Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

I am considering getting into pattern flying. I have been flying airplanes for several years and helicopters a few years and I think I may want to get into pattern. I don't have the time to build a plane so I need to buy a very good arf or buy a very good used one from someone or somewhere. Could anyone give me some ideas where to look for a pattern plane? Thanks.....

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

get a kaos 60 arf from great planes

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

I have heard that the Kaos is a good pattern plane. The guys around here fly 120 size planes so I am thinking of something in that range though...Probably something I could put a YS 140 in...

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Before you shell out the expense of a 140 powered ship, it would probably be a good idea to try out pattern with a Chaos type ship. My first plane was an Utter Chaos with a Fox 60. It was light, straight, and cheap... and flew like a bat out of a hot place... You don't need something complicated or expensive to enter, or even win the in lower classes.

A Chaos, or anything with a symmetrical airfoil, low wing, .60 is great. With that airplane practice doing manuvers right in front of you, centered, at the same distance, along the same lines... over and over again. Pattern is discipline, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper to do this with 10% nitro than 30%...

my $.02

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

OK, IMHO, a Kaos, while a great design in it's time, and an OK sport model today, is a far cry from a modern pattern model. I would look at something more current, maybe the Swallow or G-Trick 90. Something that is a bit larger and will fly a lot smoother. A Piedmont Focus with a 1.40 in it will fly a LOT better then a Kaos, and is a very competitive model. A bit more money, but if you look around you should be able to pick up one in good shape for a reasonable price.

I just think it's time to move on from the Kaos recommendation. It really is way outdated.

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Tend to agree with Tony here.

Several questions to ask yourself are;

1) Do you have access to other Pattern pilots and their planes? If so is that something you would like to fly? Can you go to a Pattern contest close by. Think Springfield is having a contest in Aug or Sep.

2) I've had a very good Kaos,but flying fast isn't the trick here, Originally bought the plane as a practice plane and sadly, barely ever flew it as it simply isn't the same as a 2M Pattern plane. Fun to horse around with, but not much for practicing the sequence.

3) Keep your eyes open for a good used plane. Even a 120 sized plane is pretty good, Summitt120, Jekyll, etc. Be careful though as the entire range of competition has changed from flying pretty fast, to trying to fly slower.

4) Currently fly my Pattern plane 90% of the time because nothing flies as well!!!

All depends on how focused and determined you want to be.

Ed

Getting started
 

You're going to get as many different opinions as people you ask regarding how much airplane you need to get started. The Kaos 60 will get you started without shelling out a bundle of cash. It has a thick airfoil and tends to fly slow, like the draggy designs currently being flown. You can fly it in Sportsman and find out if pattern is right for you before investing too much money. You can always buy into the fancy stuff later.

Buying in
 

Do what Harrierboy said - buy the Kaos 60 ARF and fly it in Sportsman until you find out if pattern is right for you. Nobody is ever completely happy with his first pattern airplane no matter what it is - might as well make it something easy and cheap. You can always buy into the fancy stuff later. The Kaos has a thick airfoil and flies slowly like the draggy 2 meter designs currently in favor.

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

We have an introductory pattern class going on, covering sportsman and intermediate levels. Instructor demos with a Cermark Javelin/OS 70. (His masters competition plane is a nomex job.) Instructor recommends a Venus as the best bargain for first pattern plane. He says he got a Venus, put a YS .53 in it, first time out he flew the entire current Masters schedule with no trim changes. He was impressed, and remains impressed with the Venus.

Other planes in the class are Swallow/YS 91, Aresti/OS 46FX, GP Extra/OS 50, Kangke CAP 232 Sport/Magnum 91 XLS, Easysport/OS 46 FX. Of the student planes, the Swallow looks very pretty in its maneuvers--very smooth and steady. The Swallow flyer likes the way the CAP flies, also smooth and steady. The other planes are all capable of doing the intermediate schedule, but the Easysports do not roll as nicely as might be desired. The Swallow and the CAP 232 Sport are equipped with premium servos, which undoubtedly helps their smooth flying presentation. (Instructor's Venus has Hitec 225's.)

From what I gather, the Cermark Javelin is not highly regarded among the pattern crowd--but in the hands of a master flyer it looks great. Still, he recommends the Venus as better than the Javelin.

I have been drooling over some of the 90 sized pattern ARF's on the market myself--Tai Ji, Zen, Swallow, the new whatzit at PlanesPlus, the new other-whatzit at Creek Hobbies. However I have in my storeroom an Utter Chaos, a Killer Chaos and a Dirty Birdy, all scooped up in Bridi's going-out-of-business sale. I have my Venus on the workbench, hope to be flying that this summer. Come winter building season I will do a couple of the Bridi jobs, 'cuz I love to build, and I have seen these planes cut some beautiful figures in the hands of competent flyers.

I am in the pattern class not because I aspire to pattern competition (although I probably will enter a few, if for no other reason than that you can learn a lot from hanging around with these guys), but because I wanted to put some discipline into my sport flying. My tendencies are more along the IMAC lines, because to me these look and fly like real airplanes. (They are scale models, of course). But pattern models have evolved into some beautiful refinements of their own, and have their irresistible charm.

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Hi,

I've just started flying pattern with a Swallow EX, fitted with a YS Fz110. The Swallow was a really cheap airframe (Aus $360 which would be around $200 Us) but it performs fantastically. It will stand me at least to Advanced and probably to Expert. I fitted good coreless servos, and have just upgraded the OS91Fx to the YS 110. I can't fault the flying manners of the plane. It holds downlines and uplines, it slows down well, its just a whole lot more capable that I'll be for quite a while. And it took no investment of time to build or lots of dollards to complete. I love it.

I've heard that the Aresti III is also a great cheap 1.40 size ARF.

Steve

Venus40
 

Synth: Forget the kaos, get a Venus40.
Much better, modern design. Flyes great! Put a 46FX, 50SX or Saito.72

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

This is a lot of great information guys, thanks....

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Glad to hear you are interested in getting into pattern!

The NSRCA past president just did a review of the plane at this link: http://www.creekhobbies.com/quest.html

sold by Creek Hobbies, it is called the Quest .90 3D. Eric flew it with a YS91 and YS 140. His remarks were glowing. This ARF looks GREAT, and is only $249!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is low enough to consider buying one for myself as a practice plane. You mentioned a YS 140, with this combo, Eric could fly the FAI P03 and F03 pattern with it.

It buy it if I were you! The servo requirements for a .60 sized plane through 140 are really the same, so you save almost no money by buying a smaller airplane. You could power this with anything from an OS.90 2-cycle - ST2300, or anyother power combo you like.
Jim W.
Futaba Field Rep.
Team Cool Power!

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

What about the little Spectrum .40? Tower has these little planes on sale right now for $99, with a $15 gift certificate that you can buy some cheap retractes with....


http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXNN64&P=7



Wouldn't that be an ok starter plane?


phil in austin

Starter Pattern
 

Hello,

I'm not sure what size or price range you are thinking of but, out of the 40-50 sized pattern planes that I have, I really enjoy the Global Avance. It tracks like an arrow and is almost over powered with a Magnum .46. The plane is built up very light and strong. It comes with retracts a fiberglass cowl, a clear template for the cowl, pull-pull system for the rudder and only requires inexpensive standard ball bearing servos to make it competative. Out of habit, like most of us that suffer from A.H.A.S. (Arf Hardware Anxiety Syndrome) I've replaced the clevises and rods but, that's it. It's more stable than the Spectrum (that I really like) and snappier than the Venus.

Avance Review

Just something to consider...........

PS: I'm working on the Creek Hobbies Quest 3D and so far looks like a winner......

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

I have a Kaos,Great Planes Venus, and have had a Hobbico Spectrum (it was lost in my last contest) and they are all great for Sportsman. A buddy of mine is flying intermediate and has a Venus for a back up plane. I would go with the venus for the reason that it can go up with you to the next level if needed.

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Hey guys thanks for all the information. I have purchased a pattern plane and have an engine purchase in progress. A fellow pattern flyer of yours saw my post here and was kind enough to email me and tell me about a plane he was considering selling and I ended up buying it from him. I will try and post a picture of it here so you can see it. Also, I emailed Dave from YS Performance Specialties and he was also very very helpful to me and I think went out of his way to help me get started, and he is going to send me a new YS 140 DZ to put in it. Thanks to all who replied to this and I am sure I will be asking for more help in the near future..You RC guys are the best!!!!

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Here's another pic....

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Good to see you did it right first time

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Well thank you mc 71!! That's nice to hear....

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

That plane looks like it came from Omaha NE!!! :-)

Todd Schmidt

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like that plane is one of Dezo Vaghy's (former Canadian team member) planes that he used a while back.

A DZ on that plane will have noooo shortage of power :)

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Todd, You are correct as it is from Omaha. Tell Clay hi for me...Don

And, Chad you are correct too. That is the same plane that he used....I tried to use a "bigger" picture but wouldn't let me due to size restraints at RCUniverse but that is the plane...

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Chad,

Good eye, Yes that was Dezo's old plane. I purchased it from him shortly after the worlds he flew it in. Don should have fun flying it with a DZ.

Todd, I am going to miss flying it aginst you. I now have to learn to beat you with my new one. :)

Ron Williams
www.williamswebsite.com
www.omahawks.org

Thinking Of Getting Into Pattern, Help Please...
 

Todd,
I hear the ole brother Clay is getting back into pattern flying as well as helis, is there any truth to that????