This particular trainer plane is what my girlfriend bought me about a year ago. She knew Idon't do nitro anymore and the LHS guy of course explained all the bells and whistles with the Anti-Crash Technology and free lipo blah blah blah.

Long story short my stock TX only has a range I'd say of about 150-200 ft MAX. So I have to follow the plane on land or turn it around several times. Also ACT gets confused all the time which side is up and which side is down via the 2 sensors.

Problem is with the crappy FMsystem range ACT will cut your throttle response before you are at a safe altitude! You have to remember to flip the toggle swith to turn off ACTto reactivate throttle and punch it before it stalls out and takes a nose dive.

So this happened:



Looking at the damage...I will need a new fuselage, cowel, and prop Ithink. Which will run me about $50 or so. All servos/radio system/stock brushed motor still work. Should Ijust scrap the plane and look for a better electric trainer? Or should I look into a better radio ANDrebuild the current plane?

I have a 4 channel FMHitec Laser 4 but not sure on radio range. As a beginner pilot which route would you all recommend?

Did you extend the transmitter antenna? , you should have a range of 150-200ft with the antenna collapsed and about ten times more with the antenna extended.

The Hitec transmitter should be fine, just make sure that you have a proper receiver too.

Sorry to hear about your experience with the supercub. I agree that the anti crash technology can be more of a problem than a benefit. Ijust disconnect mine internally from the receiver. I do not use the ACT at all. I can't speak to your radio as I fly 2.4. It really is a good trainer. I would give it another try.

Hi!
What's the fuzz? Just glue the front part on and fly!!! It's easily fixed!

Fly without the anti crash technology...it will be much easier to fly without it. I have had a couple of these planes and experienced no problems with range. When I first learned to fly, I had this plane so far away that I could barely see it, and I was able to maintain control and get the plane back to within a reasonable distance.

I don't fly this plane anymore because I became bored with it and now fly nitro, but, in my experience, this is a great trainer plane for teaching the basics of flying.

I am sorry to hear about your bad experience with this plane.

Bjfrankl

Yea, everyone agrees that the ACT needs to be left disconnected. As to the range problem, I would have returned it. I have flown several of these and they were all very good

like the other post said just glue it. i have this plane and broke the wing in two when i was learning. just glued it back together and have flown it like that since. as for the cowling i just duck taped it back together until i quit crashing it. also some packing tape on the wing edges and other vonerable spots does wonders. i was really frustrated at first with this plane also. but there are not to many other trainers out there that are easier to fly.

Glue it back together, leave the ACT OFF! Pull the antenna out of the TX before flying, and stop trying to fly with your middle finger stuck you know where................

A Hitec Laser 4 transmitter (unless it is broken) is capable of transmitting farther than visual range on big models.

According to the published specs http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...300#quickSpecs the 27mhz radio system shipped with the plane has 2500 foot range so yours may have a problem. Since it was bought a year ago, Horizon probaby will not replace the airplane parts but they might fix the radio (could be transmitter or receiver).

The bottom picture shows an ACT switch in the "ON" position. If you stick with the HZ radio you should keep it "OFF" at all times.

The receiver and ESC are a combined unit in the Super Cub. To switch over and use the Hitec transmitter you'll need a receiver, crystal, and ESC. You could easily spend $50 for these.

Put your zip code into the search box http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx and check out a club or two. Even if you do not join one you might meet someone who can assist you for a few flights to reduce the cost of learning.

I teach kids how to fly with this plane. I've got one that's been broken in three places and still flies. Its broke where yours is, also behind the cockpit, and right in front of the tail. Also has had the wing broken on both sides, it still flies great, doesn't look pretty with all the glue and tape, but flies great. Turn the Act off completely and range check your plane. That radio is supposed to have a range of 2500 feet, which is farther than you can see that plane and still fly it.

I have found also if you are flying with the ACT on when the sun is low like around sundown the motor will cut off at about 10 feet after takeoff. I agree with everyone else about just fliying with the ACT off but if you use it remember you have to have a good bit of elevation in order for the ACT to kick in and respond correctly.

It's not the plane's fault that it crashed. As stated above, your radio has a problem. If you ever were to get around Fort Worth I would help you, but otherwise joining a club and getting some instruction will save you money in the long run.

Try calling Horizon techSupport. If a real problem has crept into the model line, we should know about it. I have vigorously recommended this particular plane as it was recommended to me. Most of our new pilots learn on this plane as I did and love it.
If there is a problem HH may even replace it for free!
Give it a try and better luck in the future!

OK.
We all feel your fustration. This hobby CAN BE THAT WAY. But it also makes a good flying day better.
Trainers get beat up and trash bags are standard equipment. We all live with that. The old joke is pack a trashbag in the fuse so its at the crash site when you need it
All joking aside DO pick up every little bit of foam ( or balsa) as it is nice to have when rebuilding. Very few crashes are unrepairable.
A little bit of glue spread THINLY will put that back together NO SWEAT.
THE RADIO may be OK but I would do the range checks as said before. I also recomend loosing the ACT. Its like driving with hancuffs on in my opinion.

Years ago a buddy of mine mixed his Byron Christian Eagle (a 1/4 scale molded foam body) with a tainer in the air. He landed it but the foam under the skin was BAD. Around 100 pieces. He rebuilt it by restacking all the pieces back onto the firewall using lots of care to measure and keep straight. New skin and it flew for years.

I did have the TX antenna all the way up with the ACToff at first. But the range is very strange. Good idea on gluing everything back! Ithought I would have to buy replacements.

I'll just go ahead and unplug ACT maybe I accidentally left it on mid-air. Thanks for all the help.

BTW can I just use regular CA glue?

No don't use regular CA, use Foam compatible CA. IF you can locate a club in your area, maybe they can give you a hand. I'm not a big fan of single stick tx for learning, then you switch over to 4 channel radio, and its like starting all over, find yourself something with ailerons, and a friendly club

Was the second picture really necessary?

Yea a bone stock HZSC on 27 MHZ will fly under control farther than you can see. Sounds like you have faulty equipment and should check it out before your next attempt.

Rip the ACT (Always Crash Technology) out of the plane and take the TX apart and cut the wires on the switch just for good measure.

The HZSC was my first ever RC plane and I had ZERO success until I round filed the ACT. This plane will fly and land its self so I cant image why Horizon would mess around with the ACT except for higher prices.

Yes, loose the second pic its not needed.

I would use 5 minute epoxy to repair. USE IT THINNLY though. It will give you a bit more working time to get the pieces straight.

Thanks for all the input. I think the ACT may have been interfering with what I perceived was a range issue. Because the ACT was activated I couldn't punch it out of an incoming stall due to it cutting off throttle power.

I'll reglue everything back together and try another flight w/o ACT. The very first time I flown it with ACT off it flew behind a building a good 300 feet away and landed itself on the other side...luckily no damage! So that means the radio should be okay.

Since the plane is 9 months old, and I have no receipt since it was a gift does HZ still honor their warranty?

I couldn't find an expiration date on warranty for electronics...
 

I use gorilla glue from any hardware store etc on mine and have had great luck. You can find gorilla glue in white and can trim any that foams up. I have two of these - one with floats.

Well decided to rebuild it. Thanks for everyone's tips. I thought this plane was just a cheapo trainer plane that needed a better radio system.

Nothing fancy just foam safe CA glue and used duct tape to hold everything in place while it dried. I just need a new firewall support, new prop, and went ahead and got a new cowel.

The old one was missing a large chunk. No biggie all in all it was about a $20 fix.

Looks like flying is good conditions tomorrow! And yes I disabled all the ACT plugs!

Looks great, its hard to keep a foamie down for long

One thing I used to do to my HZSC cowls was to put clear packing tape on the inside of them. It helps hold them together and keep them from breaking.

Super Cub LP is a great little plane. Im sure after a few good fights you'll change the title of this thread to "HobbyZone Super Cub...I love it!"

Good luck.

Don't forget to check the center of gravity (CG) after the rebuild!