Advice and guidance needed ...

**** Regarding ****
what to buy? (1) Potensky Eagle or (2) Parkzone Typhoon

I am looking for the right !QUOT!intro to aerobatics park flyer!QUOT! and a plane that will give me some basic 3-D experience. It's important that I get a plane that I can continue to grow into over the long run.

**** My Current Experience & Equipment is ****
For the last two years I have flown a Graupner Mini Piper (on my second one. I destroyed my first one) and I now can take off confidently (if there is a light head wind); land in pretty small areas; do loops; do touch downs; 40 foot spurts of very shallow dives - near inverted flight; etc. I have a Hitech Flash 5 radio and am very happy with it.

**** My situation ****
Over the last couple years I have read some good reviews on the Potensky Eagle and a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to buy the ARF Eagle, motor, speed control, and prop for $89.00 (on clearance from $135) and I jumped on it. I was committed to buying the Parkzone Typhoon for $220 for the RTF; which seems like a great deal to me. When I look at the performance stats for both planes it looks like the power, wingspan, etc. are bit bigger and better on the Typhoon.

Yesterday at my local hobby store I got to see the Typhoon up close and I am really impressed and am now considering returning my Potensky Eagle with buyer's remorse.

The plus to the Eagle is I can use my computerized radio with it and adjust the settings as I learn to fly so I will be less likely to crash. The other upside is that I have read great reviews on the Eagle, but none are written on the Typhoon yet. I have a charger already that will work for the Eagle. But then again, the Eagle will cost $80 more to get in the air.

My question is, when it comes down to long term performance and short run learning which plane is better. It's possible that the Eagle will out perform the Typhoon when flown by an experienced pilot.

Should I have buyer's remorse or should I keep my Eagle and be happy and excited with my Potensky plane?

Any advice to stop my obsessing would be helpful...

Thanks in advance.

Hell of a 1st post.

I have not flown the Eagle, only seen. It looks like crap, IMO. Everything about it, too many to list. If it looks like crap, it usually flys like crap. No offense.

I have a Typhoon.

It sounds like you will really like the Typhoon. From what you want in a foamy, the Typhoon fits you, perfect.

It does everything you want it to do very well. You can set up the surfaces with allot or a little movement, plus the radio has rates. Don't worry about !QUOT!needing!QUOT! a comp radio for these planes.

The Typhoon does not perform to my expectations. I prefer the performance of a under 14oz plane. My son Zane is flying it and having a ball.

The ParkZone stuff is good equipment. I did strip gears in the servos, in the air, however I did mods to the plane to give it more than twice the deflection it was intended too. It wasn't designed for how I wanted it to fly.

Do the Typhoon, however if ya got the Eagle cheap enough, just keep it and fly it too.

I would honestly stick with the Eagle, it looks to be a much more 3D capable plane + the gear is reusable unlike the typhoon.
All park zone planes use special servos, recievers, and speed controls, none of this gear can be used in an ARF.
With the Eagle, if you crash it or get bored of it then you can strip the gear out and put it in anouther cheap to buy foamy 3D plane.
Trust me stay away from Parkzone Or do what YNOT suggested and buy both, that would be the best route.

I have got the eagle. Can be hovered, inverted flat spinned, harriered too - though, not so easiely as mine is pretty heavy, but itĀ“s very durable. If I was in your pants (donĀ“t worry, not at the same time with you ), IĀ“d get the Hacker models Super Zoom 4D.

Reggae man

Thank you Dealspeed et. al.

ParkZone advertises their radio equipment in the Typhoon as a reusable FM radio, but from what I am hearing from you it may only be resuausble in their planes and not any old ARF off the shelf?

From the sounds of it -- a $89 Eagle with motor/prop/speed control is at price worth keeping. Obviously, I destroy it I can always salvage the radio, etc. And I know that the radio components I will use are good quality. The reviews on its flight performance are good, but I also recognize that it is a 3 year old design and a lot has changed in the electric market for planes over the years.

The only thing I am not sure of is how easy will be for me to get spare parts if needed.

Thanks again for helping put an end to my obsession,

Jeremy

The only thing I am not sure of is how easy will be for me to get spare parts if needed.

Jeremy
[/quote]

If you refer to the plane - then only spare that is needed is thin CA with kicker and foam safe CA (oderless=smelless) for depron parts. If you canĀ“t find a foam safe CA then use UHU por or 5 min Epoxy (or whatever Epoxy). I have crashed mine in horrible ways at least three million times and only things what are needed are glues and spare props.....ItĀ“s the depron parts that keep braking but can be glued every time (fastest way to fix is thin CA and kicker takes about 30 sec and you are ready to go again). Some might like to have some 5mm thick depron sheet to make new elevators (bigger ones) after serious crash - but once again, it can be glued in 5 sec). Get prop saver if you wanna fly in crazy way like me.

Reggae man

the radio gear in the typhoon is not proprietary. it can be used in other planes.. it also has a 5th channel that can be inabled by moving a jumper thats easily acessable on the reciever. the servos are micro.. just slightly larger than sub micro. the speed control is also reusable... i just put the typhoons speed control in my buddys formosa with a e-flite 370 inrunner motor and gearbox yesterday. the motor is a 3700kv standard size inrunner and brushless also reusable. yes in the past parkzone did use all in one reciever speed controls and 5 wire servos in planes such as the cub.. but its not the case in the typhoon.

Parkzone is now offering the typhoon in a plug and play version for $159.99 http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByC...ProdID=PKZ4175 cant beat the price and now can use your own radio.