RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

FWIW, many years ago when the Army at Ft Huachuca was training soldiers to fly drones they started them off with Hobbico Hobbistar 60s. 

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Horrible trainer!

We purchased three of them for our club trainers.

By the end of the first session most of the struts had popped out and the mounts broken.

By the end of the third session the horrible covering they come with started coming off and kept doing so from then on...

Some students who arrived with 3 channel experience, had pronounced difficulties with rudder turns because of the tendancy of the plane to nose in on rudder turns because of the high dihedral.

I let a few students who had prior sessions on the Telemaster, try both an Alpha 60 and a Tower trainer we had as backups. They ALL preferred these two planes over the Telemasters and found them easier to control, more docile and predictable, and easier to land.

The "ground crew" was permitted to destroy what remained of the Telemasters in disgust, at the end of the season.

We'll never use them again...

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Really .. you should be able to grab any trainer.. and just start flying it ..


Half the pepole commenting on here about this that topic .. I think are far better at just that "commenting on X Y and Z .. "rather then flying so just grab whatever is priced right easy to get ahold of and ask your instructor for his 2 cent's.... then buy some fuel and burn fuel ... the more fuel the better and the more offen the better..

"it's what you make out of it" and only what YOU .. no special brands or magic will change that fact

also if you think about crashing .. then guess what ... you crash.. .. gota work on your chi !! thinking about flying instead :)

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Now how Cool is that, interesting bit of trivia RG thanks for posting. Recall what engine was used?

John[8D]

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Yeah really.... The Telemaster was/is not condusive to "just start flying it" unfortunately.

Some of the suggested examples in this thread are MUCH better choices.

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

OP, had enough? are you <font size="3" face="Times New Roman">thoroughly confused? I don't blame you we all love to tout our great knowledge to new guys. But any trainer you can get your hands on, they all fly prettymuch the sameand join a club, and hook up with a AMA certified trainer. Many clubs own trainers and will let you use theirs as long as you belong to the club. We use Hanger 9 Alfa trainers, but only because the local hobbyshop gave us a deal on 2 and they fly fine and the engines are easy to start. Complete and ready to fly with Dx 5 radios they were $350 ea. Go have fun nowhttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../thumbs_up.gif</font>

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

<span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 0);">
</span><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 0);">Yeah, I burned a lot of fuel and crashed a lot of planes in the process of learning because I didn't seek advice from experienced flyers. Not that I didn't want help, I just didn't know any help existed in my area until I met someone accidentally and found out about RCuniverse. The Op has been very wise to come here asking questions. Most of us responding in this thread have flown the planes we are recommending and then some. The Op can check the galleries and post histories of each person who replied here and decide if they lack credibilty. Personally, I have not only flown many of the trainers mentioned here, I teach with them. I have used several of them myself and I still have a Royal trainer and an Alpha 40 that I fly in addition to my three Avistar's that I use for teaching. How many of these planes have you flown ZacharR? And how many people have you taught to fly as an instructor?
</span>
<br type="_moz" />

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Well, mine has no struts in the first place. I purchased it when they first came out with the "electric ARF 72" version. After hundreds of flights, and at least 8 years, I managed to crash last Saturday. Lost all control. It did some amazing maneuvers at full power before going in...

So, we had different Telemasters and different experiences. I do agree with you about the covering, In all these years I had to recover the ailerons and flaps. The covering was coming off. Of course, being electric, I flew w/o covering on the flaps for some time. when the ailerons started peeling, I did a re-cover job on ailerons and flaps.

In our club we only have (well, had) 2 similar to mine (ARFS). The other 3 are 60 size, but kit-built. I also agree it is a bad idea to use strut equipped models to train new people.

Picture below taken 2 days ago. I always had the Telemaster ready all these years. So in case of sudden urge to fly, I can take it with me. Urge appeared Saturday, stopped working, took a break, grabbed 2 5000 batteries with me. Just 2 flights, and I go back to work, I thought.

Well, battery one, uneventful. Battery 2, all H.. broke loose and the Telemaster lost it's argument with gravity. all the sudden, it expiration date arrived.

Gerry

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

OS 61s. Not the cheap ones - not for our Army. But they weren't Fox either. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...ular_smile.gif

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Yes the tower trainers are great trainers!

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Wow thanks RG what an interesting story that program would make to many of us, old or new timers[8D]

John

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Good advice on getting help from an experienced trainer. My first RC ship was a Balsa USA Swizzle Stick which I was convinced I could fly without instruction. I told my ex-wife to time this first flight so I didn't run out of fuel. There I was with this nice newly built plane and I advanced the throttle on the runway figuring I could fly it. Down the runway it went. Up it climbed. Down it rolled busting the wing into a million pieces, engine thunking to a stop. When all was quiet, my ex-wife says.... "Ahhhhh, That was seven seconds."

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

I built the Sr Telemaster for our club to use as the club trainer, I soloed with it too, just took me longer then the two young men I learned with.
As an instructor I use any trainer that is given to me, I have never bought one or built one for myself. People solo then want to get as far away from there trainers as they can? As one of the instructors they just seem to come my way and free is a great price. Some of them I don't have a clue as to the make, they all pretty much fly the same.
So far I have only lost one in a crash. After solo I let the students borrow my TX and the trainer until they buy there own plane and radio. The one loss was after solo.
As long as your on the buddy box there should never be an accident. I tell my students not to worry about crashing, there is nothing they can do that I won't be able to save the plane from.
After solo something can happen to the trainer though. If you ask around the club someone may have an old trainer they will just give you. Just use the engine and gear you will be using in your own plane. I have one now, had it for a few years, called the write, right?? Flier. I can't say how many people have learned to fly with that old dog. The plane is a 60 size and pretty beat. I did install a fantastic OS .91 FS in it though so the students have no dead sticks and have a smooth running engine. Other then that it's full of cheap gear.
Most club instructors like myself have there own trainer and box. I only ask a student to furnish there own glow fuel. I ask them not to buy anything of there own until after solo. By then they know if it's something they will want to be doing and have a better idea of what brands and types of things to buy.

RE: Which ARF Trainer ?
 

Also now available as an ARF.