im a pilot of electric planes and am very anxious to get into gas planes. all i need to know is what would a good beginner gas plane be...
thx
matt

from what every one at my lhs(local hobby shop) has told me the sig kadet senior is a great first time Glow fuel plane. i am building the kadet senior arf right now i highly recamend it.

I would recommend the sig LT-40. It is a great trainer with Self recovering flight capabilities. The Kadet senior is also a good plane to learn on, however the wing is quite a bit larger and may not fit into a car. I built a Kadet LT-40 without any help, and it flew well. Make sure you have your AMA card for insurance, and get a qualified RC pilot to help you get started out. It really is worth it. Enjoy.

thx i am actually 14 years old and have been flying electric planes about a year. i want a good gas trainer that is very SMALL. got any other suggestions

SIG LT-40 I just got it Yesterday... it is an awsome plane... easy instcrutions its just a great plane get the KIT.

HOpe this helps!

I dont mean anything rude by this comment and I know what your talking about but the term "gas plane" is a little off. If you go to a field and say you have a gas plane they will think you have one that has a gas motor. "Glow Plane" is the term your looking for.

ok thx

I am about finished with my Hobbico Superstar. It has been great, but seeing others out at the field, I wish I would have bought an Avistar. It is more aerobatic when you are ready f. or it. It also comes in a package deal with everything needed.

Not sure what your intentions are, especially when you mention something smaller. Do NOT try to fly one of these at a park or school soccer field! Glow planes are faster, heavier, and much more dangerous than the electric planes you've probably been flying. People have been killed when hit by glow planes.

Take the advice received here. If you're serious about getting into glow powered aircraft, join the AMA and a club. It wouldn't hurt to get help with the first couple flights either. As I mentioned, glow is faster than small electrics, and there's a good chance you'll lose it.

By the way, smaller glow planes tend to be even faster, and are more difficult to fly than the standard 40 size trainer.

Here's the AMA's website address; http://www.modelaircraft.org

They also have a page that will help you find a club close to you.
Dennis-

From my experience so far. The bigger the plane the better it is for a beginner. A big "trainer" plane is so much more stable then smaller planes just because the wind has less effect on it. Also a big "trainer" plane will be slightly easier to land and you can see it better.

When I was about 15, I also wanted something small just because I wanted the ability to be able to transport it on my bicycle to the local elementary school soccer field. Don't try flying at a school field or soccer field. Usually it's not enough space and is dangerous if you lose control.

I would recommend a Hobbico Avistar with a OS46FX
http://www.hobbico.com/airplanes/hcaa2016.html - Plane
http://www.osengines.com/engines/fx.html - Engine

you have opened pandora's box. everybody will have a different opinion. i suggest that you take the more practical ones and set up a poll

Hard to go wrong with a Sig Kadet LT-40. The Kadet Senior is also good. Actually there are a lot of good choices out there. Go to your local flying field and see what everyone else is flying.

I am going to jump in here with my $.02. Myself, i prefer the Hanger 9 trainers with the Evolution system (the Extra Ez 2 is what I have). For a beginner, they are really scaled down. When your ready, it is easy to take the flywheel off and put a 2 bladed prop on and have a bit more plane.

I would foremost say support your LHS, but still shop around first off, including the net. I was able to pick up my brand new Extra Ez 2 from the net shipped to me for about $40 less than what it would have cost me at the LHS (Note: this was before I moved to Des Moines). The LHS really didn't have an intrest in getting my business, so it was pretty easy decision for me in that reguards, otherwise, you will want to do a savings vs support for your self.

Askalon

my personal choice is the pt-40. it is like any other trainer but it is really tough. it takes a lot of abuse. i have had some pretty hard hits. one was so hard it bent my nosewheel back all the way. nothing. that would take the firewall out of most planes. there weren't any cracks at all. no damage, nothing. it still flies really slowly too. i don't really like the evolution engines, personally. but, everybody will say their favorite plane, and why. most trainers are pretty much the same but there are so many out there, it isn't even funny. do some research, post a poll, etc. ultimatly though, it is your choice.

I got the Xtra Easy 2 also Askalon. It's a nice package. Big easy plane, .46 Evolution engine, and I didn't have to add any "newbie building a kit" errors into getting airborn. The only complaint my instructor has is that it doesn't like to come down. He wasn't really complaining, it's more like another newbie bonus, and he's not used to flying a hard core trainer... Oh, and I forgot to mention that you "build" this in less than an hour and then go fly! It's a almost a true RTF - Joe

any good trainer doesn't want to land.

Avistar 40! Hands down! Get an instructor. If you are like 80% of the people I teach, You will learn the basics fairly quickly. You learn early on to fly the plane, NOT let the plane fly you.

C.D. Smith

I learned on the superstar. Very good plane.

The Balsa USA Stick 40+ is an excellent trainer for a lot of reasons. It is inexpensive compared to any trainer on the market. It is a kit that is easy to build so it will get you started in building without the frustration of the more difficult kits. It is easy to fly compared to most trainers other than Sig's Kadet's. It tougher than most of the other trainers with it makes that inevitable sudden stop.

hello,

i know that every one will hate me after this, BUT i think you should build a spad with a .15 engine my buddy has one and it flys SOO slow plus you can build the plane for $15 (I really dont like spads but for a beginer they are nice) i have a SPA3Dt that i can fly at a small field but its because i can control it in flat spins and hovers and other slow 3D stuff.

Well, there is one combination that is a proven winner time and time again for a beginner would have to be a Sig LT40 ARF with a OS 46FX. More on the higher $$ end, but worth every penny. And with any luck, when your done with the LT40, yank the motor and slap it on your next plane like a stick or a 4*.
Just my $.02[8D]

I second the LT-40. I learned on one with a .46LA engine, and it's a beautiful slow-speed flyer.

Great Trainer and is smaller and will out fly most 40 size trainers and is extremely easy to build

LT25 Way better than all 40 size ARF's, and as good as or better than 40 size kits.

Don't limit yourself to just high wing trainers. I've taught a large number of people to fly, and what you want to learn with is a plane that has the following characteristics.

Flys slow
Stable
Simple Construction
Responds uniformly to controls in all circumstances

Note nothing about where the wing is. Many low wing planes are as stable and easy to fly as a trainer. My favorite to teach with is the Sig Four Star 40. It's as slow as a trainer and with reduced controls is as tame as any trainer, and better yet it responds more smoothly and uniformly than a trainer. So when you move the stick the plane moves the same way every time. Many trainers don't respond when you move the stick but have a delay and respond differently when going down wind than up wind. The 4 star lands as slow as any 40 size trainer and will fly very well with a plain bearing LA40 or 42 TT.

The people I've taught with a 4 star learned just as quickly as the people I've taught with typical High Wing Trainers but after they solo they tend to crash less and are better pilots.

Tom

On another note: most of the planes recommended by me and those above are made by Sig, thats because their designs tend to be lighter smoother flyers than similar planes by other companies.

99.99999% of all the glow planes out there advertised as trainers do exactly that.... Everything else falls under the catagory of personal preference!!!

My advice find a plane (trainer) that you like, can afford, has a radio that is buddy box compatible with your instructors and go FLY!!!!

It seems that there are more discussions on here about what constitutes a "good" trainer when IMHO the type plane chosen is of little importance. The most important thing is to chose the Right Instructor!!!!!! Any "real" instructor will have no problem teaching you how to fly any trainer!!! If they can't you need a "good" instructor not a "good plane