Dam that Rosemont Hobby show!!

Looking for a first plane...ever. For me, and something I can teach my 10y.o. to use after I get the basics down.

I know all about nitro v. electric, as I've been in RC Cars/trucks for a while. I like nitro there, but for my plane, I want electric (lotsa reasons, I have a park near my house & want to be able to fly quickly/easily..not bring a ton of stuff, etc.)

I'm thinking the 40-50" wingspan range, I don't have a radio (for flight, and I want 2.4ghz), I'd like to teach myself vs. hiking to a club (I know it's better to learn from others...but again, I want to be able to fly w/my kid after school without schlepping 45 min away). I'd like a somewhat well-known brand, as I want to be able to get parts easily/cheaply (tower, LHSs, etc).

So far, I have it down to three options:

Hobbico NexStar Mini EP: http://www.hobbiconexstar.com/nexstar-mini/index.html $269, appears to be more of a 'real' plane w/balsa construction...but is that 'good', or does foam make more sense for a first plane(in general and/or in this class of plane)? I also like the trainer software that comes with it

Flyzone Switch: http://www.flyzoneplanes.com/airplan...530/index.html $300, I really like the idea of switching to mid-wing after I learn, but do you pay too much $ for that flexibility?

Flyzone SkyflyMax: http://www.flyzoneplanes.com/airplan...511/index.html $200 Full-featured Park flyer, hand launchable, cheaper than the others & the pusher prop won't break in a nose-over. But is it a good 'real' trainer...does it prepare you for the next step as well as the more traditional ones I named?

Thoughts? Other/better options??

Thanks for your insight!

As a trained pilot Ilean towards the Nexstar but from a practical standpoint the Skyfly would probably get my vote.

40-50' wingspan is WAY too big for park flying. And far too dangerous.

Dunno what you consider to be a 'park' but I've got like 400 x 500 yards w/out a tree (3 baseball fields + lots more)...and it's kinda 'private' (for our subdivision...I've never seen more than 10 people there on non gamedays). When I think about it, that's pretty odd/special, so I guess I should have mentioned it. And I haven't seen a decent 3ch park flier in the 10 years I've been looking at 'em that's had a smaller wingspan than 40".

And re. 'dangerous'...learning how to be safe with an 11 lb T-Maxx going 40mph in only 2 dimensions seems like it might alert you to how to be careful w/a 2 lb. foam plane that rarely occupies the 6' that hugs the earth.

I'm kinda with you on the quandary, Jeffie. Growing up, my dad & I used to make our own balsa control-line planes & ALMOST dove into RC (in the late 70s!!). So I have a nostalgic appreciation for balsa & monokote...and seeing that replacement wings and/or fuses are only $40-60, it's not like I'd freak out as much as if I'd built it up by hand with ribs & jigs for 50 hours! The Nexstar seems like a better 'value'...I'm guessing it costs like $15 for the materials/labor of the Skyfly itself (plane), vs. a lot more for the Nexstar. But it's cheaper to repair, probby less likely to break...

aargh!!!

I learned on a Horizon Hobby Super Cub. Great trainer, easy to fly, cheap, easy to repair, parts available at your local hobby shop!
Check it out! http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HBZ7300

I reviewed that Switch for RCU magazine and it is a winner!

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...rticle_id=1288

I tried to teach myself to fly with a GWS Slow Stick, it was a good plane but until Ibought a flight simulator and practiced on the computer a few hours Ididnt really get the hang of it. Now Ifly it all the time , in much less space than you have.

I second the nomination. Serious, though. I've heard some great things about the Super Cub. And very easy to repair with just a glue gun.

Balsa flies better. Foam crashes better. If you're not going to pursue instruction, you will crash alot. Probably enough to eventually destroy even a Super Cub. You might consider getting into a club and learning through their instructors on the balsa trainer you posted about above, then moving it to the park when you're ready. The time and money spent on that will make up for what you'll lose trying to do it youself.

X2 on the Super Cub!!! If your going to teach your self, this is the way to go. Lots of fun and so easy, a monkey can fly it. Very easy to find parts for to. Buy a couple of extra batterys.

Thanks, all.

My only problem w/the Super Cub is that it comes with an AM radio and a brushed motor (I guess that's TWO problems ). So, yeah, it's a nice price, but brushless and 2.4ghz are both pretty big features for me.

But I found another plane @ Horizon; the E-Flite Apprentice 15e http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=EFL2725 Brushless, 5channel Spektrum radio..seems great. But there's that pesky $300 price (again), the 3200 mah batteries are pretty $$ compared to the others (mygod the Super Tigre ones for the Switch are 15 freakin' dollars!! http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXXGN1&P=SM )...the it doesn't have the auto-leveling feature (supercub & NexStar both have it, but I think you can add it on pretty easily to most planes).

AARGH...this decision is getting harder, not easier!!

I say super cub because you can drive it straight into the ground and have it back up and flying in 5 min. Try that with your apprentice :-)

UPDATED POST>>

I just went and looked more into the apprentice 15, looks OK to me. BUT I still think you should start with a 3 ch plane that you can crash over and over before moving up to a 4 ch plane. The Dx5 is very limited, and if you stay in the hobby, you will upgrade very quickly. The DX5 would make a great buddy box the teach your son after you up grade to a DX7 or DX8.

Hobbyzone sells the super cub as a BNF. Get a Spectrum DX6i and you're all set. It even has that ACT thing that recovers the plane for you if you get into an attitude that you don't know how to get out of. I'd still suggest spending some time at a club to learn with much less stress and probably less expense, but if you insist on going it alone then the BNF super cub is viable.