Phenom

[Troy Newman]

As most of you have seen the new KF and Central Hobbies ad shows the Phenom a Kirk Gray Design.


Jenny and I just got home from visiting the in-laws in North Carolina. Last week Jerry and I took a trip up north to Winston Salem and met up with Kevin McCoy to fly the Phenom....

I have had a kit in my hot little hands since about the TOC and wanted to fly it to make sure I would finish the plane before the move. I'm in a crunch and if it flew like a pig I was going to just scrap the idea and continue packing!

Well the word is I'm painting the plane and going to have it finished before we move....It flies great!


I was really impressed. I flew Kevin's new plane its about 9 3/4lbs and running a 140L it flew very well. Kevin had about 3 flights on it...I stuck #4 and #5 on it for him. I flew the P-03 and F-03 as well as those pesky 1 roll circles and 1 roll loops....It tracks extremely well and the rudder authority is superb, while the plane has very good yaw damping characteristics. As for the non-trimmed out status of the plane I flew I compared it very much like my new Hydeaway. The plane is pretty big but doesn't have the big nose of the Smaragd or Focus. I was pleased to find its drag and slow speed performance was on a par with the Smaragd...but in the wind I think it will fly better as the blunt nose is not present. When you stomp on the throttle the plane wakes up and will penetrate very well in the wind....

The wing is a little thicker than the domestic planes and as such gives good drag and when the power comes off....but yet doesn't drift in the verticals as the plane slows like some of the blunt nose planes....Overall I would have to spend some time with mine before it takes the #1 slot from the Smaragd Z but it definately has all the right stuff to get it there. It snaps as well as the Smaragd and that is really a tribute....

I look for many people to be getting these planes as it flies so well. This kit has a couple advantages...

#1 produced here in the USA by Kevin and Terry....Sold only via Central Hobbies.  
#2 Availability...
#3 Price is lower than the French stuff
#4 simple design top access, clear canopy, plug in wings and fixed gear.  
#5 Lightweight CF gear come with it.


there are a couple cons. I would not be honest if I didn't mention them.....but in my mind they are minor compared to its flying properties.

The Fuse is glass just like the Hydeout and Prophecy kits. Not the extreme materials or quality of the ZN and PL kits. But it is straight and will build in the 10lb range if done properly. I know some will be a little higher but the fuses I saw out at Kevin's place are only a few ozs heavier than the best ZN work. Then Again the price isn't up at $1100 plus shipping for the kits...So you save a few hundred bucks and get a plane that flies as well! Looks from my numbers I'll be at about 10.25-10.5lbs but I have a fuse that was #4 out of the mold. Its a bit heavier than the newer ones. These guys were going through a learning curve and from the looks of what they are producing today compared to my fuse the planes will be in the below 10lb range. The latest ones they have built have been in the 9 3/4lbs. So this means a good airframe on demand and not waiting for the production of the overseas companies. Don't get me wrong the ZN and PL stuff is some of the best in the world but this plane flies so well. It is going to be a big success if you guys get your hands on it.

It reminds me, looks wise, as a Prophecy with a Typhoon Nose on it. Not the sexiest bird on the flight line.....and that's a little of a con. But the Prophecy, Sequel, and Jeckyll were no beauty queens either. I flew both Kevin's (9.75lbs)and Terry Darr's (10.25lbs)planes and can tell you they flew as well as anything out there.  

Now the big question is how will the market see the plane.....My only answer is fly it! I was extremely pleased with its performance. In fact I think its as good as the Smaragd Z and the Hydeaway which were the #2 and #3 planes in the world just last year!


>From what I understand Central is taking orders.  


Its a really great flying plane! Tracking and Snaps are Superb!


Troy NewmanGet more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.f3a.us/pipermail/nsrca-discussion/attachments/20030116/8e4fb67a/attachment.html