macboyrules

Well, check-off another airplane addict to add to this hobby! I took my new Freedom for a test flight last night, and after several nose-dives on hand-launched take-offs, I was able to climb to a good altitude (about 100ft). I flew the plane for about 6 minutes, than decided not to push my luck and land. I bright it down slowly, and after several passes to get a feel for it, I was able to land without much incident.

History - I bought a set-up 6 years ago from a hobby shop. It was a ARF trainer electric with a Hitec 3-channel SS and two hitec S55 servos. It crashed hard the first time out. The hobby store didn't advise me on anything, other than how to give them my money. Needless to say, I was crushed, and gave up.

Then, last year, I was hunting for a present for my son, and I stumbled on the Air Hog Stealth plane. It was only twenty bucks, so I decided to give it a shot. Man, the first time I hand-launched that plane and it began to climb, wow . . .
I learned left-right stuff, and flew that plane about twenty times before I got stupid and flew it in too much wind right into a playground slide.

Well, I searched around the internet, and visited a NEW hobby store, and settled on the Freedom. I put about an hour or two using the Great Planes Sim (sp?) at the hobby store, and then put down the cash.

I have to say, I like the power of the freedom. I have a nice large field near me, so the space concerns weren't there. I could tell the ACT actually worked on a few times where I over-steared a little bit and began to dive, it definitely pulled out and leveled.

I flew it one more time that night for about 5 minutes, but then it was getting late, so I brought it in for another landing. I accidentally clipped a tree, but the plane was no worse for wear. I see many trips to the field in my future!

Some have knocked the Freedom, but in my experience I think it is a great first plane. It also has 3 channels and a 50!QUOT! wingspan, something most first planes don't have. It can be adjusted for more maneuvering, and the ACT can be turned off when I'm ready.

Leo L

Congratulations! Not only were you successful on your first flights, you did it with a plane that is not the easiest to fly for a beginner.

The Freedom is a nice plane and is very hardy, but it requires to be flown at a decent speed to keep from stalling. As long as you have the room, its a fun plane to fly. You might want to try flying it without ACT. Most people find that its easier to control without ACT rather than with it.

carguy1994ca

HI!

I just bought the plane and read( after ) the posting on it saying it was quite dificult to fly. I'm happy you had good experience in it. I also have a f-27 stryker from park zone and though its hot to fly on high rate, its very easy to control on low rate and therefore i find it hard to believe a fredom is hard to fly since the wingspan is big and the drag must be higher.

Of course i already fly glow arplanes and i am sure the freedom will be easy to fly but i was concern at the reports because i bought it for my 8 year old girl as a trainer ( with dad help beside of course ). I tough ATC would be nice and would like to have someone tell me how it works in reality.

Bye

Leo L

With your experience in flying glow planes and the Stryker, you won't have any difficulty flying the Freedom. The Freedom is not a bad plane, its just not as good a plane for first time flyers as some other planes currently available. The fact that you will be helping your daughter should be enough to allow her to fly it. Although I hate hand launches, I had to launch the Freedom by hand a couple of times when it was too muddy to ground launch, when my son was first learning to fly the plane. To keep the Freedom from stalling, I had to take a couple of running steps before sending it on its way. When my son was able to do ground take-offs, the plane had no trouble taking off as long as it had a fairly long runway on which to attain sufficient air speed. Flying is no problem as long as you keep it at a decent speed. Landing is a little tricky: if you go too slow it stalls, drops a wing and crashes. If you go too fast, it "floats" and doesn't want to settle down. My son would constantly overshoot the runway because he didn't want to let it stall.

For your daughter, I suggest that you first start her with the AirHogs AeroAce (no substitutions), available at Toys-R-Us, Target, etc. for $30. Its only 9" long, is very easy to learn how to fly, is virtually indestructable, and can be flown in a gym, a basketball court, a schoolyard, on the street in front of your house, etc. If you do, I guarantee that before long you will have two: one for her and one for you, flying together while on two different frequencies. The original is a bi-plane and is terrific. A new "Jet" version has recently come out and its even better. Once she gets used to flying and becomes familiar with managing the throttle as she steers the plane, gets used to control reversal, etc., then have her fly the Freedom.

When she starts flying the Freedom, I strongly urge you to turn off the ACT. The system makes the plane less responsive to the flyer's controls and in many instances actually fights the flyer. At times that you need it most, on take-offs and landings, it does not work, but when you are well in the air, trying to learn how the plane flys, it steps in and takes away control. Not knowing that ACT took over, a beginner frequently suspects that he/she is doing something wrong or that the plane is malfunctioning. It may have been a good idea on paper, it just doesn't work well in the field.

Good luck to your daughter. Keep us informed of her progress.

carguy1994ca

Hi back guys and galls !!

Leo L thanks for your advice. I must say that my daughter did not fly the freedom a lot but was mostly doing circle up hight with no problem as to keeping altitude and getting the plane going where she ( dad ) wanted to. I found the act to be OK but the plane must be high in the air for the device to work. It did help a couple of times because my daughter was giving too much down and the ACT slowed the descend.

I tried the freedom on dubro skis last week end and boy do i love doing touch and goes on the snow. Indeed the plane is sometimes touchy in regard to the airspeed needing to be a bit high on take off and landing but at the same time it is a good flyer in moderate wind ( penetrates well) i found.

The bomb and parachute module is a lot of fun and we practice with getting the parachute spot landing. Wayyyy fun !!

Good luck all !!

Leo L

I'm glad that you and your daughter are having so much fun with the Freedom. I agree that taking off and landing on snow is a whole additional thrill. I wasn't happy with the DuBro skis so last year I made two different types for my Aerobird: one for powder and the other for hard/icy conditions. Attached are photos. If you are interested in the details, let me know.

carguy1994ca

Very nice skis. It seems to me you made the longer ones from chanel aluminum ? as for the larger one is it plastic?

I was wondering: Do you have problems on rougher terrain since it appears you don't have movement for the skis. Did you make another landing gear with stiffer wire ? If so id like to know what you used .

I just bought a spektrum DX7 radio for a glow heli. Can't wait to try it !

Bye