Great Planes Sophisticated lady ARF - 2012/02

Great Planes Sophisticated Lady ARF
GREG PRATER
returns Sailplane
February 2012 59
A classic
This is the attitude an airplane should take as it is released. A
good throw is recommended to get the wing working quickly.
02sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 1:07 PM Page 59Photos by Jay Smith
60 MODEL AVIATION
THE SOPHISTICATED Lady Glider
ARF is produced by Great Planes as part
of the Carl Goldberg Classic series. The
series also consists of the Gentle Lady
ARF, and to my surprise, the Gentle Lady
laser-cut kit for traditional builders.
Originally it was designed by Neil
Liptak and Dave Patrick, who produced
many of the Goldberg designs in the
company’s heyday. These airplanes were
built by many pilots throughout the years,
and were popular for their easy
construction and good thermalling
characteristics.
Being two-channel airplanes, they fall
into the floater category, which means this
is one airplane you take to the field (along
with an easy chair and sunscreen) when
you want to relax and have a fun day of
Soaring. I have seen highly-modified
Gentle Ladys flown in competition by
pilots who knew their airplanes well and
finished near the top of the score sheet.
Let’s look in the box. This is an ARF, so
instead of the stack of balsa and plans,
there was a built and covered model that
required minimal assembly. The wings and
fuselage come pre-covered in MonoKote,
which was nearly flawless. The few
wrinkles I found were easily fixed with a
heat gun.
This is the look that sold me on this
Sailplane. It presents well in the air
and is as elegant as its name. It will
complement pilots of all skill levels.
A standard hi-start launches the glider.
The towhook is placed in the center of
the three adjustable positions.
At this point in the landing, level
the wings and let it glide straight
in to avoid side loads on the T-tail.
The T-tail design shields the elevator from wing
turbulence and requires little throw. The clevis is
connected to a flexible cable which then goes to the
servo under the canopy.
+ • Well-constructed and finished
• Detailed manual makes assembly
easy
• Simple to control with two
channels
• Replacement parts are available,
if needed
• Tail can be a weak spot on
imperfect landings
• Required 6 ounces of lead to
properly balance
Model type: ARF Sailplane
Skill level: Beginner builder and pilot
Wingspan: 78 inches
Wing area: 674 square inches
Airfoil: Clark Y
Length: 41.75 inches
Weight: 27-30 ounces
Radio: Two-channel with two
standard-size servos; standard
receiver
Construction: Balsa and plywood
Covering/finish: MonoKote
Price: $89.98
Radio system: Futaba 9C, 617FS
seven-channel, 2.4GHz FASST
receiver
Servos: Two Futaba S3004
Battery: HydriMax 4.8-volt,
2000 mAh receiver pack
Ready-to-fly weight: 35.5 ounces
Flight duration: Six minutes or
more, depending on thermal
activity
02sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 12/16/11 12:40 PM Page 60I have always been a fan of MonoKote;
it’s easy to put on and makes a nice finish.
However, it adds weight to the Sailplane.
This wing has no LE sheeting, so it gains
strength from the covering. The tail feathers
are covered in the same material, and
triangle stock for support is included.
The instruction booklet is well-written and
covers everything needed for the first-time
builder. It also contains a section on finding
thermals and a list of replacement parts.
I found an original copy of the plans for
the Sophisticated Lady from the AMA Plans
Service and compared it to this ARF. It is
nearly identical—down to the decals—so if
you are a fan of the original, you might also
like the ARF version.
Construction: The wing came out of the
box in two halves, which were held together
with a plywood and aluminum joiner. I
prepared the fuselage by removing the tail’s
glue surface covering.
The vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer
were epoxied in place. I turned the fuselage
upside down, blocking it up at the wing
saddle to the height where the stabilizer was
flat and square to the fin, and placed weight
on the bottom of the fuselage. The slots for
the CA hinges were already cut, simplifying
assembly.
The fuselage is set up for full-size servos.
Weight could be trimmed with miniservos,
but you will have to change the mounts. The
battery and receiver go in the front under the
vacuum-formed canopy.
To balance the aircraft at the
recommended CG, I added 6 ounces of lead
inside the nose. After installing the included
decals, the final flying weight came to 35.5
ounces.
The included towhook can be mounted in
one of three locations on the bottom of the
fuselage. I installed it in the middle hole.
Make sure you tighten the nut firmly
securing the towhook. If the isn’t securely
attached, the airplane could veer off at
launch.
Flying: It was a beautiful day at the AMA’s
International Flying Site. The winds ranged
from 0 to 5 mph, with no clouds in the sky,
and the humidity was low. I set the standard
bungee off to the northwest to get a 60-pace
stretch. I set the CG at 92mm behind the LE
of the wing for the first flights.
The maiden flight was nice. The
Sophisticated Lady banked well and when
flown at the right speed, lift was notable.
The first flights were for photos.
On the third flight, the model signaled it
was in light air and I circled, looking for the
strongest part of the good air. Before I knewit, the model was too high for photos, but it
had proven itself.
The landing was uneventful. When
setting up for landing, make sure you are
in a straight glide because side loads could
break the tail. The weight of the T-tail on
top of the vertical fin is unforgiving, but
gives the airplane much of its visual
appeal.
Conclusion: I like the Sophisticated Lady,
but would like it better if I could eliminate
some of the nose weight. A carbon rod for
the rudder would help. Removing 1 ounce
from the tail means you can remove 3
ounces from the nose.
I also would make the stabilizer
removable to reduce hangar rash. Flying the
Sophisticated Lady is fun—it’s a highquality
aircraft, can be quickly assembled,
and doesn’t require high-tech equipment.
All you need is a hi-start, sunscreen, and a
comfortable chair. MA