Airtonics Aquila

[Doc Data]

I finally got this plane finished and in the air. I opted to use the fiberglass fuze that Dream Catcher Hobby makes so the plane is not 'Nostalgia legal' but as I don't plan on flying it in any contests so who cares! When I first got into sailplanes in the mid 70's, the Aquila was my second plane, the first being a Square Soar.

http://www.mustangone.com/MySailPlanes/Aquila1.jpg

dd.

[Ollie]

Doc,

It's a beautiful example of an Aquila. Congratulations on doing a realy nice job of building and covering it.

BTW, is that a roadway or runway in the background?

[Doc Data]

Its a runway! We fly at the Navy's auxiliary landing field NW of Jacksonville.

Here's another shot taken about 2 years ago. YOu can see the 'cramped' conditions we have to tolerate! :D

http://www.mustangone.com/thermalriders/dave.jpg

dd.

[Ollie]

What a beautiful place to fly. How do you handle communication with full scale traffic?

[R. Carver]

Sure is pretty! How's she fly?

[Doc Data]

Originally posted by Ollie
What a beautiful place to fly. How do you handle communication with full scale traffic?

There is a schedule of field usage maintained and we have to be on it. If there's a last minute change, we are at the bottom of the priority but we've only been pre-empted a few times in the last several years (if you don't count the 6 months we were shut out after 9/11).

There's a fire crew on duty and if they needed to get us moved quickly, it would not be a problem.

We have a thrill once when a Trojan Trainer made a pass at about 100' down the runway. He never sat down and was really not supposed to be doing what he did.

dd.

[Doc Data]

Originally posted by R. Carver
Sure is pretty! How's she fly?

I've only had a few flights with it so far and it is very smooth. I have a problem with the stabs that I to fix due to a construction problem. I bought the kit and the previous owner said there was just a little work done. What a lie. He had started and messed up a bunch of stuff, subsituting replacement parts prior to the sale. I didn't get around to building for another year so I was stuck with it. He had assembled the stabs and they looked ok. I have no idea what adhesive he used to glue in the stab rod tubes but they broke loose and that ended the day for that plane. It's all fixed back up and ready to go this weekend.

dd.

[nr5a]

:confused: I learned how to fly RC way back in 1976to 1979 or so at Keflivik Naval Station, Iceland while stationed there in the Air Force. One of the guys who was teaching me to fly was named Tom and he had an Aquila. I got out of RC, then got back in, got out, got in. I've been flyin electrics for the last couple of years and just found a couple of guys in my club that love gliders. Saturday I pulled my Aspire out of the closet and went slope soaring for the first time. What a hoot!

Now my question, I don't suppose its possible anymore to get an
Aquila is it? Does anyone make a kit of it now days?

Crashin J

[Ollie]

Dream Catcher hobbies has a short kit, canopy and fiberglass fuselage available for the Aquila. See:
http://www.dchobby.com/short%20kit/index.html

[Doc Data]

Originally posted by Crashin J

Now my question, I don't suppose its possible anymore to get an
Aquila is it? Does anyone make a kit of it now days?


The kits show up on eBay from time to time. That's where I got mine. Just make sure they are selling it 'unstarted', 100% complete and 100% original parts. I got burned a little because of this but still came out with a great airplane anyway.

dd.

[Doc Data]

Originally posted by Ollie
Dream Catcher hobbies has a short kit, canopy and fiberglass fuselage available for the Aquila. See:
http://www.dchobby.com/short%20kit/index.html

I used DCH's fg fuze and canopy and it's a nice piece of work.

dd.

[schrederman]

Nicely done. I love the older stuff and just found this site. Why do you say it would not be Nostalgia Class legal? Airtronics offered a F/G fusleage before '80. If you came to my Nostalgia competition, I'd let you fly it. We're having one Labor day in Houston...

Jack Womack
Houston Hawks

[fledge]

sagitta,paragon aquila what are you starting? your own res club?


its nice to see!!! love the old poly ships!


long live RES fledge

[Doc Data]

Originally posted by schrederman
Airtronics offered a F/G fusleage before '80.

I didn't know that! Thanks!

dd.