Here's my problem...I never crash. I haven't had a pilot induced wreck in more than 5 years, and I think I know why.

I'm very meticulous with my planes and I use the best equipment, ie..YS and Saito engines just for starters. I end up with so much money tied up in an airframe I am too afraid of taking risks with them that would push my flying envelope. If I could only fly 1/2 as good as I do on my simulator, I would be thrilled.

Most people would say I'm an expert flyer, been doing this for almost 20 years. I can do most of the IMAC advanced maneuvers including rolling circles, I can hover and even throw in a blender once in a while. However, I seldom get lower than 50' except to land. I am looking for advice on an inexpensive 3D plane that will fly well on a two-stroke .46 and standard servos. I've never considered a profile until now, even though I've never cared for their looks. I guess I am probably not the only one that prices themselves out of getting low and dirty.

If you were in my shoes at one time, how did you get over the cost versus earth hurdle?

Get yourself a profile (preferably a Mojo because they're *really* tough and fly great).

Fly it like you stole it.

Even though it's a cheap/tough plane you will still be scared of crashing.

Keep telling yourself "the closer I fly to the ground, the less distance my plane will fall if I stuff-up".

Practice hovering on the deck -- keep down below 1-3 feet and practice tail-touches. This will almost guarantee that you will have the occasional "unintended encounter with the ground" but the Mojo will laugh it off.

Once you've "blooded" your plane (ie: incurred at least some minor structural damage) you'll feel much happier about throwing it around and "hucking low".

Then just get out there and set yourself some goals.

"Today I will practice rolls (or rolling harriers) at no more than 10 feet above the deck"

"Today I will practice blenders with pull-outs no more than 20 feet above the deck"

etc, etc.

I have a bunch of profiles (and a 50cc Extra 330L) but make sure I always have at least one old beater profile that I can use to *really* push the envelope. My current one (a Katana P) is now 60% repairs and 40% original. It has carbon roving and cloth all over it and has covering film peeling off it in several places. But this plane owes me *nothing* and if I totalled it tomorrow I wouldn't shed a tear -- I'd just demote one of my other profiles to the role and buy/build a new one.

Remember -- a profile is only worth $100 or so. Once you've had your $100 worth of fun flying "safe", it owes you nothing and you might as well enjoy the "bonus time" by really pushing the limits.

You'll probably hear this a lot.. mojo,s are a tough profile. Build it and fly the snot out of it. The thing is, just do it, don't think about it. The omp katana is a good profile too, although not as tough.

I have been where you are. I started with a SPAD3D three years ago after 18 years of flying. It was the best thing ever for my left thumb. I would take 6 props to the field. You don't land a SPAD3D. You fly it till it crashes. This spring I bought a 52" Fusion from OHP. I have some very nice stuff in my hanger. It is colecting dust. This Fusion is so much fun.

David

Yep...I "had" the same problem!

I have the same problem - even with my MoJo
I overcame the fear of seeing my "Pride and Joys" by letting my confident Teenagers fly them - once you see a couple of them go in, you soon get over it and start to enjoy getting a new one (Plane that is - not teenager).

Seriously, the best advice given above is Get a MoJo and just do it, they are amazingly tough and fly really well on standard servos etc. Of course like all 3d planes, put in the most power that you are prepared to risk the dollars on. (EG 46AX instead of 46LA).

I feel your pain warhwk and I do the same. I've got a fairly nice hanger and fly just like you do. XJet is 100% on target. I did what he describes and have a ball doing it. My 15 year old son, (who's been flying for 4 years solo) and me get a couple of beaters, (tribute 3D's) with .46 engines, instead of the recommend .36 and just burn up the sky. We practice hovering/knife's/rolling, etc and don't worry about losing anything. Another few bucks and a couple of hours and we're back in the air if we crack one up. I fly my "nice" stuff during the week when I don't have to worry about someone crazy shooting me down or midair'ing me. The rest of the time we fly the beaters and challenge each other on our simulators on who can hover the longest..LOL

Where are you guys finding the MoJo's?

[link]http://www.swanyshouse.com[/link]

I feel you man. I have always been the same way and now I am really into learning 3D and as I have noone to teach me this stuff I have to learn it on my own. I have become a big fan of SPAD's for ths reason alone. They are not the prettiest planes but they are super durable and CHEAP!! I have a couple prettyplanes as well but I have more fun thrashing on my SPAD's. I am going to be building the SPA3DT pretty soon to really start learning some new maneuvers.

Charger RC Foamies. $40.00 per plane. The simplest easiest most fun you can have. Closest thing I've found yet to the perfect low hucking trainer. Yet will do everything the big ones do and then some. I went to an airshow in Ukia Ca. lots of factory reps were there and when they were not flying their sponsored planes they were flying their CRC foamies. It was like watching kids in a candy store. You can buy a box of foam from TBM that will make 4 to 5 planes for $14.00 after you learn what you are doing.

http://chargerrc.com/osCommerce1/catalog/
http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/index.html
http://www.depronusa.com/

tribute 36s are great! i have been flying 3d for about a year now but only once i found a place to download the tribute to my g3.5 sim did i hover in real life. i own a tribute 36 im on my 3rd one actally. fly it with an os .46 fx std jr servos. and i have been having alot of fun with them. heres a video of me trying to hover on a little bit of a windy day.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U_jSr1cikBY

Oh no,

Now you did it , my best friend said the same thing a few days ago and now he has 3 less planes in his hanger. I hope you didn't jinx yourself. I sure wouldn't say that unless I flew cheap ARF's all the time and didn't care. Anyway I would think a Twist would be a good cheap ARF that isn't bad looking and they fly great from what I've seen. I only have one 3D plane and it is a FuntanaX100. The rest of my hanger is full of scale civilian and military fighter's. I love the Corsair and am about to start on a Don Smith 1/4 scale F4U-1D Corsair. I am currently building a Top Flite 1/8 scale Corsair. If my planes crash I will die. So far I've been lucky. Just plain lucky.

Gibbs

It's nice to know I am not the only person that has this problem. The last "cheap" sorta 3D plane I had was a Pizazz back in '02. I flat-spun that one to the ground and dorked the rudder alignment. It never flew "right" after that. I have too much emotional investment in the rest of my fleet to put them in too much risk.

I really appreciate everyone's advice, especially XJET and those that advised a Mojo or Tribute w/.46 engines. I actually think I will do both. The Tribute is so UGLY, I dont think I COULD get attached to it.