Escapade .40 a good second plane?
Hello all,
I recently bought a hanger 9 xtra easy and learned to fly at our local club. Onc session on the club mentor's foam warplane and I was soloing my trainer the next day. I need more practice landing but I can fly the plane to the edge of its abilities... loops, inverted, barrel rolls, stall turns, not gonna lie it looks pretty funny up there doing those stunts. I would like to move on to a low wing plane but I don't think I am ready for anything too wild. I have done a little looking and I like the looks and price of the GP Escapade 40 size ARF.
I also have a Hobbistar 60 MKIII Trainer I picked up in a trade with a brand new .65 OS LA which I have broken in and flown 5 or 6 times. It has more power than my little .40 but other than that it is the same thing in regards to its abilities.
Here is what I am looking for:
1) Smaller size, my trainers have a 6 foot wingspan and they are a hassel to move around
2) .40 - .50's engine size for fuel economy, I noticed a huge difference between my .40 and my .65
3) Tail dragger
4) Stable flight, but still able to handle more maneauvers than a rubber band trainer
5) Low cost, because let's be honest I am still learning and might just smash this into the ground!
I am selling the hobbistar this weekend but I am keeping the radio (futaba 6 channel FM with dual rates) and 4 standard futaba servos as well as the battery pack. I would like to use the radio and servos from the hobbistar and buy a new ARF low wing and engine for around $170. I see the Escapade is about 100 shipped and I have been reading up on JBA engins and like what I see. Their .56 is about $90, but I would not be opposed to searching for a used .46 OS or other brand engine to keep the budget under control.
Am I heading in the right direction or are there steps I am not taking that will make this a bad idea? Another thought is electric planes... can it be done for $170-190 with the radio already purchased? I love nitro but I would like a quiet plane to fly behind my house... options options....
Thanks for any help!