drewfer

This is the official thread for the new Aerobird Swift which was just announced and comes out in November. It is a 3-channel aileron trainer. It is a good plane to fill in the gap between the ABC/Freedom and the P-51/Stryker. Looks to be a cool plane. Check it out at www.hobbyzone.com

patnchris

It appears to be a half-breed between and Aerobird Challenger and a Freedom......

Leo L

It looks to be a Freedom with aileron control. The good thing is that they finally gave up on ACT and that they no longer advertise this plane as a great plane for beginners. It will probably have the same nasty tip stall tendency that the Freedom has, but intermediate flyers should be able to overcome this problem and will probably enjoy the plane. Now...if they would produce a 4-channel Super Cub, then they would have something truly great!

flyingace451

It doesn't seem like it'd be a good second plane. Actually, it doesn't look like a good "any" plane. I went straight from the ABC to the Stryker with no problems.

Falmax

The Aerobird Swift has been out for a week or more. So has anybody flown it, has anybody found any videos for it. Hobbyzone doesn't have a video on their web site for it.

saleens7

i know that this plane is meant more for intermediate flyers, but would a bigenner be able to fly it...i was looking at it and liked how it was a bigenner plane with aileron control. I was thinking of getting into the RC plane hobby...i could use a trainer, (already have the demo for G.3, but the computer controls are full rudder/aileron/elevator, but i dont like buying a sim thats MORE than the plane im using it to train for...would a bigenner be able to learn to fly solo with this plane??? it has low-rate controls, so i could get used to the ailerons then use high-rate.....i know there are better and easier trainers out there, but they cost too much.

just wondering....

dribbe

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdId=HBZ7200

Hi,

You can find a video on Horizon's Aerobird Swift product page.

Look to the right for a link.
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HBZ7200

The Aerobird Swift is entended for pilots with some experience, and basic skills (or an instructor).
The Zone 3 designation points this out as does other references.
The plane has less camber (curve) in the wing, so it has a broader speed range, and can fly inverted.

It is very fun to fly.

David


You can also find a bit of information on the new ZX10 radio which includes 3 wire servos in the instruction manual.
http://www.horizonhobby.com/ProdInfo...ift_Manual.pdf

Leo L

Looks very impressive on the video. Should be a very good seller as long as the LHS don't mis-represent it as a beginner plane.

dribbe

Yes, it is a true point... We try to make it clear on the box, and on the web. You should have some skill and experience to have a good experience.

David

saleens7

is there another bigenner plane similar to this (in design AND price) with aileron control?? I like the engine placement and less chance of damage, i would like aileron control, but i guess the other ones would work...

chief illini

Typically, ailerons and beginners are not a good combination. I would suggest you start with 3 channel (rudder, elevator, throttle controls). Have you thought about the HobbyZone Super Cub? I love mine!

chief

saleens7

what about the planes at raidentech...they seem to be the same as those and are cheap....

http://www.raidentech.com/3chrcplane.html

this plane??

http://www.raidentech.com/suj3picub3ra.html

maiden-crash

I have to agree chief illini here it is best to start with rudder elevator and throttle. To control by aileron means that the plane keeps rolling until you tell it to stop, and it does it quicker than you may expect. Thats why if you have no experience in planes they are very easily overcontrolled whereas with rudder it pushes the plane sideways instead. Aileron in most cases doesnt even turn the plane, it simply rolls it and you have to add in rudder or elevator to turn it.

saleens7

[quote]Aileron in most cases doesnt even turn the plane, it simply rolls it and you have to add in rudder or elevator to turn it.[/quote

thats the reason i would want to get a plane with ailerons, they allow you to roll into a turn....

maiden-crash

Thats exactly what I said to the lhs owner when I wanted my first plane lol. He "forced" me into a rudder plane and im glad he did, i smashed that thing up but learned how to fly.

But... If you have your heart set on a plane with ailerons and your wallet wide open I would recomend the parzone f27b stryker. flys fast and slow and lands like a trainer.

saleens7

i think ill get the super dicathalon CUB or the j3 cub from radentech...good deal for it and only 80$

but the aerobird swift will probably be my next level plane...

djnsayne

My Feedback: (2)

If you go with one of the planes from Raidentech upgrade the electronics to something more standard or else you will have to re-train yourself when you get a plane with conventional controls

saleens7

those 3 channel radio systems cost alot, maybe ill just get the cub at parkflyers instead

flyingace451

I would suggest a Super Cub or an Aerobird Challenger if you are looking at learning how to fly. Both can take a beating, but the Super Cub is a little more expensive, much more scale looking, and better to learn on. So the price difference is there for a reason.

djnsayne

My Feedback: (2)

You may also like the T-Hawk by Toytronics. You can see it at www.readytoflyfun.com This is the plane that I got most of my experience from. I bought an Aerobird Challenger first , but the T-Hawk seeemed to take abuse a lot better and I also liked the conventional rudder and elevator on the T-Hawk. It seems to give you much more control authority and is more precise than the v-tail setup of the Challenger. It also comes with 2 batteries, 2 wings, 2 tails basically everything you need for repairs of your first half dozen crashes... er... Flights!

saleens7

i like how cheap adnd simple the slow flyers are, i think ill look into them

uhh...sorry for the thread takeover

Bigguz

Try the challenger, a friend and I mid-aired ours, sheared the wings off both. some glue and we are back in the air.

eyeper

If this plane came out in November, how come nobody's reporting on actually flying it? The company video looks good. Are we all holding off buying one?

Dennis,
Santa Rosa, CA

SUPERGONZO

Ok I actually have flown this one. Its kind of a cross between a Firebird Freedom (unfortunately) and a Aerobird Challenger (very fortunately). I flew this plane yesterday here in NY, under somewhat windy conditions, and it does not handle wind very well, it has a large freedom-like wing that once the wind gets under it...Ailerons or not, you have to "unroll" it quick.

I know what was I doing flying it in wind??....well this is true, but sometimes you don't have too much choice, and I had my Stryker with me that EATS wind for lunch no-problem, ..... under windless conditions it would have been a better test for the plane. I could tell that it performs ok, but still is not a beginner plane as it is somewhat twitchy.

I am a HUGE fan of the Aerobird Challenger / T-Hawk and was really looking forward to testing this plane, first results I'd say FAIR.
There are some improvements to the Aerobird style, such as better solid controls for the elevons instead of fishing wire, and the boom looks to be better implanted so it cannot rotate, the motor gets better air to it, and can no longer eject itselt from the mounting, battery stays in place now also, in short alot of things about the original Aerobird Challenger that were problems have been addressed with this plane. Does it FLY as well as the original????? The jury is still out I think.

SUPERGONZO

Ok flew it again today with not much wind. I am not really impressed with this plane. The wing is very similar to a Firebird Freedom, and does not provide much lift. I am a big fan of lots of power to get yourself out of trouble, and this plane seems a bit underpowered.

If any of you have flown the Aerobird Challenger, you know that that plane will set aloft for hours given enough height, you can let go of the stick and get into a deep conversation with your buddy, and the plane will still be flying. Not so with the Swift...let go of the stick and you'll be in trouble rather quickly.

Thsi is not to say the plane does not fly..it does, and makes fairly decent rolling turns, I suggest using the HIGH rate as the low rate just does not give you enough elevon travel. I don't want to make it sound like this plane s*cks...it doesn't there are plenty of terrible performers out there, I would rate this plane about average.