The difference between normal and biplanes

[mayaman]

I've allways been a "normal plane" flier, and havent seen any with 2 wings yet like the challenger and pitts.

I know there is allways some degree of "difference" between a model plane and a fill scale, so could someone help me straighten up my lack of knowledge about this?


What makes thouse challengers and pitts that much different than a edge or a extra?


And someone said something in a thread i read here that there is a reason why biplanes arent getting to the top in IMAC and such, why is that? I see like 9/10 of every movies from imacs and competitions is normal planes and hardly anyone use biplanes, beside QS...?

I know a biplane is in broad stroke harder to fly, but doesnt it has the same potential as a normal one?


Thanks alot for the answers

Stein.

[reyn3545]

I've had about a half a dozen biplanes... everything from 30 ounce electrics to a 42-pound Hanger-9 Ultimate... loved every one of them. I think a lot of the "hard to fly" comments are tied to true "Pitts" designs, which are by design short-coupled (not much distance between the wing and the tail). That makes for a very acrobatic plane, but it can be a handful to make a slow turn on final approach. All biplanes will slow down quicker than a single wing plane, just because of the extra drag on the wings, but other than that, basic flight characteristics are about the same.

In fact, I might say that the Hanger-9 Ultimate was the easiest giant scale plane I ever flew (R.I.P.)... very agile, very capable, and very easy to get up and down.

If you're thinking about a bipe, I could recommend the Aeroworks Pitts Python for a 50cc, or the Aeroworks Ultimate in the 150cc class. The Ultimate also comes in a 50cc flavor, but I haven't seen or flown it. Most of the decent bipes today are offered WITHOUT flying wires, and trust me, you don't want to mess with them every week at the field.

Stay away from a "true" pitts for your first bipe.. go with an Ultimate, a Pitts Special, or a Pitts Python, they all have longer moments and will be much more stable and fun to fly. They really are a blast. With twice the aileron, they spin like crazy, and biplanes ALWAYS are a hit at the field... even just sitting in the grass.

[WangoTango]

I've got a house-full of bi-planes....... All of them are "normal" to me! When I fly a real bi-plane, I just look at that top wing as shade!
WT

[mayaman]

Thanks alot for the info and tips! im currently flying a 50cc Edge 540, starting to get a hand on stuff, got the KE working nicely now and making nice big stallturns and the basics, generaly getting to know the plane, but im allready saving up for a "next project" you know, so gotta be ahead of time!

[reyn3545]

You better hurry... winter's just around the corner!

[mayaman]

I realy would like to have a kit, since its a long and realy cold winter in norway, but i guess none of your fabrics are sold in my neightbourhood :P

[northwest]

Who said biplanes aren't normal planes??

The big downsides to biplanes are:
-they take MUCH longer to set up at the field.
-the judges at a precision contest will have two planes of refference (the wings)! So if you're not a QS or a Chip Hyde or somebody like that you'd better be brave. You expose tourself to loosing more points.
-The Ultimate is the best one to scale. It has a long moment and requires less mixing and tweaking. The Python is very good too. The regular Pitts and Eagles are the worst. Try to avoid open cockpits. They're short, squirrelly require lots of mixing and will eat your lunch with snap-rolls! The bigger the plane the better your chances of success (46-50%).
-they have a lot of drag. Constant speed flying is great but you may need more power for windy days, and if your engine quits you won't be gliding far.
-in a mishap you crunch not one but two pairs of wings.

That's it really. They do feel a bit "boxy and top-heavy" to me but you don't notice that after a short while.
The "cool" factor and the attention you get at the field may outweigh all the downsides, depends on personal prefferences.

[mayaman]

Wow, thanks alot for that one Northwest.
Well, then i think ill stick to one wing for some time ahead, im barely touching gas powered so far, so ill stick to a normal one for the next season aswell, get a bit more hrs of flytime under my belt

Stein