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Old 06-04-2015 | 01:09 PM
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skylark-flier
 
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: VA, Luray
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If you have no one available as an instructor (which is also how I learned RC some 45 years ago) you want a strong, simple plane to work with initially - something that will hold up under the stress you're definitely going to give it while learning. With the 2 choices you've given, I'd pick the Ares Gamma because it APPEARS to be the stronger, simpler of the two planes, and probably easiest to repair too. That Cessna, while being a VERY nice plane, is more of a "scale" bird and will not be very forgiving at all.

There ARE other choices out there though. Some maybe better, some not. I understand wanting to go 4-ch right away. My first was 3-channel and it took awhile to convert my dumb thumbs to flying 4 channels. However, searching for a plane that has a bit more dihedral for an initial trainer would be a thing to think about - they're more stable, by design, and will probably last longer which will give you more of a chance to learn and become comfortable in the air.

I'm no kind of expert in any of this but I'd like to give just a tiny bit of advice here - this being method of learning. Before you ever put that wing on whatever you get, take the plane out on a paved parking lot (a big one) and run her around on the ground to get used to how she reacts to control inputs, especially rudder. Rudder input, with the wheels on the ground, will be a lot more sensitive than just the rudder in the air and if you get used to her turning right and left with the nose wheel off the ground you'll be a bit closer to how she'll react when flying. All you have to do is bring the throttle up and pull back on the elevator - the nose WILL lift off but the plane won't fly (no wing). She WILL give you the practice that you'll need with much less risk than just going into the air and trying to learn everything under pressure.

Remember, the ailerons on the wing are there to help bank the plane, the rudder is there to turn the plane. A lot of flyers (me included sometimes) fly a plane using just ailerons & elevator to turn - it works just fine on many planes. But to truly learn to fly ANY plane you have to learn to use the rudder PROPERLY. That's the beginning of everything.

Best of luck, however you do it.