Is it just me or do most sport planes really suck to fly? After years flying almost nothing but pattern planes I find most non pattern models really annoying. I just finished and flew a new QQ Yak54 and was very disappointed in how it flies. The thing seems to snap pretty easy doing pulls that my pattern planes just powers right through. I've flown what the sport fliers say is the "Best thing since sliced bread" and afterwards wonder just what the heck they see in it. I know the Yak is a 3d type airplane and I can do most of those type maneuvers although not very well given the few flights I ever tried. Maybe I'm just spoiled?

After flying a high quality pattern plane, I have become very picky in my choice of airplanes and equipment for all my other planes ("all" being a misnomer - I only have a Flip 40 and two fancy foamies beyond my Mantis). The Flip has a YS 63 and JR 8417 servos all around (0.10s/60deg, 80ozin), and the foamies are the stiffest and best designed I can find, with JR DS281 digital servos all around on the one.

Hey, the Yak is the best "scale" 3D plane.... on high rates. I'm not sure which version you have but it sounds like it performs just like all the others.

Try to tune it down a bit and it won't be so snappy.

I know where you're coming from there.

I've gotten very settled with my flying "fish" as the boys at the field call them (mostly IMAC pilots, FAI pilots are a dying breed here).

I bought a CG Ultimate with a Saito 120, a gorgeous aeroplane to look at but I was very dissapointed with it's tracking and coupling, especially on long verticals.

I sold it and gave up flying for a year.

Yours truly.

Spoilt.

Same here, spoiled stupid: I have two Pattern planes (Typhoon 2K hybrids) that I fly all the time. A Desire OS91FX that I like but have not flown for months and a Norvel powered 1/2A Mini Tiger (C Golberg based), just for fun.
My next project will probably be a Brio pattern plane.
I must admit I do have a couple of nagging dreams that sometimes come to mind. Like a BVM turbine BobCat, or a probuilt, no limits, Top Gun ready, large scale Mk. IX Spitfire. But either one would set me back $6,000+ and I can have 2 Brios for that :-)

Yep, Tim, you're RIGHT! The VERY best "scale" aerobatic airplane I ever owned was a slug in comparison. And if there are any doubters....try this test.... next time you're out, and the competent sport pilot is there, give him a few laps with your bird... Betcha a trainer cord his jaw drops open, he fills the air with "Holy Cow"s, and "That is unbelievable" kind of comments.

Also - look at the current really advancing designs in arfs - what are they? Pattern shaped, pattern -capable, and very WELL designed aerobats. Pattern ITSELF may not appeal to a large crowd, but I think the smoothness, response, power-to-weight, and predictable flying habits ARE drawing a crowd. And they're voting with their wallets, too. Just look within the past two years at the 90 size and up "3D Pattern" ARFS out there.... must be there's a demand, eh??

Yep, the good 2 meter planes will spoil you. And the trouble is the better you get at setting them up, the better they fly....and the worse everything else sucks.

I did find one plane I really enjoy that isn't a pattern plane. It's an Exclusive modellbau Funtana pro, 2 meters with an OS 160FX. This is one of the most FUN planes I've flown to date. It will do every 3d trick in the book, but switch to low rates and it does teh advanced pattern very nicely. And slower than my 2 meter pattern planes! And best of all, it doesn't "hunt" at all, it tracks like a prophesy. Just SLOW. Not much coupling at all, very solid design. It does suffer slightly on knife edge at slower speeds but that's about the only real flaw I've found with it. It makes a GREAT hell raising sport/3d plane. It took a little to get used to it, but WOW is it ever fun. I really need to fix that gear and fly it some more....landings are hell with the aft cg though, it's a kite and you have to harrier land it.

It comes as a HIGH quality cnc routed balsa kit, with better balsa than I can get. I can get it lighter, but not better overall. Few kits have absolutely stunned me, but this one did.

This is one I give kudos, even though it's pricey.

-Mike

If you had a moderate budget and could own only one plane and wanted to compete in pattern, what would you buy and what power plant would you install? I am going to fly pattern this year for my first time and I will be using a Boxer 60. I am just in the process of getting it set up. I have lots of other "sport" planes which I have accumulated but I need to settle down my thoughts and keep only the ones I intend to fly. If it goes well for me this summer and I enjoy the competitions I may think about dumping a few things in search of a new design ship with a good quality 4 stroke on it. Since I'm new to this aspect I am always listening to what you seasoned veteran's have to say. Thanks. Jeff

I have a pattern plane on order-Wide Body 60. Not interested in any competition, just love to fly for fun. Are most of pattern guys installing retacts?

Isn't the Funtana 90 an ARF instead of a kit?

I've seen the 40 size Funtana fly and it looks pretty good....but the bottom rudder hinge came out and it nose dived in hard.

Hey Mike is that a pull pull elevator on the Funtana Pro?

Yep the elevator is Pull-pull. Works great, over 40 degrees of travel and perfect alignment.

blwblw, yes the funtana 90 is an ARF, but this is the 140+ size. It's a kit, Desert Aircraft imports them. This is the plane the H9 funtanas are designed after; same guy. It's just HUGE. Might I add it's the easiest building kit of this size I've ever played with, and that includes 2 CA models planes. Oh except teh elevators suck to keep straight.

-Mike

Ditto Guys,

This is exactly why I bought my first pattern-ish ship (Excelleron 90).....don't plan to compete but just want a good flying ship.

"Converting Sport Flyer"

I love to fly my Jeykyll pattern plane. I haven't competed yet, and maybe never will, but the pattern style plane just grooves along and suits my flying style. Plus the size/stability of the 2M ship sure helps on windy days. I feel much more confident to fly the pattern plane that any other plane due to I know what attitude and position it will come out of a manuever. I am building a Widebody 60 to use as a practice pattern and 3D plane and replace the jeykll. I hope to get the best of both worlds, a great flying pattern plane on low rates and a fairly good 3D plane on high rates. I have seen pattern planes set up where they can hover well, they just don't have the control throws for the aggressive stuff. The only drawback on my Jeykll is the retracts as I fly off grass and the struts need to be rebent occasionally. Anybody need an old pattern plane with a YS 120 email me and I'll make somebody a great deal.

Pattern planes rule!

Mitch

Look for a good used pattern plane from someone that's moving up to a bigger/better plane. If you can find a used Focus that's a dang fine flying airplane.

because of the weight that goes with them, retracts are no longer considered standard equipment with pattern planes. most now use std. gear with wheel pants to keep the weight down and the planes are built to handle the extra drag.

I've been flying a Widebody for over a month now exclusively. I'm not a pattern expert by any means. I went back to my Kavalier the other day and had a blast flying it again. I had forgotten how good it flies. It flew pattern very well...in the old design sort of way. The Kavalier is a sport plane, but it can do some good pattern stuff too. I thought I wouldn't enjoy it but I was wrong.

I find this very true for me also. If I maiden someones newest sport plane, I'm asling myself, can it fly straight, hold knife edge, do a decent 4 point etc etc. To date, almost always I am glad to get the plane down.

The only exception was my 37% Aeroworks Extra because, and only because, I set it up just like my pattern planes. This was commented on by those who flew it. Yeah, I could 3D it if I wanted, but also had just enough throw to do an IMAC sequence very well. I believe this is missed by most and the art of setting up the plane to fly the sequence is secondary to doing the hot stuff. With our radios, you should be able to do both, but believe most don't.

I had a 30% extra ARF that just didn't measure up to the high standards already achieved and I only kept is a very short while before selling. Guess that makes it hard to come up with "fun" planes that still fly "well" by pattern standards.

ed

I have this conversation with my brothers and Dad all the time.

I got fed up flying sport and 3D planes so much so that for a few years all I would fly was F3A. Just this last 2 years or so ive got back into 3D but more often than not I will fly the plane for a couple of months, get bored of it as I end up thinking its crap and sell it on.

The exception to that rule is the Vision im flying now. Reckon it’s a definite keeper. Only had 3 flights to date but it seems to do the smooth stuff really well and 3D’s easy plus it only costs 40p a tank

Angus

you really felt that way about the Capiche 140 ?

Well, im not gonna start bad mouthing what is essentially an excellent plane, but I did find there were certain things I didn't like about it.

Plus, in my opinion, if you really wanted to get it to go you had to put in a 160. Anything less and I felt it was lacking in the power department. I did have a 160 in it and it was good but I then had to take it out and put it in bros Lazulite. I then was faced with spending £400 odd on a 160 to get the sort of performance I was after, but I just couldn't justify spending that kind of money on a plane that I wasn't fully satisfied with. I then sold it and bought the 2nd hand Vision ive now got.

Angus

Yea I am Spoiled for life too. Nothing flys like a 2 meter plane.

DITTO.....................


I though the Funtana 90 would be a good change from practicing with the pattern bird each time but..... it has terrible rudder coupling and some other flight deficiencies. Overall the Funtana is fun to impress the rest of the club fliers with but they are all still all in awe of how SMOOTH and how POWERFULL my pattern plane appears.

Wayne Galligan

I agree that all the pattern aircraft that I have flown, fly great, but after seeing the turbines fly at the Georgia Jets field last weekend, the current pattern stuff looks pretty darn dull. Not that I plan to spend $15 to $20K on a turbine but the flight characteristics of the turbines are absolutely and completely spectacular. They are fast, smooth and very graceful. Because we are comparing all RC aircraft I thought it would be worthwhile to include what looks to be the absolute in RC flying. There were a few large prop aircraft flying during the day that made comparison even more dramatic. I also think the turbines are attracting many of the best flyers from, pylon, pattern, scale, etc. Some of you may have seen turbines fly already, but if you haven’t its worth your time to see them. You won’t be disappointed!

I agree the turbines look great and are really smooth (sound great aswell). When I grow up and get a job im going to get a turbine F16

But you can do far more stuff with an aerobatic type plane.

Angus