insaneclown

If you are interested in a very durable foamy to learn on. Get yourself a Freedom Flyer. They are an excellent choice. I have crashed mine like 15 times and havent had to replace any parts yet. Find deep grass to catch it. Will save you money if you stay off the nose too. I finally learned and my plane is still flying. I love it. I strongly recommend it for newbies......

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Glad you are enjoying your plane.

What did you pay for it and where did you get it?

What do you like best about it? What would you like to see changed?

What other things have you purchased since you got it, like extra batteries or a charger or ..... you know, stuff.

benliu

My Feedback: (1)

Freedom Flyer is a very good entry plane for those who just wants to get a taste of what E-flight is like. It is also very durable trainer when you take those inevitable crashes which often associate with new pilots into considerations. However, after flying some other electric planes (GWS, WATTAGE, etc.), I found that stabilitywise, Freedom Flyer is NOT a top choice. Take GWS E-Starter or Beaver, for example, these foam planes look flimsy but after you put them together (in a couple evening sessions), they fly a lot better (more controlable) than Freedom Flyer. The dilemma here is if the plane itself is stable and possess a good flying characteristics, then you won't crash as often or as hard, hence the plane doesn't have to be rock-solid. I must make one point clear though. An average set of GWS kit, with everything that you need, usually cost about $200~ $350 when you add all the supporting hardware together vs. $100 in Freedom Flyer's case with everything included. So if you are really thinking about E-flight, you might want to transition into a 3ch or 4ch full function electric trainer as soon as possible. Otherwise you will have no idea what you've been missing. For that, I highly recommend GWS planes ($45-$70 ea., with motor but no radio or batteries)!!

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Sounds like you have one of the GWS planes. Which one?

goofup

Durability is overrated. I'll take flyability over survivability any day.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Hey Goofup, I just noticed that we are both Super Members! Isn't that great?

What does that mean; super member?

As to flyability, once I have passed a certain point in any particluar type of flight, I will join you on that. However when I am just starting out, I think I would prefer something that will forgive me for early mistakes.

Right now I am considering trying Slope Soaring. While my current gliders are perfectly good for that, I think I want an EPP foam job, at least for my early flights. It might be highly flyable, but that is not why I want it.

benliu

My Feedback: (1)

I fly two GWS planes now. One is a Beaver and the other is the E-Starter. E-Starter is more aerobatic and can easily fly inverted or do touch-and-go landings. Beaver on the other hand fly slowly and have a very good "real look" in the air (even sound like a real plane with the cowling noise). Although the Beaver doesn't have ailerons like E-Starter does, I still manage to fly my Beaver inverted, which made me really excited. Both have very good flying characteristics, hardly stalls, very predictable. One thing is they don't fly well if wind is > 15 mph.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Not much in small models flys well in greater than 15 MPH. Most don't do well over 10. Glad to hear that these two can make it up to 15 MPH.

MeltedPixel

I must say. The freedom flyer is amazing! It withstood crashes my aerobird would never. I nose dove without throttel it STRAIGHT down after a gust of wind. Nothing happened, not even a notch in the wing. My aerobird had that happen. Wing got eaten up by the prop, and my fuse cracked...

I wish I still had mine This kid was on the same channel as my plane, turned on his radio, and the FF just fell out of the sky at full throttel, straight at the ground.

Ozprey

That's not true. the Electrafun (Perkins i think) Parkie was flown succsesfulyin 40MPH wind, and a little pusher F15 at our club was flown in 20MPH wind(but it fluttered on an elevator{held with selotape} at smashed its self it to kingdom come)

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Ouch!

Moment of silence for all the fallen!

DanaWatson

More about the Freedom Flyer....

I chose the Freedom Flyer over the Firebird Commander because:

* Freedom Flyer has 3 channel controls. N0t 2 like most planes under $100

* Hobby Zone stick flyers (like the Firebirds and Aerobirds)are V-tail planes. Assuming that you or the end user wants to continue with the Hobby of flying RC planes, then a V-tail plane will
teach the pilot the incorrect method of flying. Simple enough, but how do
you make the plane dive or climb? The answer is that to make the plane climb, you add more throttle. To
Dive you let off of the throttle. The question you have to ask yourself is if the Firebird is in a strong
Dive towards to the Earth, how will you pull out before hitting the ground
and destroying the plane? The answer is that you have to speed up...Does
that make sense? Freedom Flyer has elevator controls to avoid such a horrible
accident.

* The Freedom flyer retails for $99 and comes with 2 wings, 2 tails, and 2 batteries and 3 props.

* The main wing on my plane has a added support of a wooden dowel so that
the pilot can perform loops, (Which can not be done with the Aerobird or the
Commander.)

The Freedom Flyer is not well known. Only cause the MFGR has not
sunk in the capital to advertise it yet. But its coming...


Dana Watson

www.danawatson.com

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Dana,

Glad you are enjoying your Freedom flyer. I do, however want to correct some incorrect information in your post.

1) The Aerobird is a full three channel plane that does loops, and all the other stuff you do when you have an elevator, just like the Freedom Flyer. Note that it is NOT a Firebird, even though it is from HobbyZone.

2) Unlike the on/off throttle control on the Freedom flyer the Aerobird and all the rest of the Hobby zone planes have full proportional speed controls.

3) V-Tails - You are confusing a V tail with two channel control. Understandable if your only exposure to planes is based on the Firebirds.

V tails are not flown differently than other planes. You sill see V tails on 3, 4, 5, 6 and more channel planes.

V tails are used on all kinds of planes including some full scale planes. They have the ability to provide rudder and elevator control just like a traditional tail. They are extremely popular on high performance gliders that cost hundreds and thousands of dollars. Note the photos below.

4) There are two channel planes, like the sky scooter, that have elevator and aileron control and can perform loops, rolls and lots of things the Freedom Flyer can't do.

None of this takes away from the fun you are having with your plane.

I hope this was helpful. Welcome to RC flying.

DanaWatson

I just received my Freedom Flyer today and I have heard so many great things about it. I put the plane together... following the instruction to a tee. Charged the battery fully and took it out for the first flight. Perfect weather (winds 2-3mph) and all five times I threw it up, it came right back down. Everything is on properly (I double checked) and the plane responds to to rubber controls. It just won't fly. It has a powerful engine too. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong? Thanks

Dana Watson

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Let me ask some questions.

1) Do the instructions tell you to balance the plane before you fly it? Do you have the CG in the right spot? If they do not, it may come balanced already.

2) You indicate that the plane seems to respond to rubber commands. I presume you mean rudder commands. Does it respond to elevator commands? If not, the control rod for the elevator may be disconnected.

3) Are there intstructions for checking to make sure the tail surfaces are set up properly? If you had to attach the rudder or elevator, it is possible they are not properly alligned or the contol rods are not properly connected to them.

4) Are you hand launching it? If you are, when you launch it, most instructions will tell you to launch straight out at full throttle.

If you throw it UP, it is likely to stall and immediately come down and may not have room to regain speed. Don't throw up, throw out! Give it a good firm throw! Make sure the wings are level. If they are not, the plane will go to the left or right and is likely to crash before it can reach flying speed.

5) Don't use the up elevator to help it gain altitude. It needs to reach flying speed before it can climb. If you hand throw it then immediately pull the elevator back all the way it is likely to stall and come down.

6) Always launch into the wind. Always launch into the wind!

7) Read the friendly manual - RTFM

Give some thoughts to these points and let us know how you are doing

DanaWatson

1) It does not say anything about balance

2) Yes, rudder commands, sorry. And yes it responds to elevator commands as well.

3) Rods are connected properly - will check on alignment

4) I threw it UP once... did a loop and came back down. Didn't do that again.

5) I did use elevator to help it gain alttitude. But only after it crashed the first time.

6) It was launched into the wind...

Thanks for your suggestions. This is what I am looking for... helpful criticisim and constructive help!

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Check the trims on the radio - I sometimes bump the trims out of the center. Have crashed my Aerobird a number of times that way.

When the trims are in the center, the rudder should be centered and the elevator should be level with the horozontal stab.

Are you using the standard battery recommended for the plane and is it in the standard spot. If you have a larger battery, it could throw the CG off enough to cause problems.

Let me know how it goes.

If this doesn't help, I invite you to post photos. These are what I would
want to see:

view from nose to tail - level with the top of the plane - to check allignmets
view from tail to nose - same reason

Remove the wing, lay the plane on a table with the tail hanging off the end.
Place a ruler under the body extending to the tail. I want to see if everything is straight

surface allignment -
make sure your trims are centered - radio on and battery in and plane turned on.

view from the tail at tail height - full left command
view from the tail at tail height - full right
same - full up
same - full down

Same with sticks and trims centered

These will help us make sure there is nothing wrong with the plane.

Matt Kirsch

My Feedback: (21)

99% chance that your problems are due to your trying to "force" the plane up with elevator. Don't do that. Fly level until the plane picks up some speed, then GENTLY nudge the plane's nose up with elevator to begin a climb.

As a newbie, don't try to fly in a confined area. You need a wide-open space where you can fly straight ahead as long as possible. Start out learning to fly the way the Wrights did: Straight ahead. Don't try to turn until your confident that the plane is stable when flying straight ahead. If the plane requires trimming, cut the throttle and let it glide to the ground, then trim. It may require walking, but you'll stand a better chance of being successful than if you try to fly an out of trim airplane with no piloting experience.

cjalphonso

I too just go my freedom flyer and had the same problems, crash...broken prop, crash...broken prop, crash...broken prop. It said you should just be able to connect everything and fly, I have found that not so. I noticed that the elevator nor the rudder where adjusted on the cervo's correctly. I disconnected the lever arm (white thingy on top of the cervo) from the cervo and pryed it off the cervo sproket, then i took a straight edge and made sure the rudder and elevator where perfectly straight while connected to the wires, mine were off quite a bit. I then put the lever arm back in place making sure everything was still lined up and pressed the cervo lever arm back into place and put the screw back on. Now both are perfectly straight and work much better than when the plane came out the box. I have not yet flown it with the new setup since I am waiting for new props to come in. I'll keep you informed, we're in the same boat here. For me the plane reacted just as the elevator and rudder told it to, up and to the left, so fast I could not recover.

DanaWatson

I just figured out how to remove the servo arms and adjust the rudder without bending the rods. It was WAY OFF! Not even the trim would help. That part is done.

On a side note, I never realized how simple these little engines are. I was afraid of trying to peice them together if I bought a GWS Slow stick are some other AFT aircraft. Now I may look into it a bit more. I have a little confidence that I could put an engine and transmitter in. Thanks for the help. I will see if this was my problem when weather permits again. I'll keep you up-to-date.

Dana

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Be sure when you check the settings on your surfaces that you check them with the radio on and the receiver in teh plan on. When they are off, the can settle into an odd position. When you turn them on, they should go to their normal positions.

What I do is note the change needed, say I estimate I need to screw the connector two turns onto the push rod. Then I turn it off, make the adjustment, then turn it all back on and check.

Many new check the adjustments with the radio/receiver turned off and end up setting all the surfaces wrong.

Checking must be done with the radio/receiver on.

DanaWatson

They were both on during my adjustments, but thanks for the heads up.

cjalphonso

Hey, did you get any flights in yet? I just came back from trying it out with all the new adjustements. I only had one prop, my new ones have not yet arrived. My first flight i threw it and it went straight but then climbed too fast and then nose dived into the ground, broke my prop. I was able to make one more prop out of all my spare parts so I did. This time i set the elevator, with the remote, down just a little and tossed it. WOW its flying, not very pretty, but its flying. After just a few seconds of flight I started to get out of control overcompensating so I shut the engine off. WOW, once I did that it perfectly leveled out and coasted for a really long way and it wasn't that far up there and came to the ground without breaking anything, cool. I launch it again and it seems to be pulling to the right so I try compensating a little and then I made the mistake of turning it to the right. Went into a nonrecoverable spin-dive and crashed head first and broke my last prop. I packed it all up and came home, not quite as disappointed as last time at least it flew.
One thing I would recommend is to put a rubber band over the cockpit part of the plane, when it crashes it won't allow the plane to flex as much. On one of my crashes the plane flexed so much the little *** that holds the rubber bands on came off the post and I spent quite a while trying to find it and I finally did. When I came home I checked the allignment and sure enough it was off in the direction of a right hand turn, so I adjusted the servo again and put it back together. Guess I have to wait until the new props come in to try again. Let me know what going on with you.

cjalphonso

Dana, lets keep posting our learning experiences to this thread, I think it would be really beneficial to anyone trying to learn. Happy crashing.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Each plane has it strengths and its weaknesses. Each has that part that breaks.

On the Aerobird, with the pusher prop, the motor never hits the ground so you tend to not break props. But, the wing can twist and the prop bites it, so you have to put some reinforced tape in the area where the prop bites.

On any front engine plane, you are going to tend to break props. So, for any new freedom flyer flyers, order some extra props right away, or even better, take your plane to the local hobby store and see if they can match the prop. Then get a few.

Happy flights guys. Keep posting about your flighs and what you learn.