Spirit 100"

[Keith R.]

Hey Everyone. Since the wind is not here in socal, i wanted to try thermaling. My question is, is the spirit 100 ARF a good plane to start thermaling with? I was thinking of just having it R/E/S, any thoughts?

Thanks,
Keith

[wingsnapper]

Windy weather is not the greatest for thermalling. Over 15-20mph and you should find a slope.
JS

[Keith R.]

Windy weather is not the greatest for thermalling. Over 15-20mph and you should find a slope.
JS
sorry, i ment to type "not" :o

...edited

K

[Soar_dude]

If you already know how to fly a aileron ship then the 100 arf would be a good intro ship for thermal flying.

Soar Dude

[wingsnapper]

I'm glad to hear a newbe isn't gonna try to start with a DLG for a change. I'll bet there are tons of folks that got burnt out after not finding lift in the first couple hundred launches and subsequent repairs... The plane you are choosing would be a good place to start (still there are better offerings). Skybench Aerotech, DJ Aerotech, and Laser Arts make very good balsa kits. As for an ARF, it's hard to beat that 120" BOT for the money. True there are better than these, but for the money invested, they offer a good step up from a Spirit. Regardless of which one you choose, these larger birds need to have a quality high-start to lift them well. North East Sailplane Products "L" would be a good choice. Hosemonster is also a premium product.

Yes, you can't go wrong with RES. Ailerons force you to fly the plane a bit more, which is fine untill you have the plane so high it becomes difficult to be efficient.
JS

[Keith R.]

I was just going to use RES to save weight. I am fine with flying a 7 servo plane though. I have been flying for many years, so i am not really worried about the "how easy it is to fly" aspect...i just want something that can teach me the basics of thermaling, and mabye make a good floater for the slope :)

EDIT: nevermind, i found it. that is almost $40 less for 20 more inches :D How many servos can i stuff in it though? Is it capable of having a 4 servo wing? Or at least able to be modified to have spoilers/ailerons?

K

[aeajr]

All depends on what you want.

There are 3 Spirits:

Spirit 2M RES - floater - common beginner's plane, but you can catch thermals with it very nicely. I know, I have flown mine a lot - About 38 ounces - ARF, RTF or Kit

Spirit Elite - 2M full house - about 42 ounces Thermals well. Would probably give you more control on the slope than the 2M RES - ARF or kit

Spirit 100 - 2.5M full house - about 60 ounces. A bit heavy for a plane this size, but many people enjoy them. ARF or kit - Plane can have flaps AND spoilers!

[Keith R.]

EDIT: I think i am leaning towards the BOT, and i think it will be fine with just R/E, and mabye an improvised spoiler down the road. My question for you guys is how does it fly? i read its review, and i was wondering if it flys similar to that. Will it be semi-easy to thermal it, or slope it on a light day?

Thanks for all the advice,

Keith

[Keith R.]

Do you guys know if Tower Hobbies has the BOT with the revised/stsronger wing spars?

Keith

[Tim Wolff]

Do you guys know if Tower Hobbies has the BOT with the revised/stsronger wing spars?

Keith

I don't think the design was revised. Unless someone can provide physical proof otherwise, the reports that I've read re: the wing panels that have been replaced were that they were still flawed.

If you are hooked on a Bird of Time, building one of Ray Haye's BOTs is a much more worthwile investment than the ARF.

The Spirit 100 ARF is based on an RES design and sould fly just fine w/o alierons and flaps. They will be there when you decide to use them too. That's not gonna be an option with a decidated RES ship.

[Ercoupe Ed]

Hi,
The Skybench Aerotech Bird of Time is a a very good place to start.
Great flying airplanes, well made kits.
Far superior to the Dynaflite ARF BOT.


Good luck!

Ed

[Keith R.]

I really dont want a kit. I want it to be an ARF, for the mear fact that i have about 3-4 hours a week to do anything r/c, weather it be building or flying. IMO, with the little time i have, i would rather be flying than building. Don't get me wrong, i enjoy building kits, but i cant see spending 6 months building when i could be flying.

I apriciate all of your advice and suggestions. I think the BOT would be the best way for me to go at this time.

Thanks very much...and stay tuned for some questions about setting up the BOT in the future... :)

Keith

[Soar_dude]

EDIT: I think i am leaning towards the BOT, and i think it will be fine with just R/E, and mabye an improvised spoiler down the road. My question for you guys is how does it fly? i read its review, and i was wondering if it flys similar to that. Will it be semi-easy to thermal it, or slope it on a light day?

Thanks for all the advice,

Keith

Are you looking for ARF RES gliders?

Soar Dude

[aeajr]

I really dont want a kit. I want it to be an ARF, for the mear fact that i have about 3-4 hours a week to do anything r/c, weather it be building or flying. IMO, with the little time i have, i would rather be flying than building. Don't get me wrong, i enjoy building kits, but i cant see spending 6 months building when i could be flying.

I apriciate all of your advice and suggestions. I think the BOT would be the best way for me to go at this time.

Thanks very much...and stay tuned for some questions about setting up the BOT in the future... :)

Keith

If you are launching off a hi-start, then the BOT should be no problem. It should come in at about 55 ounces, I think. 5/16" or 3/8" hi-start should have no problem launching it.

The wing issue on the ARF has been around winch launching. In my opinion, even a gentle winch launch puts more stress on the wings than a strong hi-start launch because the pulsing of the pedal causes a flapping effect that stresses the wing more than the steady pull of the hi-start.

I have broken several wings on the winch. I have never broken one on the hi-start. Even launching gentle lady ARFs at 12 pounds of pull in 10 mph winds using my Pinnacle hi-start, we never broke a wing. 3/8 rubber with 3/32 wall.

BOT is a great floater. Not a great high wind plane.

Should slope well in light to moderate lift but you better have a big soft landing area. My slope sites have poor landing areas. I don't fly woodies off most of my slope sites.

[Ercoupe Ed]

If it's an ARF you seek, I'd go with the Spirit 100 ARF with the fiberglass fuselage. Much better airplane then the BOT, and wind is not as much of an issue as it is with the BOT.
You also have the advantage of having flaps and ailerons on the Spirit 100 ARF.
The BOT will only penetrate decent if it's loaded up on ballast, but then you add additional stress on a rather weak wingspar anyway.
The BOT is a great thermal machine and floater in light wind conditions.
Much past 10 mph winds , it simply doesn't perform well at all, unless ballasted up.

[rscarawa]

All depends on what you want.

There are 3 Spirits:

Spirit 2M RES - floater - common beginner's plane, but you can catch thermals with it very nicely. I know, I have flown mine a lot - About 30 ounces - ARF, RTF or Kit

Spirit Elite - 2M full house - about 38 ounces Thermals well. Would probably give you more control on the slope than the 2M RES - ARF or kit

Spirit 100 - 2.5M full house - about 50 ounces. A bit heavy for a plane this size, but many people enjoy them. ARF or kit - Plane can have flaps AND spoilers!

I currently own all three of these planes and they are a great value for a kit build. I must say that a 50 oz Spirit 100 is pretty light if it is full house. I think mine is light at 56 oz. People constantly complain about their kits turning heavy (60oz +), but even these people say that it does not fly like it is heavy.

Of all three planes, I think the 100 is the most floaty. WHen landing, I have to use crow to keep it from running away from me when I get to 2-4 ' of alt. It just keeps going forever it seems.

I think they Spirit Elite is the best wind penetrator of the three in unballasted form. I did a test flight in 15 mph winds and it did not bother it in the least. I have not flown it enough to comment on thermalling ability.

The regular spirit seems to be a nice slow flyer, but needs some mods to make it more responsive, but I love it anyway. Nothing against it at all.

[Keith R.]

I am not too worried for when it is windy, as i have numerous planes that can handle 10-50mph winds :)

THanks for the advice

Keith

[Soar_dude]

If it's an ARF you seek, I'd go with the Spirit 100 ARF with the fiberglass fuselage. Much better airplane then the BOT, and wind is not as much of an issue as it is with the BOT.
You also have the advantage of having flaps and ailerons on the Spirit 100 ARF.
The BOT will only penetrate decent if it's loaded up on ballast, but then you add additional stress on a rather weak wingspar anyway.
The BOT is a great thermal machine and floater in light wind conditions.
Much past 10 mph winds , it simply doesn't perform well at all, unless ballasted up.

Ed has the answer! also the 100 has a MUCH stronger wing then the BOT. The 100 wing has a carbon fiber in the spars a strong plywood aluminum joiner. Check out this thread on the 100. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407698

Soar Dude

[aeajr]

I currently own all three of these planes and they are a great value for a kit build. I must say that a 50 oz Spirit 100 is pretty light if it is full house. I think mine is light at 56 oz. People constantly complain about their kits turning heavy (60oz +), but even these people say that it does not fly like it is heavy.

Of all three planes, I think the 100 is the most floaty. WHen landing, I have to use crow to keep it from running away from me when I get to 2-4 ' of alt. It just keeps going forever it seems.

I think they Spirit Elite is the best wind penetrator of the three in unballasted form. I did a test flight in 15 mph winds and it did not bother it in the least. I have not flown it enough to comment on thermalling ability.

The regular spirit seems to be a nice slow flyer, but needs some mods to make it more responsive, but I love it anyway. Nothing against it at all.

You are right. The 100 should have said 60 ounce. And my Spirit 2M is closer to 38 ounces. I fixed that too.