[Jon.]

I have a friend that is selling a Discovery 40 Trainer ARF (Only been flown once) for 350$. Its ready to fly including fuel, starter, fuel pump, spare parts, toolbox, egnighter, glow plugs, glow plug wrench and a lot of other things. It sounds like a good deal to me but I would like to know a bit about the plane. Has any body had any experience with this plane? if so can you tell me how it preforms, what the quality is like and any thing els you think i should know?

[Ken Currell]

Hi Jon

Don't know about the plane but the engine, radio, receiver and servos are also important things to look at when estimating the value of the package being offered.

The radio must be a narrow band FM .

A ball bearing engine is worth more than plain bearing.

Cheers

[Canhos]

http://www.rcuniverse.com/product_gu...fm?kit_id=1282 Seems like the guy's at RC universe don't have any real issues.

Myself, I'd buy it if I was just starting out. The field gear alone is worth at least 100-200 new.

What kind of radio does it come with? What is the brand of engine? If it's a crappy engine, you may need to shell out another 100 for a new one.

If this is your first plane, the #1 thing to have is a good runner. If the engine won't run, you'll be cursing the whole time. Most guy's can get any trainer in the air and fly it around to learn. If you need to spend hours trying to get the engine tuned, you're not learning to fly, your learning to tune an engine.

As far as I can tell, the Discovery is built by Vmar, which is a hit or miss manufacturer. Some love em, some hate em.

I'm sure someone else will have real world experience with this trainer.

Good Luck

[Jon.]

The engine is a low end OS 40LA flown once. The transmitter is a futaba skysport4 and all I can tell you about the gear inside the plane is that its from futaba. im not sure if it's Hi or Low brand servos. I am just starting out in the gas powered airplanes and I know that im not buying top of the line but i would just like to know if this stuff will last a good while. Thanks

Jon.

[4*60]

Nobody can tell you how long it will last. You are dealing with name items that people have used. You recognize it's lower end but what do you need to train with? If an instructor were available for that gear, with buddy box capability I wouldn't hesitate to start with that. You can't go wrong at the price. Your choice $600+ or $350. Talk him down a bit....$300.

[Canhos]

I'd say it's a good deal then. The LA engines are good for learning, short on power, good reliability. It will fly the trainer well. That radio is good enough to start with too. I used a simple 4 channel for 4 years of flying. All the gear I started with was in at least 2 different trainers, then was transferred to an aerobatic model after 7 years of sitting around.

I suggest you join a club as well. And if the fuel is very old (over a year or so), be prepared to throw it away,

Good Luck.

[Guest]

Well, it's your lucky day!

Just checked the MAAC website and chased down the clubs in the Ottawa Valley zone.

http://www.maac.ca/clubs/clubs_info.php?clb=154

You have a club in Brockville! http://www.bmaclub.com/

[Jon.]

Im glad you let me know. Thankyou!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Jon.

The only time there’s to much fuel onboard is when your plane ketches fire.

Jon, never wish that on yourself -- Don Kinch had that happen with a Byron P-51 Mustang at a Mississauga MFC display back around 1984. Using the Pow'r attachment for swinging a scale four-bladed prop, a band came off and apparently whipped around and took out the fuel line. Fire then went through the firewall, and the first sign of real trouble was the gear coming down unannounced. Plane proceeded in a tight turn around behind the trees at the end of the field, trailing a gentle smoke stream.

However, glad to be of help!