ORIGINAL: pnc024
HI Everyone 
Im brand new to this hobby, I have a couple questions for you guys, if you have the time.
1.) I am planning on buying one of the Hobbico 60" or 70" or the (Thunder Tiger version) ARF trainers. Any one have any bad experiences with these??? Bigger is better??? I would like a semi-symetrical wing if possible but really I have no idea how different they are flying(never flown R/C), most likely getting ahead of myself.
>Both the SuperStar and Avistar are excellent trainers. The Avistar
>is a semi symetrical wing. The primary differences are that the
>Avistar is going to land a little faster than the SuperStar due to the
>semi symetrical wing and the Avistar is going to be a little more
>aerobatic than the SuperStar. While bigger is USUALLY better, I
>suggest staying with a 40 size trainer to start with. Bothe planes
>fly pretty much the same.
2.) I hear that the 4 stroke is more realistic sounding. A plane that sounds like a weedwacker will REALLY REALLY REALLY bother me.
>While a 4 stroke sounds more realistic, I strongly suggest staying
>with a 2 stroke engine INITIALLY. A 2 stroke is going to be easier
>to operate and less complicated. The initial cost of a 2 stroke is
>substantially less than a 4 stroke. If you decide you
>like RC and are going to stay with it, then go ahead and get a
>4 stroke for your next plane. I also strongly suggest NOT getting
>a RTF package. The engines normally packaged with the setup
>range from marginal to OK FOR A TRAINER, but are almost never
>useable in a second plane due to lack of power. Get a USER
>FRIENDLY 46 BALL BEARING engine. OS AX, Thunder Tiger Pro
>and Evolution engines are all excellent user friendly engines.
>They will have more than enough power for your trainer and
>they will be very useable in a second (or more) plane.
3.) Should I get a 6 channel Fubata? 6 channel because I'd like something later on with flaps and/or retracts.
>By all means get a 6 channel (or more ) COMPUTER radio.
>The difference in cost between a base level 4 channel
>radio and something like the 6EXA is not that great. FWIW
>the radios that come in an RTF are BASE LEVEL 4 channel
>NON COMPUTER radios.
Am I getting ahead of myself?? Should I get the cheapest stuff and see if I will actually spend time with this hobby?
>Not really. If you decide to stay with the hobby you will
>already have good equipment that yo will not "outgrow" in a
>year or two. If you decide this isn't for you, you will have a
>much more desireable "package" to sell and it will sell a lot
>faster.
I will most likely NOT have an instructor (isolated in Upstate NY), any advice other than "get an instructor"?
>I understand your problem. My suggestions are: Talk to
>people at the Local Hobby Shop (LHS) and find out who else
>is flying in your area, then talk to these people. One of them
>will be willing to help teach you. I would also suggest a
>simulater. While they will not teach you how to fly, they can
>provide you with a lot of help on stick movement and
>orientation. Another option would be an RC flight school. If
>I remember correctly, there is a school in the Malone, NY
>area.
I am a pilot so I have a love for aviation and a fundamental knowledge of the subject but I think I have the idea that I can fly a real plane so I should be able to fly a RC one, I dont think thats a good idea. But I can't imagine its too hard for some taxing and takeoff and landings straight ahead (again I have no idea what Im talking about)
>Being a full scale pilot has its good and bad points as it
>relates to RC. While you understand the principles of how a
>plane flys and the mechanics of it, your orientation for RC
>is not there.
>
>You are going to be outside the plane. All your
>orientation is going to be from a fixed point. As a full scale
>pilot you have tactile feedback from the plane as you fly.
>With RC you have to rely on your eyes for ALL the information
>you would normally receive from tactile feedback. The last
>thing is orientation. When flying a full scale plane your
>orientation is always the same. When flying RC, your
>orientation is going to be reversed when the plane is coming
>toward you. You need to re-educate your brain to the
>differences in orientation and sensory input of information.
>You will also be VERY suprised on how fast the plane is
>going to react to the inputs from the transmitter. A simulater
>will HELP with SOME of these things.
Thanks for reading my post, I appreciate it and hope to hear from you!
I hope this has been of some help.