Why all the Extra 260 kits?

[WreckRman2]

I've been flying helis the last two years and was looking to get a 50cc size Extra however all it seems people are selling are the Extra 260. Why? What happened to the 300s, 300l, etc? The 260 looks to much like an Edge and not an Extra.

I like a big fat fuse and a big bubble canopy. Are there any of those new styles out anywhere?

[Simpleton]

Extreme Flight has a righteous, bulbous 50cc Extra 300 for sale

[eagle1]

check Composite-ARF they have any and all extra's and fly great also.

[bryandraves]

Wildhares are good to finishing up a 35% 300 very nice

[airborneSGT]

260's fly really nice However I also like a mid wing 300.

[OnTheEdge]

Many manufacturer design new airframes initially for their big stuff. Get all the hype, the sponsored pilots, and the strong supporters, win some contests, couple magazine covers. Then the plane trickles down into the smaller sizes. The 260 use to be the flavor of the day, so it started in the big planes and trickled down to the 50cc stuff. Right now the 300 midwing is hot so just hang out for a little while and you'll see tons of 50cc 300's.

Just my .02.......

[SuperDave]

	Quote: Originally Posted by OnTheEdge
	Many manufacturer design new airframes initially for their big stuff. Get all the hype, the sponsored pilots, and the strong supporters, win some contests, couple magazine covers. Then the plane trickles down into the smaller sizes. The 260 use to be the flavor of the day, so it started in the big planes and trickled down to the 50cc stuff. Right now the 300 midwing is hot so just hang out for a little while and you'll see tons of 50cc 300's. Just my .02.......

What he said... It all goes in cycles.

[dmichael]

Kits? LOL I don't see many kits of any plane anymore- Carden has a kit. Maybe there are others- the rest are ARFs.

Just havin' some fun with the topic.

What size plane are you looking at?

[WreckRman2]

I prefer a kit over a BARF. Who wants to have the same scheme as everyone else?

I'm looking for a 50cc size.

And you guys are right the market does change... first it was the Cap, then Extra 300, the Edge 540, Yak, and now Extra 260... but maybe not in that order.

Here's the last 50cc kit I built... as you can see I've been flying helis for the last two or three years so been out of the loop. Its the CA Extra 300L and while this one flew great it didn't have the big fuse I like. The one before this was a Dave Patrick Extra and that was a big fuse.

[Temptation]

	Quote: Originally Posted by WreckRman2
	I And you guys are right the market does change... first it was the Cap, then Extra 300, the Edge 540, Yak, and now Extra 260... but maybe not in that order.

I think you are pretty close on your order. Here is how I remember it. It would be interesting to get a few other opinions also.

Cap 232
Edge 540
Extra 330
Yak 54
Extra 260
Extra 300 mid wing

I think the Extra 300L belongs in there somewhere, I'm just not sure where it goes. Does anybody else agree or disagree with this order. The only thing that I would be willing to be the farm on is that the Cap needs to be first.

BTW WreckRman2, nice Extra. It's nice to see more of us younger generation guys building. I love building. I do own a Hanger 9 Showtime 90 right now, and have owned a few other ARF's over the years, but they have all just been toss around planes. When it comes to competition planes I build all of my own, or they come from another pro builder.

I believe right now a pro built airframe (kit or scratch built) can't be beat at this time. Although this may be true today, I believe the day will come when in order to get a top of the line airplane you will have to by an ARF. When the ARF's take over, there will be less and less kits available for us builders to get our hands on. Of course we will be able to scratch build if we want, but it just might not be practical from a finanicial standpoint when the time comes.

I just can't help but notice how much the quality has improved on the ARF's since they first came out. I can only imagine what the next ten years will bring, and that's if it even takes that long. I am really going to miss building when the day comes that I have to switch over from being a builder to an assembler.

[statbeast]

That is funny. My first aerobatic plane was the cap 232, and my most recent was the 260. So basically I am just following the herd.

Does the Ultimate belong in there somewhere as well?

[WreckRman2]

Wasn't the Extra 330 before the Edge 540? I just remember that Dave Patrick had their Extra 330 before their Edge 540.

And I think the Extra 300L fell in after the Edge 540.

[WreckRman2]

And where did the Extra 300S fall in? I'm not sure if that model ever made a big impression in giant scale but I also built one of those. It was the 60 size from Great Planes.

What can I say... I love Extras.

[WreckRman2]

My Dave Patrick ARC that lasted a mere 5 flights. I hadn't even painted the cowl yet or added any decals.

Before and after flight photos...

[Temptation]

Wow Dave, what happened?