Although not a complete one to the world of RC. Been in cars for 10 years and helicopters for the last 2.

Anyhow I've narrowed the list down to the final 3 airplanes and need your help to make me decide which one to go for. These are all in stock at my LHS and have plenty of spare parts:
First is the usual Hobby Zone super mini cub http://www.storacingproducts.com/hob...super-cub.html
Then the hobby zone super club (but with 2.4 DSM) http://www.storacingproducts.com/hob...-electric.html
Finally the ArtTech Cessna Super Size RTF http://www.storacingproducts.com/art...-size-rtf.html

My personal feeling is that the first plane I've chosen is very good going by the reviews however I feel that it's too light to be able to fly more than I want in the UK weather so I'm most likely to go for the 2nd one, the super cub. And if it's anything like helicopters then bigger and heavier = more stable and easier to fly?

Finally I've chosen the last one simply because I've seen it and it's beautiful. I've never heard of ArtTech before so it might be difficult to fly. If I buy it I would probably be to scared and just hang it up in my garage to admire. It's got 6 channels and my brain struggles with anything more than 4. However it seems to be a plane that can grow with me in the future and it has a brushless engine.
Ideally I should buy the super mini cub first and then one of the other 2 but I don't have money or space to do that

What do you guys think?

Welcome to RCU!

Go with the Super Cub and save the Cessna for your second plane. This way you can learn on the easier plane, bash it up a little and then once you have learned to fly you'll be able to keep the pretty one looking pretty.

The super cub us good but fly with one of the free sims first like FMS or RC desk pilot.

JM

My girlfriend just said she would chip in so I went and did what any sensible person would do. Bought 2.

Got the Mini Super Cub and I'm going to get the Cessna as soon as the LHS has them in stock again. I read this review and was sold on it http://www.digitalreviews.net/review...-reviewed.html

Good thing is that it comes with a simulator, I've also got FMS so I'm practising on that too.

Do I want to use mode 1 or 2?

Mode 2

Cheers, just had a look at your website. It's great, very useful.

Thanks, glad you found it helpful

While mode two is predominate in the US the UK may be an entirely different matter. I beleve mode 1 is more common in parts of the UK. It would be wise to check with your national modeling organization and or your local club just what the preferred mode is in your area.

Even if you ignore the physical arguments of whatever mode you choose there will be a consideration if you ever decide to buy or sell used equipment locally.

John

I can't get the main landing gear onto the cub. It's just meant to slide in, which I do then it falls out. If I apply any more pressure I'm afraid to break it. Going to try to search YouTube for a video of how to do it.

I believe they slide in and then a plastic insert is added to hold them in place

I just ended up using brute force. Maybe mines a bit off. Has no plastic insert either and it seemed like it could come off so I've put a dab of CA on it to secure it. Broken in the motor (that prop is scary!), aligned everything so that it should hopefully fly nicely. Just have to wait for the weekend now.

UPS man just dropped off the big Cessna so I will have a bit of fun building that and as it has a steerable nose gear I can practise taxi-ing around the house unlike with the cub.

Well the maiden flight is complete. The cub flies nicely and has enough power to get itself out of trouble and to fight the wind.

I must stop blipping all the controls! Only other annoyance is that the cub is just too fast for me at this stage, as soon as I bring it back round my brain takes a while to figure out the reversed controls, I have to find a way to make my brain react quicker.

I've only just realised why I kept losing control after hard turns, it's that rubbish ACT!

When you turn the airplane around and it starts to come toward you with one wing low. First don,t start blipping eveything like a vidio game just relax and move the stick under the wing that is low!

You don,t even need to think about left or right simply move that little stick under the low wing as if you trying to prop it up. And it does not matter if you using ailerons or a rudder for control or which mode you may be using.

John

Cheers John, that is incredibly useful advice. You've just simplified it so much that I can get my simple head around it now

What's with the Alfa Romio?

You're favorite car?

I used to have another avatar but someone picked the same so I changed to the current one. I drive an Alfa so that's why. I should change it to something more RC related.

Disconnect the ACT. Nobody likes it

Yep, John knows!

Just remember......Low Wing Gets The Stick!

Well just an update here, the Cessna is now assembled and it's making me very motivated to learn how to fly.

Only little niggle with it is that one wing is 5mm higher than the other, I'm hoping cutting a bit out of the support strut will fix the problem.

I don't have time to fly midweek so the little helicopter keeps me amused.

Hi!
I assume you are member of a club so you can get help with flying!

No I'm not a member of a club but I have a few friends who have glow airplanes, but they can still teach me all the necessary stuff.

If I do get something glow powered or a plane which cannot be hand launched then I will join a club simply because I will need a nice smooth runway rather than thick grass.