OK, so it looks like I'll have a bit of extra cash available this month, and I'm thinking of buying an RC plane. I've never flown anything before, so obviously I ought to be looking at simple, easy to fly, inexpensive (as opposed to "cheap") planes.

I should mention that I'm not intending to get too deep into the hobby: probably whatever I buy will be what I fly for quite some time. I've got too many other expensive hobbies to sink much money in, but this looks like a fun thing to try (and dovetails nicely with another hobby, photography). My price range at the moment is in the $100 range... less would be better, a little more is acceptable if necessary.

It looks like the most reasonable options within my price range are:

1) GWS Slow Stick. Pros: Slow, easy-to-fly, cheap, and I could probably run it in my back yard once I figured out what I was doing. (I've got a big yard, but there are a couple of trees in the middle seems like an issue while learning.) Cons: Not RTF, and I think it's ugly. That'll reduce how much I want to fly it later, but it's cheap enough that that might not matter. Having to buy all the parts separately isn't a huge deal, but it does mean that before I can learn to fly, I have to learn to build a plane.

2) Slope Diver/Accipiter Badius or something like it. I'll be honest this is my favorite of the choices. I like the price point, I like the look, and I think Icould enjoy flying it for a long time. Pros: I like the look, it's apparently pretty easy to fly and nearly indestructible. Parts are easily available. Cons: The stock transmitter is completely non-standard, so buying a new transmitter/receiver set would probably be a really good idea.

For either of the first two, I'd probably consider the Exceed-RC FS-CT6X tranmitter/reciever set: from the reviews I've read, they're not top end, but they're acceptable quality inexpensive 2.4GHz radios.

3) Super Cub. Pros: I like the look, it's a recommended trainer on just about every forum I've read, and I could probably add on to it as I get to be a better pilot skis for warmer days with snow (not unusual here in New England), floats for days at the lake, and so on. Cons: Way outside my intended price range.

4) Some other model of slow-stick type plane: the Parkzone Slo-V seems like an option, for instance. Pros: same as the GWS, except it's ready to fly. Indoor flight seems unlikely, but could be entertaining if it ever happens. Cons: I still think it's ugly.


If anyone has any thoughts or recommendations, I'd be interested to hear them!