G'day

I agree with hemiflyer1, people rarely stop at one plane. When I was learning with my son about 23 years ago, I started with one plane, then two, then three and before long I had about 5 or 6. The problem was also that I had 5 radios as each radio could only handle one plane.

These days, inexpensive computer radios solve this problem for you. Radios like the Hitec Optic 6 or the Futaba and Spektrum equivalents, can handle up to 20 or more planes so you only need to buy new receivers and servos and not a new transmitter for each plane. I wish this was the case when I was starting out.

Engines tend to breed too. First you have one but before long you will be surprised at how many you can accumulate.

So don't be too worried about buying a trainer. You can always buy something else as you get better at flying. I still fly my old trainers. I just like to fly them. Scale models do tend to be "different" to fly too. They don't all fly as predictably as trainers. Some can be complete pigs to fly. I have a Decathlon that needs a very firm hand and it absolutely MUST have the rudder used in turns or it hangs its tail and skids wide in turns. Cubs do this too.

I did have a P47 at one stage. It was a Black Horse ARF and I powered it with a 91 four stroke. It was surprisingly nice to fly and even dead stick, it glided well. But it was not a trainer.

The whole point of trainers is that they are stable enough to give a learner time to make mistakes. And you will make mistakes even when you think you are going quite well. It only takes a moment of inattention and your pride and joy may be heading rapidly towards the ground.

Have fun in the hobby, find a good instructor and you will be well on your way.

Mike from Oz