Are you a first-time hobbyist looking to dive into the exciting world of radio-controlled (RC) aerobatics? Or perhaps you’re an experienced pilot seeking an affordable yet high-performance RC plane? Look no further than Grayson Hobby’s YAK 55. This remarkable plane combines durability, ease of use, and advanced aerobatic capabilities, making it a must-have for any RC enthusiast.
Why Choose the Grayson Hobby YAK 55?
The YAK 55 is renowned for its exceptional flying characteristics, making it a top choice for both beginners and seasoned pilots. Constructed from Expanded Polypropylene (EPP), this plane boasts a unique combination of rigidity and softness. EPP foam is highly durable, allowing the YAK 55 to withstand crashes and collisions with ease. Whether you accidentally fly into a wall, fence, or bush, the YAK 55 will emerge unscathed, ready for your next flight.
Aesthetically Pleasing and Ready to Fly
One of the standout features of the YAK 55 is its pre-painted foam. The EPP comes with vibrant silk-screened colors and graphics, ensuring that your plane looks as good as it flies. This eliminates the need for additional painting or detailing, allowing you to spend more time in the air and less time preparing your plane.
Complete Kit for Easy Assembly
The YAK 55 comes as a complete kit, including all the necessary components for assembly. This kit features:
- Carbon Spars: These provide additional strength and rigidity to the wings and fuselage, enhancing the plane’s durability and flight performance.
- Control Surface Hardware: All the hardware required for the control surfaces is included, ensuring precise and responsive control during flight.
Outstanding Aerobatic Performance
Designed for 3D flying, the YAK 55 can perform a variety of aerobatic maneuvers, including knife edges, inverted flights, rolling circles, and more. The wing ailerons are nearly half the length of the wing, making rolling maneuvers extremely fast and precise. This high level of control allows for impressive aerobatic performances, whether you’re a novice or an experienced pilot.
Specifications
- Wingspan: 800mm (31.49 inches)
- Length: 876mm (34.48 inches)
- Servos: 4 x 9g servos (included)
- Battery: Not included (compatible with 1100mAh 3S to 1500mAh 3S) LINK
- Motor Size: 2212 Brushless Motor (included)
- ESC Size: 20A with pre-soldered XT60 and bullet connectors (included)
- Prop Size: 9 inch Prop (included)
- Receiver: Not included (recommend 4 channels or greater) LINK
- Charger: Not included
- Transmitter: Not included (requires a 4-channel or greater transmitter)
- Weight: 500g
- Flying Time: Approximately 8 minutes with a 1300mAh 11.1v 30C battery (varies based on flying style)
Glue and Assembly Tips
When it comes to assembling your YAK 55, choosing the right glue is crucial. Since this plane is made from EPP, regular CA (cyanoacrylate) glue with an accelerator can be used. However, through our experience, we found that Foam-Tac works best for this type of foam. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of each adhesive:
- CA Glue with Accelerator: This glue allows you to build your plane in one day. It’s quick and easy to use, but can add some weight to your model. Additionally, repairs with CA glue can become bulky over time.
- Foam-Tac: Although Foam-Tac requires overnight drying, the resulting build is lighter and cleaner. Repairs with Foam-Tac are almost invisible, providing a more seamless look. Foam-Tac offers the best balance of strength and flexibility, making it ideal for EPP models.
For structural components such as the carbon spar and fuselage joints, we recommend lightly using epoxy for added strength. Epoxy provides additional rigidity where it’s needed most, ensuring your plane can handle the stresses of aerobatic flying without compromising on weight.
Easy to Fly for Beginners
The YAK 55 is designed with the beginner in mind. Its stable flight characteristics and forgiving nature make it an excellent choice for those new to RC flying. However, its capabilities are by no means limited to novices. Experienced pilots will appreciate the YAK 55’s agility and responsiveness, allowing for impressive aerobatic performances.
Enhanced Propeller for Better Performance
During our testing, we found the stock propeller to be a bit flimsy for high-performance maneuvers. Therefore, we upgraded to the APC 10×4.7 slow flyer propeller, which significantly enhances the plane’s performance. This upgrade provides better thrust and durability, making your flights smoother and more enjoyable. You can find more details about this upgrade at the end of our flying video, which showcases the YAK 55’s incredible capabilities.
Join the Community
Got questions about the YAK 55 build? Join our vibrant Facebook group or leave a comment below! Our community of hobbyists and experts is here to help you with tips, tricks, and advice.
Purchase and Pick-Up Options
You can easily pick up the YAK 55 online, and it qualifies for free shipping! If you’re in the Atlanta area, we invite you to visit our hobby shop showroom to pick one up in person. Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have.
Detailed Airplane Features
To provide you with an even clearer picture of what makes the YAK 55 a top choice, let’s delve deeper into some of its standout features:
- Durable EPP Construction: The EPP foam used in the YAK 55 is both light and highly durable. This means that your plane can handle the occasional crash without suffering major damage. The flexibility of the foam absorbs impacts, ensuring that your plane lasts longer.
- Vibrant Pre-Painted Design: The silk-screened colors and graphics on the foam not only look fantastic but also save you time. There’s no need for additional painting or detailing, which is perfect for those who want to get flying as soon as possible.
- Carbon Spars: These are critical for maintaining the structural integrity of your plane. Carbon spars are included in the kit, providing the necessary rigidity and strength to withstand the stresses of aerobatic flying.
- Comprehensive Hardware Kit: All the control surface hardware is included, which is essential for ensuring precise and responsive control. This means you won’t need to hunt down additional parts to complete your build.
- Massive Wing Ailerons: The nearly half-wing-length ailerons provide exceptional roll rates. This is particularly beneficial for executing fast, precise rolls and other 3D maneuvers.
Exceptional Value and Community Support
The YAK 55 offers tremendous value, combining affordability with high-performance features typically found in more expensive models. Moreover, when you purchase from Grayson Hobby, you become part of a supportive community of RC enthusiasts. Our Facebook group is a great place to share your experiences, get advice, and connect with other hobbyists.
Conclusion
The Grayson Hobby YAK 55 stands out as an exceptional RC plane that caters to both beginners and experienced pilots. Its durable EPP construction, pre-painted foam, comprehensive electronics kit, and advanced aerobatic capabilities make it a must-have for any RC enthusiast. Whether you’re performing basic flights or advanced 3D maneuvers, the YAK 55 delivers a thrilling experience every time.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to own this fantastic plane. Order your YAK 55 online today to enjoy free shipping, or visit our Atlanta showroom to pick one up in person. For any questions or further information, join our Facebook group or leave a comment below. We’re here to help you make the most of your RC flying adventures. Happy flying!
Final Thoughts
The Grayson Hobby YAK 55 is more than just an RC plane—it’s an experience. Whether you’re a first-time flyer or a seasoned pilot, this plane offers unmatched performance and durability. Its EPP construction, complete electronics kit, and outstanding 3D capabilities make it a standout choice in the world of RC aerobatics. Don’t miss out on the fun and excitement—get your YAK 55 today and take to the skies!
For more information, to watch our demo videos, or to make a purchase, visit our website or drop by our store. Happy flying!
I just received my Yak55 kit and I have a couple questions. #1 Are the carbon spars supposed to be flush with the components? I’m guessing yes, but most do not fit in to full depth…nothing major. #2 Several of the carbon spars are too long, such as the wing stiffener spars and the rudder spars. I ASSume they need to be trimmed to length? I think I would extend the wing stiffener spars a little past the wing tips and make an indent in the A2 wing tip pieces to provide a bit more rigidity for gluing. Looks like a really fun plane, can’t wait to try it out, thanks!
How did you get that battery to fit? I ordered two of the 1300mah packs and there is no way they will fit the battery opening without enlarging it.