FT Sportster 90%

[Aslansmonkey]

When I first stepped into this hobby, one of the first kits I bought was the FT Sportster. Now, I was in no way, shape or form prepared to fly this bird at this time, but I liked how it looked so I wanted one and I built it. But being a novice, I was afraid to fly it so I moved on to other planes before eventually learning to fly on the Simple Cub and then really spread my wings with the Simple Scout. But somewhere between those two I did try to fly that original sportster...and crashed horribly.

See, I'd made the plane early on and my building skills weren't quite yet up to snuff. I don't know for sure what I got wrong. The wing had a bad warp or something else, but it was unflyable to me. It wasn't the only sportster I tried back then either. I'd built a mini that also failed to fly due to using the wrong foam board. Yes, my learning period was filled with many such tragedies, I'm afraid.

Eventually though I got a mini sportster to fly, landed it way up in a tree, got it back and flew it again.

Recently though I decided to try again so I printed the full sized plans for the sportster. Due to a bug, however, my printer refused to tile them correctly for 11x17 paper unless I reduced the plans to 90% scale. Apparently I could have the full sized plane with twice the taping or a 90% version. I tend to err on the side of lazy, so the 90% version one.

I gave it a maiden flight today and it flew well, but the motor I chose has an issue and isn't producing the power it should. It didn't prevent the flight and the plane was great to fly, but I didn't get a video of it.

Though I have yet to put in the "pilot" (This one is getting a Chihuahua), here are some picts...

 

[Mr NCT]

When I first stepped into this hobby, one of the first kits I bought was the FT Sportster. Now, I was in no way, shape or form prepared to fly this bird at this time, but I liked how it looked so I wanted one and I built it. But being a novice, I was afraid to fly it so I moved on to other planes before eventually learning to fly on the Simple Cub and then really spread my wings with the Simple Scout. But somewhere between those two I did try to fly that original sportster...and crashed horribly.

See, I'd made the plane early on and my building skills weren't quite yet up to snuff. I don't know for sure what I got wrong. The wing had a bad warp or something else, but it was unflyable to me. It wasn't the only sportster I tried back then either. I'd built a mini that also failed to fly due to using the wrong foam board. Yes, my learning period was filled with many such tragedies, I'm afraid.

Eventually though I got a mini sportster to fly, landed it way up in a tree, got it back and flew it again.

Recently though I decided to try again so I printed the full sized plans for the sportster. Due to a bug, however, my printer refused to tile them correctly for 11x17 paper unless I reduced the plans to 90% scale. Apparently I could have the full sized plane with twice the taping or a 90% version. I tend to err on the side of lazy, so the 90% version one.

I gave it a maiden flight today and it flew well, but the motor I chose has an issue and isn't producing the power it should. It didn't prevent the flight and the plane was great to fly, but I didn't get a video of it.

Though I have yet to put in the "pilot" (This one is getting a Chihuahua), here are some picts...

What a great paint scheme! Nice choice. I loved my sportster. Unfortunately got too comfortable with it at low altitude and ripped on wing off. Another one is on my build list.

 

[Aslansmonkey]

Added the windscreen and a Chuhuahua pilot. Not as clean a paint job on the pilot as I'd have liked but it's small enough and no one will notice in the air.

Anyway, fun little plane. I was flying it with a 2212 1000kv motor on a 9" prop but the performance was anemic. I have reason to believe that this particular motor isn't putting out all the power it could, however, so I have a 2216 1120kv motor on order, which I hope gives me the performance I want.