FlyBoy38L

Howdy all!

I'm looking to produce a new twin-engine aircraft kit/ARF for sale and need your input to make it the best.

After a discussion with the Deuces Wild & Duelist fans, I found that a lot of guys are looking for a new twin-motor plane. There seems there aren't many, if any, kits or ARFs of a similar model that are available for them. I'd love to design and produce a kit but would need feedback from the very people who would be flying this awesome bird!

If you would like to participate in a quick survey about your twin-engine preferences, it would be appreciated. It will help us make the airplane of your dreams! Also there is a reward at the end for those who spend the time to answer the quick 16 questions.


Survey Link


Also feel free to discuss this idea further below in the comments.


And please, pass this along to your flying buddies!


Regards,
FlyBoy38L

Current Progress: We need your feedback on these questions!
-Collecting responses
-Creating sketches of concepts of the overall design/look
---Which Nacelles/inlet styles look the best?
-Determine Battery and Landing Gear location
---E.G. Battery in fuse or nacelles? & main landing gear in nacelles or wing?

rvnrcer

My Feedback: (4)

I would buy a twin 90-100mm EDF F-4 Phantom or Learjet. Composite. Also, a P-38 around 80" span. I know you are looking more to produce a sport twin but I think the scale twin market is lacking also. I would also be interested in a sport twin similar to the Duelist, especially a composite or at least composite fuselage version.

Keith

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

Completed your survey. Good luck!

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

Don't forget the Twinstar. It is a great flying plane and has been designed to eliminate some of the twin engine fears. I have seen one lose an engine just as the plane lifted off and continued around the field for a safe landing. I have also built and flown the Great Planes P-38 profile. It is also a neat twin engine plane in the air. I have a large number of flights on mine and I even have a couple of kits of it to build in the future. I have discovered that the biggest aspect of flying twin nitro engines is to have reliable engines. If your engines are flakey, you will have issue's. Getting the engines in sync is most important. Having the engines spool up together is also very important just in case you need to abort a landing. You will need to learn how to use your rudder in flight, but flying twins is so much fun. They sound good in the air and open up the doors for a lot of different kinds of planes. It would be great to see another good model out there so Good Luck, Dave

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

I agree with Dave on the Twinstar, i am putting together my second one, they are a blast to fly, especially with a slightly larger engines makes them speed demons as well. Simple by design and reasonable cost. The covering is not good and not the prettiest in the world but you sure could use the Twinstar as a bench mark.

FlyBoy38L

Thanks for the opinions! I do agree, twins have a certain sight and sound that can't be matched. The only thing is that dreaded engine out scenario. Lucky for us it is easier to mitigate that problem than our full-scale counterparts!

OldScaleGuy, thanks for the survey response!

Never thought about considering the Twinstar. I'll look into seeing what design features it has to make sure the good ones are incorporated into the model that will go into production. David, which exact design features were you talking about that help engine outs? Single engine power-to-weight?

FlyBoy38L

panhandler

Survey submitted. Here is another design you mite want to consider. The Twin Air from Northeast Aerodynamics. The nacelles are very close to the fuse with this design flame outs shouldn't be as dreadful as lets say a P-38 .
I built the Twin Air last winter and only have 2 flights on her without any miss haps. Very responsive and agile.
Just my 2 cents
Dan

FlyBoy38L

I did run across that model. Unfortunately, from my understanding, Northeast Aero is out of business. I did like the design of the kit, just not the looks. What did you think of the looks?

Also what is everyone's favorite nacelle style? Dueces Wild? Pica Dualist? Beechcraft King Air? P-38? Piper Cherokee?

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Flyboy

First my experience, I have done twins, triples two Quads and even a six engine ship. I think the count is around fourteen now for myself and others. Currently have about eight ships in the hanger that are active. I have been active on occasion in teaching others via the cordless buddy system how to actually fly safely a single a twin engine aircraft on one engine and this is key to what in my opinion is needed. So my answers are not likely to be popular ones.

First and foremost what is needed is a good flying conventional trainer and sexy looks can go be hanged, It needs to be an ARF not a kit! Not only is that the only viable product in todays environment as well as avoiding you being cornered into a tiny market for scratch builders.

Next it needs to be glow powered, I can hear the howls of derision now. The bottom line is electric flyers in the majority of cases never acquire the needed skills to safely fly any airpane on one engine. This airplane needs to use tricycle gear to help the students on takeoff with the often uneven throttle ups of the glow engines. High wing is preferable to avoid propeller tip strikes when landed with a wing down. The nacelles also need to be underslung to keep engine mass low.

Now for the most important of all any true multi engine trainer using glow engines needs for the engines to be entirely exposed and the most practical mounting orientation is horizontal which for most always the needle valves to point straight up. This is a vital safety factor for any active training.

I am sorry this may not be sexy but it is the most sorely needed type of twin engine airplane of all. The only thing out there now is the Twinstar that is even remotely close and it has the critical problem of very limited fuel tanks. Now just a thought there keep in mind virtually every successful kit producer in history always starts with a true trainer, otherwise where are the pilot customers going to come from? Few will ever successfully teach themselves, the needed responses and actions required of a pilot to successfully continue safe flight on one engine are not intuitive even for very experienced single engine RC flyers.


Just some of my thoughts and I wish you success, Oh and if you do provide a proper trainer I will actively recommend such to those who I mentor in such things.

John

FlyBoy38L

John,

Thanks for the encouragement. I never thought about the entry pilot of the twin market. Your words are eye openers. I can agree with all of them! How many people do you train on average? I do agree that single engine skill is of utmost importance much like the our full-scale counter parts!

I will agree your suggestions are going against what I was considering but they sure are welcome! I was along the lines that electric motors would almost never give out during flight. I haven't heard many "flame outs" about electric planes.

You have great points about the tricycle gear and high wing design. The twinstar is a great lawn mower in my opinion much like the deuces wild and duelist. You were thinking of something along the lines of this right? What do you think of at least double the TwinStar's fuel capacity?

Hemikiller

My Feedback: (125)

The Twinair is/was a very good flying design, just not the best in the looks department. I have the 20 size with Enya SS30 engines and it's a hoot to fly. IIRC, NE Aero isn't technically "out of business", they have stopped production of model aircraft and moved on to other markets.I believe they were offering the rights to some of their designs for sale a year or so ago. Might be worth an inquiry..

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/memb...heastaero.html

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

I just finished the survey.
I like Johns comments he is way ahead of me, but SEXY SELLS! That being said, I have my second Twinstar using my tried and true OS 32 F's, 5 min flight time on my style of flying. Great little plane remembering engine out requires low throttle and
gentle turns back to land. The guys who also fly them on smaller engines may not have the problems, but I can tell you the 32's all on during take off and have one quit @ 10 feet will put the plane upside down instantly!
The failings of the twinstar: Crappy covering, small tanks limiting flight time, not the best look (kinda boxy) and really no practical way to install retracts or larger tanks.
The pluses: Flys well, sounds really great, inexpensive and simple to assemble and yes fix.
I have had several twins over the years and enjoy them but my recent enterests are switching to gas planes such as the Gient Big Stick, I like simple reliable planes that do not require a lot of stress to build of fly.

Good luck on you enterprise!

RDJeff

My Feedback: (11)

Hey, that looks a lot like the one I'm building! Check it out in the "bashing a bashed kit" thread.

FlyBoy38L

Sounds like an Escapade Sport Twin with extra fuel is in order!

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

There ya go, along with decent covering and hardware. The correct amount of hardware would be good too. I am finishing up my second Twinstar and the inventory of supplied hardware is way off.

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

Here is another great flying twin for reference. Fills your need for speed and lands like a trainer. http://www.airagestore.com/the-big-apple.html

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

That looks interesting, with the right color pattern.