October 2003 - It isn't every day that we get the chance to test-fly a company's very first production model to come into the country! When executive editor Debra Cleghorn told us that Horizon Hobby Distributors had requested that we review the brand-new, gigantic, 46% TOC Ultimate 10-300 from Hangar 9, we jumped at the chance! Talk about pressure! We would have less than two weeks to build, set up, fly, evaluate and photograph this big, beautiful biplane. We also had to meet a very short deadline to get the article in the October issue! This is one hell of a job, but someone has to do it—right?

Associate managing editor Jaime Studd shows off just how big the Ultimate 10-300 really is.

The first thing Rick Bell and I had to do was to find a local builder who was not only equipped for the task but also had plenty of giant-scale experience—someone we could count on to do the job right. Our old flying buddy Sal Manganaro of Newtown, CT, agreed to take on the project. To make things even better, Sal already had a Desert Aircraft DA-150 engine just waiting for an airplane.

After a few calls and a lunch meeting, we all agreed to our appointed tasks. Sal would build and pilot the finished 10-300, I would coordinate with the manufacturers of the accessories that we needed to complete the project, help Sal with the building tasks and turn his shop notes into the finished article. Rick would research and write about product information, set up the flying-field accommodations and assist Sal with the flight evaluation.

Gee, I just love it when a plan comes together! Were we successful? Check out this one-of-a-kind "Flight Test" and find out!

-Gerry Yarrish