1QwkSport2.5r

Im looking at getting into airplanes after running cars for many years. I asked around awhile back for a good trainer kit to build, and the 2 mentions that came up most are the SIG LT-40 and the Bridi Krafty 60. I wouldn't mind a scratchbuild either, so if anyone has any kit suggestions or a book with plans, please share your opinion.

I'm not new to glow, I've ran all glow engines in my cars and I have several aero engines. For my first plane, I plan to use my Thunder Tiger Pro .46/Jettstream combo for power. I'd like something that will fly well with a .46 but fly better with a .61 later on.

noveldoc

My Feedback: (2)

LT 40 is a good way to go.  And it is a fairly easy first build.

Tom

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

LT40

jetmech05

I'll 3rd the LT-40

1QwkSport2.5r

The other guys in the Glow Engines forum had all good things to say of the LT-40 as well. I had been kicking the two around (Krafty 60 and LT-40) and had been leaning towards the Krafty only based on price. Seems as though the LT-40 is still the favored contender.

Whats your opinion on radios? I use a Spektrum 2.4GHz system in my cars and would probably want to do the same in my planes. I've had great luck with it. How many channels are really needed? Last few guys I talked to said 4-5 is probably enough with not ever really needing more than 6..

jp_boud

My Feedback: (2)

A lot of guys like to bash Spektrum, I haven't had any problems and have stuck with them. I bought the DX6i from a guy getting out of the hobby, and have been very happy with this radio. I am using all 6 channels on a few planes right now.

1. Throttle
2. Elevator
3. Rudder
4. Ailerons
5. Flaps
6. Landing Gear.

If you don't plan on doing more than that to any one plane, this radio will serve you well for some time to come. If you think you will want to do scale models with lots of trick details such as lights, movable canopy, speed brakes, ect, I would drop the cash and get the biggest baddest radio I could afford. For me, 6 is just right for the time being, and if i out grow it, I'll hand it down to my son who currently own a JR sport Quattro on fm. But that's what a 7 year old can afford.....ha ha

1QwkSport2.5r

I was actually looking at getting a 6ch, but figured I'd ask in here anyway. The winter will be build time, and spring will be pilot boot camp if my local flying field people will email me back. I'm not going to try going at it myself, though I think I could handle it. I'd rather be safe than sorry, mainly because I am more concerned with the welfare of my engines.. Isn't that sad? [8D]

noveldoc

My Feedback: (2)

6 channel should be fine. 

I use a futaba 6 ch 2.4 setup but i am sure there are plenty of fine others out there.

LT 40 will fly well on a 40 or 46 2 cycle.  I would also consider a 52 to 60ish 4 cycle.  Maybe a 60 2cyc would be a bit too much?

tom

1QwkSport2.5r

I have zero interest in any 4-strokes except one and thats an Enya VT240. 4-strokes sound neat, but I'm just not that into them to want to buy one.

If the TT .46 hauls it around well, I might leave it as-is. I'm not dead set on stuffing a .60 into it, but as I get better flying it I might want more power. Who knows. I'm just gathering advice, experience, and information right now.

red head

You should be more then happy with a 6 channel , a 46 engine and the LT-40 will be a great trainer. With this set up you will be able to learn at a good pace and then have a plane that you can spend a lot of time just having fun with. ( touch and go's , smooth flying, slow and moderate speed and some aerobatics ) I've been flying for years and I still really enjoy a good trainer that I can just go out and relax with and the LT -40 and the set up you mentioned will do just that. ENJOY !!! RED

Phoenixangel

I will +1 the LT-40 it is a great airplane.

As for radios, 6 channels has served me well for years. I do not fly helis or warbirds so I never needed more. ALL of the main brands are good. Spektrum,JR,Futaba,Hitec,and Airtronics all of them are really good, so go with what you like. Hit the Hobby shops and hold them in your hands. One will feel good in your hands.

I don't know if a lot of people will say it but the tower trainer 40 is actually a really good plane. If your into saving money. Is it as good as the LT ? Probably not, but it really is a good plane. There are a few at my field and they are good flying and take a beating well.

Just thinking out loud

1QwkSport2.5r

I want to stick with a kit and not an ARF. Main reason being I read hear and there about the assembly regimen isnt the greatest in ARF's, namely hot glue coming loose. Not to mention theres a far better sense of pride in something built from pieces than taking a model out of the box, slapping an engine on and mounting the wings and go fly. If more RC Cars came in kit form, I would have bought those instead of RTR's. You'd be amazed how many loose/stripped screws you would find in a RTR car or truck.

So an LT-40 with my TT .46, and a DX6i should suit my needs to start with and then some. I like having an "easy" button once in awhile, and since I've been so leary of flight for fear of crashing, I'm feeling more comfortable with my decision to go this route.

And here I thought Airboats would be the end of my rc adventures... (Thankfully, my wife loves me no matter what.... )

Phoenixangel

The LT is a great plane,and I love kits too. I applaud you on choosing to build one. It is a great way to go.

I have built the tiger 2, and an original Sig Kadet. I had to have covering help with the tiger, but understood it well enough for the second. The old Kadet belonged to my father in law, he had started it and never finished. I was given it and finished it out.

I am currently building an ultra sport. I have to admit it has been on the table for a couple of years due to my heart attack. I never bought anything for it, engine,electronics,covering, it is a skeleton. I have to finish paying doctor bills before I get to finish it.

My original Kadet

noveldoc

My Feedback: (2)

1QwkSport2.5r

I spoke with an older gentleman at my local heli/airplane shop when I picked up my Enya 30SS and he had mentioned a Seniorita to put the little enya in. Not knowing squat about planes, I more or less nodded on and went about my business. I did take note though. I think someone mentioned a Sig Kobra for a decent go-fast plane for the Enya too.

I ran the Enya on my test stand, and they werent kidding when they said (they being the Enya fanatics) it had a pretty sharp bark to it. Holy cow were they not kidding! [:-]

I think its settled for the 1st plane. I'll build an LT-40. Anyone want to venture a guess at a realistic timeframe from start to finish? I'm no novice to building stuff, and I can read a rule so I'll take a small time discount. haha.

noveldoc

My Feedback: (2)

No idea how fast you build but it is a fairly simple kit with slab sided fuse.  And Sig does very detailed construction manuals with photos.

Tom

SeaJay

My Feedback: (6)

HI, if you are wanting a pretty nice building and flying airplane, Please consider the Sig Kadet MKII..  I built that as my first ever Plane (Before ARF/ARC, etc.) it was a fun build, great for a first build, and I learned alot about kit building..  I built that plane when I was 17, I am now 4mrfff years old..  I still have that plane, and would still be flying it, had I not done some silly flying with it, and munch up the front end pretty good...  I could probably get it flying again in a few evenings, if i weren't so lazy now that arf, and other people selling planes cheaply is here!! 

Craig.

BTW, I was able to do alot of aerobatics with that plane, including Knife edges, and outside loops (Very large outside loops)..  Man I miss that plane... Hmm, maybe I will start fixing that thing back up............... Hmmm, maybe next week!!!! 

acdii

Just a thought, but before you put your built plane in the air, pickup a BNF or RTF cheap electric to learn with, that way it will be easier to repair when you crash, and not so heartbreaking being one you built.  I did just that by getting an ultra micro T-28. and it is a blast to fly, just very small, so a parkflyer is a good choice too.   One of my planes I am learning with is an Apprentice 15E, and I had a good 10 lights until I crashed it, into a barn, DOH. I also have an Eflite T-34, which I was going to use as my first plane, until I got it put together and found it was too pretty a plane to beat up, so I got the Apprentice instead.  If I had flown the 34  into the barn it would be a scrap pile, the Apprentice though was easily repaired, although I need to replace the wing after all, it is too weak and flexes now.  

Now that I have somewhat OK flying skills and planes that can take a beating, I am going to build a P-51 Top Flight kit.  I am only suggesting this because flying is fun, but a Botch to learn, and can quickly discourage one from continuing when the plane hits the dirt the wrong way, and it will happen.  With a DX6i, you can fly just about any BNF plane out there from the Ultra Micros to the .60 size planes.  

This is the route I took, mainly because it was a quick way to get in the air, but also because all I need is a plane radio and a couple batteries with me to fly.  Now that I can take off and land, and recover when the plane goes wacky, I can move forward with building one with some power and noise.  Electric is nice and convenient, but nothing beats the sound of a fueled motor spinning a prop.

fred985

how about the balsa usa student trainer kit ?,,,,i have 2 and they are great flyers and very e-z to build. one has glow and the other has been based into a twin electric. i moved the wing forward for balance. and i have been building for over 60 years and still love flying cubs and very old style birds. maybe thats why i got a 450 stearman when i wanted to learn how to fly the real thing ???

OliverJacob

My Feedback: (12)

There are many great starter planes. The LT40 is a good choice.
What radio to buy depends on what you will do in the future. Many people never use more then 4 channels, which is enough to get started.
If you fly more sophisticated planes, you will need more channels, as there are retracts, smoke systems, flaps, elevons, and so on.
I got back into planes a few months ago, starting with a Hobbico Superstar. Great starter model and after a few weeks I got a SIG 4 star then a 40 size Extra, a .46 Giles, a .75 Extra and just recently a 27% Extra 300. I have a Futaba FG8 and after I figured most of it out, I am very happy with this radio.
Also most of my engines are either gasoline or 4 cycles. In your first plane you'll be fine with a 2 stroke, but when you get a nice scale plane, the 4 cycle just has the better sound and they are a lot better on gas. Magnum engines are great and inexpensive.
Get a decent radio, you will need it once you get hooked to the hobby and want more planes...

balsa brain

I will fourth or fifth or whatever it is for the LT-40. For a kit, it comes as close as you can get in the instant gratification department which to me is what ARF's are all about. It just snaps together and them you glue it up. I guess it could be built crooked but I don't see how if the joints are tight. Its a very good flier but if built light will float a lot when it comes to landing time. I flew the one I had years ago with an Enya 45CX which was more than enough engine. Whatever you decide to build, enjoy! Flying RC is a great hobby and you will meet some of the best folks at the flying field.

frets24

My Feedback: (15)

You should probably base your radio choice now on what you want to do in the future. If you are into 3D or pattern or just sport planes and don't think you'll ever be into scale and or warbirds then 6 ch is plenty; if on the otherhand your intrests tend toward scale and/or warbirds then 7ch is a minimum. You would be surprised later on down the line how fast you can eat up 7 ch's. For example a fixed gear Cessna 182: typical 4ch's for thtl, elev,ail, and rudder. then one each for the flaps, position lights and landing lights...I'm running a DX7 so on my warbirds I'm 1 ch short for gear with that setup so I end up having the landing light coupled to the flap. I'm SOL if I really wanted to do drop tanks or bombs.

The DX7 or better or any of the Futaba's are fine radios. Like you I use Specktrum and have never had a radio related failure since they 1st came out. You can always use less ch's than you have but, if you need more it's a new radio.

Enjoy the flying side of the hobby...welcome aboard!!

Hydro Junkie

Let me throw in another variable. Some people set up their planes using two channels to control the ailerons for mixing purposes. That means it will take 6 channels to run the basic four and retracts. Let me take this one step further. Lets say you bought a Beech Bonanza with the "V" tail set up. Now you need to use two servos for the stabilators and none for a rudder. Add a second aileron channel, retracts and flaps, now you're really getting into a complex set up, even though you would think you only need 6 channels, you would really need 7. This kind of stuff is what can really affect what you will need on a radio. BTW, my Futaba 9CAP has both of these mixing options

mike109

G'day

The LT-40 is a good choice.

I have built the following Kadets from Sig's range and these are my impressions of them.

Kadet Senior. Large, slow, very easy to fly especially for "more mature" beginners. My favourite of all Sig's trainers. I have built at least six over the last 10 years. I usually build them as per the plan without modifications or ailerons. My oldest one is now about six years old and had a Saito 56 for most of that time. Recently I needed a 56 for another small model so it now has a 62 Saito.

Advantages - very slow and very stable. Great fun to just putter around. Take really well to four strokes (most of mine have had four strokes) but a 46 size two stroke is fine. Will self recover if you loose the plot. Just let go the sticks and the plane will return to straight and level flight. Surprisingly tough especially when covered in Solatex iron on cloth.
Disadvantages - Large and don't fit in all vehicles. The open structure does take a while to build but I have had two total beginners build them quite well. Being large, they need a lot of covering material. Need to be taken off directly into the wind as you have no roll control. Despite this, will land cross wing but do tend to get tipped over if you don't turn into the wind.

LT-25. Flies very well and is not all that different to the Senior to fly but being a little smaller, gets blown around more. Very quick to build and quite tough. Mine was used to teach a slow learner to land. Despite many rough landings it is still more or less in one piece and can still fly. Only needs a 25 two stroke though we did fly it with a 46 at one stage (no nitro). It only needed half throttle to take off. Work well with a 30 four stroke too.

Advantages. Smaller than the big Kadets but still not a small plane and as large as most 40 - 46 trainers. Easy to build and repair. Tough. Stable but not as stable as a Kadet. Better in cross winds. Very economical on fuel.
Disadvantages - Gets thrown around a bit more and the smaller wheels bounce around on our rough field.

LT-40. Mine was an ARF but the kit is very similar. Nice mid size and easy to fly. I am currently teaching a newcomer to fly with it and he loves it. We have an old Enya 40SS in it and that is plenty. I had a Saito 56 at one stage which was more than enough.

Advantages. Easy to build, nice size. Just an all round good model. More flexible than the Senior but less stable.
Disadvantages. Can't get the ARF at the moment but the kit is good.

Kadet Mk II.

This was my most recent build and I built it to find out what they were like. It is built like a tank. The structure is more complex than the more recent designs and the kit is less polished but it still builds well and flies well. I tried to make mine a tail dragger with a free wheeling tail. It was a disaster and very difficult to get off the ground. It has been re-configured as a trike and is a nice plane to fly. It has a higher wing loading than all the others and as a result it is faster in the air. Mine is powered by an OS Surpass 52 which is fine.

Advantages. Compact design. Strong structure. I cartwheeled mine with no damaged at all.
Disadvantages. A bit small for my liking and a bit fast.

Seniorita. It is just a scaled down Senior and flies the same. I have flown the one I had with a 15 diesel.

Advantages and disadvantages similar to the Senior but with the advantage of smaller size for transport.

So there you have it. My Kadet Story.

Cheers

Mike in Oz

Photo is one of my Kadet Seniors with its Laser 70 four stroke.

dasquirrelisme

My Feedback: (81)

If you have all winter to build I would build the Kadet Senior. Your 46 engine will power it just fine. They fly smooth and are easier to see when you are flying higher learning to fly. The only drawback is hauling them to the field if you dont have a truck or van. If you do build the Kadet take some of the diheral out and add ailerons.