A slight change in plan.

[toto]

There has been a bit of  change of plan for my winter build subject.

 

Originally I had bought one of Lindsay Todd's Kestrels .... which I have not grown out of love with ( excellent model ) but I found something which I believe will be a simpler kit for my first build. 

 

enter stage left ....... The Tony Nijhuis Sky 40. I had seen this before and was interested but after watching a rather good build thread on this by some Icelandic gentleman ( who's name I have forgotten ) I decided ....... thats the kit for me. It just looked so " buildable " at a beginners level ..... I had to have it. 

 

I think this will give oodles of confidence which hopefully will set me on my way towards something " a level above " like the Kestrel.

 

I then went on to watch the build thread ( by the same gentleman ) for the Sky 120 and bought one of those as well.  My shed is definetly shrinking. 

 

So ....... at some point ..... as the nights really draw in and the weather turns ..... ( as if it hasn't already ) ...... it will be the first model to hit the building board.

 

I don't think even I can go wrong with the Sky 40. ...... place your bets please gentlemen.😄

 

toto   

[Learner]

Just what you need an 8ft wingspan 9kg plane!

Still, a good excuse to buy a big petrol engine and servos

Just beware some clubs have a 7kg limit unless you have a B certificate.

Plus you may need a bigger building board/fuselage jig.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Learner

[Don Fry]

I suggest you start looking for a 4.5 kg plane kit, or a 3 kg plane kit. Or both. The inertia of bigger stuff is a challenge; ie, the extra energy on impact, rough landings, causes issues. As in exponentially more difficult repair, and/or expensive repair.
Toto, I love you, but concentrate on the  challenge in front of your nose. Spend money, enthusiasm on that goal. I tell you again, a cause of failing in this hobby is, “ I’m spending a load of dosh on this, I’m not seeing much reward” . Usually spent on not NEEDED expenditure. Buy shmbo some flowers, chocolates, better investment.

[Learner]

2 minutes ago, Don Fry said:

I suggest you start looking for a 4.5 kg plane kit, or a 3 kg plane kit. Or both. The inertia of bigger stuff is a challenge; ie, the extra energy on impact, rough landings, causes issues. As in exponentially more difficult repair, and/or expensive repair.
Toto, I love you, but concentrate on the  challenge in front of your nose. Spend money, enthusiasm on that goal. I tell you again, a cause of failing in this hobby is, “ I’m spending a load of dosh on this, I’m not seeing much reward” . Usually spent on not NEEDED expenditure. Buy shmbo some flowers, chocolates, better investment.

I think the sky 40 is an ideal size but the 120 is a bit ott.

[toto]

The 40 will be the first attempt followed by similar sized models. The 120 wasn't envisaged as anything that would he getting tackled any time soon. More as just getting one whilst available. Compared with other large models, they are comparably inexpensive. 

 

No harm in having it.

 

Toto 

[David Davis 2]

10 hours ago, Don Fry said:

...Toto, I love you, but concentrate on the  challenge in front of your nose. Spend money, enthusiasm on that goal. I tell you again, a cause of failing in this hobby is, “ I’m spending a load of dosh on this, I’m not seeing much reward” . Usually spent on not NEEDED expenditure. Buy shmbo some flowers, chocolates, better investment.

 

I agree entirely with Don. You have a couple of serviceable trainers. I think that you should learn to fly first.

[Andy Gates]

+1 on the above comments.

 

I can see you ending up with a shed full of trainers after you have gone solo wondering what you are going to do with them all.

 

Try and stick with 1 plane and learn to fly it well.

 

Then you can decide what you want to do and where your interest is going to drive you so you can buy and build accordingly.

You may want to fly gliders, sport models, aerobatics, high speed, ducted fans or war birds, who can tell?

 

Building one plane from a kit or plan sounds fine to learn the techniques and requirements of construction, but please go one at a time.

 

I heard of a mention that to learn  to fly you have to crash at least 13 models. This horrified me, proper training will have incidents and damage to a model which ought to be repairable but 13 models - no.

[Andy Stephenson]

Toto,

Some people really enjoy building, so if you have a need to constantly have something on the building board and you can get a reputation for being a good at it, maybe you should build models for those who prefer not to. it will save you space and expense.

[GrumpyGnome]

One should be enough to get to solo if you're instructed on a buddy box. 

 

You'll likely trash it in the 12 months after when there is no 'safety net'...

[Learner]

26 minutes ago, GrumpyGnome said:

One should be enough to get to solo if you're instructed on a buddy box. 

 

You'll likely trash it in the 12 months after when there is no 'safety net'...

Depends who is on the master end of the buddy box!

[Cuban8]

16 hours ago, Don Fry said:

I suggest you start looking for a 4.5 kg plane kit, or a 3 kg plane kit. Or both. The inertia of bigger stuff is a challenge; ie, the extra energy on impact, rough landings, causes issues. As in exponentially more difficult repair, and/or expensive repair.
Toto, I love you, but concentrate on the  challenge in front of your nose. Spend money, enthusiasm on that goal. I tell you again, a cause of failing in this hobby is, “ I’m spending a load of dosh on this, I’m not seeing much reward” . Usually spent on not NEEDED expenditure. Buy shmbo some flowers, chocolates, better investment.

Don is so right in his comments - I keep banging on about modellers's burn out because I've seen it happen several times before - wasted money, wasted time and wasted effort.  This hobby is very exciting and we all go a bit over the top from time to time, sweets in a sweet shop type of thing and I am guilty of a touch of retail therapy  as my workshop and model storage area will show.

[aidan mcatamney]

Good luck with building your first model Toto.  It will give you a great interest over the long winter nights