The Cessna is manageable. However, you will want to be sure to install the wing tips properly. Set the rudder so it's trimed very slightly to the right, and make sure the nose wheel rolls strait. That way, you won't have to fool as much with rudder as you're gaining enough airspeed for flight during takeoff. Do not use too much elevator on your rotation, just keep the nose pointed strait and do a steady climb. If you built it properly, it will track strait on takeoff and pretty much go where you point it.

During flight, the Cessna is smooth and predictable. Again, with the quality of your work being important: it will typically nose down in a stall, rather than dropping a wing. But when weight is added after a repair (for example, you hit something during landing and the fuselage cab needs to be rebuilt), and the wing is not even in dihedral and with the fuselage, then the "Cessna tip stall" habit gets magnified and landing will be difficult. Airspeed is important with these planes, and they're not the perfect aerobat. However, you can still do some stunts as long as you don't over do it. Cessnas are for SCALE modelers, not hotdoggers. Even a turbine pilot can get careless with one of these and crunch it due to overconfidence.

I tested the Cap 580 on the simulator. Although it's for "advanced" pilots, I do consider it easier to fly than the Cessna. That's because if your nose is pointed up, you can add throttle and hover, then assume level flight with some down elevator. With a Cessna, just don't do it. You can do harrier landings with the Cap, but you have to land the Cessna like you did your trainer, and the glide slope is more important. Just consider the Cessna as being an easy version of the Piper Cub, and you'll do just fine.

The T-34 Mentor: It's a fast plane, yes. It'll probably have some of the Cessna's characteristics, from what I'm told. But, it won't have as much of a tendency to drop a wing in slow flight (don't quote me on that, others know more I'm sure). I don't think it's going to be as easy to fly as the Cap, to be honest. Again, it's because the Mentor requires adequate airspeed and a proper glide slope on your landing approach. You can probably do more stunts with the T-34 than you can with the Cessna, but again I think others would know more than me.

By the way, Cubs are NOT beginners planes, even though many people say they are. The only Cub trainer that I'm aware of is the small Hobbyzone park flyer electric with the auto pilot. Don't confuse the park flyer with a standard OS 56 four-stroke equipped Great Planes Cub 40, trust me. Also, listen to what experienced club members have to say when asking for advice, because the Great Plane's skill level guide isn't the most accurate. I just think the Cub should at least be at the advanced level, while the Cessna should get an intermediate to advanced rating, not the "second plane" recommendation that Tower gives.

NorfolkSouthern