GBLynden

So in my ever continuing quest to help beginners navigate the large number of options our there in the RC flight world, I have come across one that deserves mention in this thread.


The Hobby King Bixler is a great "parkflyer sized" aileron trainer (four-channel) option for those with flying more space and want to move to FPV flights at some point. This is a highly underrated and is an inexpensive gentle flying plane:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azUVE_PZYm4

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and if setup correctly is a ton of fun...

mine will do rolling circles all day long

GBLynden

I agree completely!

GBLynden

Here is another look at the Hobbyzone Champ. It is the plane I taught myself to fly with and even after three years of abuse, it still flies on and puts a big grin on my face

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiwIjjX-jRs PS: Everything is still stock except the tail section and battery of course.

GBLynden

Hey guys!

What do you guys think about using a powered glider like this as a trainer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAZxL0WZM_4

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+1 ! sailplanes are typically great trainers... slow, easy to fly, giving lots of time to make a mistake, correct, and keep flying.

GBLynden

That is what I was thinking! Its small size also gives it more flying locations than a larger version might. I do find it odd (I didn't notice this until I posted this) that it is rated at "intermediate level" flying skill. I honestly think I would have had an easier time flying this than my Champ when I first started.

GB

GBLynden

So even "trainer planes" can cause experienced pilots to have their issues. I got a Hobbyzone Supercub in need of repair from a co-worker and that is where the adventure began.


I made a repair, maiden, flight, and crash video as a result. Of course, the crash part wasn't planned:


Enjoy!


http://youtu.be/KkCBsyNOz0Q
Here is the video with just the maiden flight and crashes:
http://youtu.be/3jcOiTBSJZs
On another note, if you can't fly really well with the rudder, then do not get this plane below even though it looks cool. Practice and eventually build up to a plane like this:

http://youtu.be/LrHUYA2gagw GB

GBLynden

So I feel like my progress really improved when I started focusing on landings with my planes. I still have a lot of work to do, but I am happy with how my landings have been going lately with my planes. Here are a couple of recent examples:

http://youtu.be/1oDrGtJ_B74 http://youtu.be/Yg_spyI39Cs On this last one I really wanted to challenge myself by coming over the hump of the berries and then quickly lining up with the dirt road.

GBLynden

This plane is one that would make and excellent 3rd or 4th plane. It has no bad habits that I can put my finger on at this point and handles wind really well:
http://youtu.be/69k2FSfD5Jo So I had my first crash with it. It seems to be tough too! I am still trying to figure out what happened, but hopefully it never happens again:
http://youtu.be/OgcC3DiOGSg

GBLynden

This was my first parkflyer sized airplane and frankly things didn't start so great for me with it on the maiden flight (or the warped wings lol). I ended up crashing it on its top, which it somehow survived with no damage. I learned very quickly that planes like this were really fast compared to my Champ and even my UM Mustang.


Since then, I have put tons of flights on it and have only had to replace the cowl and horizontal stabilizer even after many hard landings.


I took to the skies at a local ballpark and fell in love with this classic all over again recently. I hope you enjoy the footage captured from that outing found below:


http://youtu.be/sCyb98cXfeQ

GBLynden

For those of you that are learning how to fly, I overcame another RC milestone yesterday. The night and all day before I felt like I had never flown before because I was so nervous.

The video below shows my first park flyer sized P-51 (Also the most expensive plane I have ever purchased) and I during our maiden. It is the first plane I have every owned that comes complete with flaps and retracts, which was a bit intimidating to say the least.

http://youtu.be/2BTuS_3knco New Pilots Please Note: This is a 4th plane for a new pilot at the soonest IMO.

rcflyertim

Here is my take on recommendations for a beginner:

Based on the OP comments I can conclude that after 30+ yrs of flying and teaching students to fly the bottom line is - What is the goal of the student ( not the teacher). Some people just like learning things on their own. It may cost them more money in the end to do so, but they enjoy the learning process and it is what drives them to try new things. We would not have new things invented if it were not for people like this. These individuals are what makes great engineers, scientist, and product developers.

If the Goal of the student is just to satisfy a curiosity, then a beginner airplane for $100 is fine. It will not teach all of the concepts but it can lay a foundation to advance on if the interest is peaked. A lot of these RTF airplanes can be taken out of the box and flown by a novice. The results will be varied based on knowledge, eye/hand coordination, and the ability to learn from your mistakes.

If the Goal of the student it to learn basic control of a R/C airplane and to fly successfully on their own, then a more advance trainer would be recommended. The RTF for around $150- $250 can do the job successfully. Some of these have built-in self correcting capabilities with sensors and gyros that aid in the success.

BUT if the goal is to be a proficient pilot that can do pattern maneuvers or 3D stunts then I would recommend that student start off with a more elaborate trainer that can be converted to flying aerobatics. Those area typically going to start around $250 and up. These cost more but certainty allow for additional trainer on advance aerobatics rather than just flying around in circles! There are those that have taught themselves to fly on these types of trainers as well.


Again, its all about the GOAL of the student. If they seek out advice then that is a good indication that they want to learn to fly. But their interest may not be yours! They may care less if it cost them a few planes to learn. Some just need to hear encouraging words that a better option is to learn with an experience pilot. It is so much better when they do. They learn a lot about flying from experience of others. The chances of failure or discouragement is lower. The costly repairs are lower and down time for repairs as well.

BUT just remember. We are all unique. We know what works for us may not work for someone else. If we meet the students goals then mission accomplished!

GBLynden

That is a very good post RCFlyerTim! Thank you for sharing your experience

kiwibob72

Well said. & +1

I came over to planes from heli's after teaching myself to fly a small 450 collective pitch electric heli, then moving onto a .50 nitro powered one (most people claim a 450 is almost impossible to learn without a sim or other assistance - I just found that a well thought our plan worked out best even if I would not recommend it to anyone else as it was by no means an 'easy' option like starting off with a GOOD sim allows for).
I first got a 65" nitro powered trainer to get into planes, and after 4minutes on it KNEW I'd wasted my time and money on the thing. 'Luckily' it was squashed in an earthquake after a bookshelf fell on it a number of years ago and the insurance allowed me to get a wee 56" Yak54 to replace it. Most would state that this is not the best 'next option, but I (personally) found the trainer to be an unresponsive pig after coming from helis, and had read enough comments about a Yak's slow speed performance, low wing loading, excellent tracking and ease of landing that I understood that by simply toning it's control surface movements down in my TX that I could get what I wanted re it's 'feel' (though again I'd not recommend this option to anyone who has not had previous flying experience as you need to be able to fully understand what your doing when it comes to limiting throws to get you a good 'aerobatic trainer' feel Vs the inbuilt 3d monster feel).
That little plane was great while I had it, and it was the best option for me at the time as it allowed me to get what I wanted from it - which all comes back to the above comments around getting the best choice for the given student and where they see themselves going in the hobby!

stu48

Learning to fly: A flight simulator is great to learn coordination and stick motion. I do not agree with using cell phones and other non-flight controllers; use a flying transmitter. The simulators have limitations and cannot be assumed to be do-all training device. Planes are always in balance and the control surfaces are perfect. The power to weight ratio is always good, but, for learning the basics of RC flight, they are a very good start.

GBLynden

Agreed!

GBLynden

This is an update to post 208 above. I finally got the Super Cub flying well and caught it on video

I got it from a co-worker that had the ACT System hooked up to the receiver and boy did that dog not hunt! I knew pretty quickly why it was just given to me in pieces.

Without the ACT System, which was what the current SAFE System is on the newer version of this plane is, it is a very viable larger option to learn on than the Champ. It may be better in higher wind areas as well. As you can see in the video, it handled the wind very well.

http://youtu.be/QQhH4Sami48

Calvinman

I have not seen any posts from Jim Buzzeo for a while, I hope everything is ok.

Calvi

GBLynden

I hope he is ok too!

GBLynden

This is my most recent flight(s) with this plane after not flying it for a while. Man did I miss it!

Note: I have had this plane for about three years now and even after you are well past the learning phase, this can still be a lot of fun. The message is intended for the new RC folks that you aren't wasting money by buying this as second plane/aileron trainer

http://youtu.be/JQ6xSUyOCDs

GBLynden

So I just relearned the other day that 1S batteries don't like the cold with this little plane. This is a healthy battery fully charged flying in below freezing temps. I hope the takeaway is keep in mind that the weather can have a big impact on RC Flight in a variety of ways:

http://youtu.be/ymSAH0lHgxk

Greybeard1

Sorry, but foamie park flyers aren't anything I'm going to even look at. Nor am I going to say you had any good advice, you didn't. I had to learn the hard way, nobody else flew that I was aware of, and I did it in only four planes, but not foamies, they didn't exist beyond the Midwest Cessna, and I didn't like that from the beginning. Sims didn't exist, and having had one and tossed it, I don't see much use for them anyhow. They resemble flying a model like entering the next Indy with a stock Model T. But balsa wood, plywood, Stits covering, I've been through my share, if not my own and someone else's. I will normally have between 40 and 100 hours build time in a model, which gives me a sense of pride when I see it flying, especially if it's one I designed myself.

The "autopilots", unnecessary and counter productive. A properly designed and built trainer will attempt to right itself if it's in a bad attitude, if you're high enough. I was one of three that were usually on hand to help beginners, they all learned to fly without any gyro or multi function many channel radio, it was usually just four channel and nothing else. They learned, and there weren't too many total crashes. Most of the crashes were repaired on the field and the process begun again. Learn to fly the plane, not let the radio do it for you. Tuning the engine, the first thing we taught a beginner, most of them also found how hard that prop can slap, and they all survived, fingers intact.

But, we all built, we all flew, take off is optional, landing is mandatory, we all learned. And we all went to the hobby shop, not Toys R Us. I've never seen a foamie flyer fly a built up balsa model, and not become dissatisfied with his foamies. Nor have I seen anyone competently flying without at least two years under his belt. That just doesn't happen.

Rich.

Tom Nied

I completely disagree. If you don't keep an open mind to new modeling philosopies, you're living in the past and hampering yourself. But if you're happy with that, then fine, enjoy modeling how you like it. I keep an open mind. There are many foamies that are really quite outstanding. I've had my regular Radian up for over than hour, crusing between thermals and even had a fly away (thank goodess I had my phone number on it). I've flown plastic Cox .049 controline models, Goldberg controline kits, Sterling, Sig CL & RC kits, indoor free flight where everything is built from scratch, ARF's, Spads, and its all good. Somewhere down the line ( I think it was when CA glue was introduced) I learned you had to keep an open mind about new things. Otherwise you're holding yourself back. Enjoy what you like. Foamies can be just as fun.
[h=1][/h]

GBLynden

Hi Rich,

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but please keep your opinions based on facts when posting in here. The facts are that not ONE plane I suggest in this thread has an autopilot feature. A couple have AS3X, which are gyros, however those are not trainers and in no way shape or form act as an autopilot. That is SAFE, which is something I am not really a fan of at all since most of the trainers I suggest are so easy to fly that they simply don't need that sort of "help".

Happy flying!