please comment on this shopping list
 

I have been flying my Aerobird almost every day for the past three weeks, often going through 4-5 packs per day. I've crashed a few times (only two bad ones though), watched my financee crash into a tree, and repaired the damage. I think that I am becoming pretty good at flying this thing. I am comfortable flying in 12-15 mph winds (though it isn't a lot of fun), I can do loops, stall turns, etc. on demand. I can do turns in either direction without gaining or losing altitude, figure-8's, etc. I can land pretty much wherever I want to, whenever I want to, with the occasional abort. This past weekend I practiced landing on a street in a crosswind and did about a dozen touch-and-gos. My confidence with this plane increases with every flight.

I got the Aerobird to see if this hobby is something that I wanted to get into. I have discovered that I love flying model airplanes! I seem to have picked it up pretty quickly.

I have decided that my next plane will be a mountain models dandy sport. This sounds like it will be a good aileron trainer, and will give me some experience building a plane. I don't plan to buy until after Christmas. In the meantime I will continue practicing with my Aerobird and developing my piloting skills.

Here is my shopping list. I'd really like to hear comments or suggestions on stuff that might work better than what I've picked out.

Dandy Sport Kit, including
* GWS 300C-C motor and prop
* 3 GWS Pico BB servos
* GS 100 5-amp ESC
* 1 8-cell 720mah NiMH packs

Hitec Flash 5 Radio
Hitec HFS 04MG reciever
Crystal (Channel 55)
Hitec CG-340 Peak Charger
At least one additional battery pack

Total: just short of $400.

Does this look like a good setup for a beginner? I am a little concerned about that reciever. The feather reciever is recommended (.26 oz), but according to servo city's website it has a max range of 1000 ft. I'd rather use the HFS 04MG reciever due to the increased range (1+ mile), but it weighs quite a lot more (.7 oz). Do you think this would cause a problem?

Suggestions? Comments?

Thanks,
Matt

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

The shopping list looks positively perfect.

As far as the receiver goes, you won't be able to see the Dandy Sport to fly it at 1000' range, let alone a mile. However, I would stay away from the Hitec Feather unless someone knows if they've improved them. All the Feathers I've ever seen don't work well, and they have a bad reputation online from what I've read. Glitchy. Real glitchy.

You can save some weight by pulling the HFS-04MG out of its case and covering it in shrinkwrap, or get a GWS Pico receiver, the R4P II, or R4PH II. With crystal, ~$30. FMA Direct makes a tiny receiver with full range, as does Berg. Both are a bit more expensive.

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

A couple things I would do. Bump the * GS 100 5-amp ESC up to a 300 ESC instead of the 100. You will be pushing the amps on the 100. Next don't forget to add a roll or two os Solite to your order for covering your plane. And also add a bottle of thin CA to the order.

Oh and one last thing. You may want to look at getting a charger that will also charge Lithiums in case you ever decide to go that route. Hobbico sells one for around $50.00 that will do Nicads, Nihms, and lithiums. The lithiums will give you much longer flight times.

Well ok one more since we are spending your money for you. Get a Brushless motor for that sweet plane.

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

Okay, how does this sound:

Dandy Sport Kit
GWS ICS-300 ESC
GWS 300C-C Motor and prop
3 GWS Pico BB Servos
At least 2 8-cell 720 mAh NiMH batteries
2 Rolls Solite covering
CA glue
Connectors for battery (which kind?)

Hitec Flash 5 radio
Hitec Electron 6 Reciever
Crystal
Hobbico Quickfield DC Charger MkII (charges NiCad, NiMH, and Lith)

I notice that the Futaba 9C radio is spoken of very highly in these forums. Servo City has them right now for $269. Should I get that instead of the Flash 5? I hate to spend money on a radio that I will outgrow and that will not have much resale value. On the flipside, I can't imagine needing that much radio for a long time... like when I'm out of school and have a real income tp play with!

The total as listed here is about $450. With the 9C radio instead of the Flash 5, it jumps to a little over $600.

Dang, this is an expensive hobby!

Matt

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

I think the Flash 5 will be more than adequate for your purposes - I've been in this game a long time and I've never used even the 5th-6th channels on my Futaba, let alone 9. It will take you a while to get comfortable with even 4-channels - by the time you are completely competent with those, there'll be better and cheaper Tx's for your bomb dropping, smoke streaming, undercart raising, camera carrying, flaperon-fitted 9-channel monster!

For battery connectors I love the MP Jet Gold Connectors [I've recently converted EVERYTHING I own over to them - that's about $100 worth of connectors and ~60 soldered joints!], but micro Deans would be fine for your current needs (stay away from the JST/BEC type - they are actually rated at only 2-3A).

Cheers, Phil

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

Okay, I'll go with the Hitec radio then. Also, I think I've decided to get the Berg 4P DSP time stamp receiver instead of the Electron 6 to save a bit of weight.

Thanks everyone for your advice and help. Now I can't wait to actually get this stuff!

Matt

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

While you are ordering from Mountain models you may want to consider getting the Polywing for the Dandy as well. That way if you don't feel you are ready to try ailerons or for those days when you just want a nice slow flying plane you just have to switch wings. Later on you can also upgrade to the GT wing. Oh and the Poly wing flies a bit better with the EPS-100 motor. I flew mine with the Polw wing and Lithiums and got 30-40 minute flights. It is a great flying plane.

If you have never used Solitle or covered a plane you should check out the thread on Ezone - For the Solite chalenged. Very helpful in learning to cover.

If you Don't have one already you will need an Iron and a Heat gun for the Solite.

I also use the Micro Deans conectors and like them. If you don't mind building your battery packs you can buy the aaa cell's for about a buck a piece and make your own packs alot cheaper.

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

One more question:

Hitec Flash 5 or Futaba 6XAS? Both seem like great radios. I can get the Futaba for about $20 more than the Hitec. Is it worth it?

Thanks,
Matt

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

As far as I know the Futaba has had good press - as long as it has all the features you need, and I'm sure it does, (rechargeable batteries, elevon/V-tail mixing/dual rates/servo reversing etc) I'd go for it. I have been very pleased with my very basic Futaba SkySport 6YG (I only wish I'd known about elevon/V-tail mixing, which it doesn't have, when I bought it as my first Tx!). But what sort of servos and Rx does it come with? If you buy just the Tx, this doesn't matter, but as a package deal, most Futabas come with standard size servos and a relatively large Rx - and you really need micro stuff.

Cheers, Phil

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

I plan to buy the tx only and get a seperate berg reciever and GWS pico servos. Servo City has the Flash 5x for $109 and Bruckner Hobbies has the Futaba 6XAS alone for $129. The only catch is that the Futaba radio does not come with a charger, so I'd have to pick that up seperately.

Both radios seem to have a stong following in the forums here and at rcgroups.com. I've read a few more trouble reports from the Futaba radio. The Futaba looks like it will do a LITTLE bit more than the Hitec, except it does not have digital trims (how important is this?)

Matt

RE: please comment on this shopping list
 

Matt-- sounds like that Fatuba may not be what you need. I'd get the Hitec, GWS micro 4 channel reciever, GWS 100 ESC, and think about Li's, E-tec 1200 is now at a real good price.
The GWS reciever has a range of 1000 feet. 200 feet is a long way out for an electric model.

Dont buy the transmitter only. Buy the whole radio, you will have the standard flight pack for a larger plane. At least get the price difference. Should be a good deal.