Conference vmszoo::rc

    Jerry,
    	
    	I've flown the Eaglet and the Eagle 63.  The 63 is a floater
    and a very stable plane.  I highly recommend it as a trainer. It
    also builds quick and easy.  I've never had experience with  the
    Eagle 2,  but it is only a modified version of the 63 so I would
    again follow through with my first recommendation.
    
    Ken

Hi Jerry; glad to see that the bug's got you too!


The Eagle is an excellent trainer up here, lots of folks at the
club field fly them.  The Eagle 2 should be just as good.  I've
blamed a lot of my own problems on the Eaglet, but in the end I
don't recommend it because its just too small to make rapid
progress on.

If you want to be absolutely certain that you'll learn to fly,
the Senior Kadet by SIG is like shooting fish in a barrel.
However, given reasonable ability, I think the initial challenge
of the very marginally faster Eagle is best in the long run; you
have something to grow into, rather than outgrow.  Last year one
of our club hotdogs soloed on an Eagle, then won the Novice
Pattern class in a contest about a month later!

There are several of us RC Deccies up here,  I'm sure that you'll
have no lack of advice if you asked around!  Come out to the club
field on any Saturday and ask lots of questions.

    Hi John thanks for the reply.
    Yes, I'm bitten although I have yet to fly anything I have really
    enjoyed the construction. I'm just about to cover an oly 650 so the
    first trip to the field(hopefuly) should be coming up soon. I do need
    to get off my @## and buy a radio I've been having a heck of a time
    deciding what to get so many choices and so little experience on my
    part. 
    I broke down and bought the eagle kit yesterday(what can I say I liked
    the looks) for a winter project. Now I need to start gathering up the
    the rest like an engine,radio,ect. One thing for sure being wealthy is
    a wonderful way to enter this hobby too bad that I'm not 8^)
    Anyone have the winning Colorado lottery numbers for next week?
    
    I just hope I get things together in time to fly before it gets too
    cold.
    
    -j 

I too would highly recommend the Eagle 2.  I would rate it easy to 
build, easy to fly, and able to take punishment.  I should know; tried
to fly mine through a tree.  The wing was demolished and I chopped the
tail feathers right off.  However, I had already built a spare wing 
(extra wing kits are available from Tower for about $25) and I was able 
to re-attach the tail feathers.  My only real complaint is the landing
gear; bends easier than I think it should.

Assembly instructions are clear and leave little room for error.  Take 
extra care when assembling the fuselage.  Make sure it is square and 
that the tail feathers go on level.  You may want to reinforce the 
landing gear mount.  I used a piece of steel over the landing gear plate 
to strenghen it and to help keep the pieces of piano wire that go up the 
sides of the fuse in place.  The windows are a b***** to install.  No 
helpful hints to offer on this one.

You will be given the option of going with 3 or 4 channels.  I would 
recommend 4.  I started out with 3.  After a short while I became bored 
with the lack of maneuverability that the high dihederal wing with no 
ailerons offered.  Also, when I had to go to 4 channels (I had built the 
spare wing with moderate dihederal and ailerons) it took some re-learning 
to control the rudder/steering with the left hand, not the right.  Also, 
go with a .40 engine.  Anything smaller and you may have difficulty on 
windy days.

In short, I would do it again.  If you have any more questions just give 
me a shout.

Loren

Jerry,

Count me in as another lover of the Goldberg Eagle!  I have an Eagle 63 with
over 100 flights and going strong - it taught me how to fly.  Mine has an O.S.
48 Surpass four stroke and will pull straight up almost out of sight!

There's a good review of the Eagle 2 in Model Airplane News(August I think).
The only differences are repositioned landing gear, more vertical stabilizer
area, and more engine down thrust.  It should be a great ship!

A Couple of hints, since I've built two and assisted in others:

	1.  Build it straight - measure and measure until its right then 
            measure again!

	2.  Before you join the fuselage sides, make sure the window openings
	    fit the plastic windows supplied.  Or don't punch out the die cuts
	    keep them in with a little glue, this will add some more structural
	    integrity to the fuselage.  It doesn't look too bad without side
	    windows.

	3.  Go with a .40 size engine.  I've seen one with an O.S. .50 FSR and 
	    it can handle the power.  better too much than not enough.
	4.  If you've got an instructor build it with ailerons and use the least 
	    amount of dihedral suggested.
	5.  I didn't like the palstic wing tips but they take a lot of abuse.
	    I keep mine in place with straight pins cut to about 1/2", pinned 
	    through the wing tip and the top and bottom spar in addition to
	    the glue.

I love this airplane, I think its a great choice for a trainer.  If you have any 
questions during construction, call me!

                --|--             Happy (con)Trails!
                 (O)             
          _______/ \_______       Scott Cox
                                   DTN 341-2527

    I learned on a Eagle 63 and it was alot better kit than the 
    first eagle 2 kit put out. The wood was ok but too thin! especially
    around the wing balsa and the fuse ply. I guess they've made
    considerable improvements with it since I first built mine. Don't
    bother with bolting the wing down, the fuse can't take the jolt
    if a wingtip landing happens. Use elastics and the wing pegs. It
    is a good flyer though, I have many, many flights on mine and it's
    still flying. Golberg EAGLES are a great trainer!! Enjoy...
    
    								Tom

    
    I'm probably going to build an Eagle-2 this winter with my son Billy,
    provided Tower can get it to me by the 14th (his 9th birthday) or I can
    find it locally.  Otherwise I will probably go with a PT-40.  He's been
    showing a lot of interest in flying and I've been letting him get a feel
    for it with my SS20 (not your ideal trainer :-)).  I hope next
    summer he'll have the patience to learn.
    
    I like the looks of them, they are one of the few trainers that look
    like real airplanes.  I am a little concerned about the strength of
    the wing mounting, and will be looking to beef that up some.
    
    Bill
    

    Thanks for the inputs I should be starting work on it soon as the
    oly650 is just about finished. Re. Not bolting on the wing I had
    planned to go with the bolt on wing option which probably was not
    very good thinking on my part, I'm sure there will a few less than
    perfect landings..
    I've about got the plans memorized from reading them in anticipation
    of starting construction soon. I still need to gather up the remaining
    'parts' before getting started. I still need an engine and was thinking
    about an OS.46 or the 70 surpass any comments? BTW- I live at 6000 feet
    (may at times fly at a site near 9000') will I need more power than
    these two can provide? If too small any suggestions on a better choice?
    
    ADVthanksANCE,Jerry
    

    
    I think your engine choices are fine, although you might want to 
    go with the .46 2-stroke if you want less engine pampering and
    more flight time.  I know some people will disagree with that statement
    but that's my opinion.  John Tavares can help you with the altitude
    question.  I plan to look closely at bolting the wing down, I hate
    the thought of ever owning another plane with rubber bands.
    A dozen or so rubber bands hold a wing so tightly that it should
    be almost the same as bolting them down.  If/when Tower gets my
    son's kit to us I'll have a better idea of how much beefing up
    is needed to use bolts.
    
    Bill

Our club field is at 7200' and most of the guys run .40s in their
Eagles.  I don't think you'll need anything bigger than the .46
for 9000'.  Please do not take my word on this, check with the
Eagle flyers at the field.  To misquote someone: Rumors of
altitude problems are highly exaggerated.  Of course, I really
must admit that I've never flown below 7200'...

On the rubber bands.  I'm looking forward to the day I'll be able
to dump the ugly things that get all oily and break.  But like
training wheels, they've saved my wing more than once.

    Bill,
      After you see the kit you'll probably agree
    as a trainer, the elastics might save you alot
    of repair time. I like the idea if the bolts but
    the aft section of the plane is real delicate and
    a slight wing tip landing will cost you some repair time.
    Mine has cracked so many times that the bracing I put in 
    would have been to my advantage to beef up before the first
    flights. It's still together and flying though. Another
    thing I did was build the wing with almost no dihedral.
    It flies real straight and manuvers very well. My dad
    has flown it a couple times and he's just learning. He
    seems to have pretty good control for a beginner. The
    plane is a good trainer!!
    
    Tom

    One possibility is to use undersized nylon bolts that will shear easier
    than the 1/4-20 ones.  The thing that usually does the damage on a 4
    channel trainer is the aileron torque rods.  This happens with elastics
    as well as with wing bolts if the wing gets wrenched sideways.  It
    usually takes out the fuse side and bends the torque rod.  This is not
    too difficult to repair though.  Light Ply fuse sides don't take much
    abuse especially with all of the lightening holes.
    
    Charlie
    

    That's for sure Charlie!! I've been using 10-32 nylon
    bolts from the start. It still doesn't take a blow like
    the elastics do. Having punched out fuse sides make the 
    aircraft alot lighter but decreases the structural strength
    considerably.....
    
    			Tom

    
    My 9-year old son Billy and I started building his Eagle-2 last
    week, and I have to say that I am very impressed with the kit,
    and the way it is geared toward the beginner.  I haven't seen
    a better construction manual.  In addition, they provide little
    niceties like a hinge gauge, templates to make sanding tools to bevel the
    leading edge of the control surfaces, templates to adjust control
    surface throws, etc, etc.  Thinking back to the first kit I ever
    built, I know how nice it would have been to have these things!
    
    We're taking it real slow.  I do the fine adjustments and make
    sure things are in the right place before he glues them in place.
    I'm also doing the cutting and X-acto work.  He's having a blast
    with it so far.  We've finished the tail surfaces and about half
    of the wing.
    
    Billy is learning a lot about building.  He's learned about CA debonder,
    and how sharp those X-acto knives are.  He leaned on the X-acto and
    got a small cut on the tip of his finger - his comment of  "hey dad,
    now I'm _really_ taking after you!" was not appreciated :-) :-)
    
    Bill
    
    P.S. How are the other Eagle-2 builders doing out there?

    
    Not much activity in this note - is everyone done with their Eagles?
    I'm keeping with my tradition of being notoriously slow, but it's
    been a VERY busy winter!  Anyhow, we're over the hump now.  It's
    almost ready for final radio installation.  We covered it with
    yellow and red Ultracote.  Yellow wing and tail feathers, red fuse
    and control surfaces.  We picked the colors based on what was
    available, even though my wife hates yellow.  My theory was to make
    it look ugly so it wouldn't hurt Billy too much first time he dings
    it up.  The problem is that it came out looking pretty nice after all.
    Oh well.
    
    We used four 10-32 nylon screws to hold on the wing.  Didn't like the
    dowel arrangement they suggest for the bolt-on wing.  Left the dowels
    in place for rubber bands, so I can use them if I choose.
    
    Only other modifications to the kit were solid wire pushrods.  I am
    still very impressed with the quality of the kit and thoroughness
    of the manual.
    
    After the Eagle is done I hope to finish up my basement (it seems like
    everyone's working on their basement!) and get going on completing the
    minor repairs to the SS20.  Then I have three other aircraft projects
    to finish that I don't even want to think about yet!
    
    Bill

Nope, I'm still working(barely) on mine work keeps cutting into my rec
time. I hope to get going again here very soon. The wing is done and the fuse
is 50% complete I have everything i need to finish it but time....8^(

-j

    One thing to watch out for is the aileron torque rods.  Check the
    throw on them when the wing is seated in the saddle.  On my brothers
    Eagle 2 and a friends Eagle 63 we found that the torque rods will
    hit the rear dowel thus reducing the amount of throw the aileron
    will receive.  On the Eagle 2 this resulted in poor response of
    the ailerons.  My brother bent them enough to clear the dowel and 
    it now responds like a charm.  
    
    The firewall is also fairly weak.  During a heavy nosewheel landing
    the firewall cracked just above the nosegear mount.  Either beef
    it up or replace it with 1/4" ply.
    
    Ken

    Figure this was good for a SKY-Tiger reply also----
    
     A Flying buddy of mine has a slight worry about balance on his
    Sky Tiger. The CG is correct, however when he touches the nose or
    butt the aeroplane goes either up or down. It does not return to
    level. Is this something to worry about?
    BTW he was flying Eagle 2's and moved up to this as his first
    low wing. So far the results have been impressive. The Sky Tiger
    handles super on the ground, and looks great.
    
    Thanks in advance.
    Mike Z.

    No worry, a trike geared low winger should have very little weight on
    the nose wheel.  If you have too much and also have a symmetrical
    section, you can have a problem rotating.  The wing makes no lift until
    you get an angle of attack.  This requires the elevator to be able to
    push the tail down during the takeoff roll.  The drag on the wheels
    tries to keep the tail up since the thrust line is above the wheels. 
    The elevator has to also overcome this force to rotate the plane and
    takeoff.  I had a plane once that would make a beeline down the runway
    and if the grass was a little too long, it would just run off the end
    with plenty of airspeed and full up elevator.  I was never sure if it
    would rotate or not.  I had to go to high rates on the elevator and
    yank full up and then get off the elevator in a hurry as soon as she
    broke ground.  The engine thrust and the wheel drag will keep the nose
    gear on the ground even if the plane sits on the tail empty.
    
    Charlie
    

    This is to reply to .18.  Are you testing the CG with the plane upside
    down?  Low wingers are easiest to balance upside down.  Saves the
    teetering problem that happens with low-wingers.  I've balanced my
    Chipmunk, Astro-Hog, and Sky Tiger all this way.  Works Great.
    
    John

    
     reply -.1,-.2
    
      We got it. Flipped it over like -.1 bingo. Low wingers are new to
    me. I like my HOTS. He likes his tiger.
    
    Thanks for de info.
    
   �Z-Man