Charlie P.

I have a Fighterbird. If someone started out with that as a first plane and mastered it I believe they could skip traners entirely in switching to glow RC and hop right to low-wing taildraggers. It is a challenge to fly deliberately (not just up/down/find). No elevator - the throttle controls ascent/desent - and that only moves half way and then becomes the 'gun' trigger. In even a light wind it becomes a handful to land it when and where you want it. Get it too high and it thermals wonderfully; but remember - no down elevator. Bye, bye birdie. My longest RC flight (not including highstart gliders) of any kind is with the Fighterbird. For twenty-five minutes I tried to get that teeny, tiny little speck back to the hilltop I handlaunched it from. I finally did with plenty of battery to spare as the engine had been off all but the first two minutes of the flight. They don't cut into a headwind much at all. To their credit the wing can be shimmed if you're expecting wind.

All in all it's a neat little plane. I keep mine in my trunk and fly it on my lunch break. But I would not recommend it to a beginner.