THINGS ARE CERTAINLY different today for the aspiring model pilot. Gone, and surely not greatly lamented, are the days when a new modeler had to spend several months building a trainer from a wood kit. He or she usually made a few mistakes along the way; sometimes the kit directions were not very clear or helpful. Sometimes the instructor spotted these mistakes, such as poorly or incorrectly mounted control horns, before the first flight.

   However, other problems, such as using the wrong adhesive to join the wing spars and the parts that strengthen the wing's center joint, were undetectable and often fatal to the model when flown. Even minor damage then often meant weeks of downtime while repairs were made. A total loss could mean missing a whole flying season.

    We should all be properly grateful to those pioneers of yesterday for their talent, patience, and perseverance. Without them, none of us would have the reliable radios, great engines, and ready-built aircraft we enjoy today.

    Today's new model pilot has a wide choice of ARF and RTF basic trainers. Last month I wrote about the differences between RTF and ARF aircraft and how best to choose between them.

    This month I will explore assembling an RTF basic trainer. Along the way, I might have a suggestion or two about how to improve the aircraft's function and durability without much experience or building skills. Next month I'll build a complete ARF trainer—the Hobbico HobbiStar 60 Mk III—and include improvements and performance enhancements.

    Shown is a typical RTF "kit" as it comes out of the box: the Hangar 9 Alpha 60. Where there are differences, I'll use additional aircraft for illustration. All of the RTF basic and advanced trainers available are finely engineered systems. Their production quality is outstanding and the costs seem magically low.

    But the "real world" requires some compromises, such as wings that cannot be fully assembled and fuselages without attached rear surfaces because of shipping restrictions. There is also the need to make every assembly step as simple as possible so that even the newest modeler will have little difficulty assembling a good, flyable aircraft. The cost of this simplicity can sometimes be a loss of durability.

    In theory, there are five major steps to construct an RTF trainer: assemble the wing, bolt on the tail feathers, connect the rear control rods, bolt the main landing gear in place, and mount the spinner/propeller assembly. Total building time could be less than 20 minutes!

    The Hangar 9 Arrow RTF advanced trainer was completely assembled in 17 minutes. You can read more about this aircraft on MA's Sport Aviator Web site: www.masportaviator.com.

    What you get after 20 minutes of assembly is a model that usually lasts for an even shorter period once airborne. Why? RTF trainers remain complex aircraft with many subsystems that require checking before flight. There have been durability problems past the 50-flight mark that are best addressed before final assembly.

Click on photo to view large image with caption

Page 1 • 2 • 3 • 4