Aeroworks Laser 200 - 30cc QB
Aeroworks has a long history within the RC Aircraft world and has been a leader in the production of giant-scale RC Aircraft for as long as I can remember! Throughout the years, the market demands have changed and evolved dramatically when it comes to airframe design, hardware, aerodynamics, etc. One of the more recent emerging trends has been the ever growing popularity with the 30cc ARF market due to the emergence of several viable, lightweight, and powerful engine options that have come out in the market. Not to be outdone, Aeroworks jumped head first into this area to meet the ever changing needs of today's modeler and while the industry has flooded the market with the ever-popular Extras, Edges, Slicks, etc… Aeroworks decided to bring back a classic with many modern day technology applications. Introducing, the Aeroworks QB (Quick Build) 30cc Laser 200!
Review
By J Banks |
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Introduction
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Out of the Box: 
The Laser 200 comes packing in a double box for extra durability against our friendly neighborhood delivery man and their sometimes not so careful ways. In my case, Inside of the double box, the Laser 200 comes carefully packed within individual bags, bubble wrap, and boxes. The layout is well thought out and provides adequate protection for the airframe. Within the box, Aeroworks includes an array of accessories as well as nearly all the hardware necessary to complete the aircraft. Fuel tank, wheels, Velcro, foam pads, ball-links, turn-buckles, wire ties, etc are all included within the box. You will quickly see the thought that went into this airframe as you dig through the various parts and accessories. Wheel pants have blind nuts already installed. Cowl is already drilled and mounted. Grommets are installing in wings and various areas where wires will pass through. Even the flying wires have the attachment points pre-installed and ready for adjustment. The kit also includes a CG checking device that attaches around the wingtube. With this item, you can be sure there will be no surprises during that first lift off! Finally, included within in the box is a CD with all of the instructions for assembly of the Laser 200. This CD can easily be popped into a laptop to have at arm's length during assembly or you can pull up the PDF document and print it out if you prefer to have a paper manual. In all honesty, Aeroworks has spent so much time in the design process with this airframe, that if you have several ARF builds under your built, you probably wont even need the manual and will simply have it as a reference. Product Specifications Wing Span 76 inches. Wing Area 1121 sq. in. Fuse Length (Rudder to Front of Cowl) 64" Fuse Length (Rudder to Front of Spinner) 67.5" Cowl Width 8.75" Weight 11.5 to 12.5 lbs Engine: DLE 35RA Prop: Xoar 19x8 Radio: JR 9503 Servos: Savox SA1258/56TG Batteries: 3000 2S3P Lipo Voltage Regulation: Fromeco Regulator IBEC System for Ignition
Building Because this is an Aeroworks QB (Quick Build) kit, there isn't much of what I would call "building" involved. Even when it comes to assembly, I quickly recognized that this airframe was going to go together quickly and easily based on the amount of pre-fabrication that was already done for you in the Aeroworks' factory. I laid out all of the parts to make sure I wasn't missing anything and then rounded up my usual tools for ARF assembly: couple of screw drivers, drill, various CA types as well as some epoxy, knife, etc.
Having built dozens and dozens of ARFs and kits over the past 25 years, I decided on my own plan of attack for assembly and completion while having the manual within arm's reach in case I ran into any questions or concerns. I began assembly with the Horizontal and Vertical stabilizer attachment by taking measurements to ensure that the stab was centered and straight at the aft of the fuse. Aeroworks has conveniently removed covering from the center section of the stab but after centering and marking the stab for proper location, I opted to remove some additional covering to promote an even stronger bond between stab and fuse when I glued it in place. One satisfied with the positioning, I glued the horizontal and vertical stabs in place with 20 minute epoxy. Once they were installed, I was able to glue in the hinges for the elevators and the rudder (this are left to the modeler to install as the stab needs to be slid into position and would not fit with the elevators installed). For hinging, I opted to once again use 20 minute epoxy and carefully applied some petroleum jelly to the hinge knuckles to ensure that I did glue them solid while drying. From here I installed the elevator servos, extensions, ball links, turn-buckles and control horns. Aeroworks uses a double-sided control horn on this model with each side being anchored by 3 screws into hardwood. Be sure to harden the threads you create with CA as with extensive use, it could pull out. Aeroworks does explain this process in their manual to ensure that the modeler will complete a strong, safe model that will last for many seasons. Once the stab linkages were installed, I installed the provided flying wires between the horizontal stab and the fuse, as well as between the horizontal stab and the vertical fin. One item I changed during this installation was that I swapped out the provided phillips-head attachment screws for the through-stab bolts with slightly longer 2-56 socket head cap screws that I had on hand. I prefer socket head caps as well as wanted a little more length to be sure that they engaged the nylon portion of the provided lock-nuts. 
Once the stabs were complete, I got the Laser 200 on its feet with the provide bolts and pre-installed blind nuts. The kit includes axles, wheel collars, wheels, as well as landing gear flares and wheel pants with pre-installed blind nuts. At this time I also attached the provided tail wheel assembly and tail-steering linkage. Once again, pre-drilled holes are in the fuse to accept the tail wheel attachment. After the fuse was on its feet, I installed the rudder servo and all of the pull-pull linkage to ensure smooth operation. From here, I moved on to the motor install. For this model, I chose the newer DLE 35RA as was recommended by Aeroworks. Within the kit, Aeroworks provided a mounting template and engine stand-offs for the DLE 35RA installation. By clamping the template in place, I quickly drilled the mounting bolt holes for the engine. I mocked up the engine in place and marked the appropriate pass-through holes for throttle linkage and fuel lines which I also drilled at this time. I mounted the ignition per the instructions and plumbed all of the electric leads. One item that I would have liked to have seen on the Laser 200 was the addition of a can or pipe-tunnel. The Laser is setup for muffler only but it would have been nice to have the option to install a can or pipe for performance and noise reasons, and with an engine like the DLE 35RA, the rear-exhaust makes for super simple pipe/can install. I installed the IBEC, fuel tank, fuel lines, throttle servo and throttle linkage to complete the power plant install! From here I moved on to the battery and RX installation as well as a finishing of the wires and attachments of the various electrical components. At this time, I also opted to move the switch mount location to an external switch mount as I planned on installing two hold down screws for the hatch in addition to the quick release hatch mount… which would make an internal switch mount impractical. I have launched my fair share of canopies in the past and this change/update, while extremely easy to do, was solely due to my personal preference. 
Next I moved on to the wings. Pre-installed strings made pulling the servo extensions through the wings a snap. The double-sided horns were once again installed with three screws and ball links and turn buckles were provided to smooth operation. Aileron hinges were pre-glued and a quick pull on each to check that they were locked down was sufficient. After installing the servos in the wings, I slid in the carbon wingtube and test fit the wings. No issues with fit or alignment which allowed me to then install some short custom extensions to ensure that everything was neat and tidy within the fuse. From this point, I bolted up the muffler, cowl, prop and spinner and inspected all screws/bolts etc to ensure loctite was added and that everything was secure. I pulled out the decal set, applied the various included graphics and then checked the CG to ensure it was within guidelines and to avoid any surprises on first lift-off. Also, another nice touch was that while Aeroworks allows you to setup your clunk in the provided fuel tank, they have conveniently pre-assembled the stopper and tubes to include pre-soldered barbs. Very nice touch and time saver! Good thinking Aeroworks! Overall, the Aeroworks Laser 200 was simple to assemble and with minimal assistance from the manual while taking pictures, I was able to finish the assembly in less than 8 hours. 
Flying! After giving the engine tune after initial startup, I checked the batteries, fueled it up, and headed for the initial maiden. The winter had been dragging on and on here in CT and as this was the first opportunity to get to the field after the snow melted off, conditions were somewhat favorable (for April) with 50 degree temps and westerly winds - 15mph. After a brief taxi on the active, I advanced the throttle and the Laser jumped forward. It tracked straight and true down the runway and lifted off effortlessly. I increased power and climbed out to a good altitude for the initial short "shakedown" flight to ensure all was good and tight.
First impressions, the Laser tracked very well with its long tail moment. On top of that, I need absolutely ZERO trim to maintain level flight. I ran it through some basic sequence work as well as tested my different rates and expos that I had programmed in to my JR 9503 radio. I didn't pre-set and Rudder to Aileron or Rudder to Elevator mixes to assist with any pitch and roll coupling but at first glance, any mix is going to be very minimal as coupling was next to nothing. This told me that not only was the design solid with wing and stab locations but also that I had the CG about where I wanted it (to my preferences, which was close to factory spec). With 50 degrees of elevator, 45 ailerons, and 40 on the rudder, the Laser was extremely responsive and agile. After a few minutes of buzzing around, it was time to come in and check to make sure that nothing had come loose and that I had done a thorough assembly job before taking it up to ring it out. I lined up on final and pulled the power back. Despite the bumpy wind conditions, the Laser settled in and touched down smoothly. No surprises there. 
 After a quick check of all the major components to ensure that I tightened and Loctite'd everything adequately, it was time to refuel and take it up to see what the Laser's true capabilities were. Once again the Laser lifted off smoothly and tracked well. I kicked in the 3D rates and started throwing maneuvers at the Laser. In 3D rates, the Laser was very responsive. In fact, I almost thought I had too much throw as the roll rate at speed was extremely quick. Waterfalls, pop-tops, blenders, high-alpha, rolling harriers, knife Edge, and blurringly fast tumbles were all within the reach of the Laser's capabilities. In High-Alpha, the Laser was very stable despite the relatively gusty conditions. The airframe was forgiving and when I was testing its limits both pre and post-stall, I didn't find anything that surprised me. One item that I really enjoyed on the airframe was how locked-in it felt not only in knife-edge but also in an inverted-slip condition. The airframe was completely predictable and reacted to all of my inputs. Another item to note regarding the forgivingness of the airframe, I encountered a few dead-sticks in some not-so-ideal positions (inverted low slip and flat-spin) and the Laser had no issue under glide slope in those not so ideal conditions…. Thankfully… otherwise it could have gotten really ugly, really fast! Despite a few dead-sticks, the DLE 35RA performed well and provided ample power for the Laser. Hovers and pull outs were effortless. Based on Aeroworks recommendation, the Xoar 19x8 seemed to be a perfect combo on the stock muffler as power was ample. After giving the Laser a thorough ringing out in the 3D and high-energy flight envelope, I decided to run it through some sequence work in case any out there are thinking about jumping into IMAC with this airframe. The Laser tracked well and true and ran through the sequences without issue. I threw a variety of maneuvers at it from Basic to Unlimited. The Laser snapped well with clean breaks and for an airframe of this size, it presented well. The combination of the broad "mouth" on the cowl that Lasers are known for along with the Xoar 19x8 gave good down-line braking. A IMAC newbie would have no issues getting his first tastes of IMAC in Basic or Sportsman with this bird. Overall, I was very impressed with the performance on the Aeroworks Laser 200! This is smallest gasser I have every owned but having experience flying other 30cc airframes, I had high expectations and the Laser delivered. Another great aspect at the field is that Lasers just aren't that common these days and the airframe itself grabbed a lot of people's attention. It was nice to have something a little different that was in many ways a blast from the past! Great job Aeroworks! Let's see it fly! Aeroworks has brought back a blast from the past with the 30cc QB Laser 200. It packs a lot of value and performance into a small package that any avid precision or 3D Flyer will enjoy. The smaller size of a 30cc makes transportation a breeze but when it comes to performance, it is truly unlimited with the Laser 200. Whether I was running it through the 2014 Unlimited Sequence or getting in some low, slow 3D on the deck, the Laser was solid from the get-go and created confidence in its capabilities right away. Add that to the fact that with Aeroworks' quick-build features, it gets you in the air quick and with minimal assembly time, you'll spent less time in the shop and more time at the field! If you are in the market for a 30cc Aerobat and the Laser catches your eye, reach out to Aeroworks and give one a go! I am positive you will be pleased! Hits: Simple Assembly Complete Hardware Pack Size/Weight/Wing Loading Excellent flight characteristics High Performance in a Small Package Pre-assembled fuel stopper with pre-soldered barbs Misses: No pipe/can tunnel Through-bolts for flying wires were a little short to engage lock-nuts |
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| www.aero-works.net Aeroworks 4903 Nome St Denver, CO 80239 303.371.4222 info@aero-works.net www.aero-works.net | |||||||||||
| Thread Tools |
06-21-2014, 01:55 AM
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Boonville,Indiana " BoonVegas"
Joined Jan 2006
113 Posts
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Yeah !
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06-21-2014, 09:42 AM
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United States, MS, Desoto County
Joined Jan 2006
1,608 Posts
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Quote:
That's why I'm so excited about mine. My trailer is at my shop and it's a ordeal getting it out and pulling it home I had this on my mind but after seeing the flight video I was sold. Once my DA35 shows up I'm in business !!! |
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08-28-2014, 09:22 AM
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Canada, QC, Pointe-Claire
Joined Jan 2013
48 Posts
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Nice review and flying. As I am not really a 3D guy, would have like to see a IMAC program flown. - but that's just me. The size is appealing. Yes i would like a bigger plane, but portability has it's advantages also! And like you said, in a sea of Yaks and Extras this will be a little bit different - old school / cool?
What was your actual AUW on the plane? Curious to see actual vs manufacturers specs. Thanks |
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08-28-2014, 11:50 AM
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Joined Dec 2009
391 Posts
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I just got this new video from team pilot Tyler McCormack.
Ty's comment “I got some video of the 30cc Laser and I am very impressed with its performance and it is really just fun to fly.” I know its not IMAC and precision flying like teckbot mentioned but it does show the planes full potential. Enjoy! Rocco AeroWorks
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08-28-2014, 12:27 PM
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United States, MS, Desoto County
Joined Jan 2006
1,608 Posts
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NICE
I cant believe how well this plane fly's. I hope to maiden my DA35 powered setup next weekend |
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08-28-2014, 04:16 PM
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Joined Dec 2009
391 Posts
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Brian,
Thanks and keep us posted on your maiden flight! Rocco AeroWorks |
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08-29-2014, 11:46 AM
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Joined Dec 2009
391 Posts
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We were lucky to find Ty when he was a “younger pilot”. He has grown up fast and his flying skills improve every time I see him fly! He also has tremendous family support.
Rocco AeroWorks |
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08-31-2014, 06:43 AM
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United States, GA, Columbus
Joined Jul 2014
133 Posts
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Following
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Last edited by tail_slider3d; 08-31-2014 at 08:41 AM.
Reason: Delete
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09-03-2014, 09:53 PM
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United States, PA, Lebanon
Joined Jan 2013
33 Posts
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Where can I get one of these professionally built? Are any PNP version here for sale. Tired of electric and want to get into flying with gas. Electric is ok but no flight times with these expensive lipos. Its time to start flying gas and this looks like a good airplane to start out with. I fly aerobatics and 3d with a electric SBACH and this looks like a fun airplane. Great scale details.
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09-20-2014, 10:40 AM
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Joined Jan 2011
2 Posts
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Nice! I still have a 33% AeroWorks Laser "Edge" that I bought a reaeelllly long time ago (1998?), that is about to go on the build table. It is actually a scale model, as that's where Zivco did the R&D on the Edge wing... :-)
I've been away from flying for quite a while, and it's awesome to see AeroWorks stilll deep into it. They are the best! Steve Landeau |
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