Composite-ARF Impact question

[Ed Miller]

I have to second Dave Lockhart's mention of Dick Hanson Models. The best flying planes I ever owned or flew came from him. I currently own and fly 3 of his designs, a modified EMC per Dave Lockhart, an Elan and a 26% Dalotel. I've had numerous others and they were great flying planes. 
I'm happy with my Litco Alpha 4.
OS makes the best 2 strokes IMHO.
S&W fuels
B&D retracts ( my Elan and Dalotel have retracts )
Futaba 
Central Hobbies
Radio South
ES Composites
With the exception of 2, they are all US based companies. Hmmm, wonder why
Ed M.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: DaveL322 at comcast.net 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 1:26 PM
  Subject: Re: Composite-ARF Impact question


  I always loved the offerings from Hanson (Dick and his son Gy) and probably have more flights and success with Hanson stuff than anything else.  The EMC (now available, I think, from Rich Lee) was way ahead of its time, and with a few simple mods will still fly with the current day stuff.

  In almost 20 years of pattern flying, 2004 was the first time my planes were not of US origin.  I am currently flying a pair of Vivats - full composite (FG / balsa / FG) with substantial amounts of prefab.  I closely inspected 2 before shelling out the dough for mine, and have closely inspected several others since.  The entire structure is extremely rigid and the flying weight is 9.75 lbs.  The flight performance and craftsmanship are the best I've seen.  It is obviously a very well refined design and has proven to be very durable (500 flights and counting).  It isn't cheap, but for the level of quality, I wouldn't expect it to be cheap.  Independant of cost, I think the value of the plane is good.

  Regards,

  Dave Lockhart
  DaveL322 at comcast.net

  -------------- Original message -------------- 

    Mark there are several threads that have quite a following on RCU about another pitfall of the IMPACT. The egg shell fuselage, unsupported, is prone to compression buckles and broken tails. I have written quite a bit on this subject, allerting all who will listen.

    The fix is fairly simple at the factory but much more difficult in the finished part that you get in the kit. 

    Yes, CARF did a reat job reducing the price of a nice looking airplane, but the quality has suffered, in my opinion

    MattK

    In a message dated 2/2/2005 8:51:26 AM Eastern Standard Time, edbon85 at charter.net writes:
      The American kit manufacturers haven't learned the secret. The more one pays 
      for an item, the harder one will defend it and overlook it's deficiencies. 
      We had an abundance of American cottage industry kits manufacturers AND 
      designers, we drove them out of business with the plane of the week 
      mentality.
      Ed M.
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: "Mark Hunt" <flyintexan at houston.rr.com>
      To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
      Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 8:05 AM
      Subject: Re: Composite-ARF Impact question


      > I'm gonna say it.....just can't hold back.....if an Aires fuse was like 
      > this we'd be hearing all about how hard it is to find a quality pattern 
      > kit in the US.  Drives me nuts that so many people have been fixing this 
      > without so much as ! one bad word about this company.....
      >
      >
      > there...I feel better.

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