Hi everyone. I am a newbie to RC flying. I have been looking to get my first plane & have spent 3 weeks looking at different planes. Since I have never built a plane before, I have decided my best bet would be to get a RTF plane.
Okay my question is this. Does anyone have any opinions about the Tower Hobbies Trainer RTF? So far it seems to be the best bet for the money. I like the fact that it has a .46 ABC ball bearing motor where most have only a .40 motor.
The local club here has a rule that they will only train newbies if they start out with a trainer plane so that knocks me out of getting the Avistar RTF that I really like.
If anyone could give me any information & opinions on the Tower Hobbies Trainer RTF I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks so much for allowing me to be a part of this great forum. I read daily & have learned a lot.

Thanks,
Paula

The Avistar is considered a trainer by my club. It is far and away the most popular trainer used. Yes, it has more aerobatic ability than most trainer type planes, and is considered an advanced trainer, but I am surprised that your club would not accept it. Are you sure?

BTW, you may want to consider the Horizon Hobby Alpha trainer with the Evolution engine. It's very easy.

However, at some point if you progress in this hobby, you will most likely need to build some sort of ARF as a next step. If you go this route, some excellent trainers to consider are the SIG Kadet LT40, Goldberg Eagle, Midwest Aerostar, and the Global Hobbies RCM trainer. The last one is especially fast and easy to build, and comes with a decent engine in a frequently offered combo package.

Good luck!

I learned on an Avistar, I would consider it a trainer plane. It is a little harder to learn on than a superstar or tower trainer maybe, but it is a trainer all the same. Plus the upside is it will let you do a little more than your basic trainer. The landings do tend to be at a slightly higher speed though. Talk to the guys at the club, see if you could convince them to let you fly the Avistar, I love mine. Oh by the way whichever trainer you decide on, I would recommend not being stingy on the power. I have an OS .46FX on my Avistar, and there have been several situations that I would have crashed had I not had the extra power. Also, I can't recommend the Tower 46 engine, I have never messed with one, the OS is very easy to operate though.

Good luck, I hope you have as much fun with RC flying as I have had!

Allan

Paula, most of the .40 trainer planes are 6, one half dozen or the other. They all serve the purpose well and (the flat bottom wing ones) all have roughly the same flight characteristics.

The Tower trainer is also monocote covered (good) and probably came from the same factory that makes the Superstar and Avistars. Even though all the .40 engines included with the RTF will fly the trainer just fine, the Tower .46 does lend itself better to migrating to your next .40 sport plane. I wouldn't let that be the sole determinant for your purchase though. You might find later that what you want for your next plane is nowhere close to a .46.

I agree the Avistar is a trainer.

Personally, I don't like the Alpha trainer's 3-blade prop. I've seen several of these come to the field lately. One prop strike, and you're back to a 10x6 2-blade prop.

I believe the reason the local club has this rule is because the president of the club owns the only hobby shop in town.
So if you can only learn to fly on a trainer then you have buy another plan after you learn to fly. Needing another plane means there is a very good chance you will go to his store to purchase it which means he gets to sell 2 planes instead of one.
I could be wrong in my opinion, but that is what it "smells" like to me.
Only thing is, with this silly rule, I will not purchase either of my planes from his store.
As far the engine in the Tower Hobbies Trainer, although it has Tower as the name it is actually an OS. Just like the Tower radio is actually a Futaba with the Tower name. This what the guy at Tower Hobbies told me. He said companies do that alot with companies who buy masses from them & also contract with them. Just like the LXI series of TVs & stereos are really Magnavox.
If I could find a great deal on the Avistar RTF I would get it & just a club in a different town even it means driving 60 miles. *Ü*

Thanks for your help,
Paula

Paula: teh tower radio is indeed a Futaba in disguise.. but the tower engien is NOT an os in disguise. WE have both at our field and the tower has an "idnetity" of its own as far as worksmanship, sound and features. It is a good engine.
and of posibly (talk directly to the would-be trainer... get the avistar as your 1st plane

Patrick,
Sorry about calling it an OS engine. The guy told me what the engine was & I forgot. So I called it an OS engine because that was the name brand that came to mind.
I talked to all the trainers at the local club here & they said they would love to train me on an Avistar but could not at the club field because of the club rules. Club rules state trainers will only train on flat bottom winged planes.
Like I said, I think this rule was instated because the club president owns the only hobby store in town. With that rule if people buy from him, then he gets to sell them 2 planes instead of one.
I really light the idea of semi semetrical wings to train on. That would be a way for me to learn to fly & then also have a plane to do more with once I did learn to fly. The only RTF semi semtrical plane that I have found so far is the Avistar. I like the wing span on the Tower Hobbies Trainer better than Avistar, but I want a plane that I can do more than fly in circles once I learn to fly it.

Paula

Before I ever flew a model for real, I flew the RealFlight G2 simulator quite a bit. It got my coordination and the basics sorted out well. My first plane was an Avistar ARF (not rtf) and I equipped it with a Futaba and OS 40 FX. The simulator helped a great deal and real flying was not overwhelming because I used the sim. I would NOT have wanted anything less for my first airplane than an Avistar.

If you must follow the club's silly rule about not using an Avistar, (I would ask for a 'quiet exception'), then just get one of the recommended trainers and if you stay with the hobby you can sell it to another newbie and upgrade. I enjoyed putting together the ARF as I learned a lot, and you won't get that with an RTF. I do not know how true this is, but some people have had poorly assembled RTF's so I was just happy to put the ARF together myself. (This way I was able to reinforce the wing top and bottom with fiberglass, fuel proof the engine and tank bays with epoxy, make sure I had adequate threadlock on bolts, put CA in servo mounting screw holes...that sort of stuff) There is ALWAYS help available here for assembly. But then again, you want to learn how to fly now, not build, so make you decision with these considerations in mind

If you can get you hands on some computer sim time, it will help alot. Have fun

Let us know how you do.

Chances are if you don't start on a trainer you are going to be buying far more than 2 planes to make up for the crashes... I would say the probably the majority of clubs have a similiar rule, if not written at least understood. training on a P-51 is NOT a good idea!

besides, with tower hobbies and the host of other great internet stores, it isn't much of a concern. and trainers are still useful after you move on to other planes, can't ever have too many!

*R.I.P. avistar, recently departed, wings took on a dihedral angle of ~60 degrees while in flight...*

Does anyone know if another 'flat bottom' wing would fit on the Aviastar? If so...... :-)

Jerry

Rkramer,
The Avistar is a trainer in my book. NC's club has a silly rule that will not allow her to fly it just because it doesn't have a flat bottomed wing. It is still a trainer.

TailSkid,
As for putting a flat bottomed wing on an Avistar, I don't know for sure, but the Hobbico Superstar looks almost exactly the same except it has a flat bottomed wing, it might work on the Avistar. Tower has it for $75. Maybe this is the best way to go...

Good Luck

Allan

The best investment is RealFLight Simulator and the PT-40 with an FX-46. It will teach you all the basics without killing an perfectly good aircraft.

I flew my solo, took-off and landed on my first flight because of the confidence built-up in RealFlight, its about the same price as a trainer, radio and the necessary goodies. Then go out to the fields and simply ask lots of questions.

You will probably find a "graduate" that wants to sell a perfectly good trainer, learn on that and advance into low wing, better in the wind.


Just my 2 cents.....

It does sound like your NC club set the rules with more than the newbie's best interests in mind.

If it is a situation of instructor-student on buddie box, you don't even need a "trainer" plane to teach. As a matter of fact, starting with a flat bottom wing with gobs of dihedral is actually a hinderance to learning how an aircraft responds to the basic flight controls.

IMHO, as long as you have an instructor on buddie box, a light wing loading sport plane (e.g. Stik or 4*s) is a preferable teaching tool. Heck, my two Stik type airplanes both have lower wing loading and can fly slower than most of the so-called trainers. Unlike trainers, they don't climb and dip with throttle changes, and they don't fight you on the turns. If you learn to fly a trainer with all that "self-correcting" tendencies, you'll have to relearn how to fly most of the other planes that go where you point it.

I think you'll learn very well with a flat-bottom trainer, but you shouldn't be forced to start with one.

Paula,

The Tower Hobbies brand 46 and larger engines are made by the GMS factory in China. They tend to be among the most powerful 46's, and many people are very happy with them, especially at their attractive price. The only issue I am aware of (which may be resolved by now) was a problem with airleaks at the carb, preventing the engine from being shut down easily. I don't think it was all samples of them, but it did seem to be a fairly common complaint with the GMS 47 and Tower 46. You can do a search here in the engine forum to see if there is still a problem.

There may be less sinister reasons why the NC club wants people to start with flat bottom wing trainers. They are more docile typically, and they may have had problems at the club in the past with people trying to start with things a bit too advanced, causing damage to people or property, etc. so they drew the line someplace. I learned on a flat bottom winged trainer (Kadet LT40) and still have it, 20 planes later. It's a wonderful plane. However, you will advance more quickly with an Avistar. I suggestion that you ask the club president if it's okay to learn on an Avistar, specifically, if you are interested in that plane. Don't mention the wing. Surely the club president will be familiar with the Avistar.

Worst case, you can always buy another plane after you are accomplished with your flat bottom wing trainer, and sell it off, using the .46 in your next plane. Many people do just that!

Best of luck.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts & opinions.
I did talk with the club president & he said I could not train at "his" field with an Avistar. He then tried talking me into a Thunder Tiger Trainer & said he had it for such & such price. I kindly told him no thank you.
I may just got ahead with the Tower Hobbies Trainer & once I learn to fly get me the Avistar in ARF format & use the engine from the trainer. Maybe by that time I will have seen how they go together so I will feel more comfortable doing it myself.
Again, thanks so much for all your help.

Paula
PS>if you see a great deal on an Avistar or another good plane like it, let me know. *Ü*

Quote:

"He then tried talking me into a Thunder Tiger Trainer & said he had it for such & such price. "

What a racket. Sometimes I just can't stand it when people are motivated only in making a sale!! Some sales-people just don't know how to give it a break once in a while.

.Paula ,
I have the Super Star Select 40 and Tower hobbys bigger trainer.
Both fly like a truck and very easy to fly.
I have read on other post that the Avistar is just a bit of a faster trainer.
I don't see what the problem is because they can hook you up to the trainer box and at the flip of a switch take control of the Avistar.
Airstrike makes a TRAIER??? close to a 6 foot wing span and will do 60+ MPH.
Will they turn you down on that?
To me the Avistar is a trainer but just a bit faster.
If you have to go with the trainer then go with the trainer TH has that has the OS 46 L A engine.
I think the price is $289.00 and if you call them remind them that you get a $15.00 discount because your spending over $249.99.
That trainer is called the Tower Trainer 40 RTF.
Nice bird,bigger engine and will do 50 and landings are very easy and slow.
GL

Paula,
I don't like the sound of that club president/hobby shop owner.....if possible, find another club in the area....you might have to ask around a bit.....I found a club with nearly 200 members 15 minutes away from my other club field.....never even knew the club was there......I heard about it through word of mouth.
It sounds to me like the president has too much control....being the only hobby shop owner in town.....be prepared to have glaring looks when you show up with a plane that you didn't buy from him.......you certainly won't fit into the "clicks" in the group......having great people to fly with is a big part of this hobby, at least for me it is.
By the way, the Tower .46 engines are nice. RCAddiction mentioned the carb air leak....a friend of mine that has quite a few of these engines uses lock-tite on the carb screws, and it fixed the problem.

Mike

.I don't like the sound of that club president/hobby shop owner<<<---Yeah,He does sound like he's out to grab some $$$$$$.
By the way, the Tower .46 engines are nice. RCAddiction mentioned the carb air leak....a friend of mine that has quite a few of these engines uses lock-tite on the carb screws, and it fixed the problem.
Mike,
So far I heard nothing but GOOD about that engine.
It has what it needs to lift a big bird off the ground with very little effort

Guys, thanks for the heads-up on the Tower 46 air leak fix. There were a number of theories a while back. I know someone with that problem at my field and I will pass along the tip.

Several years ago I had an HP VT49 rotary valve 4 stroke engine. Many of the VT49's had a problem of not being able to lean out the idle, hence I couldn't get the idle below 3,000 rpm. After a LOT of playing around with the obvious sources of leaks, it turned out to be the drawbar clamps used to secure the carb and intake tube. They allowed an air leak between the drawbar and castings. Coated them with RTV silicone, reinstalled them, and the problem was gone. 2100 rpm idle and a very smooth (but heavy) engine.

Paula, I agree with the folks above on your options, and how you might be treated if you don't buy from the club president/hobby shop owner. Sounds like a racket and a clear conflict of interests. I'm not a fan of TT Trainers as the ones I've seen don't seem to hold up too well, although their newest version might be improved. Look for another club. Check with the AMA to see if there is another chartered club not far away. A lot of this hobby is about the social aspects, and if you ever feel uncomfortable at the field, it just won't be as much fun.

Good luck!

GL, thanks for letting me know. I called Tower Hobbies & while talking to them she told me about a radio case on sale for $14.99 so I ordered that as well. That put my order a little over $300 so she gave me a $25 discount! Then I got an aditional $5 because my hubby had joined there Super Saver Club earlier & used it during the first 30 days. She also checked to see if there were any other offers that would work for me & I got an AccuThrow for free too. Got it all for $274.98. Not a bad deal I don't think. *Ü*

Paula

Lee,
I agree, it does sound like a racket to me as well. Someone contacted by email who had read this thread & I found out there was another club in my area. The folks at this club sound great without a silly no Avistar rule. Before I found out about this club though, I went ahead & ordered the Tower Hobbies Trainer, hope I don't regret it. Got a good deal I think, I posted about it before this post. Anyway, I figured that after I learn to fly then I can sink my teeth into an ARF & get some building experience & get me a plane with the wing type of the Avistar & just transfer the motor etc.

Thanks to everyone for all your help.You are a great group & I appreciate your being here.

Paula

.>Hi Paula,
Well if you order a lot the saver thing is worth it but I turned it down.
If your talking about the small box to put the transmitter in ????
Really not needed but is a good price.
I just got off the phone and ordered the same trainer.
Can't beat the price.
I don't know where you live but try to locate a place near by where you can by fuel cheap.
I'm in NJ and this place has very good prices and is a 2 hour ride from me.http://www.s-whobby.com/fuel.html
I also contacted several local fliers so we got 20 cases coming and no haz mat fee.
From info right here that I have if you place an order of more then $100.00 for this month then your entitled to a free TS 53-U FUTABA servo.
Hey,
It never hurts to have a spare
But you need to call them and tell them you saw it in the catalog and mention ad # 04340
You did good and I think TH came out with the bigger trainer and engine to compete with the Airstrike.
I priced the RTF Airstrike and it's $400.00.
When you put the trainer together double check ALL the controls and measure the throws.
Also I found that my other trainer will roll better when the throws are set to give you more UP aileron in the direction your turning and less down for the same direction.
To do this you need one of the round wheel type arms for that servo.
I have mine set for 1/2 inch up and 3/8 inch down.
You can fly it as is and have tons of fun.
Go high and throttle back and do some rolls, fly on light updrafts and in the summer you may even catch some strong thermals.
Your also getting the system 3000 radio with that trainer.
Real nice setup.
Keep us posted
PS: WHAT IS this>>>>> *U* ???

I just spotted this post.
Paula,
you'll be happy with that trainer and it loops and rolls very well and with full throttle you can bank it 180* and do a nice 360 turn.
You just may need a touch of rudder to keep the nose up.
The Airstrike has a bigger and thicker (more drag) wing and the same size and make engine but they say it will do 60+MPH so you may have a nice zippy trainer to play with.

The *Ü* is a smilly face with cheek blush. LOL
Yeah I got the free servo, forgot to post that.
The case is for the transmitter. I figured for that price it couldn't hurt. Plus too, needed somewhere to keep when not out flying.
A guy that works with my hubby got 2 55 gallon drums of fuel from a place closing due to the death of the owner. So I am going to get fuel form him since he will sell it to us at his cost.
As far as the Super Saver Club, hubby decided to join it because they said if you don't save the cost of joining they will give you gift certicates for the price of the club. So hubby said we can't lose.
I will make sure to check the controls & measure the throws. Thanks.
Can't wait to get it & head out to the field. This is something I have wanted to do for many years but never took the leap. LOL

Paula