Hi guyz, i'm just trying to start out in the plane hobby. I have already started the nitro truck hobby but am hoping to expand. Can anyone direct me to a good CHEAP beginner plane with a good or decent spec. I was hoping to get an electric as there cheaper...so can any one tell me of one? Nothing PINK!

the discovery 40 by vmar is a good cheap first plane, however since you want electric then basically anything by GWS would be good, make sure the wing is on top of the body (high wing)
rather then thruogh the body (shoulder wing) or below the body (low wing)

Hello

I'm new to the hobby as well. I have been real big into nitro trucks and cars. Even electric cars and trucks as well.

I decided with the help from the guys at my local hobby shop to start with GWS's Slow Stick. I built the plane in a few nights, and have been flying it for the past week with no outside help. The thing is super easy to fly, inexpensive, easy to build, durable, and easy to modify. However it is Red.

Being my first plane, and having zero problems with it, I would give it a 9 from a scale of 1-10. The only reason why I don't give it a 10, is for the fact its hard to fly in slightly windy conditions, but that's because it's so light and has a huge wing area for the weight. I also bump it from a 10 to a 9 because I feel the instructions, although having very nice photographs, are lacking some detail for the beginner airplane modeler such as myself.

Just do a search here in the forums on "Slow Stick" and you will come up with tons of information.

If you decide to get one, and need help with it, just let me know.

Hey Thanks guyz...I'll start searching now.

Well i was sought of looking for a package deal.any other ideas?

search towerhobbies for a RTF electric then come back and ask people if it is any good or not.

Although most of the better planes do not come RTF, I have seen the freedom flyer recommended by a few people in the past and that costs $100 and comes with everything.

GWS sells everything you need to fly a slow stick in a flight pack, you supply Xmtr but I'll wager GWS has flight packs with Xmtr included.... a couple hours assembling and maybee a trip to your hobby shop to have it checked out and you'll be flying...

Although I have to say that there are NO guarantees that you can learn to fly on your own without instruction, even with a slow stick.

But as soon as you do fly the first time ground crawlers are gonna seem booorring!

Andy

a65l

I have got to say, you are correct on learning how to fly without instruction, no guarantee there. I had help with my little friend G4.

As for finding cars and trucks boring after flying. So Sir. Not at all. Racing 1/10 scale nitro sedans is, and always will have major thrill-age, more so than flying in my opinion. It's that competitive juice that gets the adrenaline pumping and that burning desire to be number one. I know there are pylon races you guys do, but that doesn't take from car and truck racing one bit.

If you have never seen a professional 1/10 scale nitro sedan race, I know for a fact you would be surprised in the greatest way. Those guys have more hand eye coordination than any group of people I have seen except for maybe R/C helicopter acrobatic pilots, and AMA & Formula One drivers.

Yea, Nitro-
You can pick up a Slow Stick for like $35, and a GWS RX flight pack(GWS2090) and a TX to match. Let me see if I can post links...

http://www.hobbytron.net/Naro-Flight...-FD-Stick.html <----flight pack
http://www.hobbytron.net/SLOW-STICK-ARF-PARK-FLYER.html <---slow stick
Don't forget your transmitter.. make sure it's the same shift as the receiver you buy (JR/Airtronics & Futaba/HiTech) or actually buy the receiver that fits the transmitter your wanting to get. I chose the Hitec Eclipse 7 with the Spectra module. Yes, it cost more than your entry level radio, but I'm glad I went that direction, because now I can get just about any plane, and not worry if my radio has the functionality to fly it. For example, I bought a Watt Age Hyper Wing as my second plane, and without my current radio with it's Elevon Mixing abilities, I would have had to buy a new radio if I chose earlier to buy a cheap four channel radio. And just so you know, you can pick up a Hitec Eclipse 7 for not much more than what a good 3 channel ground radio costs! It's a steal, and the Spectra mod is a $100 if bought separately. This allows you to change shift or channels within seconds, and with no additional crystals to buy. It really is a no-brainer for entry level guys like you and me who know they have some what of a future in R/C planes.

Oh, and don't forget to buy a battery charger for your flight pack. Like the radio, if you think your gonna stick with planes, get a good charger if you don't already have one. It seems that LiPos and other exotic battery packs are the wave of the future. See if that's something your might want to dive in, in the near future, and look for chargers that are compatible with LiPos. For reference, I bought a schulze isl 6-330d. Since I decided to run a LiPo on my SlowStick right off the bat, I thought it would be smart to get a nice charger, and if I decided later that R/C planes were not my thing, I would sell it on ebay, and probably not lose too much. Of course, that's not gonna happen.. I love my Schulze almost more than I love my planes.

Anyway, let us know what you decide to do! If you have any further questions ask away.

-Drew

Hey Nitro Napalm... I just realized your looking for something CHEAP to fly. Uh.... disregard half my previous post. Nothing in there was cheap except for the flight pack and plane (the two items I posted links to). But you will still need a radio and charger... just make sure you get the entry level gear... Just remember, in the long run, it will cost you more.. alot more, that is if you stay with the hobby.

Gotta run. and good luck!!

No offense, but you've never flown anything other than a Slow Stick.

Try 1/12th scale RC Combat. Plane speeds of 40 to 50 mph, 6 or 7 pilots in the air at the same time, all fying in a tight bundle trying to "kill" each other by cutting streamers that they're towing. Looks and sounds like a swarm of killer bees.

I watched one 7 minute meet. Started with seven guys and a minute and a half later there two guys left flying.
Dennis-

Ermm...well thanks for all the advice but keeping up with funding for my nitro truck hoby is hard enough so i think i'll wait till i get a job Although there was some great points here and i'll strongly think about getting one...ONE question...whats better? Helis or Planes...never flown any of them but in my view Helis look cool!...any thoughts on this? Thanks again guyz

Your right, I have never flown anything other than a Slow Stick.

I'm not sure what your trying to say, but it doesn't mean that the only RC plane I have ever seen fly is a Slow Stick. That's absurd. I have seen quite a bit. Everything from .40 sized trainers to acrobatic helicopters, and just about everything in between. I still think, and this is MY opinion, that professional nitro sedan is a kick in the pants. If someone were to come up to me and ask if I wanted to spend my time watching the nationals in Santa Clara this summer or spend it watching the big annual national event for RC planes, I would go to Santa Clara, but that's me. Hell, I would go to both if I could!!!

Just because I own a slow stick doesn't mean I think the rc plane hobby is boring. I know that's not what your trying to say, but I have watched the Expert Nitro Sedans go at it on a professional level, and their skills are mind blowing. And I'm not so sure if it's a skill or a mix of skill and mind set. Watching acrobatic helio pilots I would have to say that they are even more amazing then the car guys. I would just rather watch a 8-12 cars going at it at speeds of 50-60mph (long track) for 30 minutes at a time with multiple pits stops. If you have never seen it, you might want to, at least on video. I'm sure at the end of the day, you will still consider planes your top pick, and of course, that's your decision.

Gosh, we can't decide for you which is better. Just like my previous post, you can't decide for me which is better, planes or cars. It's entirely up to you man. Helis have a steeper learning curve, but does that make them better or worse? I would like to think not. Helicopters tend to run more money unless your getting a Micro or something, but even then they still cost more than an equivalant type plane.

Just like cars, Helis have more moving parts than a typical plane such as a trainer or the Slow Stick. And with more moving parts, there are more things to go wrong, more things to adjust, I mean, you know the deal being in Nitro Trucks and all.