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tially the same as when it is right side up.

Tight circles – Plane loves to do tight knife-edge type circles.  You can combine this with a half flip to get it on to its back.

Climb ability – It climbs but don’t expect any real vertical from the thing.  If you pull straight up from a WOT it might climb all of 10 feet, if you are lucky, before it runs out of poop.  A sort of level climb to get altitude is possible but it can’t be steep.

Thermal ability – I can’t really judge this but from the light weight of the plane I would say it would thermal fine.  Only problem is with the low capacity battery, I’d be worried about running out of juice, especially with having used the motor to climb first, so I wouldn’t really be inclined to thermal it.  Possibly if the motor was unplugged from the start and you threw it off a slope, you probably would get some decent flight time.

Other Stuff – You can do an Immelman if you either are inverted to start, or do a dive first and then pull up sharply.  Of course, you can’t roll out of the Immelman but that is another story.  Hammerheads sort of but you won’t be turning left or right at the top but rather flipping on your back or belly.  Don’t attempt this too low, as the plane needs a little speed before it responds to the controls.  No spins, barrel rolls or basically anything else you might consider as an aerobatic maneuver.  

 I will say that the plane is quite agile and can turn tightly, go in tight circles and go up and down like it is on a roller coaster.

Conclusion

 This DOES NOT FLY LIKE A ZAGI.  I am rarely disappointed by the performance of a model that I have built but I must honestly say that for all its quick handling ability the plane is really a disappointment.  The power system just isn’t up to allowing this plane to be a mini Zagi.  I was expecting to go from mild to wild but I long ago suspected that this would not be the case once I learned what the power plant was to be.  When flying this plane there really was only one power setting and that was wide-open throttle but even that really isn’t anything to jump up and down about.  Anything less and you essentially have what every other park flyer out there has, and its looks certainly  don’t say, I’m a Slow Stick and just fly me around in

circles. 

 The kit itself is worth the price I paid in terms of what you get and the ease of construction but in terms of performance its price does not do it justice.  I know of several small wing planes that use the GWS motor/gear box platform and they will fly circles (and ROLLS) around the Fixx.  They cost less but do involve more assembly time.

 I’m sure I’ll fly the Fixx from time to time as something handy to grab but it certainly won’t be on the top of my list when I want to grab something to have fun with.  Great looking plane though, they certainly got that right.

This month at our club meeting—a discussion about model aviation engines.