Hi all,
I recently visited the Skymaster factory in China. I was truly amazed at change in the product from the original. The ARF PLUS series is really a big step forward from anything else that I have seen in ARF.
The 'new technology' pays off handsomely when it comes to weight and strength. I felt the weight of a number of fuselages - F15, Big F16, F4 etc and they are VERY light. The strength lies in the quality of epoxy resin and 3 layers of matting used, as well as strategically placed carbon fibre. All the flying surfaces use either pure carbon-fibre, or internal carbon-fibre strengthened brass tubing. Gone are the bushings for elevators/elevons - replaced by Ball-Bearings.
Another real 'first' is the continuous hinging of all control surfaces. There is NO HINGE GAP on the top of Ailerons and bottom of Flaps. A strip of Kevlar forms the hinge and a curved fairing allows the opposite side to rotate inside the wing - very good. The fit of the wings etc. to the fuselage is greatly improved - no gap visible! The rivet and panel detail is superb as well.
Another massive step forward is in the oleo struts, wheels and brakes. Most oleos are slowly being converted to Hydraulic/Air operation. The engineering (made in Taiwan) is top-notch, with incredibly smooth operation - and NO LEAKS! Coupled with this is single plate disc-brakes sandwiched between two friction surfaces. The wheels are air-filled and very light.
All painting is done by an external contractor.
Another innovation is the introduction of Wing-Bags for the kits – no more scratches!
Once again, I am convinced that the owners of the new range of ARF PLUS models will be well satisfied.
Anton Lin has invested a lot of money to improve his product, and carries out careful QC checks - so a big 'thumbs up' to him.
Cheers
Leon

To which I might add that the new kits Anton was showing at JetPower looked absolutely first class, all of them ! A huge improvement on the first Skymaster kits.
Regards, David Gladwin.

Ok guys, here is my question. Is SM using now the same (TAVS) total area vacum system tha is used by C-ARF? If there different materials used? I don't want to start any controversy or war between the 2 companies. Just asking cause after put an eye in one of the new manuals from the New Kits of SM, I encounter exactly the same words I found in the C-ARF manuals. Specialy in the build up description of parts and how to handdle the new planes in the transport.

Anyone who know well this tec. can clear my mind?

Thanks

According to the very first page on the skymaster manual it says that they are now using the TAVS technology

Yes I read that. But my experience with C-ARF was not good. My rip ROO II was so fragile that enven a good grip marked your fingers permanently to the skin. Last production of SM kits before this new tec. was much stronger comparing to C-ARF. Now they said that this tec is stronger. I don't think is really stronger but I agree 100% is ligther. I mean is strong in fligth but too delicate at ground. I'm wonder if they can take a hard landing. I like the SM product a lot but now I really not sure if I will buy the plane I was thinkig. I will let others to tell their experience with this new tec. then.

I've had a Eurosport and I'm now finishing a small SM F16, I can tell you that the SM moldings are far stronger than the Carf ones.
The Carf had a kind of thin herex sandwiched between two thin layers of glass cloth, on the SM the core of the skin is wood (balsa?), and the surface is really strong. The edges are cleanly finished (unlike the carf which are self destroying). The hinging technic is probably similar to both except that SM kits have a neat sealing part that hides the ugly hole left on standard live hinges.

Florent

Hi Avicom,

The TAVS system (total area vacuum system) use by Comp-arf desribes the process and not material. Comp-arf uses thin foam laminated and vacumed between glass cloth! This is used on the long open structures to stiffen glass where no formers are used. In particular the Eurosport and big TOC models. Well that is my understanding of what i have seen! I may be wrong!

Skymaster uses the same TAVS system, but uses balsa instead of foam. At this stage only in the wings, stabs and fins. The larger models like F4, Hawk and new MB339 may utilize this system in the fuselage. The F16 1/6 have 2 piece fuselage and have many curves wich makes the structure more ridget and no TAVS in fuselage needed. Carbon is used for strength in all models.

Regards

Morne

This is good news to all of us customers. I do hope that quality control will also improve in step with technologies used. I like to see all jet manufactures out there improve their product to be safer, better and more affordable. BUT, we need them to make more Unique models vs the typical F16, F18 and F15 and so on. While I like most of these models, I would like to see some new ones!!!

I personally do not like the foam used in SOME of these models. If you have a small mishap, it seems the integrity of the fiberglass and surface becomes questionable. This happened to the original Roo's a lot.....

That's exactly what I want to hear. Thanks guys for keep my confidence in SM products! My worries just disapear.

Rgds,
Alejandro

Maybe now they will also make improvements in their manuals as well... 'cause they are totally useless.

Spar

If the new ARF's are as good as they are claiming them to be, then they do not need destruction manuals!!! Just tell us the TRUE CG and the throws and we can handle the rest!!!!!!