hi i just picked up a zen 50 do you guys think this is a good plane to start with?

The Zen is a good plane. It'll get you going. What engine?

a 61fx what do you think pete

Sound's like you were at Larry's. It's a good plane. Flys well and has plenty of power with that engine. It'll surely get you started.

ive just bought a zen 50, everything sweet as a nut apart from the small weels and retacts, having major problems getting off the deck, need 110%rates to get airborn.
does any one have any sugestions what to do, or where i can get some dampened retract legs, or some tips on making the retract well larger to put bigger wheels on.
please please help, cant really fly until sorted.
cheers

i own a zen 90 and a 120 both of then are excellent planes. the 90 has a YS110 fzs with a pipe and the 120 has an OS120 surpass with pump. The 61 FX on the 50 will give you unlimited power. Those 50 size planes are designed around a 50 four stroke engine or a 40 two stroke. The ys 60 fz fits like a dream in it with a pipe.

Here are a few things you can do to solve the tiping over problems.
I had the same tipping over problems until i did this.
Remove the retracts and put a 1/16 to a 1/8 piece of metal strip or plywood strip on the rear of the retract,shim it up at the aft. then screw it in place. this will raise the back of the gear and will automatically tilt the wheels forward. Works great. solved most of my tip over problems

Also you are probably too nose heavy so move the battery back and if that doesnot work then add about two to three ounces of weight at the tail end of it.
This will solve most of your problems and you will have lots of fun flying this plane rather then fighting it from nose overs.
There is a review on the zen 50 on rcunivers review section check it out i am sure it will help.

Let me know how you did.

thanks for the reply, i think the c of g is just about bang on, i'll try it again though.
im just in the process of speaking to unitracts international to get some dampened legs to help stop them bending aswell. your idea about some wood behind the retract is a good and logic idea that i still will probably use.
thanks once again
david

Interesting..you have both the 90 and the 120.

I have the Zen 90 still in a box, building an Excelleron 90 right now.

I think the retracts scared me a bit so I opted for the Excelleron 90 for now, will probably proceed with the Zen 90 this winter, that way I will have two 90 size pattern planes. I have a used OS 91 that I will probably use on the Zen, using an Evolution 100 on the Excelleron.

I've been flying the Venus 40 for a while, Tiger 60 before that.

DS.

The retracts are just fine they are quite strong.
if you fly off grass then you will have to shim up the retract. But if you fly of paved runway then it will work fine as it is. Also if you fly off grass then a three point landing will also work.


After having a great deal of success with the zen 90 i decided to go for the 120 and wasnt dissapointed

also adding two to three ounces of weight at the tail wont affect the CG but it will cure the nose over problems
keep the retracts they look really cool on this model.