txaggie08

Howdy, first time I've posted in a year or more!

So I need some input from you good and knowledgeable folks. Point blank I'm bored and want to fly again(also doing full scale but that's moving very slowly because of work/school).....


I started on a hobbistar .60 about 4 years ago(ST .75 on it), pulled my ticket and had actually become a decent pilot with it. Moved off and didn't have time to fly, so I built a 4* 120 till I could. Long story short it was 2 more years before I go to fly again, four star never got finished all the way. Got to flying at the beginning of last year, and lost my trainer(hobbistars do not like high speed outside loops at low altitude, there vertical stabilizers tend to snap OFF). 4* was a long way from being kitted out, so I picked up a U-can-do .60 and got it together.

Time and money ran out and the UCD is not fully assembled, and hanger rash has rendered it unflyable without repairs.

Anyway, after half my life story, I want back in to it. I'm not in the least comfortable with destroying a perfectly salvageable UCD airframe.I'm also not going to destroy the 4* I've dumped a hundred or more man hours into trying that...

Got a suggestion on a plane? I was honestly considering converting another hobbistar to TD and going that route again. I had also considered a senior telemaster ARF. My other option would be a stick or 4* route, so I'm curious as to your input. I do intend to fly with an instructor to get my "thumbs back under me" so to say for a flight or two.

My other problem is my radio. I started with a 7c, but about this time last year it took a nose dive off the shelf it was on and is now either broken or out of tune, and has a couple of broken switches. I'm just flat going to replace it, it's not worht the cost of repair for what FM 7CAP's go for on ebay.

Is spread spectrum still looking to be the wave of the future? It was JUST coming out when I got into it. Is It really worht the price difference?

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Airtronics makes a 8 channel spread spectrum with two receivers and no servos $229 free shipping from Hobby People .net

txaggie08

blasted hell that's dirt cheap.


How does it stack up against the 7c?

Adui

Plane: For what its worth, one new flier to another; either get a H9 Arrow or equivalent, it will pull mild aerobatics nicely and it sounds like you will be there in a flight or two. Or; Build a SPAD of one of the various designs available and fly it till you kill it (if you can). Go to the SPAD section of this forum for help there.

Dont risk / waste either of the birds you have under construction till you have your wings back.

txaggie08

Most definitely will not take either of my big birds, nor my lil' something extra out for quite sometime. The 4* I would be tempted with if it was an ARF, I've flown four stars in the 40 and 60 range before, So I know how they handle well enough I wouldn't be to worried about them, but not the kit(especially not considering I even forked for fabric on this one). The extra and UCD where pushing my limits to the edge before, now .......well re-kitting is not a good thing.




I'm not familiar with airtronics beyond some of the old-school systems. They are fully compatible with futaba servos correct?(not interested in changing servo platforms, I've got a lot tied up in High torque servos right now...)

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

I say get a cheap .60 size trainer. Get your wings back and get comfortable, get the UCD fixed and the 4* built. Those two will be lots of fun for you, so don't waste money now, just get flying time. A Tower Trainer .60 is $120, or a Tiger 60 is $200. I think the Tiger 60 is a lot like a 4*, but yours will fly better 'cause it's bigger, so I don't see much of a point in spending the extra $80, but that's up to you.

I've got a Venus 40 and a Venus II (.90) and once I flew the big one I have put the small one up for sale.

I've got the Airtronics RDS8000. Very, very nice radio, BUT, it's missing one and a half features: No expo on the rudder (maybe it's not important to you, I'm living without it) and there's no dual rates on the rudder either. That can be compensated for though using, well, a compensation mix. There are plenty, and I mean PLENTY of pre-programmed mixes already in the radio, so you're really not giving up much by having to use that as a mix.

It's inexpensive, easy to use, comfortable to hold, has no problems that anyone is aware of (check the radio forum) and comes with TWO receivers. Binding is VERY easy, and the voltage required for the Rx is low, so you don't have to worry about rebooting in the air, which some JR users have been complaining of with 4.8 volt batteries. YOu don't have to worry about shooting down someone else's plane at the field, and you don't have to worry about it happening to you. 2.4ghz is very nice indeed.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

I say get a 4* arf 40-60 whichever you prefer or for the engine you may still have,..probably alittle bettter to get back in than a stick would be...,,personally I bought a futaba 6ex 2.4, and regret it...I have a lot of planes and the rx's for the 2.4 are high$,,,and take my word for it a radio is NOT worth having repaired...I bought another 72 and had the channel changed and it ended up costing me $90!!!

Unless you would rather build , I know some do but the arf is $50 more than the kit and you cant build glue and cover a plane that size for the diference (well barely)..

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

The Airtronics radio is compatible with the Futaba servos if not, you will have to cut a little tang off the side of the plugs

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Welcome back.

I review both the Airtronics and the Futaba 2.4 radios. While they are both radios I think that best of the two is the Airtronics. It's a great radio that will do just about anything you are going to need to do, and it's cheaper!!!

I have to agree with Flyinrog, a 4-star 40 or 60 would be a great ticket to get back in the air quickly. A Tiger II ARF would be great as well. I think that you will find that with a trainer you are going to quickly advance past them. You're skills will come back very quickly, so get a plane that will take you be gentle at first and then handle you as your skills improve. The 4-stars and Tigers are those planes.

Ken

txaggie08

That's the line of thinking I was going along with, I'm just hesitant to drop on a plane that wont do the things I want it to after a short time(the trainer). That's what happened this last time, I was back into it quickly enough that I pushed just a hair to hard and trashed the plane.

flinrog- I would prefer to build, but also want to get into the air now and spend my time building on a larger and more complex plane. I LOVE building, and god knows the 4* has got to be one of the best kits I've ever seen quality and simplicity wise, but I've already built it's big brother, I think I'll go with the ARF(sig's build quality is top notch anyway). I actually really want to work on a 1/3 spacewalker project as my next kit, as I absolutely love that plane. I think I'll get the 4* 120 flying before I do that, but it's on my list of "go to the building board", along with the C/L model and a big telemaster(maybe the 12footer) as a slow flight/play around plane.

I read your review on the airtronics radio ken, and I think that's definitely the way Iwill go, it sounds likefor the price it's nearly unbeatable.


Thanks folks, I always enjoy coming back to this board for discussion.

Incidentally, did the poster known as "RCChad"(think that was it) ever clean up his act and behave, or was he finally completely banished?

masonman

Head to the closest field an tell the ins that you need him to give you a refresher course with the clubs trainer. Most every flying field I have been to there is a full stampeed of people wanting to help you. Then while your there inspect some of the folks radio's

jrcaster

If you are thinking on a stick, and like to build give this thread a try.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6244306/tm.htm

Lazerworks has short kits on at least 3 different sizes, and sticks are suppose to be fast builds.

Flying the Ugly Stick on G4.5 sim, it fly's almost exactly like my Sig Kavalier, and the Kavalier was one recommended to me by a hobby shop after I totalled out my Eagle 2.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

really on low rates the U-Can-Do is a docile plane to fly,worth the time it is going to take patch and repair some rash.
the control surfaces need to be set so there on a low rate, it will fly like a trainer.

when I was still flying my Nextar trainer, a club member let me try his out for a spin, I was tearing the sky up on low rates,and on high even he was impressed I was having so much fun I nearly timed it out, and it slowed down nicely for landings and really floated in .

the wing on the U-C-D is really made for slow flying and 3-D not racing around,its a real floater, put a 15/4 on that ST 75 and get some local flying club help to trim it out, and have some fun on low rates if you have a computer radio then 25% low and about 70% on high to start, the lower pitch prop will give plenty of pull at a lower speed,after a few flights with some help you will be set.

it also helps to have a sim to practice on,but since you have some air time allready you will find the groove pretty quick a expierenced pilot to help you with the first jitters and any check out of your plane helps.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Question for Ken: PLease don't make me read about the Airtronics radio but I am starting to see A few being used now but never on any of the bigger/better planes. The question is, can you set up A plane using two servos each on the rudder, elevators and ailerons without using A Y-harness but just mixing??? I'm doing more set ups with the Futaba 10 and the JR 9303 now and really like these two radios, just wondering about the Airtronics, not comparing them to these two but just wondering. I'm not over thrilled with the DX-7 so maybe the AT would be another choice to put students into???
Gene

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

I've got the Airtronics RDS8000. It has mixing pre-programmed for dual ailerons AND dual flaps; no need for y harness, and the ability to independently adjust all surfaces - end points, centers, etc.

You do not have to use up one of the p-mixes or c-mixes (forget which one they call it) as the dual elevator and dual aileron (flaperon) features are already programmed in.

Elevators use channels 1 and 7, ailerons use 2 and 6, 5 and 8 are still open.

I fly the Venus II with dual elevator and dual aileron servos with this radio, and it is such a nice system to use.

txaggie08

Bigtim- I know it could in theory be serviceable in my application, but I really want a simpler, easier flying, plane to mess with for now. The ST .75 that I have on it also does not fit very well, and I would really like to look at a .90 or 1.00 saito for it before I go through the time and trouble of fixing it right now.