MRIYA – New top quality/performance name in F3A world

This summer during Lithuania F3A championship my friend (Vadym Shpytalenko) visit us In Klaipeda. Vadym compete with brand new very attractive and solid flying biplane called Mriya. For last few years I flew F3A with Extreme Flight RC Vanquish. I love this plane and reach many victories and podium places with it. However FAI sequences evolve and specially final sequence require plane that would have excellent knife edge flight capabilities (for such maneuvers as KE loop, square loop corners and so on). Looking at recent year trend in F3A world, looks like biplanes are the right choice. I was interested to make some serious test flights/investigation before selecting new plane for next outdoor season. So I talk with Vadym and we decided that best option for this would be few day visit to Ukraine.

In middle of September I flew to Kiev to make serious test flights. Vadym and his friends prepare two planes for me, one with coaxial unit and other with Pletenberg motor that spin 3 blade prop. First day we spend several hours in workshop installing my receiver and programming radio on first plane with coaxial system. My Spectrum DX18 radio made this task very easy and fun experience. We decided to start from several flight modes (Spin, Low rates, Snap, Stall turn). Next morning we reach field and start adjusting model in the air. It was quite cold and windy day, we experimented with center of gravity, surface deflections and exponential value on my radio. I must say from very first flight model show big potential. Each flight with tiny adjustment keep getting better and better. Towards end of the day we start experimenting with important high coefficient elements such as spins, snap rolls, stall turns and rolling circles. Stall turns were predictable and quite easy to perform in any direction. As expected integrated maneuvers (both horizontal and vertical) were noticeably easier to accomplish. Biplanes sure have noticeable advantage over monoplanes in this area. I was surprised with great looking spins, just like real airplane it did not require aileron input. At right deflection just with rudder and elevator Mriya perform deep realistically looking spins. Just a little of ailerons could be used in order to make spin bit faster during strong wind (to avoid serious drift with the wind). And finally my favorite part of this biplane was snap rolls. I simply could not get enough;) With just little practice plane was making great snap rolls starting to half snaps ending with double snaps. Nice brake in, good looking rotation and very predictable stop surprise me. Most monoplanes I flew in my past tent to over rotate during snap roll, and it was quite hard to make precise stop. Biplanes have noticeably more drag, looks like this help to slow down and stop rotation more precise. One more exceptional detail of this plane is his finish. Team that created this model have big experience in F3A class. They encounter one unpleasant problem with most of airplanes in sunny airfields (such as one in San Marino). Once polished, shiny airplane fly in bright sun and it reflect sunbeams. This might confuse pilot or judge and give impression of small corrections/mistakes. To avoid this problem new matted painting technique was developed. Now Mriya in flight do not produce any sun reflections and do not confuse pilot. Another great advantage of such painting technique was extra braking effect. All airplane rough surface produce additional drag and help to slow down the plane. This help to reach more constant over all speed.

In next few days we compare two planes flying back to back and switching from coaxial unit to three blade prop. I must say for my flying style, I prefer regular motor with three blade propeller. I like to fly little faster and further away at ~ 160-165 meters. But with smaller looking biplane distance we keep in flying box is very important. Small variations in distance from pilot can be detected easier (once compared to how bigger monoplane look in the air). So it will take some time to get use to how biplane looks in the air. In total we manage to make more than 40 flights in few days. This gave me very positive felling, I think I found my next F3A plane! Another reason why this plane is so attractive it‘s level of completion. Really so much work is already done on Mriya kit that it will take just 2-3 days to mount electronic equipment and go to fly! Critical work such as wings angle adjustment, all control surfaces are attached to the wings and tail sections, battery mounting plate/landing gear areas are already assembled. This is very important (for someone like me) when time is very valuable thing. I much rather spend time in airfield flying than working on a plane at workshop for many weeks like it is usual with other F3A kits.

I am very happy that I found this not well known group of highest level modelers that produce such masterpiece. Very few experienced modelers (with over 50 years of combined experience) are working on Mriya project. Mriya is quite special name with big history in Ukraine aviation. Modelers developing this model have close connection with famous Antonov factory. And name Mriya was selected not accidentally, in Ukrainian language it mean dream. Direct inspiration was legendary world biggest transport airplane AN-225 Mriya!

Technical data for MRIYA F3A biplane:

Fuselage length (without Spinner) 191.5 см
Wing Span – 168 см
Wingspan area – 87.4 dm2
Stabilizer area – 13.3 дм

Weight of painted and coated airplane parts.

Fuselage – 818 g
Bottom wing – 464 g
Top wing – 448 g
Right stabilizer- 86 g (with glued carbon tube)
Left stabilizer – 72 g
Cockpit – 34 g
Landing Gear – 146 g
Wing supports – 66 g
Wheel pants – 24 g
Hardware (Push rods, wheals, stab angle adjusters, back landing gear and other accessories) – 164 g
Weight might change in range of +/ – 5%.

Total weight ~ 2322 g.

I am glad to inform you that Mriya F3A biplane kits soon will be available in our web shop !!! I dare to say quality of composite work will be the best from what I saw in any F3A model so far. Many detailed pictures will be posted once first kit will reach me. For questions and preorder write to us: [email protected]

I enjoy visiting other countries. Naturally spending time on field or indoor gym with friends and planes is usually a great time, but I always try to see something more. I try to get familiar with country‘s culture and also visit some interesting places. I heard rumors about unique miniature museum in Kiev, so we decide to visit it. Man what a mind blowing experience was this. After looking at what is possible to achieve on micro art scene, I must admit we are far away from limit in F3P airplane building, 36g RTF planes are still far away from limit. To understand more please visit museum or at least take a look at some of Mykola Syadristy work : http://microart.kiev.ua/en/

We spend almost all days testing airplane in various weather condition, from early morning till late evening. Unfortunately we did not had proper video shooting equipment, so sorry guys I do not have video of this beauty in flight. For the moment please enjoy some pictures we made: