Sigma 2 Meter Electric Sailplane ALES (ARF)

• Overall
• Quality
• Value

After a few outings;

Oct 19, 2017

After a couple of outings to ALES and F5J comps, I'm getting the feel for it and believe that it can be competitive in its class. I am very pleased with this sailplane. This review is made to point out that the tailplane surfaces appear to let in water/moisture. When landing in wet grass and covering the tail in droplets, some appears to get in between the skin and the foam, giving whitish blotches under the skin. If used anywhere wet, give the edges of the tailplane surfaces a coat of epoxy or similar to seal them.

• Overall
• Quality
• Value

Sigma is a perfect Sailsplane for Thermic in his classs

Oct 02, 2017

I just orderd a sigma 2 m and I´m really satitisfied with the quality. But I wait for Zeus since more thean 6 month for the eu warehouse. Dear Hobby king Team please offer Zeus in EU again. + make a goode price :-)

• Overall
• Quality
• Value

Setup and first flights of the 2m Sigma

Sep 18, 2017

The instructions are not "step by step", but assembling the airframe will not present any problems for those that have completed something like it before. I mounted a Turnigy 2830/10 1000Kv motor on my own fire wall (that supplied is too soft), around 12mm back into the fus (rear mounted motor). This allows extra space inside the fus to be fully utilized (no rotating motor in there). The motor sticks out bit and now has a cowl fitted to fill the gap. A 30A esc and NanoTec 850, 3s, 45C fit into the front of the fus with room to spare to move the battery forwards or backwards, to try different CoG locations. At around 60mm back from the LE (without extra weights needed to balance), the CoG is good to start.
The power from the setup with a 10x6 folding prop is more than enough to gain the start height for competition within 30s. Mine weighs 610g ready to fly. Despite the large dihedral, the ailerons have good authority and smooth rudder only turns can be made. Using the ailerons also as spoilerons gives impressive speed loss whilst maintaining full control.
I'm very pleased with it, and hope to get to use it in thermal Esoaring comps, where it might do well in the right hands.

• Overall
• Quality
• Value

Competition class 2m sailplane.

Sep 10, 2017

Bought this as a second model to try out F5J competition. Sizes over 2m are "open" class up to 4m, in which many of the big composite sailplanes cost well over £1K. Bought this at the reduced price of around £175, I was quite impressed by the quality of the kit. Very strong wings, straight with sharp trailing edges. The fus pod and boom is pretty light stuff, maybe not for general sport flying where rougher landings might be involved. The helpful joining jig (shown as if it is part of the finished airframe...must have put a few off) needs a few nuts and bolts to hold together. Don't forget to give the inside of the jig halves a good coating with furniture polish to release the epoxy. I'd had a it for a few weeks prior to starting the build. Having seen the parts of the kit and seeing how easy it could be to add flaps to it...I ordered another. I'll add to this after it has flown. At today's price in the UK ~£175, it's a screaming bargain....

• Overall
• Quality
• Value

Pre-Build Review

Jun 12, 2017

This is a preliminary pre-build review. I will post an update later. / Overall quality is good. The wings have no visible warp and the Kevlar/Carbon skins are tight and smooth. The molded fiberglass fuselage is smooth and has no warps or twist. / A rudimentary manual is provided, printed in color on good quality paper, but is leaves much to be desired as to completeness and clarity. A downloadable copy can be found under the Files tab on the web site catalog page. / The wing is in two parts which are to be joined by a heavy two-part plastic saddle. The two halves have holes in the leading and trailing edges that appear to be intended for joining them but no bolts are provided. The instructions say that the wing saddle should be glued. The assembled wing is attached to the fuselage with two bolts. Large outboard ailerons are cut and hinged. Servo wire tubes in the wings are too small for standard connectors, and there is no exit port at the inboard end where the wing halves butt. Servo covers are provided. / Vertical and and horizontal stabilizers are fully assembled with hinged control surfaces.. / A plywood servo tray is provided for the rudder and elevator servos. The cutouts measure 12 by 24 mm. Push-rod wire is provided but must be cut and formed by the builder. There are no ports to allow push-rods to exit the fuselage so those will have to be cut by hand.

• Overall
• Quality
• Value

Pre-Build Review

Jun 11, 2017

His is preliminary pre-build review. I will post an update after completing the build and flight test. // Overall quality is good. The wings have no visible warp and the Kevlar/Carbon skins are tight and smooth. The molded fiberglass fuselage is smooth and has no warps or twist. / A rudimentary manual is provided, printed in color on good quality paper, but is leaves much to be desired as to completeness and clarity. A downloadable copy can be found under the Files tab on the web site catalog page. / The wing is in two parts which are to be joined by a heavy two-part plastic saddle. The two halves have holes in the leading and trailing edges that appear to be intended for joining them but no bolts are provided. The instructions say that the wing saddle should be glued. The assembled wing is attached to the fuselage with two bolts. Large outboard ailerons are cut and hinged. Servo wire tubes in the wings are too small for standard connectors, and there is no exit port at the inboard end where the wing halves butt. Poor design. / Vertical and and horizontal stabilizers are fully assembled with hinged control surfaces.. / A plywood servo tray is provided for the rudder and elevator servos. The cutouts measure 12 by 24 mm. Pushrod wire is provided but must be cut and formed by the builder. There are no ports to allow pushrods to exit the fuselage so those will have to be cut by hand. Oddly there are two port window parts but no indication in the instructions on how to install them and they seem too large.