Here is a tip for those who get an ARF or RTF. I always check everything I get 100%, no matter what it is I buy. These planes are no different.

Keep this simple rule in your head and you will never have a problem.

Trust but Verify!

The person who assembled your plane is human, and humans can make mistakes, especially if they are getting near quitting time, are bored, tired and just dont give a snot. When you get the plane out of the box, before you even open the book, check everything. Make sure the screws are tight, the joints were glued, the wings are straight, the tail is straight, and all the parts are there.

My first RTF is a T-34 Mentor by E-flite, and even though it looked well built, it wasnt. First thing I did was I checked all the joints that I could see and reach, and found several that were glued, but not securely. After some touch ups with medium CA, they were good to go. The screws for the motor mount weren't tight, snug, but loose enough that they would work out in flight. Some of the predrilled holes were slightly off too. One landing gear strut was really tight and the hole wasnt deep enough. Little things like this can cause much bigger problems later.

I picked up an Apprentice 15e recently, and on this plane I found it perfect right out of the box, no flaws. One thing I did change was the landing gear though, the wheels are too small, so I swapped them with larger ones that came off the T-34, which I put even larger wheels on, and an even larger nose wheel, the one extra I had for the T-34, so I can fly off grass. So even though it is RTF, there are always a few things that will need to be done before first flight that dont come with the kit. If you fly off grass, chances are you will need larger wheels.


UPDATEon the Apprentice: CHECK the Prop Shaft!!!!!!!! Mine worked itself loose, I dont know what they used to lock the set screw, but it didnt work. Ihavent had any blade strikes, but did chop up some grass, but Idont see that being enough to loosen the shaft from the motor, so the lock tight they used failed. Had I not noticed it, Imost likely would have lost the prop in flight and would have been one very unhappy flier.