Eganwp

My Feedback: (1)

Hey guys!

So last night was my maiden flight of the "Ultra Sport" series!!! I got the almost new US 60 from a guy who is too old to fly anymore for $150 w/ a new Super Tiger .75 which is a smokin deal. It's covered in Solartex. I plan on flying this casually until I finish my own US 60 that I'm 1/3rd done.

I AM IN LOVE! Seriously, out of all the planes I've flown, this plane put the biggest grin on my face. Even more so than my 50cc gas I just put up a couple weeks ago, but the pucker factor is still a bit large on that one. Such a great plane. I got the ST 75 tuned up with a 12x6 to start (as it's still breaking-in a bit) and double checked all surfaces. I'm not overly impressed with the RPM's after nearly an hour of tuning. Only turning a 12x6apc @ 12,000 peak, but I'll keep playing with her. Going to try a 12x7 or 8 to see as maybe she's just not a revver. Anyway, I took off and could not believe how straight this plane flies. On the 2nd flight I was doing full throttle passes literally 3 feet off the runway because it flies so true. I don't think I've ever had a plane that I felt this comfortable flying this fast so low on the runway! I also took her through 4 full sequences of the IMAC routine just to see how it did. It was great! Rolls were great, and snaps were pretty clean. I especially like the hammerhead stall recovery on this plane. It's still pretty nose heavy, so I'll be shifting the battery tonight which make it roll a bit more axially as well.

But out of all this do you know what suprised me the most? It's stall characteristics! The guy didn't even round out the LE very much at all on the build, but let me tell you. I took her up high, chopped the throttle and slowly added in elevator until the plane was literally almost stationary in the sky (0 wind last night). I waited for the stall, but then I realized that she wasn't going to drop a wing!!! All it did was ever so slowly mush forward just slightly and basically just floated in this position; the wings stayed 100% level through the entire "stall"! Couldn't believe my eyes, so I did it 4 more times just to make sure! lol. Best part is, I didn't even lateral balance it, but the guy who built it must have either done so, or built the wings pretty equally.

To top it all off, what really made me grin was how it flares in on landing. In RealFlight out of all the planes (including probably 100 custom planes I've downloaded), my favorite landing plane is the Ultra Sport. To see it flare and land so gracefully just like in the sim, and greasing-in on every single landing honestly made me giggle.

Eganwp

AviationNut

Nice maiden report! Makes me want to get one of those kits.

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

I always ran a cheap MA 13x6 on my ST.75. I think you will get a little stronger pull with less RPM.

david

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Now you know why Ken and I tried so hard to bring it back!

Bernard

My Feedback: (1)

My buddy and I were flying together late last summer and I got in the way as he was completing his loop. He cut my Ultra Sport 60 in half. I was in shock. I have a few other planes I like to fly but this is THE plane I like to fly. I thought I could go on and live without it, that it was just another plane in the fleet that was gone, but I had to order it for this winters project (it is on back order at the moment). I am amazed how much I like this plane. It fly's great, is fast, it lands great, and handles really well - especially for a guy who only gets to fly on Saturdays. Ken and Minn - Thanks for bringing it back to life.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

I'm finishing up on a major overhaul of a Smoothie that I bought, and another pattern kit that I recently built. I'm wondering what to build next, and it looks like it will be the Ultra Sport 60 sitting up there gathering dust.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I ought to build another one this winter. I just hate to lay out the cash right now. Got too many other bills at the moment.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Same story here. A lot of unexpected things all at once.

My dilemma is to either use a new K&B .61 with C. Lee mods and also buy the servos, or spend it all on a used .91 4 stroke and be short the servos.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

As much as I am a 4-stroke junkie, the US is one of the few planes that I think works better with a 2-stroke. An OS 75AX is ideal for the 60 and the 55AX is killer on the 40

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I agree with Mike here. The US just begs for a 2-stroke engine!!!!!!

Ken

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Okay, I'm listening to you guys because you have built them. Why do you prefer the two strokes? Top end, smaller props, sound, nostalgia? I prefer 4 strokes, but don't mind a couple of good 2 strokes here and there either.

The OS 75AX is out of my price range right now. I would go for the Tower .75 if they were shipping those again. Nobody knows how long that will be.

exnordel

Got mine on backorder from Tower and I will also be installing a 2 stroke in it. I agree, the US series begs for a strong screaming 2 stroke. There is just something about that engine screaming on a downwind dive low across the field. I am either going with a ST G61 ABC with pipe, or if that doesn't do it a ST 90.

Vince

Roary m

My Feedback: (67)

I think a back door 60 would be tops but I think when Jim Feldmann first designed the plane in 1989, he used both a 60 two stroke and a 90 four stroke. The 90 really hauled the plane but it was a tail dragger. Mine will be a trike with retracts with the tank moved over the wing.

Roary m

My Feedback: (67)

Is Tower hiding the Tower engines like they are doing with the Supertigres?

prgonzalez

My US60 has a TH 75 engine. Great pull and loooong verticals. The total dry weight is 7.0-lbs and the engine provides 9.5 lbs of static thrust using an APC 12x6.

Landings are easier than a trainer.

I am a happy camper with my US60.

Pedro

RoyR

OK, I'm going to have to take exception to that statement. What age is too old to fly? I would hate to be kicked out of the club because I was too old. The airlines require pilots to retire when they are 60, yet the helicopter company I flew for let us fly as long as we could maintain a medical. Did the model industry come up with a mandatory retirement age I haven't heard of? I plan on flying as long as I can hold a transmitter.

Just picking. Don't jump down a 'soon to be old' guy's throat

rambler53

My Feedback: (494)

Happens all the time down here in Florida. It's a fact of life. Some even lose a drivers license for the same reasons.
Sometimes "they" have to be told to quit while others, still can exceed both my flying or driving skills!
It's an individual thing and physical impairments can make it less enjoyable if not painful to continue flying.
It's sad, but safety first. I'm sure he didn't mean to insult anyone.

RCU sure does value their experience in on the forum though.

RoyR

Again, through the written word, it's hard to tell that I wasn't insulted. I was just trying to be funny. It's obvious there is no "age limit" on flying, RC or full scale. I knew a man who flew his own (Full Scale) Helicopter when he was 80. Likewise if someone is impaired for some reason, then I guess 30 or younger could be "Too old" to fly. I was just trying to point out that Age has nothing to do with whether or not someone is capable of flying RC. I have known many people stop flying for one reason or another, but have never known anyone to stop because they were too old.

scubajohn

hi guys i allways loved my super kaos 40 with a os 46 pump and i am told the ultra sport is a kaos with a turtle deck on the back and now i want one but i may go for the sixty size
my kaos 40 was my second plane and it landed very nice is the ulta sport the same wing as the kaos

Eganwp

My Feedback: (1)

No one decided the age limit but the guy himself. He told me his hands and eyes just weren't good enough to fly anymore and I could tell he was very sad to be leaving the hobby. Hopefully we can all be flying this great hobby until that day comes.