mbx5

Hey guys, I am new to this forum and it looks quite helpful. I am currently looking to get an airplane. I just want something easy to fly at the park. ( just to have fun ) I had two hobbyzonoe firebird and the commander. They all stuck on the tree and never able to get it back[:@] should I go nitro or eletric? I just saw that 3D airplane with a .15 engine and it loooks so cool to play like that. Please guys, I need suggestions!! Oh and I am not new to R/C. I am new to airplanes..

BALSABRO

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MBX,, Since you are new to planes,, goto the begginers forum a do some reading there is a big differance between ground and aircraft

Lynn S

Glow planes are not parkflyers... do not fly them in a park near people. They are faster and heavier than most park flyers and can really hurt or even kill someone. Fly the glow powered planes only in very open areas.
If you can do that then.....
You have to decide if you want glow fuel or electric power. If you want to go with glow fuel then this is the right place.
Do not start off with a 3D plane, start with something very easy like the Ace Whizard for .049 power, Hobby People has a trainer called the Schoolboy for .09 power.
I don't like the electric planes with no elevator and rudder like the Firebird. The T-Hawk does have a rudder and elevator and from what I have read many are having great success with it. They sell it direct at www.readytoflyfun.com

You can practice with a simulator that will get you used to how to steer the plane especially when it is coming toward you.
Download the flight simulator at www.estesmodels.com go to training and download using flyrc as the password.
This is just a parkflyer with no elevator just rudder but you can still get the idea of how to guide the plane. Download the Jet ,it flys a lot longer than the cessna type.

combatpigg

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HI MBX! My idea of a park flyer, and yours' might be kind of different, but unless you are a very experienced flyer, it's hard to imagine anything larger than .061 with a lot of discipline in the throttle department being used "at the park". With the chance of hitting other people it's hard to imagine flying ANYTHING at the park, but anyway a noisy gas plane is going to get you run out of the parks around here, whereas an electric would be easier to get away with flying. I saw a guy do a demo with an electric FORMOSA that was awesome! This thing was very aerobatic, and didn't need much space to operate, but the pilot was a guy with many years of experience too.

ajcoholic

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My opinion, SOME glow models are indeed capable of park flying. I regularly fly my Lazy Bee at a local school yard, its powered by a 15 but only weighs 1.5 pounds and can fly increadibly slowly. Obviously I make sure no one is playing ball or kids are no where near when I fly. Some planes, like the Ace Whizard are WAY too fast to be flown in a small area comfortably. You need a lightweight, light wing loading plane that has a god reliable engine that can throttle down. Slow and controlable is the key... I personally think the lazy bee is the ideal small area flyer - if built light. Get it up to 2 pounds and over and all the slow flight characteristics are lost.

Electric or glow doesnt matter - its the size/weight/speed of the plane that matters. A fast, highly loaded electric is not good for park flying either. 2 pounds hitting a car or window is the same, no matter what powers the model, right?

There are some other planes that look pretty neat, like a yard bee or something else similar that again, has a low weight, light wing loading and good controlable low speed handling for turning in tight areas.

JMHO's....

AJC

ajcoholic

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By the way, my lazy bee is currently powered by an OS la 15. at a few clicks above idle, it will cruise around in level flight and you can barely hear the engine with the stock muffler... quiet is an understatement.

I have been thrilled about this plane since building it 6 or so years ago..

AJC

Lynn S

AJ, I just meant on average most glow powered planes are not parkflyers, some can be especially with experienced pilots. I guess it just depends on the plane and the experience of the pilot, but a good rule to live by is Murphy's Law, "If anything can go wrong- it will"

ajcoholic

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I agree - most glow planes ARE too fast for small area flying... just wanted to mention however there are some exceptions...

AJC

combatpigg

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ANYONE FOR .15 POWERED LAZY B COMBAT? I scratch built a 36" [taken from a 6" photo and catalog descriptions] and it was great fun, but I flew mine at full throttle most of the time!