Jason Shald wrote:
A local flyer kindly donated to me an older pattern plane that has trained several local flyers in the art of competition. It is an Eclipse. It was originally designed and flown with a piped 60. It is now set up for a YS .91 FZ. It has roughly 800 sq. inches and has a length and span of about 65". Weight estimates come out to about 8 lbs in this configuration. Is this a reasonably competitive setup in Intermediate or Advanced?
I am a little concerned about it's lack of fuse side area. I have attached a pic of its profile and an overlay of the Temptation. Would it be worth extending the lower hatch and adding a larger canopy and turtledeck or is it better to keep the weight as low as possible? I have already sanded 1/4 pound of old paint and excess resin off. 8lbs will be difficult to make with these additions.

Here are some other profiles:

I guess it depends on what you're trying to accomplish. The Eclipse, if straight, is an excellent airplane that you will not outgrow very soon.

There is NO reason to fly the absolute latest and greatest so long as the airplane is capable of more than you are.

Fly it.. fly it.. and then fly it some more until you feel the airplane is truly limiting you.

-Doug

If it is a bit heavy, you can wait for the release of the new YS 110, which I think is replacing the 90.

Doug,
I will probably wear the plane out before I am ready for much else, but figured while I am rebuilding it, why not upgrade it a little? My main concern is the weight gain. Also, I don't want to add any coupling that it doesn't already have.
I am currently flying a G.P. Venus and am growing quite fond of its side area. It takes very little rudder in knife or slow rolls.
I have never flown an Eclipse and I am not sure how much different it will be.

Jason,
Don't change the design of this plane. They fly extremely well in their original outline. The side area is deceptive and the plane will fly knife edge very well. Point rolls were always one of it's strong points. You're not going to knife edge loop this model, but I have never seen one where the owner wished for more rudder authority. When this design released back in the early 90's, everyone and their brother had to have one. Most people bought a second one after flying their first. They are that good. The only reason they lost popularity was because the then new YS-120 was finally available in a powerful and reliable configuration and everyone wanted to move up to larger planes.

My advise is that you put the Eclipse in the air and fly the snot out of it. You will really enjoy it just as it is. Henry Piorun knew what he was doing when he designed this plane!

John

Yeah JWN, the guy that gave it to me said it was the best rolling plane he ever flew. Three dif. pilots in our club have competed with this plane, and it has never got worse than 2nd at any contest. Maybe if thats true, I should just start out in Masters huh?
If this plane can get me through the next 2 seasons by then I should have a 2 meter together. I think I will take everyone's advice and leave it as is! Besides, I don't see my self competing beyond Intermediate in that timeframe anyway.

Thanks!

THe plane is a good flyer...the YS 91 is a good power plant and at your elevation at 8lbs it will be more than enough power....In fact it might be over powered.

Just spend some time with the plane and learn how to make it do things right. The newer airplane designs (wide Body) designs have evolved from the the F3A sequences. These sequences have rolling loops, snap and roll combinations and require tons of power. The current Masters and the new masters sequences proposed for 2005 all are without these requirements. Soooo flying Intermediate or Advanced is cake for a plane like this. Its all the guys on the sticks. Make sure your equipment is in good working order and keep up on maintaining your servos and the rest of the plane. It should last a long long time. I have a Dr J 2 that was originally flown in 1995 and it still flies great. Right now I think it has over 3000 flights on it.

I haven't flown it in a couple years but I would bet just sitting in the shop it will perform just like always....Maybe some new batteries.....

Troy Newman

Troy,
It was great watching you compete at our Pattern meet! Scribing with you was a great help too. Until I scribed for you I had no idea that I was doing the Double Immelman wrong. After learning the right way my score went from a 6 to an 8 and together with a few more tips, I actually won a round.

We had a 20 mph crosswind blowing today. Now that was some rudder practice!
Hope to see you at our Labor Day airshow!

Hi Ho, Hi ho, off to practice I go.

And old saying. Don't Fix what ain't broke!

Can someone tell me how this compares to the Sun Fli 5 of the Dirty Bridy 60? I am really looking into a larger pattern type plane, and am contemplating a couple of different models including a 60/90 Widebody as well, but the price is a little much for a kit ($200). The Sun Fli 5 is only $75 with a 65" wingspan. I am planning on putting a Saito .91 on it....any comments?

Jason,


As a pattern flyer for quite a few years...I'll say nothing different than some of the other guys. Just fly it.

May be of interest to enlarge the control surfaces a bit but, not necessary.

Most of the best pilots out there have airplanes with lots of flying and hangar rash.

The planes look good from a photo or at ten feet but, step a little closer and have a look...that hangar rash is practice rash . You don't fly well with a new plane PERIOD!

The Eclipse design flies well...don't get too fancy or you'll run into aerodynamic brain freeze trying to figure out what will work or what won't. Looks like you've done lots of work on it already. Make it look good, fix what has to be fixed, and fly it.

Yeeeehaaaaaaa!