Doing a little research into laser cut kits I started with my admittedly favorite choice - Mountain Models. The first thought was for the "Switchback Spot", a 4-channel low-wing plane featuring some dihedral and a flat wing bottom. The span is 35". The low wing loading which makes it a very forgiving flier. For those who want more adventure the plane can be purchased as the "Switchback GT". It's the same fuselage, but the wing is flat (no dihedral) and is symmetrical. Span is reduced to 31.5". This change turns the Switchback into a more advanced flier. MM sells the wings separately so a builder could start with the Sport wing and upgrade to the GT wing. I own both wings and usually fly the Sport version as I have another of their planes that gives me the spice found on the GT wing.
The Switchback has been around for years and has an extremely loyal base of builders on RC Groups. Mountain Models is based in Wisconsin (formerly Colorado, which explains the company name) and is a small business that provides fantastic quality in their kits. These are some of the more complete kits on the market including pushrods, wheels, pushrod connectors, etc as needed. They're not the cheapest on the market, but the quality and the extra parts included make up for that. Heck, the quality of their cutting alone compared to the other kits I've built would make it worth the extra few dollars. Build a balsa kit from Hobby King and you'll know exactly what I mean.
So I started by thinking about the Switchback, but then looked at some other options they have and think the Dandy might be a better choice. Much worse name, however... The Dandy is very similar to the Switchback in that you can get the Sport or GT versions. In fact, the wings are exactly the same as those on the Switchback but have the aileron servo on the top instead of the bottom of the wing as it's a high-wing plane with easier to build tail-surfaces. Also, there is a third wing option for the Dandy which doesn't offer ailerons. This wing is longer at 47", giving you a plane similar to a glider.
So either of these planes could provide a lot of flexibility for builders allowing them to start with an easy flier and then progress to something more "spicy". Power requirements are minimal. I'm currently using the Hobby King AX2308N 1100kv motor, generic 9 gram servos, a 9x5 prop, and an 18-20A ESC. A 1000mAh battery fits perfectly. Covering film is strongly recommended to be light-weight. I used the So-Lite covering that MM sells and found it works very well.
As an extra bonus, with both planes you can actually buy replacement parts! Try that with most foamies...
Anybody want to make an argument for a different plane feel free to do so. I'm not sure yet if the main idea on this would be that everybody is building the same basic plane or if everybody is simply building a somewhat basic and easy to build as a way to get their feet wet. If everybody had a similar plane it would help answer questions as they came up, but the "chosen design" may not appeal to everybody.
The Switchback has been around for years and has an extremely loyal base of builders on RC Groups. Mountain Models is based in Wisconsin (formerly Colorado, which explains the company name) and is a small business that provides fantastic quality in their kits. These are some of the more complete kits on the market including pushrods, wheels, pushrod connectors, etc as needed. They're not the cheapest on the market, but the quality and the extra parts included make up for that. Heck, the quality of their cutting alone compared to the other kits I've built would make it worth the extra few dollars. Build a balsa kit from Hobby King and you'll know exactly what I mean.
So I started by thinking about the Switchback, but then looked at some other options they have and think the Dandy might be a better choice. Much worse name, however... The Dandy is very similar to the Switchback in that you can get the Sport or GT versions. In fact, the wings are exactly the same as those on the Switchback but have the aileron servo on the top instead of the bottom of the wing as it's a high-wing plane with easier to build tail-surfaces. Also, there is a third wing option for the Dandy which doesn't offer ailerons. This wing is longer at 47", giving you a plane similar to a glider.
So either of these planes could provide a lot of flexibility for builders allowing them to start with an easy flier and then progress to something more "spicy". Power requirements are minimal. I'm currently using the Hobby King AX2308N 1100kv motor, generic 9 gram servos, a 9x5 prop, and an 18-20A ESC. A 1000mAh battery fits perfectly. Covering film is strongly recommended to be light-weight. I used the So-Lite covering that MM sells and found it works very well.
As an extra bonus, with both planes you can actually buy replacement parts! Try that with most foamies...
Anybody want to make an argument for a different plane feel free to do so. I'm not sure yet if the main idea on this would be that everybody is building the same basic plane or if everybody is simply building a somewhat basic and easy to build as a way to get their feet wet. If everybody had a similar plane it would help answer questions as they came up, but the "chosen design" may not appeal to everybody.
