The next couple of planes I'm going to list here are more traditional trainer-type planes, and it's highly recommended that if you decide to go this route, you find yourself an experienced instructor to help you. These aren't park fliers, either, so you'll need to find a large field of several acres to fly these in. You will probably want to seek out a local R/C flying club for both the instructor and the field.

On to the plane:

About a year ago, Hobbico released a new electric trainer, called the Superstar EP, EP for electric power, of course. It comes in two versions:

1. An ARF, almost ready to fly version. The major building is all complete, and the plane is sanded and covered. Some minor assembly is required, plus you need to purchase and install the radio equipment yourself.
2. An RTF, ready to fly version. The motor, speed control, and radio all come installed in the plane. A typical first-timer should be able to assemble the plane in about an hour, while an expert could do it in the advertised 20 minutes.

Power for the Superstar EP comes from a typical 7 cell "flat" R/C car battery pack, which direct-drives the prop through an inexpensive 600-style "can" motor. The motor is the same as the "540" motors you used to get with the old Tamiya R/C buggies. It's a very simple system that reportedly works surprisingly well, considering the "slap a car motor and a car pack in a .40-size plane and try to fly it" method nearly ruined the chances of electric flight several years ago.

It works now because the plane's airframe is much lighter than a glow plane of similar size, and it has lots of wing area. Back then, manufacturers didn't understand that because electric power is so smooth, you didn't need to build the planes to withstand the vibration of a glow engine.

It's a 3-channel plane, with rudder, elevator, and throttle. From the looks of the relatively small amount of dihedral, it's designed such that a beginner can't get into too much trouble. Rudder planes with lots of dihedral, like a Great Planes PT-40 with the "A" wing (has a total of 8" of dihedral!!), will roll as if they have ailerons!

What you need:

The ARF version requires a radio, speed control, and a battery charger. An on/off switch is included with the ARF, but a speed control is so much nicer to have. You'll want a speed control, ESC, that's rated for at least 30 Amps. The Great Planes C-30 and C-50 are nice because they come pre-wired with a Tamiya style connector to match the battery. Motor, propeller, and battery are all included with the package.

Standard radio gear should fit, but I say should because I haven't seen the plane up close. In the world of electric flight, lighter is better, so micro servos like the Hitec HS-81 and a small receiver like the Hitec Electron or 555 will save you a few ounces. Do NOT use "Sub-micro" or "Pico" gear. This plane is large enough that you can fly it at over 1000 feet away, out of range of most tiny receivers, and it's too heavy for the light and fragile gears on those tiny servos. If you're buying a complete radio, the Hitec Flash 5X "glider" package has exactly what you need for this plane, and the 5X is an excellent middle-of-the-road computer transmitter that will last you a long time.

The RTF version comes with almost everything. All you need is a good peak-detect charger, and 8 AA alkaline batteries.

Hopups:

Right off the bat, I have to say, "GEARBOX!" While the direct drive system is adequate, a geared system will give you increased thrust and better efficiency. Great Planes markets an inexpensive gearbox for this motor, the GD600. With the included 2.5:1 gear ratio, the motor can spin a 12x8 prop. Since prop clearance might be an issue with such a large diameter, a Master Airscrew folding prop is a wise choice.

The nice thing about a plane powered by a car motor is the fact that you can improve the plane's performnace by using modified car motors. For example, you can use a Kyosho Endoplasma motor, a 10-toothed pinion to increase the gear ratio to 4.6:1, and a 10-cell pack to turn the plane into a real performer. Even with the stock battery, this setup will outperform the stock setup, using less energy. Most people elect to simply replace the stock motor with a Kyosho Magnetic Mayhem, use the same GD600 gearbox, and an 11x7 propeller.