Trainers are slow and self righting to provide as much aid as possible to the potentially overtaxed newbie.

Simulators go a long way to teach the initial orientations and controls which in turn makes things easier for the first timer.

As such I had NO problems starting with the PTS after spending a couple of months with a sim, and performing a few minor changes to the out of the box plane as documented here.

The PTS is just about as slow as a high wing trainer (not quite, but close) with the training aids on, and almost impossible to stall with the wing droops in place. (I've never tipped stalled it with the droops on even with full up elevator on a dead stick.)

The instructor found that with the 3 bladed prop, the PTS was too slow for his liking. He had me replace it with an 11x6 two blade prop I had on hand (thanks to this forum!). He liked it's performance with this prop, and declared that "you can walk faster than it lands, excellent plane, a real winner...".

My instructor had me buddy box around the field, then on the next takeoff said, "hell you know how to fly" and handed me the controller.

I handed it back to him for landings on the next two tries on my first day as I was entirely too nervous, having never flown an RC plane before.

On the fifth flight I kept practicing lower and lower approaches, until he told me to bring the throttle down and land. I soloed with the PTS on that day.

I got my certification the third day out to the field.

There was no "natural aptitude" involved, just some sim time, and a plane that lent itself well to this.

Like most planes it has some problems, but these are not showstoppers as are often touted, while forgetting the problems that high wing trainers have too...


You can sucessfully learn with one of these. I did.


That said I've in turn helped a few people that have been trying to learn for some time. They don't seem to "get it" mentally. For them even a high wing is too fast, let alone the PTS. These people NEED sim time.

IMHO a good sim can get you past the first "humps", making a "second" plane such as the PTS a viable first trainer.


I'm glad I did not purchase a high wing trainer, especially after trying out our club's high wing trainer, as I went beyond it very quickly. I still fly the PTS however, which is it's biggest salient point, that it progresses with you.

Get an instructor. Have them orient you on the club planes if possible. Then talk to the instructor about what you should get as your first plane. You may be able to skip past the high wing trainers or use the club's...