Hangar 9/Horizon Hobby Ultra Stick 30cc ARF
This giant version of the classic design has a wide flight envelope
This giant version of the classic design has a wide flight envelope
Let’s begin with some Stick history. Phil Kraft’s design was originally called the “Square Stik” and then renamed the “Ugly Stik.” The original concept was intended as a test bed for the then-new proportional control equipment and as an all-around shop plane to test repaired gear. The Stik was designed to be built in the absolute minimum of time and was considered expendable. I wonder if Phil ever thought that the airplane that took him three evenings to design and completely finish would be one of the most built and flown in the history of RC aeromodelling! Phil even won a few contests with his Stick design.
The Hangar 9 Ultra Stick 30cc ARF, expertly covered in UltraCote, is another Stick that builds on the legacy of this popular design. Hangar 9 has upped its performance with extra-large, doublebeveled control surfaces for 3D flight and optional quad flaps. The control surfaces, along with elevator and rudder, are oversize for better 3D performance. With a wide flight envelope and abundance of power options, the Ultra Stick can be mild or wild. You can also take advantage of flaperon and crow mixes. The wheel pants add a sporty look.
UNIQUE FEATURES
The assembly of the Ultra Stick is straightforward. The manual is well written (in several languages) with clear pictures and precise steps, leaving no question unanswered. There is nothing complicated about this airplane, and you will not have any trouble with the build.
The hardware supplied was of good quality. The 81-inch wing comes in two panels, which slide onto a tube and are locked in place with dowel pins and nylon bolts when assembled on the fuselage. Not having to deal with a one-piece wing is great for transportation. The aileron and flap servos are mounted in the wing for better protection. The enlarged control surfaces have double-beveled leading edges, which allow the surfaces to move in either direction. The elevator halves, ailerons, and flaps each have individual servos to increase power and throw. If you want to use each on separate channels, you’ll need an 8-channel receiver, but if you use Y-connectors (which I am not a fan of), you could cut the number of receiver channels required. The wheel pants give the plane a sporty look and keep the dirt and dew off the underside of the wing on those early-morning flights. A steerable tailwheel is mounted in the typical way on the rudder. If you want to add the optional floats, the hardpoints for the struts are built into the fuselage. The power source can be gas or electric, and all the hardware to go either way is included.
Another thing I like is that all the controlsurface control-horn holes come drilled; just remove the covering and you’re ready to go.
The Stick comes with ball joints for the wing servo arms. If you install a heavier engine, you can mount the elevator servos in the tail with the supplied pushrods. Stout 4-40 pushrod linkages to the elevator and rudder come cut to length and threaded at both ends. Be careful to use thread-lock on the nuts against the clevis on each end as vibration could turn the pushrod out of the clevis and loosen both locknuts. I like the supplied drill template for mounting the engine as it speeds up assembly. And finally, when you install the landing gear, you may have to clear out the plate nuts under the covering; I used a 4mm tap to do this on two of the holes.
IN THE AIR
It was a rather cool 50-degree day for the first flight but with low winds. Our flying field has short-cut grass, and there were no issues with ground handling. The Ultra Stick, with that wide landing gear, was absolutely great to handle. Turning into the wind, I advanced the throttle and it was in the air with a slow gentle takeoff. After trimming for hands off, which took a little elevator trim, the Stick was flying level and straight at half throttle. Hangar 9 did a great job on this one. Low winds gave me a better
feel of the controls, and I was soon used to how it flew. When it came time to land, I set up the glide path to the runway with low throttle. The Stick was rock solid on approach, and when it reached ground effect, I rounded off for a great landing. On high rates, the Stick will do many 3D maneuvers with plenty of power from the Evolution 33cc engine. While I am not a hotdogger, my buddy is, and found this to be true when he flew my Ultra Stick.
GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Stability: The Ultra Stick is stable and gentle in flight. With the correct center of gravity, directional stability was good. It is a very stable airplane.
Aerobatics: Horizon has designed the Ultra Stick to be a true sport/aerobatic airplane. It’s easy to see in the air with no bad habits, and the Evolution 33cc engine provides plenty of power.
Glide and stall performance: With its large wing area and reasonably low wing loading, the Ultra Stick has an excellent glide ratio, which is great in case of engine failure. This happened to me, and I was able to save the airplane. Stalls are rather mushy but straight ahead and need some power to exit them.
PILOT DEBRIEFING
The Hangar 9 Ultra Stick has great groundhandling characteristics and has no bad habits in the air. Its colorful UltraCote graphics show up great in the air, making it easy to see. When powered as specified, it will do almost anything your skills will let you do. This age-old design will thrill you on every flight, now that Hangar 9 has spiced it up with larger control surfaces. With all that wing area and low wing loading, this is one Stick you are going to love.