Scooter 3M

[Mirage1]

Anybody ever flown one or know what the kit is like?

[machild]

Flew one years ago (before the advent of laser-cut kits). A retired club member was quite fond of the design and built several. Walt and I were good pals, and when he tired of his no. 1 Scooter, he GAVE! it to me. I didn't know what to say; Walt was a master builder and built all of his Scooters from the RCM plan set (cut his own parts and all). I was flying a Gnome 3M at the time, and the Scooter outflew it. Very clean lines, definitely RES-legal and if built according to plans is Nostalgia-legal. Now that laser-cut kits of the Scooter 3M are available, the task of building one is even easier (but you gotta love to build). Fact is, I've been feeling the itch to glue a few sticks together and have been looking seriously at one of those new Scooter kits.

[silfox17]

Curious about the Scooter--is it NOS legal? I thought that 1980 was the cut-off date to be NOS legal. In looking at the LSF NOS legal list it shows a 1983 date for plans. Help me out! TIA :)

[machild]

Curious about the Scooter--is it NOS legal? I thought that 1980 was the cut-off date to be NOS legal. In looking at the LSF NOS legal list it shows a 1983 date for plans. Help me out! TIA :)

The original Scooter 2M plans -- on which the Scooter 3M are based -- date back to 1982-83. The Scooter 3M showed up at the 1986 AMA Nats (but the plans on which it it based were drawn four years earlier).

I lifted the following directly from NSP's website:

"Today the Scooter 3M will make an excellent choice for the RES class, and will fit in Nostalgia too! The Scooter can also be modified for flaps instead of spoilers. The kit uses Leon's K3311SM airfoil which has a thickness of 11%, and a mean camber of 3.23%. The airfoil was wind tunnel tested at the University of Illinois by the renowned team lead by Dr. Selig. And was found to have similar performance to an SD7037. Some in inconsistencies were found in the coordinates and using Dr. Selig's ASFMO program the coordinates were 'smoothed' for better performance."

[silfox17]

Sure would like more conformation than "Sal's" opinion. Doesn't seem that it makes the requirements of NOS according to the list on League of Silent Flight. Can anyone help?

[ejett]

I think the NOS date cutoff is 1980. I don't believe the Scooter is NOS legal.

I could be wrong. I've never been to a NOS competition.

EJ

[Joe Minton]

I own a Scooter 3M. It was built by my friend Charlie Babcock who gave it to me when he quit thermal soaring.

It is a wonderful flyer and gave me a 45 minute flight a couple of weeks ago on its first launch of the day.

My (Charlie's) Scooter has a very wide speed range, indicates lift very well and can turn tight if need be. I'd say that it is every bit as good as the best three meter wood airplanes. It won the Nats and a number of other contests when in its prime a couple of decades ago. I'd rate it with the Gemini MTS or Pierce 970. All three being very capable Bent Wing Built Up woodies!

Charlie built our Scooter from the kit and found nothing to complain about (if you knew Charlie, you'd know this to be a significant compliment) ;) It is, however, a builder's model: There are lots parts to fit, shape, etc.

Scooter designer Leon Kinkaid has been building models from the time he was a teenager making aircraft recognition models for the war effort (WWII). His designs (Scooter, Scooter 3M, Back To Basics 2M, Back To Basics 400 ---) are all sound and elegant designs. I have all these plans and, no kidding, pull them out from time-to-time just to study them and marvel at Leon's design skill and sense of style.

Leon is now retired and living in Colorado, in the Colorado Spings area I believe. The Scooter 3M was published and is available as plans. I don't, at the moment, recall when and in what magazine. If you want, I can find this info-- let me know. His Back To Basics 400 was published in the September 2000 issue of S&E Modeler (now Quiet Flyer). I have exchanged letters with him and consider it an honor to have done so.

By all means build & fly the Scooter 3M. It is an excellent bird.

Joe Minton

[ejett]

I believe the 3m Scooter is available as a kit from Northeast Sailplanes and possibly others.

I am planning to get the 2m plans and build one. .... eventually....

EJ

[machild]

Sure would like more conformation than "Sal's" opinion. Doesn't seem that it makes the requirements of NOS according to the list on League of Silent Flight. Can anyone help?

The plans for the Scooter are on the list of Nostalgia-legal plans posted at the LSF's website. Link to plan list is found under "Provisional News / Nostalgia Rules" way down at the bottom.

[ejett]

Be sure to check with the contest CD before you bring a Scooter to a Nostalgia contest - the website says only designs published or kitted before Jan 1, 1980 are legal.

It's a nice plane, build it and fly it for fun or in one of the new less formal "Woody" events that are gaining popularity.

EJ

[machild]

Be sure to check with the contest CD before you bring a Scooter to a Nostalgia contest - the website says only designs published or kitted before Jan 1, 1980 are legal.

It's a nice plane, build it and fly it for fun or in one of the new less formal "Woody" events that are gaining popularity.

EJ

Thought I'd get back to this thread, since there seems to be some interest in it. Sought some clarification on the Nostalgia-legal stuff. Cut-off date is Jan. 1, 1980 to NOS-legal. Scooter is definitely RES-legal but would be a CD's judgement call for the NOS class. :D

At any rate, it's a great plane but as mentioned earlier, it's a builder's plane (which isn't a bad thing).

[johnsocj]

BTW, NOS stands for "New Old Stock" but it's cool.

[Mark Miller]

NE Sail sells the Scooter but who manufacturers it?

Mark

[ejett]

Spirit of Yesteryear is the kitter and the kit may be ordered from DareHobby.com. Price on the website is $150 US.

EJ

[erich]

ejett,

Checked out Darehobby.com. Found no Scooter on their website
Used this url DareHobby.com.

Is it me or what.

erich

[ScottLister]

The url is http://www.darehobby.com/airplane-electric-Y2..htm#soy%203m%20scooter

Scott

[ejett]

The url is http://www.darehobby.com/airplane-electric-Y2..htm#soy%203m%20scooter

Scott

Yep! What he said. Sorry for the confusion on the URL.

EJ

[erich]

I looked everywhere on the web page except electric. Oh well. Ordered one.
I liked the way everyone says it's a builders kit, and besides anyone named
Leon has got to draw, a good design. At least that's my criteria for getting
this plane.

erich

[pocket rocket]

...

[Rob Nelson]

Try "Spirit of Yesteryear"
www.soy.on.ca
Cheers,
Rob

[seerspaz]

It is under Electrics, "3M Scooter"

Took me a minute to find it also.