I started with a Graupner Taxi when I was 14 or 15.

I built it and flew it myself from the beginning. I also had it started for me a couple of times by others.

It not only survived my abusement. I gave it to my Uncle when I had a drop in RC interest. He flew it for a couple of years after that.

This model was comparable poorely built because of my youth and little experience, and repairs were never perfectly done.

Then I moved on to a Maxi with ailerons and learned that

This aircraft had a pesky foam wing with abbachi veneer on it, uckk! (at that time I thought it was great!), However, it flew quite well and it had a very flat glide path on dead stick in fact.

Today, people start with fast flying trainers with fairly high wing loading and with ailerons.

Those models are rarely (if ever ?),dynamically stable, Unlike the Taxi wich can free-fly in fact.

I would charachterize flying properties of those trainers as "gunshot wounded crows", or "a dart arrow, thrown backwards"

With help from a club member and perhaps a training cord, people can learn flying anyway.

Now, after many different models, I am back to the good ol' Taxi, originally designed 1966.

I built a new one and it is a delight.

I use it as a sea-plane and arial photo plane as well as a traniner for my two very own little pilots in training I got.

I also got my hands on a set of Falcon 56 drawings, I will build one after those drawings because I know that is also a good well flying airplane with some appeal.

Had a Falcon SR before wich I modded heavily and had much fun with.

Cheers,
Ikaros

PS

Before I started R/C, I flew U/C wich was quite popular at the time ant I think it helped me a bit.

DS