for Austin?

Yes, it's ready. I'll call you tonight.

JR Gautreaux