The wing halves are glued together and secured to the fuselage using only one screw making it quite easy to transport. Then again, it’ll probably fit in most cars fully assembled (above left) making it even easier to stop off for a quick flight
runway. Unless the grass is very short (when does that happen?) taking off can be a little tricky. It is do-able although the thought of the propeller digging through the dirt at full power isn’t appealing. The Rascal is very easy to hand launch thanks to a narrow fuse- lage. Once familiar with the handling char- acteristics, it can be done solo quite easily. With calm winds and a light battery, like
the 3S 25C Thunder Power 910 mAh G6 Pro Lite, the Rascal is a joy to fly. At times, it seems to defy gravity as it floats along so slowly. It will surely make the foam lovers think twice. The Rascal is just perfect for lazy circuits around the pattern, touch and goes, an occasional wingover, and even a few one- wheel landings. It’s fun to see just how little throttle is required to keep it in the air. With even the slightest headwind it will slow to a crawl. A little rudder in the turns is necessary to keep things coordinated although it’s pos- sible to get away without it. No matter your technique, it’s possible to fly the Rascal in a fairly small field.
during a lunch break or a calm afternoon after work. Speaking of not removing the wings (above right), the Sig RascalEP-49 even fits nicely in the back seat of a Cessna 182!
When the wind picks up, a heavier bat-
tery, like the 3S 25C Thunder Power 1350 mAh G6 Pro Lite pack I also used, and a lit- tle more throttle seem to help the Rascal cut through the wind rather than float on it. In fact, it will fly with a much larger pack than is called for, although it really is happiest when it’s light. If you’re inclined to keep the throttle pushed all the way up, the Rascal will perform some basic aerobatics and with a little practice, a nice aerobatic routine is possible. Using both aileron and rudder makes for some nice rolls. Inverted flight and outside loops are possible but can be slightly squirrelly. As is usually the case, the key to a good
landing with the Rascal is starting with a good approach. The Rascal is fairly aerody- namic with its narrow fuselage and strutless wing. That combined with the light wing loading means it’s necessary to close the throttle on a mid-field downwind in order to get it down in time. Then again, a slip to landing will rescue a high approach and
frankly, it just looks cool. Landings on as- phalt or grass are easy as long as you touch down straight. If you’re a little sideways, it tends to hop on its stiff landing gear and will groundloop if not kept in check. On the grass, there is much less tendency to groundloop but more chance of nosing over. When you fly it correctly, the Rascal will reward you. Be sure that when switching from a heavier to lighter battery the c.g. is checked. It’s easily adjusted with the position of the battery. The Rascal is fun to assemble and even
more fun to fly. While not the best airplane for a gusty day, on a calm day, it’s hard to imagine having more fun. Ten to fifteen- minute flights are quite possible with the batteries I’ve mentioned. It has classic looks and flies better than many newer de- signs. Its size is very convenient for stop- ping at the local park on the way to work. Even a 1000 mAh battery will yield plenty of flight time. If the Rascal 110 flies any- thing like this one, make some room in the hangar!
The classic lines of the Rascal are enjoyed here (above left) just before the maiden. The yellow trim really makes the plane stand out. Flying from asphalt
FLYING MODELS
makes for some pleasurable pattern work (above right). It’s tough to fly the Rascal EP-49without having a large grin across your face.
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