I am really on the fence about which to chose for my first plane. From what I have read they are both good choices each with it's own pluses and minuses. The two planes are the Hobby Zone Super Cub and the Park Zone Radian. Both are available as a BNF kit and a RTF kit.

So, from a real world perspecitve, which is the better choice? Also, would RTF be better than BNF and picking up a 6 channel radio?

Hi!
Those planes are more or less "toy planes"!
What do you want? Learing to fly ? Becoming a full fledged R/C pilot or just ocassionaly fly?

Best way of learing is joyning a club (becomming an AMA member)and see what the club members fly. I believ most members of clubs fly larger planes (Glow powered..and electric) as those are easier to fly than the small ones you mentioned.
Of those you talked about the "Radian" is more simple to learn on, provided you get help from knowlegable club members that is. Learing on your own is always going to end in a crasch!

Those two planes are not toys. They won't perform like a nitro trainer, but to get used to working the sticks and handling the wind either will get you started. If you want to take off and fly under power, the super cub will work. If you like the glider type flying, the radiant is the obvious choice. Jaka has repeated the most commonly given piece of advice here, which is to get help regardless of what you choose.

Long term goal is to learn to fly, practicing on RealFlight 5.5, and at some point try to find a club and or mentor. Then progress through the ranks up to acrobatics. At this point though a club is not really an option due to work and family life. So, I will have to go it alone for the time being and due to available areas to fly, stay with electrics.

Just visiting a local club could still be a good suggestion. You can learn a lot just watching and talking with the guys, and the neat thing there is it doesn't have to cost and you don't have to commit any of your time. Just a nice friendly visit. ENJOY !!! RED

G'day

I taught a friend to fly using both of those planes. We did it by email and glue. He is about 1000 miles from me. It is not impossible but it is not the best way to go. He did crash the models many times. Much glue was needed and many emails.

I have also taught some others to fly at my club and it is easier and there are far less crashes involved because we use the buddy box system of two linked radios.

And now the real answer. Of the two, I would start with the Radian. It is a glider and it is basically stable in the roll axis. This takes a load off you and makes the plane less likely to crash.

If I remember rightly, the Super Cub had some sort of "crash avoidance system" which my friend found more of a hindrance than a help and which he eventually disconnected.

As for radios, the DX6 is has a 10 model memory. It think the DX5 can only handle one model. This would need you to have a separate DX5 for each plane as you need to change trims and settings for each plane. I would go for the DX6 or a better Spektrum system for these models.

I am happy to email you like I did with my friend if you wish.

Cheers

Mike in Oz

I also like the Radian for a first plane. I taught myself to fly with a 2m glider off of slopes. The motor will allow you to fly without the need for slopes or high starts, but still allow long flight times. Gliders are great to learn with. They are more forgiving and if you learn to thermal will give you great insight into how to fly smoothly and manage energy, both of which are invaluble in aerobatic flying.

I also have been looking at both these planes. Like broken spoke, I have no experience and unfortunately, I have no club nearby for me to run to for training. I am a OTR driver and so I am gone 2 months at a time. A limited amount of room on the truck also hinders me. So, I am seeking wht would be best.

Get a 6 channel radio and the Hobby Zone Super Cub LP BNF. Pick up an extra battery or two. Done.

Brokenspoke- In 5 years of being in the hob I have seen the statement "I can afford a plane but I can't afford a club too" many times. I've learned to think of the hobby as an activity, not an item that I enjoy. When you figure free training and a network of guys you can learn from, along with a purpose built runway and a protected area to fly in, the club becomes a money saving investment once you move into more serious airplanes. I figure my $160 a year investment in club and AMA dues pays for itself if it saves me at least 10 hours of repair time or the total loss of a single balsa airframe. You mentioned aerobatics as part of your plans. You might be surprised how easy real glow powered airframes can be to come by when you're a new guy in the club. A glow powered trainer or sport model with a gentle set up will prepare you much better for more serious aerobatic planes than a super cub or radian will.

You misunderstood me. It is not a question of the cost it is a question of time. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, the only flying time I may have will be before work, about 6:00AM, an occasional evening after my son gets to bed, and "maybe" a weekend morning provided I'm not running him to a cub scout function or taking him to the motocross track.

The closest powered field is about a 45 minute drive but with an electric I can head to the soccer fields. If I had a lot more free time then I'd be looking into a club and get first hand help. I'm sure that it would be a faster, and less expensive, learning curve.

Hi!
You cannot fly either of those two planes at a soccer field! But you can if you get help from fellows in a club and prepare to learn.
First of all,l do not think R/C fying is easy ,something you just " buy and fly"! It ain't so! Many of us answer in this forum has been active for many decades and regard R/C flying as a way of life, not something casual you just "buy thing"!

You will crasch in an instant as soon you throw one of those planes away so I urge you to get help from a knowledgable flier the first time you try to fly.
Here is what I like best in this hobby...building scale and racing pylonracing.

You can easily fly the Super Cub at a soccer field if you have some experience. But as a beginner, I wouldn't recommend it.

It is acutally soccer fields. Where I am planning to go has 6 soccer fields in a 2x3 layout or 200 yards x 300 yards

If you have that much space with no fences or structures in it, then you'll have enough space. Start by learning to taxi, then make little powered hops. Focus on developing a feel for the minimum flying speed and stall characteristics, and take the time to get it flying straight with your hands off the controller. When you feel in control of those, do a circuit or two and do q landing just like the hops.

Also, if there is any way you can get someone to do the first flight to trim it for you you'll be able to start with a known good configuration.

Go with a BNF and buy a real radio. DX6 or DX7 for a long term radio. Jester s1 has the right idea- taxi first and learn some ground control. Stand right behind the model for the first takeoff (first person view) and lift the model off the ground a few feet and land in that same straight line (do this multiple times before you gain significant altitude and attempt a turn). You can do this, however, it may take more than one plane. Buy some foam safe CA glue, scotch tape, and an extra prop. An instructor really helps, but, with a good amount of sim time, patience, some decent budget, good hand eye coordination, this can be done. If you go electric set the throttle trim up, but, not enough to spin the prop. That way you dont shock the model from zero throttle back to throttle (really makes it easier to fly). Good luck!

Two more things- buy a neck strap for your radio.
Think safety as well - even small plane props are dangerous.

Hey Brokenspoke, I'm from down the road from you Colo. Sprgs. Go check out the Crosswinds club in Parker. They are
a great bunch of guys that will get you going in the right direction.

Thanks! I had no idea there was a club in Parker. All I knew about were the ones at Cherry Creek reservoir and at Chatfield reservoir.

Not sure on the planes listed, as IMHO the only "Real" way to "Learn" is to get a "Basic Trainer".....which they make in 25 sized as well as 40 sized......Glow and Electric.

But one thing everyone seems to forget is a real "Course" or "Curriculum".....don't just bang the sticks, get a plan to learn, such as following this book....one week to solo (one good example)

http://www.rcflightschool.com/Manuals_Page.asp

(Be the best $25 you ever spend if your serious about learning to fly)[:-]

When used with a good sim….you practice the maneuvers on the sim, then go to the field and practice

Of course a buddy box and instructor would also be a huge help……now that I have started teaching, I see students that are not making correct turns, for example....and think they have been flying correctly on the sim.

And going it alone is tough, since you are required to land and take off your first flight...much less trim a new plane.....

Seems like a better plan would be to drive to the nearest club, even if its 100 miles, to get training until you solo.....

If you must go it alone, make sure and wait for a day with very low wind as well for your first flight on a new plane....especially smaller electrics that can't take the wind like a 10lb plane can.

Just my 2 Cents.....Good Luck!

Plenty of guys start with these Super Cubs, but then the jump to nitro sport planes is bigger. The only big negative I've seen is that the flyer can get used to basically crashing to land, and will learn to overcontrol nitro models.

Yeah a KEY point for the do-it-yourselfer...

I've seen quite a run of people arriving to an airfield or park with planes that are SOOO misadjusted that it is tragic.

They don't know what they are doing so they assume that they can merely follow the instructions and everything is ready for a first flight.

The planes last mere seconds or end up stuck in a tree.

I asked my instructor to maiden my first four planes.. of course the very first.. [X(] but the next three he did for me until I realize what had to be done, then just did it. It takes some time to gain the confidence to do it yourself, but once that confidence is gained, well, enough said, I guess.

CGr.