[QUOTE]I'm sure you get questions like this often so I apologize.[/QUOTE]
No need to apologize. If you don't mind, I'm going to take this and post it on my website in my new FAQ section.
[QUOTE]
Quinn, I like the Skeeter 30 so much I am going to get another plane from you soon. I have a glow profile I am selling right now and will replace with another of your kits. I just for the life of me can't decide between the Skeeter 40 and 02-45. I keep leaning back to the Skeeter 40, but it's usually windy here so I figure the 02-45 will do it a bit better in the wind. My only question is will the 02-45 fly hard 3D? I really like to bang sticks most of the time, sometimes though I like to try and fly smooth, good lines which the 02-45 appears to do much better. I have read and read and read everything I can find on these 2 planes. For the Skeeter 40 I'll get a Hacker A30-16M, can't decide what I'd get for the 02-45, maybe an A30-12L.
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This is a tough question that I'm getting more and more. The Skeeter series is a funfly 3D series designed for banging the sticks and just having fun. It is by far my favorite design of all that I have done. I will take a Skeeter 40 over most of the planes that I have designed. It is so stable and light for its size that I can fly it in areas that I normally would only fly the Skeeter 30. The 40 will turn on a dime with rudder only and not drop the wingtip. At slow speed it will hold a line, but of course not like the O2. The airfoil is too fat.
The 40 will handle wind, but as you go down in size the Skeeters handle wind better. The 36 is better than the 40 and the 30 is better than the 36. I fly the 30 in 15mph winds a lot. You just learn that hovers will start in front of you and stop about 100 feet away!
The O2 series was designed when I saw that the general public was ready to graduate from the “old fashioned” funfly 3D planes into freestyle 3D planes. These style of planes give you the ability to do very graceful freestyle maneuvers, but this comes at the expense of the ability to fly in small spaces. The O2 series is a little more challenging to hover. I have had 2 other customers tell me they can put the Skeeter 40 in a hover and can take there hands off the transmitter for up to 5 seconds and it still holds tight. I can do this myself.
A compromise between the 2 is the Katana 350 (and soon to come 450 and 500). These are classified as freestyle 3D planes, but lean a little more towards funfly. They hold a fantastic line like the O2, but are easy to hover. Almost as easy as a Skeeter.
[QUOTE]
BTW, in reading your webpage for the Skeeter 30 kit I noticed the suggested motors, or motors customers have used. I run my 30 with a Hacker A20-20L, but don't care for the 11x4.7 APC SF prop on it. The Skeeter 30 is almost uncontrollable in a hover with it, just torques hard. With a 10x4.7 hovering is easily manageable, provides faster vertical climb(actually ballistic) and I think it's just easier to fly all around.
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Thanks. I'll change that. I actually might take that motor off the Skeeter 30 list. It's really too big and heavy, but people like to fly what they already own and a lot own that motor.
[QUOTE]
Oh 1 more thing. I understand you designed the Accel Pitts. I really like bipes, and I'm tired of foam. Do you still have the plans for that plane and are you permitted to share them? I know there's rules and such after selling the rights to a plane as you did. Just looking for something to build this winter. I'm not a fan of ARF's or products made in China otherwise I'd just buy it from Accel.
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Yep, I can give them to you. I might do the Pitts again, but not for a while.
[QUOTE]
Thanks for your time. Quite frankly I don't know how you have time for all you do having a family. I don't have a lot of flying time lately between work and family there's no way I'd have to design and scratch out planes as often as you do.
Chris Adams[/QUOTE]
I get this a lot! I get up every morning no later than 4:30 and draw/work until it's time to get ready for my real job. Most of my flying time is during lunch and at dawn on Saturdays. Sometimes I fly in the front yard while the kids are riding bikes and playing with the neighbors. I'm very active in coaching little league baseball. I can say I like it as much if not more than R/C.
Thanks for the support!!!
Q
