RE: Good First Planes  
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RE: Good First Planes - 10/24/2007 12:58:41 PM   
navin advani


 

Posts: 5
Joined: 10/24/2007
From: , INDIA
Status: offline 		My son is 5 years old and has developed an interst in flying model planes. He has so far only beeing fooling around with the rubber band powered planes and recently a friend of mine invited him to see him fly a model air plane with a wingspan of 60". Boy was my son excited whenhe acme home. My friend is childless and is quite willing to take my son under his wing (since I have no knowledge in this area).

Q: what plane should I start my son out with? My friend figures that my son is still to young to fly but could get his own plane that wil be flown by one of the adults (me after trainging) till my son slowly gets the hang of things. He has suggested this plane
http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=577

The plane must be electric and should be capable of 20-30 minute flying sessions. Building the plane wont be a problem as both my friend and I are adept at building stuff. It must be electric and should be something that my son can live with for a few years. Easy to fly yet capable for more complex manouvers when needed.

I am open to suggesstions.

(in reply to darticus)
       Post #: 76

RE: Good First Planes - 10/24/2007 7:55:57 PM   
SackOHammers



Posts: 335
Joined: 7/9/2007
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I went with the Parkzone SuperCub instead. Its a trainer that is capable of aerobatics. It doesn't have ailerons like the plane you linked.
Also, the supercub is foam... so its easy to fix with tape and glue when it crashes. The good news... it costs half as much as the one you linked.

Check out the supercub at www.myrcsupply.com or other places. In the parkflier's forum there is a huge thread... 210 pages on the supercub. Browse around in there and listen to all of us go on and on about how much we love this plane, how easy it is to fix, and how we've modified it. Plenty of newbies have cut their teeth on this plane... I'm glad its the one I chose.

My only concern is the flight time you mentioned. Flights last about 7-8 minutes. You might want to buy 2-3 extra 8 cell batteries if you want to fly for a half an hour.

< Message edited by SackOHammers -- 10/24/2007 7:57:07 PM >

(in reply to navin advani)
       Post #: 77

RE: Good First Planes - 10/25/2007 7:37:21 AM   
navin advani


 

Posts: 5
Joined: 10/24/2007
From: , INDIA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: SackOHammers

Check out the supercub at www.myrcsupply.com or other places. In the parkflier's forum there is a huge thread... 210 pages on the supercub. Browse around in there and listen to all of us go on and on about how much we love this plane, how easy it is to fix, and how we've modified it. Plenty of newbies have cut their teeth on this plane... I'm glad its the one I chose.

My only concern is the flight time you mentioned. Flights last about 7-8 minutes. You might want to buy 2-3 extra 8 cell batteries if you want to fly for a half an hour.


thanks a lot for the info.

are there any electrics that are capable of being up in the air for say 20-30 mintues. We live a bout 30 min from the nearest field where you can fly and I would like to make th trip worth it. I was hoping to have 2-3 batteries with each battery lasting 20-30 minutes so we can fly for about 1 hour total.

(in reply to SackOHammers)
       Post #: 78

RE: Good First Planes - 10/25/2007 5:46:08 PM   
SackOHammers



Posts: 335
Joined: 7/9/2007
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I have limited experience, but from all the reading I've done I don't think you're going to get that flight time from a single battery pack.
However, if you happen to be near your car, you can charge NiMH batteries with a car charger. Just don't do this unattended.... don't want your car to catch on fire.... same thing goes for charging batteries in your home. I think with the right LiPo battery and throttle management you can get flight times around 12-14 minutes with a supercub.

(in reply to navin advani)
       Post #: 79

RE: Good First Planes - 10/26/2007 7:54:56 AM   
navin advani


 

Posts: 5
Joined: 10/24/2007
From: , INDIA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: SackOHammers
I have limited experience, but from all the reading I've done I don't think you're going to get that flight time from a single battery pack.


No electric plane allows for more than 12/14 minutes of flying time on a single charge?

these adverts claim that these planes can
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/miss-stikjr.htm
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/tipsy.htm

is it a case of over zealous advertising?


< Message edited by navin advani -- 10/26/2007 8:10:07 AM >

(in reply to SackOHammers)
       Post #: 80

RE: Good First Planes - 10/29/2007 5:53:16 PM   
SackOHammers



Posts: 335
Joined: 7/9/2007
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		No, thats not what I meant. You can get that much time even from a NiMH if its charged well. But the 20-30 minutes you asked about twice on this page would be harder to achieve. You might get closer to 20 mins with a LiPo, I've seen threads of guys getting slightly over 20, but also getting dangerously low on Voltage... close to damaging the battery.

However, I will say I'm not very well knowledgable about all the different planes out there. I'm sort of a newbie... but most of the beginner planes people talk about here... the Parkzone planes, etc, aren't going to give you 30 minutes.

Those planes you linked look small and VERY light. I think that those would be close to indoor planes... depending on where you live, it might be a challenge finding a zero wind day to fly those. But someone else could post here and tell me I'm completely wrong and I wouldn't be offended at all.

Those planes you linked there will cost over $200 to get you in the air. Take a look at the SuperCub, you can get it by shopping around for about $110. For that money you could buy a few 8 cell NiMH spare batteries and still cost less.... plus you get a much better plane. With a few spare batteries you and your son can enjoy an hour at the park flying.

< Message edited by SackOHammers -- 10/29/2007 5:57:10 PM >

(in reply to navin advani)
       Post #: 81

RE: Good First Planes - 10/30/2007 1:41:16 PM   
lightning mike


 

Posts: 16
Joined: 10/22/2007
From: , PA, USA
Status: offline 		Hello guys(and any Ladys) out there I am new to this(electric planes) . I mostly do rc sailboats, but the other day when I was sailing I saw some guys running some park flyers. I was interested in what they were doing , the same as they were interested in my sailboat. I also fly sailplanes , and I have a basement full of them, some in pieces and others whole. But I am interested in building a electricplane. My question is about motors. How large a plane will a speed 400 motor fly? What type of controller do I need(can I build my own)? what type of batteries are needed? I want to design my own plane, something like a delta wing. ( foam if you know what I mean). Thank you very much. This is my first post .

(in reply to SackOHammers)
       Post #: 82

RE: Good First Planes - 10/30/2007 5:19:41 PM   
darticus


 

Posts: 1074
Joined: 2/22/2007
From: sparta, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		I have some sail boats for sale or trade If interested. Been doing alot of flying now.See the Pics. Ron

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_____________________________

Thanks for your help Guys, FORGEDABOUTIT! Ron

(in reply to lightning mike)
       Post #: 83

RE: Good First Planes - 10/31/2007 9:10:22 AM   
navin advani


 

Posts: 5
Joined: 10/24/2007
From: , INDIA
Status: offline
quote:


... the Parkzone planes, etc, aren't going to give you 30 minutes....Those planes you linked look small and VERY light. I think that those would be close to indoor planes... depending on where you live, it might be a challenge finding a zero wind day to fly those...Take a look at the SuperCub, you can get it by shopping around for about $110. For that money you could buy a few 8 cell NiMH spare batteries and still cost less.... plus you get a much better plane. With a few spare batteries you and your son can enjoy an hour at the park flying.


ageed. a super light plane is useless in India. we rarely have zero wind days. i did not think about that. no wonder most people i talked to are flyiing planes that burn oil and not electrics.

when i asked the locals few had any knowledge about electrics. i now suppose that this might be becuas ethe strong winds we have make light electrics (electrics are lighter than oil burners) unstable. given that I have to now ask a new question.

are there any electrics that can handle windier conditions?
The supercub http://www.hobby-lobby.com/supercub.htm is on the top of my list. Almost everyone recomends it. I was just wondering if there were other alternates. i was considering these too
http://www.nitroplanes.com/4lustrarecon.html
http://www.hobbyzone.com/rc_planes_e-flite_ultra_stick_25.htm
http://www.hobbyzone.com/rc_planes_hangar9_pulse_xt_40.htm

also the locals here all recommend i get a 6ch. RC and planes as large as the ones linked below why? is not a 4ch RC adequate?
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/seafury.htm
http://www.hobbyzone.com/rc_planes_e-flite_j-3_cub_25.htm
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/supertigermoth.htm
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/tb20.htm
one guy even suggested the challenger or the geebee from hobby lobby but i think he was joking or did not understnad that we are beginners
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/challenger.htm
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/geebee.htm

they also said i should not get a RTF but get a plane whose wings can be detached easily so i can transport it in a car.


< Message edited by navin advani -- 10/31/2007 10:25:41 AM >

(in reply to SackOHammers)
       Post #: 84

RE: Good First Planes - 10/31/2007 12:55:18 PM   
lightning mike


 

Posts: 16
Joined: 10/22/2007
From: , PA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: darticus

I have some sail boats for sale or trade If interested. Been doing alot of flying now.See the Pics. Ron



I have a lot of boats too I would like to sell. Building models is habit forming.

(in reply to darticus)
       Post #: 85

RE: Good First Planes - 10/31/2007 5:03:24 PM   
SackOHammers



Posts: 335
Joined: 7/9/2007
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Well, I would hate to put so much money into something like a seafury and have a 5 year old son crash it.

I have problems with the SuperCub when its windy. I have taken it out and flown it when it was too windy and more than once I have landed it within 45 seconds with sweat on my brow and felt lucky to still have a plane. With the stock equipment it does not handle a lot of wind. The wing is so large and the plane is so light. You know... when you're walking to the place on the field where you want to take off and as the plane is under your arm the wind wants to carry it away. Not a good situation, haha.
When I had so many windy days in a row I was wondering if I should look into a heavier plane or upgrade to a stronger motor and LiPo in the Supercub. My final decision was to just be more patient with the wind... fortunately the park I fly at is very close and I can just drive there in 5 minutes to find out if the wind is ok or not... and not be too disappointed if there is too much. It does not sound like your flying area is so close.

I learned by flying a flight simulator first (the free FMS simulator with a $15 USB controller from ESky). I am SO glad I did this. It made my first flights and landings so much better. I think had I not done the fligth simulator I would have crashed due to panic on first flight... but learning on the flight simulator made me confident.... I only spent about 3-4 hours on it and it made a huge difference. So, perhaps get your son to do that first... especially if you're looking at some of those expensive petrol planes. I am thinking though... that you could probably get away with an electric. Electric planes, from what I've read, are much stronger than they were a few years ago. I've seen some pretty big electric planes in the catalogues and in the forums.

I'm sort of a newb at this so I do not feel comfortable looking at those other planes and making recommendations. I hope someone else chimes in about planes (not boats hehe) so that you can get some more qualified advice. Hopefully someone like Leo will spot the thread.

< Message edited by SackOHammers -- 10/31/2007 5:04:44 PM >

(in reply to lightning mike)
       Post #: 86

RE: Good First Planes - 11/1/2007 6:21:31 AM   
navin advani


 

Posts: 5
Joined: 10/24/2007
From: , INDIA
Status: offline
quote:


Well, I would hate to put so much money into something like a seafury and have a 5 year old son crash it.

I have problems with the SuperCub when its windy..My final decision was to just be more patient with the wind...

I learned by flying a flight simulator first (the free FMS simulator with a $15 USB controller from ESky). .. So, perhaps get your son to do that first... ..I am thinking though... that you could probably get away with an electric. Electric planes, from what I've read, are much stronger than they were a few years ago.


SackofHammers, I do appreciate all the time you are spending. Thanks ever so much.

The idea of a flight simulator is excellent. My son wont be making solo flights any time soon. for the first few visits he will watch my friend fly and then me. But the idea that the plane is his will keep him excited.

If the Supercub is a bit too light what would you suggest? Do remember I have to import the plane to India (with eletric motor and RC controller). I will have to import it as a kit becuase otherwise the RC controller might get stuck in customs what will any Radio Frequency gadget getting the "thrid degree" nowadays so I would like to get a plane that is not RTF but to be assembled.

(in reply to SackOHammers)
       Post #: 87

RE: Good First Planes - 11/11/2007 6:17:54 PM   
India


 

Posts: 21
Joined: 9/18/2007
From: Cambridge City, IN, USA
Status: offline 		What are thoughts on the Cessna EP400 planes?
Here is a link for one. 129 bucks for a brushless plane...
http://www.hobby-estore.com/d11-cessna-400-electric-rc-airplane.html

_____________________________

Aaron

(in reply to navin advani)
       Post #: 88

RE: Good First Planes - 11/12/2007 6:19:13 PM