Need info on three five meter scale sailplanes

[Hoot]

I am doing my research on buying a 5 meter scale sailplane before taking the plunge. I looked at planes on the Soaring USA site and saw three at similar price points: ASG 29, ASW 28 and the Ventus 2AX. I've been flying RC for 45 years, the last twenty flying open class thermal duration with Xplorer's, Perfection's etc., so I am not too concerned about the difficulty flying one of the three I mentioned above. I can't find details of who makes the planes so I can read online reviews. Does anyone have specific info on any of the three? I am most interested in which thermals the best, fit, finish, etc.
Thanks in advance !

[Steve P]

The gang there is pretty good about providing information. You might want to give him a call and see if you can get a bit more recon. Knowing the source really helps as many of us here have owned a range of makers and can provide much more insight. Used Let, KV, HF, EMS and others are good offerings at the +/- $3k range. Even though I’ve become a 6meter+ snob, I just built the KV Duo Discus X and it is excellent.

At a very surface level, the Ventus 2cx is probably your best bet for an overall plane. It also appears to have a more robust joiner system than the 28 from what I can see on SUSA site.

You should also give Etienne at ICARE a call and see what in stock he’s willing to make a deal on. Many of us have enjoyed great relationships with him.

[Mosquito]

Hoot,

I own both the ASG 29 and the Ventus 2AX. The manufacturer, I believe, is HF (don't ask me what that stands for). Many others own the Ventus and Etienne told me not to long ago,that the Ventus was one of SUSA's top scale sellers.

The fit and finish is pretty nice but it's not going to be a LET or H Model quality but still very nice for the money. The nice thing is, both planes have a four place wing which allows them to be transported fairly easily. One thing to consider about the ASG 29 and the Ventus, although each listed as 5 meter ships, the ASG 29 is much smaller than the Ventus. This could be a good thing or not. I can haul my ASG 29 in a fairly small car since the fuselage is shorter and each wing quarter is not very long at all. Sorry but I have never dealt with the ASW 28 but I believe it to be almost identical to the ASG 29. As I side note, when I opened my ASG 29 from the box, I thought for sure that they accidentally sent me a 4 meter glider. That's now much difference in size it is compared to the Ventus.

The ASG 29 will be able to be pulled up with a smaller tug, and the outer wings do not have a second aileron servo, so that would be slight savings. The outer aileron ties into the inner aileron. The wings are very thin and require a small and thin wing servo. The bad thing is, it's pretty small and as Steve so eloquently stated about "a 6 meter snob" the bigger ships just fly better. I believe that you can get 6 meter tips for the Ventus from SUSA which would give you more versatility. One of our club member has both the 5 meter tips and 6 meter tips and he switches back and forth with them depending on conditions. A nice option to have. The Ventus would need a stronger tug to pull it up but it floats a bit better and will cover more ground with it's heavier weight.

If it were me, I would go for the Ventus 2ax unless you really were concerned about size and space. There are so many of them still flying at events that your base of expertise would be bigger. I still fly mine frequently and it is just a nice sailplane to own. As a side note, the Ventus and the ASG are speed sensitive. You cannot fly them too slow or they could possibly spin on you.

Tim

[Asher Carmichael]

28 and 29 are 1:3.5 scale(+/-)and the Ventus is 1/3. All excellent flyers. Not sure if the 28 has flaps, I’d go with 29 or Ventus. Flaps can save the day on glass slippers at new, unfamiliar flying venues.

[edfmaniac]

I bet if you offer them what you have in your pocket, they'll send you one of those GPS Diana 2's.

[Hoot]

Mosquito and Asher, thanks for the feedback !

[Hoot]

Edfmaniac,
any reports on how the Diana GPS flys, fit and finish ?

[edfmaniac]

Edfmaniac,
any reports on how the Diana GPS flys, fit and finish ?

It's a Baudis so handling and construction quality are pretty much a given. I'm sure the STD version is a great plane and the GPS is just a little bit more flexible with the ballast system I assume it has. Dirk Pflug airfoils and Jiri Baudis desiged! Granted, I haven't flown any of the planes in question, but the reputation of Baudis and the long production runs say a lot about how they build and design aircraft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iC7K1nt_3w

Victor

[Stew2]

There is a Baudis Diana II on the circuit here on the Eastern seaboard, I do not know if it is the GPS version, but it flys exceptionally well. Legs like the Antares in a slightly smaller package. A tiny bit harder to see at altitude due to size, but no lack of performance. I would venture to guess that it is the top of the 5m game from all manufacturers. It is a very strong airframe!! You can NOT go wrong with a Baudis product. Their Antares is one of my most favorite airframes.

[lenb]

I'd second what Scot says, the Diana is very impressive. Its been available for a little while now but there was nobody flying one on our area until Russ B purchased one and impressed us all.
Great looking plane and flight characteristics are ridiculous.

Truth be told though there is a sizable gap in choices between 4 and 6 meter scale ships.

[RickS]

If you can afford any of the Baudis 1/3 scale sailplanes and can transport them, buy it, new or used. You will never be sorry. If you buy something else first and then get a Baudis later you will be sorry you didn't start with the Baudis. They are not more difficult to fly, in fact probably easier. They are incredibly strong so can better withstand the occasional rough landing. And the climb performance and l/d is head and shoulders better than any non GPS Triangle plane. And one other thing that is not often considered - you can get replacement parts for them in a reasonable time frame and the parts will fit.

[lenb]

Some great points there Rick.

[Mark9]

David I suggest you talk with Alex at Soaring USA. Let him know what your constraints are, everybody has them. He will work with you to get you what you want, if it is at all available. The Baudis models are also quite good from what I have heard. I am not familiar with any of the models you have mentioned. However, the KV Ventus 2CX is what Alex recommended to me with my constraints and wanting a good all round aerotow thermal glider.

The KV 4.8 meter Ventus 2CX also has very good build quality and I was impressed by it's handling on it's second ever flight Friday at Apache Pass. Working that light lift late in the day Friday it felt like a big fast TD ship! The L/D was very impressive considering I never even tried the reflex during that flight. It just seemed to groove like on rails in the thermal turns, yet roll reversals were responsive and precise.

Steve is also correct the main joiner system is bullet proof. It is similar to a full scale racing sailplane and the carbon tongues shown on the SUSA page are part of the spar structure. It is also easy to transport and store being a four piece wing. It fits under the bed lid of my Tacoma with the horizontal attached along with my Kate which is like yours. I can't wait to really get it dialed in.

[Hoot]

I bet if you offer them what you have in your pocket, they'll send you one of those GPS Diana 2's.

I tried to make that deal with you at Apache Pass for your Antares !
Steve Gibson
Houston, TX

[Mark9]

OOP's sorry I got your name wrong. I have been name challenged since a child, That is why we had nametags at Apache Pass...