While I was working the I.M.A.A. booth at Toledo this year, Mark Veits of Performance Model Aircraft Products approached me. He asked if I would be interested in doing a review of Miles Reed Weeks "Solution"? Mark is an Ohio manufacturer who met Miles Reed during a flight demonstration. For anybody that hasn't witnessed Miles "ring out" his Solution, you are missing a show! His freestyle flying matches any we have seen at the T.O.C. or anywhere else.

That day, a year ago, Mark watched Miles fly the 1/3 scale Weeks Solution. After watching the flight, he knew that if there was such a thing as a "sexy" model aircraft, the Solution certainly was it. With so many look alike performance biplanes out there, the Solution was different. Imagine Mark's surprise when he found out that Miles was also the designer of the model aircraft he was flying that day!

Also imagine a young entrepreneur who found out that Miles was interested in getting out of the kit business. It was at that time that Performance Model Aircraft was formed as a company. Currently, they are producing two versions of Miles Reed Weeks Solution; the 1/3 scale ( 70" wingspan ) and the 1.20 size ( 60" wingspan ). Mark plans on perfecting other "performance oriented flying machines" and bringing them to the market in the future. But for now, Mark tells us they will concentrate on offering the "ultimate in biplanes."

"Offering only the Solution right now allows me to devote the time needed to make the kit visible and also to assemble the hardware package that I would like to offer in the kits. At the present, a small additional hardware package is being offered and it includes hinges, control horns, tailwheels, nuts, bolts and etc. The canopy, landing gear, epoxy glass cowl and wheel pants are already included in the kit for the 1/3 scale Solution" Mark told us.

Since we were testing the new Abitar 1.20 Predator four stroke, we decided to take Mark up on his offer. The 60-inch Weeks "Solution" was chosen. We contacted Dick Busteed, of Cowley, Wyoming to see if he would be interested in participating in the construction. Dick is a prolific builder and with a looming deadline it would take a joint effort to complete the aircraft in time. Dick was just completing another giant model and agreed to do the basic construction with the final radio, engine and flight testing done in Michigan.

The cowl is assembled from Balsa; very light. The top wing is held on with an easy-to-remove pin.

I asked Dick to give me a report of just how the kit went together. Three weeks after he received the kit from Performance Model Aircraft, it arrived at my door, ready for completion. Imagine our surprise when we found all of the construction notes typed on one page of paper! Either this kit was very good or very bad. Here is Dick's report on the kit and basic construction:

1. The wood was really excellent ... no replacement wood to buy.
2. Accurately sawed parts ... the pieces fit nicely.
3. This kit fits together well. Quick to build.
4. The cowl is built up from wood. Different than the fiberglass ones I am used to installing. It built like a puzzle ... very easy & very light.
5. The jig-built metal parts and cabane struts were very helpful. Also, the fuselage had jig built formers.
6. This is an easy to build kit, accurate fit, great "how to" instructions. Good parts list included.
7. The finished aircraft looks great! "After spending three weeks with this biplane I can 't think of anything bad to say about it. " Dick Busted

The brevity of Dick's notes answered our question about the kits super quality; but how does it fly? Well, before we were ready to head out to the field, we had to complete the kit. A JR X-347 PCM radio system was used with a SR battery installed with the receiver. The JR radios have proven so "rock solid" in our test that they are a pleasure to work with. No radio "oops" causing damage to test aircraft and this is very important. As much as it hurts to crash and damage a personal plane, a High-Flight test aircraft is more serious.

Our reviews are selective and we have sent back many aircraft rather than review ones that don't fit our criteria. Both manufacturers and our members depend on us, so high quality radios are a must.

Our engine choice was the Abitar 1.20 Predator with a Reichmuth solid state electronic ignition installed. The Reichmuth system is now a factory option from Abitar. Their unit is a capacitive discharge system using no mechanical linkage. We prefer using ignition systems whenever possible ... once again for reliability and ease of engine handling.

A s we headed for the flying field, I thought about the historyof the model we were about to fly. Mark told us that years ago, Kenait Weeks purchased a Pitts Special with the intent of learning to fly it. Along the years, he acquired the knowledge about aircraft design and construction and after flying the Pitts decided to design a new plane. He incorporated some of the more favorable characteristics from the Pitts, then added swept wings, took out the dihedral from the bottom wing and he had the Weeks Special.

Still, there were improvements that could be made, so another aircraft was designed from the ground up. This bipe had the best features of the Special and changes were made to include a longer moment arm, modern wing tips and more horsepower. This was the birth of the Weeks Solution. There was only 1 built and it is now displayed in Mr. Weeks museum.

Our Weeks Solution has two noticeable performance characteristics that separates it from the others.

1. It had the best ground handling performance of any biplane we have tested to date.
2. The consensus of the three test pilots was that the Solution performs all competitive flight/pattern maneuvers as if on rails ... no dropping off of either wing tip or dead spots in handling.

There were two other points that made the Solution fun to fly and bring to the field. First, is the way it looks. Mark described the Solution as being "sexy. " That may be close to the truth because it is, in the opinion of our test pilots, the best looking biplane available today. And finally, this was one test aircraft that pilots were standing in line to fly!

Some giant biplanes are "lookers" and not "flyers." The Weeks Solution by Performance Model Aircraft is definitely an aircraft to be flown and is capable of competition if that is your desire.

Specifications:

	Name - Weeks Solution 
	Manufacturer - Performance Model Aircraft, 
	3604 Barclay Messerly, Southington, 
	Ohio 44470 (216) 889-3295 
	List Price - $229 plus $10 shipping 
	Span - 60" 
	Length - 57" 
	Weight -11 lbs. 
	Engine - Abitar Predator 1.20 four stroke 
	w/ Reichmuth Ignition 
	Spinner - Tru Turn 3 1/2" 
	Radio - JR 347 PCM