Review,review,review

[Bob Pastorello]

Glad to hear someone else happy with this SURPRISING airplane.  Mine, like
Georgie's, is remarkably stable, straight, and has little, if any, mix
needed.
    Sort of unbelievable in a $140 arf.

Bob Pastorello
NSRCA 199, AMA 46373
rcaerobob at cox.net
www.rcaerobats.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "George Kennie" <geobet at gis.net>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>; <Al_rc4u at hotmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 8:39 PM
Subject: Review,review,review


> Gotta give a report on my Venus.
> About 3 weeks ago I saw a local sport flyer with a Venus and was
> impressed with how it looked in the air. After seeing more positives
> on this list I decided I would try one with the intent of utilizing
> it as a nice winter practice plane.A week and a half ago I picked
> one up and threw it together and took it to the flying field on
> Monday of this week for it's maiden.Oh yeah, I had a YS-53 hanging
> around so I decided I would use that hoping that it would be strong
> enough.The plane came out at 5 pounds 7 ounces which was a full
> pound lighter than the previous model that I had had the 53 in so I
> was encouraged. Anyhow, at the field on Monday, the plane flew O.K.,
> but I found it to be very sensitive to all control inputs. Pretty
> twitchy compared to most of my other pattern adjusted types.The
> rudder was extremely effective, to the point of being scary.Snaps to
> all 4 quadrants blindingly fast. Spins on elevator and rudder only,
> and throw the rudder  to the other side and it would quickly
> reverse.Pitch sensitivity required conciously small inputs
> especially on landing approaches. I flew the patern with it but it
> was tough to make look presentable.However,...........I was also
> acutely aware that there were considerable possibilities lurking
> within this bird, so I brought it home and went to work on the
> throws and anxiously awaited flying conditions.
> Today I awoke to 33 degrees, which was a little disheartening so I
> kinda hung around for most of the morning hoping for a warming
> trend. I happen to live on the ocean so it's usually cooler than
> inland and the flying field is about 30 miles inland so about noon
> it was up to 44 degrees so I figured that it would be maybe 5
> degrees warmer at the field so off I went.Needless to say when I got
> to the field it was beautiful(felt like about 55) and the wind was
> less than 2 mph and most of the time flat calm. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>       Start my trusty 53 and take off! Wow, different animal! This
> is one surprising little airplane. Ground handling is superb with no
> tendency to nose over and with the rudder cut down I could take off
> in a straight line, which was tough on Monday. The set-up on this
> airplane went so well that at no time have I had to touch a trim
> from the get-go.
> The manual for this plane says that there is no roll coupling mixing
> required and very little pitch coupling. Well if you have ever seen
> a guy fly with his chin around his knees you should have seen me.
> Flip this buggar KE and stuff in 1/4 rudder and it just goes
> straight.On one pass I thought it was pulling slightly to the canopy
> and I put in about a 32nd" more rudder and it straightened right
> out. I've never had that happen before.I've got pretty good vertical
> but it finally stops at about 900 feet.They say it will hover but I
> don't have that talent, but it looks like it would be close to that
> ability. Still spins on just rudder(and elev) and can get a little
> squishy/squirrelly at very low speed slow rolls as it feels like
> it's ready to throw it's head into a snap if you're not careful.Spin
> entry seems like it wants to drop the left wing.Avelanches and 45
> downline snaps are still very crisp even with the reduced
> throws.Stall turns are good with approx. 20 degrees rudder.You have
> to be very clean on the stall turn with 1&1/4 up or it will tell
> your secrets. The slow and the 4 pt. are pretty secure, the 4 of 8
> is a little tougher.
> Basically, it does quite a few things pretty well but not with the
> solid feel of a big bird, but pretty astounding for a small
> airplane.
> My gut feeling at this point in time is that my Cermark Javelin is a
> little more groovy and a little more stable platform to work with.
> I think the 63 would be the perfect combo for the Venus. I actually
> flew the Javelin in a contest this season but I don't think I would
> do the same with the Venus as I can't make it appear as graceful, at
> least so far.
> Oh, one thing I forgot, this thing has a good sink rate. It comes
> down when you cut the power.Not scarily, but it doesn't glide all
> the was down the field and run off the other end.It makes a terrific
> short field airplane the way you can drop it in in a short space.
> Ya'know I actually got a little too warm at the field this P.M. but
> I had more fun flying this little wonder than I've had in a while.
> If you get one of these airplanes you are not going to be left with
> any regrets.It's one really super FUN airplane.
> Georgie
>
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