Frequently Asked Questions About the Flyin' King

Answers by Bruce Tharpe

Q: The Flyin' King kind of looks like a Kadet Senior. Is it the same thing?

A: At first glance, it may bear a resemblance because it has a high wing and stick construction. I used to work for Sig and have great admiration for the Senior and its designer, Claude McCullough. It's a supreme example of lightweight stick structure. However, the FK is different in many ways. The FK is bigger, beefier, and can take bigger engines. The FK has ailerons and flaps. The FK is designed for easy taildragger conversion. The FK fuselage is actually much easier to build. The FK's airfoil is semi-symmetrical, so it's much more aerobatic and can handle more wind.

Q: Does the wing have polyhedral?

A: Yes, the center section is flat and the outer panels each have a bit of dihedral. This gives the FK a bit of extra stability and its own "style".

Q: That one-piece wing is pretty big. Can it be made into a two-piece wing?

A: Yes; I've seen it done, but it will add weight and you're on your own as far as the engineering. There are no instructions in the kit on how to do this. If you're pressed for room, I think a smarter solution would be to clip a rib bay from each outer wing panel, bringing the span down to about 72 inches.

Q: Would the Flyin' King make a good electric conversion?

A: I think all of my designs are good candidates for electric conversion because they are light, have lots of wing area, and have lots of room for batteries. Electric fliers seem particularly drawn to the FK, so BTE now offers a conversion package with motor, ESC, prop, and installation parts tailored specifically for this design.

Q: How big is the cabin area?

A: The inside dimensions of the cabin are 4" wide x 7" tall x 16" long. Some of that is taken up with radio equipment, but there's plenty of room leftover for two pounds of candy!

Q: How much weight (payload) will it carry?

A: I haven't loaded one to the max, but my best guess is that five pounds would be no sweat. Ten pounds would be manageable with good piloting technique. If you plan to carry a payload, I suggest replacing the stock landing gear with the heavy-duty version.

Q: I'm thinking about towing gliders. Where should I mount a hook for the towline?

A: The typical spot seems to be on top of the fuselage, just aft of the wing. I've collected a lot of info on aerotowing over the years and will share it with those who are interested in trying it with the Flyin' King.

Q: Are standard servos okay?

A: Yes, but I've learned over the years that standard servos without a ball bearing on the output shaft can develop excessive play after many flights. Sometimes they're very sloppy right out of the box! Sloppiness in the flight controls can lead to flutter and crashing with any model. I highly recommend ball-bearing servos, and if you have a heavy-duty one, use it on the flaps.

Q: What kind of floats do you recommend for the Flyin' King?

A: You need floats that are about 45" to 48" long. My top recommendation is the Great Planes float kit for their .60-size Cub.

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