4goodbuys2

Ive been into rc cars for a long time first with nitro then to brushless now I'm out of nitro , I would like to get into rc planes the only rc plane that I've had was a harbor frieght foam cub with brushed motors and a 4 AAA pack it was hard to get it off the ground and when it came off the wind made it uncontrolable.
Now I'm looking for an electric with a little weight to it and preferably not foam I will be flying it in parks launching from ball diamonds or packed sand.
Does anyone have any ideas to get me , kits don't scare me either, but I want one with good parts support also.
Mabey made out of nylon or some other material.
Thanks

4goodbuys2

Any idea's for my first electric plane? mabey fiberglass.

carrellh

I have seen the E-Flite Apprentice fly in a pretty good breeze
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=EFL2725
This version comes with brushless motor and lipo flight battery

edit: it is made of foam

carrellh

Another possibility.
This one is balsa and plywood, brushless motor, lipo flight battery
Hobbico NexSTAR Mini EP 2.4GHz RTF 44" http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXXJS8&P=0
The weight is between 1.5 and 2 pounds.

jetmech05

I'm not an electric guy by any means...but I did enjoy my time on the sticks with the mini Nexstar.....do get with an instructor and learn to fly correctly......

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

Get an instructor at a local club and I would suggest a good glow powered trainer that has some "feel" when its flying. When you can master that move onto a second plane that is not difficult. Let the instructor make or help with the choices. Learn the basics above all before moving forward.
Good Luck!!!

jester_s1

Reading between the lines here, it sounds like you're asking for a tough airplane to survive crashes, that is small so you can fly it in parks, and is inexpensive. Bad news is that doesn't exist. A decent compromise is the Hobby Zone Super Cub if you absolutely must try to learn on your own. It has enough horsepower to fly right and can take some abuse before you have to scrap it. The Apprentice mentioned above is a better first plane in every possible way except durability. It's the route I'd go if you're willing to get a teacher.

radius1x1

You can't beat the Horizon SuperCub; easy to fly, repair, great parts support. Stay the $%#@ away from balsa if your new (unless you need a lifetime supply of toothpicks).

jester_s1

There's nothing wrong with balsa if a pilot actually wants to learn from someone who knows what they are doing. It flies better, looks better, and takes hangar rash much better than foam. The one thing that foam has going for it is that it takes impact better.

opjose

It does exist....

Check it out:

[link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKVY7&P=0]Click me![/link]
[link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJPU8&P=0]Click me Too![/link]

Cheap, indestructable, electric, etc.

4goodbuys2

Most plane's Ive searching through don't come with radio's so I'm looking for that to, here's one I found http://www.robotmarketplace.com/products/0-SPM5500.html would it be good for most airplanes and heli's. How many channels do you generally need?

Also on hobby king here's a 6 ch http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=9042 tx and rx for 24.00 but it takes 8 aa I've never had one that cheap so I probly wouldn't buy that one but if you've had that one tell me about it.

opjose

It is better to purchase a radio separately, than to buy one as part of a "package".

Normally the included radios are ( ahem ) extremely, eh, "low end"...

By spending a bit more up front on a radio than a novice normally has in mind, you can end up with something which will server you for various planes.

The DX5e is an "entry" radio lacking mixing and exponential features, let alone things like those awesome digital trims.

The DX6i or better is a wiser choice.

jetmech05

there are some good radios that come with ARF packages....but they are both glow powered....the Nexstar select has a Futaba radio but it's 72 mHZ...and the Alpha 40 come with a Spectrum 2.4...both airplanes are or were around 400.....but do get with an instructor has they will teach you so much more than how to fly...they will teach you about your aircraft, safety, field equitte, and of course how to fly which allows you to take your airplane home in one piece

jester_s1

opjose- you've got to be kidding with those two recommendations. 3d aerobatics airplanes for a beginner pilot? That's a good way to make sure a newcomer to the hobby gets discouraged quick and never comes back.

To the OP: You've gotten some good recommendations in this thread. I'll still say the best is a traditional balsa trainer, the bigger the better, flown with help from an instructor. If that's not possible for you, the Super Cub has a good reputation. Get the DX6i radio. It's a few more dollars but the features are worth it.

opjose

Not kidding at all! Have you ever TRIED them?

I HAVE... I let my ( at the time ) 5 year daughter old fly one.

You just tone down the rates and have at it.

The planes are relatively docile with the rates turned down, and they are indestructable.

She crashed the plane many times w/o problems, particularly on grass.

These are full aileron/elevator/rudder planes so there is later no "unlearning" of the bad habits picked up with a 3CH Cub, etc.

They also cut through light winds much better than some of the often recommended rudder/elevator only foamies.


They are good beginners planes though one step up in learning complexity than something like a 'Wild Hawk" ( an EasyStar equivalant )...

Cons: A bit harder to learn than an Easystar.
Pros: WHO CARES! You can't break them! ( on grass )

jester_s1

And I'm guessing you were teaching your daughter at the time? The manufacturers generally know what they are doing and how they have designed their planes to fly. Me personally, I don't see anything to brag about from a plane that has crashed a lot. In my book, a success story is a flyer who gets a plane and learns to fly it, maybe has a mishap now and then but generally learns to control it and land it competently. The traditional trainers will make that possible.

opjose

Nope... I handed her the controls after a session on the sim and let her at it...

I didn't care if it crashed or not, and she was quite happy to go pick it up and launch it again until she "got" it.


As they did in this case.

Yet the manufacturers love to brag about planes that they deem, can take abuse.... like with the Cubs... when often they really can't... Hmmm...

Don't dismiss such a feature offhand, on ones that actually can do it, unlike the hype for most foamies...



Yup

But as you said "Reading between the lines here, it sounds like you're asking for a tough airplane to survive crashes, that is small so you can fly it in parks, and is inexpensive. Bad news is that doesn't exist."

It does indeed exist...

And it's not a bad trainer too, though it's not the usual trainer fare because of things like lack of dihedral, etc.

However given the requirements you pointed out, it's perfect.... and easy to learn on....

jester_s1

I'll still have to disagree on the grounds that yours crashed a lot. The aerodynamics of those 3d planes will make learning harder, thereby lowering their value as trainers. But the OP can buy whatever he wants and mine is but one opinion out of many.

4goodbuys2

I finally bought a radio Spektrum DX7 and a orange rec.
But I am still in the market for a plane under $100 with good part's support , could even be a Hobbyking.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

The GWS Slow Stick is probably your best bet. It sells for about $35 for the ARF and it's big enough that it can fly in a bit of wind, but slow enough that it can fly in a gymnasium. I fly mine with the stock EPS-300 brushed motor that came with it, along with a GWS ESC-300 Li speed controller ($12.99), a pair of 9 gram micro servos ($10 each for Hitec HS-55), and any 2S LiPo battery in the 800Mah to 1500Mah range.

You can order a Tower Pro motor/esc/prop combo for Slow Stick from Hobby King for around $15 to $18. The Slow Stick doesn't need the extra power of a brushless motor or 3S LiPo, but a lot of pilots fly them this way.

Good luck, and good shopping!

blueapplepaste

My Feedback: (5)

That's a great radio that will allow you to grow with it over time.

Though keep in mind you still have to get batteries, charger, etc. Here's what I mgiht get:

Plane: http://www.mountainmodels.com/produc...roducts_id=219

Or this option has a sport wing so when you're ready, you intantly have a more capable plane: http://www.mountainmodels.com/produc...roducts_id=318

Motor: http://www.headsuprc.com/servlet/the...-Slofly/Detail

ESC: http://www.hobbypartz.com/topro40aelbr.html

Battery (maybe two or three): http://www.hobbypartz.com/83p-1300mah-3s1p-111-20c.html

Charger: http://www.hobbypartz.com/thac6smbachw.html

So with this set up if you get the one with two wings, you're at ~$150. But the Magpie is a fantastic plane, and the charger will do all chemistries and last you a long time. Plus this plane has two wings, so is like getting two planes: a trainer, and a sportier one. Plus its foam so super easy to repair.

DeferredDefect

 The Sig Kadet Seniorita EP or Kadet Senior EP are both excellent models. They are very high quality, look fantastic, and fly wonderfully. They are also fully aerobatic, for when you have learned the basics. As such, Sig makes some of the best trainers available. 

jester_s1

The Sig trainers are at the top of the heap for flying characteristic, but fully aerobatic? I'd have to disagree. They do have a good balance between stability and maneuverability, especially when you allow for moving the CG back and changing throws. But they aren't going to do aerobatics nearly as easily as the typical 2nd model sport plane. Both are great recommendations for a primary trainer though if the OP is willing to invest in them.

opjose

When I see beginners asking about "high quality planes" I cringe a bit...

In the back of my mind this is like a first time teenage driver acquiring a Ferrari.

We KNOW what will happen to the car (or plane ) sooner or later.... hopefully MUCH later.

IMHO the "high quality" should be applied to the engines, radios and components that can be reused later.

A "lesser quality" ARF airframe is easier and cheaper to replace than a high quality RTF.

jester_s1

It depends on how you define quality. For a trainer, we don't want bells and whistles and we certainly don't want speed or maneuverability beyond what it takes to fly in circles and maybe pull off a loop and a roll. Take a well designed and well built airframe that meets those requirements, and you have a "quality" trainer. Take a good design built cheaply and you have a cheap trainer that works. And take a sloppy or inappropriate design built cheaply and you have a headache with an engine on the front of it.