j.m.

i am thinking about getting a Zagi XS. I like the features, and also that it is not b-less so it won't go too fast, but when i want to i can upgrade to a much faster motor/battery combo. I hear that this plane flies very good at low speeds like it's THL cousin, and that the only drawback to this plane being for a beginner is that it is hard to see at long distances. Do you think this will be a good choice for me?

TallDoode

Hi J.M.

Honestly, I think the Zagi is a very bad plane to start with. When I first started in the hobby, my wife bought me a "trainer" that simply would not fly. It was a really cool Corsair on 27Mhz from Hobby People. Even guys who have been flying a long time had trouble flying it. Too twitchy. So I ran out and bought another "trainer" and had a similar problem. I got very discouraged with the $$ we had spent and almost dropped the hobby. Then I started talking to people who fly and they told me that to start, get a Slo-Stick. Yes, they are boring, but they are cheap, easy to fix, easy to fly, easy to see and above all, they "train your brain" to fly. That is the hardest part of flying. The Slo-Stick gives you a lot of reaction time to think "okay, I want to go left, and the plane is coming towards me so what way do I need to move the sticks".

The Zagi is a very fast plane even w/o the brushless motor, plus it is very twitchy - you barely move the stick and all the sudden you are flying upside down - which is why good pilots love them.

My advice - get the Zagi AND get a Slo-Stick of some sort. Build them both, then let the Zagi sit till you have some time on the Slo-stick and are comfortable with the controls, then do the Zagi. Might save you a great deal of frustration and a bit of $$.

My .02.

Happy Flying,

dave

stang

My Feedback: (1)

One Zagi + one beginner= one full trash bag.
It's not a beginner's plane.

j.m.

well, i have been in rc for 8 years now, and i am very good at controlling (and racing) rc cars. I have heard about people who say that the control movements were hard to get used to when flying toward and away from you, but i had no trouble with this and rc cars. Infact, you could say it came naturally to me. Even when i was eight years old with my nitro rusty.

I read a review on the xs (i think it was on this site) And they said that the manual sugests 1/2 inch control surface deflection, and with this, the reviewer was able to do some pretty aerobatic flight. If i got this plane, i would probably put the full deflection at 1/4", and this would hopefully give me a much less responsive flyer.

I have actually had similar experiences with "trainer" aircraft, so no, this won't be my FIRST plane, but it will be my first PLANE.

I am currently in my second year in an Aerospace program at my school, and we are learning advanced aerodynamics and specifically blended-body aircraft (commonly called flying wings). I have learned alot about this type of aircraft, and mostly that:

1. they are soooooo much more efficient since they have no empennage (tail section).
2. they are slightly less stable
3. they will not fly if the cg is wrong
4. a pusher prop configuration is a little more efficient than a puller.


These are why a 48" airplane only needs a 5X5 prop to go very fast.

I do have a lot of experience flying planes, but they are real ones and my work is done on a flight simulator. I am thinking about getting a simulator to get me flying good, but i don't know of one that has the zagi xs on it.( iw ould like to try to find this, so i can bone up on my skills with a particular simulator. The REALflight system is very good i've heard, but being 15, i cannot afford a $200 computer game. Can you suggest a cheaper one? (that is still good.

Hance

True story. I dont care how long you have been racing cars the skills needed are completely different. If you want to buy it and turn it into confetti the first time out go ahead but dont say that we didnt warn you. The Slo-V is a good cheap slow flyer you can pick up for around a hundred bucks for a starter plane.

j.m.

from what i've heard, it is really hard to turn a zagi into confetti.

j.m.

any suggestions on cheap, quality simulators that have a zagi in their arsenal?

Hance

Beginner pilot + zagi = confetti if you dont believe me by all means buy it and try prove me wrong

Cheap and quality dont go hand in hand when it comes to flight sims. The old adage you get what you pay for is especially true when it comes to them. If you want cheap get FMS or Esky. If you want quality get FS One or Real Flight. Aerofly looks OK but to me in feels like I am flying in slow motion all the time.

wings 540

I agree, get fsone or realflight. It will save you alot of $$$. I had realflight G2 and the first time I flew a plane and heli I DID NOT crash, of course if wasn't one of my best flights, but I didn't go home with two halfs of a plane. Here are the links.[link]http://www.fsone.com[/link] [link]http://www.realflight.com[/link] P.S. these are both top of the line flight sims.

Good luck with what ever you choose.

David Ingham

RC cars are two dimensional, like control line airplanes, so you, like I, have a new skill to learn to fly RC airplanes. The most common mistake is to start with something too advanced.

David Ingham

What is a Slo-Stick? Is it little and cheap?

Hance

They are small and fairly cheap. http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=GWS1040 I dont know exactly how much money you would have in a completed one but they are pretty reasonable. If you go to www.parkzone.com and check out the Slo-V it is another slow flying good trainer plane.

j.m.

is there a way to convert the thl to an xs once it is built?

j.m.

i'll probably end up just making a slowflyer with my Aerospace teacher.h

j.m.

i'll probably end up just making a slowflyer with my Aerospace teacher. (from scratch)

David Ingham

My Push Up survived everything but a steep dive into pavement, but even in light breezes, both of us who tried it had trouble keeping it from floating down wind. Maybe I should put something in the tank to shorten the runs on my next one.

j.m.

(what's a push up?)

ozrcboy

Hi j.m.

I'd tend to agree with the other advice you've received..., however some people flying comes to quite naturally - you might just be one of them (however - I reckon that number is about 1 in 100). If you have flown some RC before then maybe get a Zaggi (my pick would be an elebee though - EPP foam - indestructible).

You will crash it..., that's kind of inevitable, but an epp wing will be pretty tough.

For my money I wouldn't buy an expensive rc simulator - not yet - the physics models in FMS are a little bit awful, but it's enough to get you started, and the cost of some of the sims being recommended is an aircraft, with battery, in the air.

Good luck.

Cheers,
Oz.

David Ingham

An 020 free flight design by Keith Laumer:
RE: Keith Laumer - 9/23/2007 7:28:44 AM http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_62..._Laumer/tm.htm
RE: Keith Laumer - 12/9/2007 9:33:30 PM http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_62..._Laumer/tm.htm .

j.m.

Alright!


Great news!


I just got accepted to Aerospace III at my high school, and that means that i'm going to start flying with an rc glider, not something powered. Eventually, i will make it powered with one of these:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJ769&P=7
But until then, i will be taught by an expert via interlink control.

I will be asking my parents for a Futaba 6EX for x-mas. (i'm big into radio technology, so i think this will fit the bill.)

j.m.

never mind! Just got a flyzone Sky fly for x-mas!

I will still be making the paragon in Aerospace III though.