Flite Test Simple Scout Electric Airplane (952mm)

Chose this as my first speed build kit from FT. Following the the build video makes this easy and enjoyable. Great explanations for those beginners just getting into the hobby. As for the plane, this model flies as docile as a tainer cub, yet with the "B" power pack, has lots of power to play with. Launching is easy and very scale-like and landings are gentle. Well designed and fun flier.

SO MUCH FUN! 10+ flights so far for me with dozens of takes offs and landings and touch and go's. Many more to come!

Loops, Rolls, Slow and controlled landings are awesome - this plane is a blast! I crashed it into a tree, ripped the wing half way through. It tore off the landing gear and cracked up fueselage behind the power pack. I just hot glued it back together per Josh's YouTube videos and covered the rips with Aluminum tape and it flies PERFECT again. Didn't even need a trim!. Now it's got a nice weathered look to it - just building character! This thing flies like a crow and works like a horse.

Due to my excitement you can probably tell this is my first RC Plane, and my first build (did the speed build). So many folks warned of using too much glue that I actually used too little in the tail and needed 2 sticky 7 gram weights to balance it. *tip* I actually taped 2 AA batteries into the cockpit as ballast for my first flight and it worked great.

Flies great in wind up to about 15 mph (maybe more if you're a decent pilot). Very sensitive to turbulent air though if you're flying near trees/buildings. Above 15 mph, your B pack likely won't have positive ground speed.

I recommend 20% Expo not 30% on the controls unless wind is above 5 mph, then maybe back it down to 30%.

I'd also recommend ditching the y-harness and flying flaperons. It already flies nice and slow, but it's even more fun to fly at a just above stall with the flaps at about 60% deflection. You'll still have plenty of elevator for compensation on landing.

My last and biggest recommendation is to power through the turns for stability/safety - probably a good tip for any new flyer - if you're doing bank n' yank turns in windy conditions, this plane tends need full power (flying B pack) as you're turning back up in to the wind. During my one big crash into the tree, I banked right to fly around the back of a tree at only about half power and a 10 mph gust flipped me over, so when I yanked, it flew right into the top of the tree. My guess is that if I had the wings loaded up with more power in the turn, I would have had more stability and kept control.

Great plane to fly like you stole it! Fly it slow and easy if you're new and training, or loop and roll all day long as you improve!

I have bought two of these (after crashing the first one about a dozen times). I decided to buy a second one because they are so fun to fly! They are excellent starter planes. I highly suggest it for beginners and advanced pilots alike. Overall the plane is sturdy and withstand several crashes. The only problem I have with these is the landing gear. The landing gear tends to "move" after after flying it 20+ times. It is easily fixed with more foam/glue.

Fantastic plane! So much fun to fly. If you can get your hands on this version (brown) do it! The new Maker Version is a downgrade. Call/message and confirm they have the brown foamboard in stock.

Out of all of the FT planes I have built this one is the easiest by far to fly. It's a nice easy flier. Much better than the Simple Cub in my opinion. Stay away from the Simple Cub if you are a beginner!

If you want a nice easy flier purchase this one its worth the money. I recommend the C pack with a 10-5 prop its the bomb!

First foamboard kit that I have built as a kit, I normally cut all my kits by hand but after this build Flite Test is about to hurt my wallet, all that is requird is a x-acto blade, hot glue gun, packing tape and some basic tools, I also bought the flight pack B so all the electronics excluding the receiver was included, plane is a great 1st kit and if your a father or Mom looking for a first plane kit to build with your child this kit would be amazing, watch the youtube build video and build should only be a few hours.. flys amazing on a 3cell 1300 cg is spot on, thanks againg to flitetest for all that they do...

This is a nice flying foamboard plane. It flies very similar to the mini scout, but more room to experiment with removable landing gear, floats, etc. I think I would definitely recommend it over the Simple Cub for a beginner. Still quite stable and docile, but it stalls much more predictably and gently than my cub. I got a 29 minute FPV flight on a 3s 2200 mAh while cruising around with the old B pack motor. Haven't tried it with the C pack motor yet, but I'm guessing it will be a blast.

The downsides compared to the Cub is that the wing is not removable, so it's a little more cumbersome to transport. It takes up a considerable amount of room in my hatchback, so I don't think I'll be bringing it with me on vacation. Not my favorite plane for FPV since it's got a big 10 inch prop on the front, but it does fly gentle and smooth even without a flight controller.

A fantastic flyer. My second speed-build kit and although I made a few mistakes it still flies like a dream. It's easy to fly on a soccer-sized field. Even one that is surrounded by trees. It flies smoothly in winds up to 20kph (15mph). I bought some over-sized wheels and it handles short grass landing and take-offs with no problem at all. Even on a 3 Cell battery it can handle simple aerobatics and on a 4C it's even more fun. Give a try. I doubt you will be disappointed

Really enjoyed the build.
The build guide was also very simple and enjoying to watch. This is the first plane I had ever built and I would recommend any beginner to select this plane as their first one.
The plane was also incredibly easy to fly paired with an EMAX 934kv mulri rotor motor with a 10x4.5 prop.
The plane flew faster than expected, but I loved it!

For beginners out there I would highly advise you to train on a simulator like Aerofly 7 before flying your first plane. It will give you much more confidence and will decrease the chances of horrible crashes.
Getting a Gyro stabilizer like the FT aura 5 would also help, thought i have gone without that.

The build did have some annoyances, but it was mostly my fault for not having the proper tools to bend and cut apart the push rods and landing gear.

The way you build the plane and the design makes this plane incredibly durable. When I started my plane survived 8 crashes and was still able to fly it right after and got a nice flight. The damage was minor. Then I crashed my plane nose down horribly and to my surprise only the front fuselage was damaged. The wing and the rest of the fuselage was perfectly fine because the build guide gave careful steps on making sure that your plane survives a hard crash just in case. And they nailed it.
After a few hours I was able to get the plane back into it's shape without using any additional foam.

The shipping was also great, I live in France so I had to wait awhile and it was a relief to find out my package was sent perfectly unharmed.

Long things short, amazing plane, if you are a beginner, buy it.

Generally a great kit. However, I have exactly the same problems as another reviewer.
The score marks were almost invisible on most of the parts. I had to print the plans
and use them to find where to make cuts. Why buy the kit in this case?

Also, like the other reviewer, one of the servos was shorted and smoked when I powered
it up. Lucky it doesn't seem to have damaged the ESC or receiver. Working on getting
a replacement.

Too bad... this could have been a flawless experience with a bit more QC by FT.

This review is about the plane that I purchased on their STEM store, as I couldn't figure out how to post a review there.

Overall the plane is okay, but some of the score marks didn't exist, such as for the ailerons. I had to print out part of the plans to figure out their size and location. Also the "A, B, C" fold marking was so light as to be almost invisible. The same with the location for the pushrod guide plates. Since this is my first FT plane, it was a bit confusing.

The wooden firewall is also bigger than the power pod. Again, this is confusing for the newbie. And the hole for the motor wires only lines up one way. So you really need to figure out which mounting holes are the correct ones for the motor as the wires might end up 90 degrees from the hole (I found out the hard way).

Unfortunately, 1 servo burned out immediately. I plugged in all four to get them centered, and while doing that, one of them went haywire. It was hot to the touch, so I unplugged it and let it cool down. But it doesn't work.

So, I'm left trying to get a replacement. This is where my frustration begins. I left a voicemail and web message on Friday, and I'm still waiting on Tuesday to hear anything back.

The STEM store is SEPARATE from the main store (it's actually the folks in Ohio). My recommendation is to NOT purchase from the STEM store, but only from the main store, as there is someone there for customer service.

Kerry

I can’t state how much fun this bird is! I’ve flown 150mph edf jets, crazy 3D planes, and lots of other birds. The simplicity and friendliness makes the scout so enjoyable for beginners and experts alike. Plenty of power on the B pack and a 1300 3s. About 12 minutes flight time, 8 if your flying hard. Touch and go’s are so fun and barnstormer aerobatics are effortless. I’ve also flown it with FPV, and with pontoons. It builds in 3 hours and is a great looker. It has become my favorite plane! I know it will for you too! Buy the kit or print the plans!

First of all: I LOVE IT!!!

It flies amazing, and the Power Pack B gives it the power to do advanced maneuvers such as stall climbs, loops, and hammerheads with ease. It is a joy to fly, and self levels wonderfully. It can take a hit and keep trucking. I had a large gash in my right wing after an argument with a tree, and it flew good enough for me to land the plane safely. It's also an amazing template for a faux-warbird; mine's painted like a Messerschmitt Bf-109F of JG-54, and Ive gotten a lot of compliments on the quality of the scheme and the historical accuracy of it. Overall, it's an amazing plane with great flight characteristics and tons of potential as a warbird. I would definitely recommend this plane.

10 out of 10! Keep up the AMAZING WORK, Flite Test!

The Scout was our 5th build. We added the pontoons and painted it in a snow camouflage. The build was really fun and relaxing. No problems at all. We flew it, taking off on a snow covered meadow. It flies really well with the pontoons in place. It can barrel roll instantly. Rudder turns stall it but turns on a dime. Loops take some space, but it can loop over. It is truly impressive. Landing is so smooth. With throttle cut on, it comes in level and slow. This is now my favorite plane. We can’t wait to take off and land on water. I’m anxious to try landing gear also.

It is a great starter plane, I have just got it and I didn't get it prefect so it was too heavy to the left so I put a stone in the right wing and now it's fine.

I've built two of these planes in the last few months. The first was a purchased kit and I would recommend it as a first build. For the second I used the Dollar Tree foam board. Both planes fly absolutely amazing, but be reminded that this is not a trainer. This plane has to be flown. I crashed the first build rather quickly as I did not pay heed to the expo settings. Even when set to 30% the plane only requires small movement on the sticks to fly. I like this plane so much that I plan to build another again in the near future. I highly recommend it.

This plane is extremely durable. I have blown up the no’s and ripped one wing off completely and it’s still flying! It is also an extremely good 3D plane if you max the throws on all control surfaces. Overall one of my best economic investments.

I love this plane I would recommend it for everyone just make sure you fly it right or you are gonna have to modify it like me witch soo it will look a lot more like the FT Explorer than the simple scout.