Best biginner RC Plane
07-08-2017, 08:50 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Best biginner RC Plane
Hey, guys now that i have started the this hobby my friend has become interested in learning to fly an rc airplane. He has found couple trainers that he likes but recently asked me which one would be best. Since, I just started the hobby couple months ago i figured I would turn to you guys for some more advise!
The planes that he is really interested in are:
Dynam Hawk Sky
Mini Apprentice s
Freewing Pandora
HobbyZone champ s+
HobbyZone sport cub s
FMS Easy Trainer
I know these are a lot of planes to look at, but he would really like to know which ones are worth looking at and which ones are worth the extra money over the others. He is also curious how much space is required to fly the larger aircraft in this list. Lastly, keep in mind that his end goal is to be able to fly a war bird as cost effectively as possible and is curious which plane will best prepare him at the lowest cost!! Thanks for your help!
The planes that he is really interested in are:
Dynam Hawk Sky
Mini Apprentice s
Freewing Pandora
HobbyZone champ s+
HobbyZone sport cub s
FMS Easy Trainer
I know these are a lot of planes to look at, but he would really like to know which ones are worth looking at and which ones are worth the extra money over the others. He is also curious how much space is required to fly the larger aircraft in this list. Lastly, keep in mind that his end goal is to be able to fly a war bird as cost effectively as possible and is curious which plane will best prepare him at the lowest cost!! Thanks for your help!
07-08-2017, 10:15 PM
#2
Of the ones listed, the only one I'd even look at is the Apprentice. At 48", it's big enough to see but it may be too lite to fly in any sort of windy conditions. As far as room, plan on a football field and getting an instructor
One thing your friend needs to know is that a trainer, be it foamy like the Appretice, ARC, ARF or kit, is only the first step of several to work up to warbirds. He needs to plan on going through several different aircraft before trying to fly the warbirds. A tricycle trainer is only going to teach the basics. He will need to learn to fly a taildragger and then planes that have higher speeds and wing-loading BEFORE he tries anything other than one of the inexpensive foamy warbirds
One thing your friend needs to know is that a trainer, be it foamy like the Appretice, ARC, ARF or kit, is only the first step of several to work up to warbirds. He needs to plan on going through several different aircraft before trying to fly the warbirds. A tricycle trainer is only going to teach the basics. He will need to learn to fly a taildragger and then planes that have higher speeds and wing-loading BEFORE he tries anything other than one of the inexpensive foamy warbirds
07-08-2017, 10:18 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Of the ones listed, the only one I'd even look at is the Apprentice. At 48", it's big enough to see but it may be too lite to fly in any sort of windy conditions. As far as room, plan on a football field and getting an instructor
One thing your friend needs to know is that a trainer, be it foamy like the Appretice, ARC, ARF or kit, is only the first step of several to work up to warbirds. He needs to plan on going through several different aircraft before trying to fly the warbirds. A tricycle trainer is only going to teach the basics. He will need to learn to fly a taildragger and then planes that have higher speeds and wing-loading BEFORE he tries anything other than one of the inexpensive foamy warbirds
One thing your friend needs to know is that a trainer, be it foamy like the Appretice, ARC, ARF or kit, is only the first step of several to work up to warbirds. He needs to plan on going through several different aircraft before trying to fly the warbirds. A tricycle trainer is only going to teach the basics. He will need to learn to fly a taildragger and then planes that have higher speeds and wing-loading BEFORE he tries anything other than one of the inexpensive foamy warbirds
07-09-2017, 03:16 AM
#4
It really depends what type of area he has to fly in/at.
If he only has a park or small field then the Champ S+ would be best as it can fly in smaller areas.
If he has access to a larger area such as a soccer/football or very large field then choose the Mini-Apprentice.
Both planes are very good but the larger the plane is the more wind it can handle, the easier it is to see, but it needs more space to takeoff ,fly around, and land.
Good Luck.
If he only has a park or small field then the Champ S+ would be best as it can fly in smaller areas.
If he has access to a larger area such as a soccer/football or very large field then choose the Mini-Apprentice.
Both planes are very good but the larger the plane is the more wind it can handle, the easier it is to see, but it needs more space to takeoff ,fly around, and land.
Good Luck.
07-09-2017, 07:17 AM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It really depends what type of area he has to fly in/at.
If he only has a park or small field then the Champ S+ would be best as it can fly in smaller areas.
If he has access to a larger area such as a soccer/football or very large field then choose the Mini-Apprentice.
Both planes are very good but the larger the plane is the more wind it can handle, the easier it is to see, but it needs more space to takeoff ,fly around, and land.
Good Luck.
If he only has a park or small field then the Champ S+ would be best as it can fly in smaller areas.
If he has access to a larger area such as a soccer/football or very large field then choose the Mini-Apprentice.
Both planes are very good but the larger the plane is the more wind it can handle, the easier it is to see, but it needs more space to takeoff ,fly around, and land.
Good Luck.
07-09-2017, 10:32 AM
#6
It's big enough to takeoff and land . As long as you have some clear flyover area around it because the larger planes when flown in the first flight mode (SAFE MODE) take up a lot of space in the sky to make a turn and fly in a circle.
When you get better and fly in the second or third flight mode you can make much tighter turns and fly and land in smaller spots.
When you get better and fly in the second or third flight mode you can make much tighter turns and fly and land in smaller spots.
07-12-2017, 06:43 AM
#7
Moderator
A football field in a tiny space for flying. I could fly an Apprentice inside a football field, but that's after 11 years in the hobby. A beginner will need a lot more space than that.
I'm going to challenge your friend's thinking. He shouldn't be focused on the planes he wants to fly, be it warbird or anything else. Rather, he should be focused on building flying skills. This is fundamentally a hobby, which means it is primarily a skill and a set of knowledge that one pursues for the sheer enjoyment of it. Also, "as cheaply as possible" should never be a factor in making decisions about RC planes. The most expensive things you'll ever buy are cheap things.
As for which trainer to pick, a lot of it has to do with the normal wind conditions where you live and the availability of instructors. The best investment you and your friend can make in this hobby is an instructor to build your skills. Once you know the fundamentals of flying, you will be able to fly any plane you want.
I'm going to challenge your friend's thinking. He shouldn't be focused on the planes he wants to fly, be it warbird or anything else. Rather, he should be focused on building flying skills. This is fundamentally a hobby, which means it is primarily a skill and a set of knowledge that one pursues for the sheer enjoyment of it. Also, "as cheaply as possible" should never be a factor in making decisions about RC planes. The most expensive things you'll ever buy are cheap things.
As for which trainer to pick, a lot of it has to do with the normal wind conditions where you live and the availability of instructors. The best investment you and your friend can make in this hobby is an instructor to build your skills. Once you know the fundamentals of flying, you will be able to fly any plane you want.
07-12-2017, 07:26 AM
#8
When I suggested a football field, that was meant as a bare minimum in area. I also included an instructor in that same line since I know someone trying to learn to fly won't be able to hold any trainer to that tight of area while an experienced instructor probably could.
07-13-2017, 05:49 AM
#9
Moderator
Thanks for clarifying, Hydro Junkie.
Katsuro, I'm going to suggest you and your friend consider joining a club if there is one close enough to you. Barring that, check out the meetups website or some of the regional forums to try and connect with other RC pilots. Yes, a club will cost money. But there is so much value in having a proper flying site and experienced modelers who can spot problems with your plane, answer questions, show you how to do things right, and challenge you to improve. In 11 years I've spent right around $800 on club dues and another $600 or so on AMA fees. Yes, I could have bought several nice planes for that. But I would have probably wrecked every one of them without the help and collective knowledge of my club. It's the best investment you can possibly make in this hobby.
Katsuro, I'm going to suggest you and your friend consider joining a club if there is one close enough to you. Barring that, check out the meetups website or some of the regional forums to try and connect with other RC pilots. Yes, a club will cost money. But there is so much value in having a proper flying site and experienced modelers who can spot problems with your plane, answer questions, show you how to do things right, and challenge you to improve. In 11 years I've spent right around $800 on club dues and another $600 or so on AMA fees. Yes, I could have bought several nice planes for that. But I would have probably wrecked every one of them without the help and collective knowledge of my club. It's the best investment you can possibly make in this hobby.
07-21-2017, 07:13 AM
#10
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Hudson Valley. New York. USA
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Agreed - the biggest thing to learn is the controls on the transmitter reverse from when the plane is going away from you (easy) to when it is coming at you (harder).
That is the cause of 99% of first-time-flying crashes. Learn the controls on an RC car, at first, to get the hang of how controls change. The controls on the plane don't actually change, your perspective does.
My recommendation - The EZ Trainer you have on the list or get a UMX radian - little and light airplane, to get the feel of controls. Hard to damage, flies slow.
That is the cause of 99% of first-time-flying crashes. Learn the controls on an RC car, at first, to get the hang of how controls change. The controls on the plane don't actually change, your perspective does.
My recommendation - The EZ Trainer you have on the list or get a UMX radian - little and light airplane, to get the feel of controls. Hard to damage, flies slow.
07-22-2017, 06:40 PM
#11
Moderator
Control reversal isn't the biggest hurdle for new pilots. No doubt it's a challenge for some, but that's just a simple fact that you have to remember. What's hard, and what the instructor is there for, is learning to think in 3D about an object moving through a fluid that is itself constantly moving too. That means understanding how the plane will respond to your controls at different speeds and in different wind conditions. It's knowing how to see a stall developing and know what, if anything, to do about it. It's flying with real control instead of constantly correcting. Once basic control is learned, you relearn it on different planes and then with advanced maneuvers. Those are flying akills, and that is what this hobby is really about.
