I want to start building a plane, I have never built one before so I would like one that is on the siimpaler side. Plus I don't want to have to spend to much money on it to make it fly. Dose anyone know of a sarter kit that is not to pricey and hard to build?

Sig LT 40

That's tall order. At a minimum to build a kit, figure at least $50 on top of kit price. That's just to build kit, not put engine/radio in it. All told you'll wind up with at least $400 invested to build a kit and get it flying, and that's probablly on the low end. When I rentered hobby, I figured to build, equip, and fly an airplane was going to cost me at least $500. I was amazed to find lots of ready to fly airplanes out there for around alot cheaper than that, with the engine/radio already installed. I walked out of LHS with Avistar RTF select, a gallon of fuel, spare props, and the stuff to build a fuel rig and a hand crank pump for right at $350.

So what's your budget?


Andy

An LT40 kit runs about $87.00. You might find a few trainers that are cheaper but you won't find one that is a better trainer. Any of the kits have a lot of parts but the LT40 kit contains step by step numbered instructions with precut labeled parts and photos. If you can read and take your time, you can build this kit! Bear in mind that an engine, radio, and other field equipment can run you another $300.00. Its a fun hobby but the start up costs can't be ignored. []

Next step after the LT-40, is probably the 4-star series from Sig. It is a super simple build, and a great flyer. The manual will teach you a lot!

Great Planes kits are also very nice, well detail (in the manual) and usually fly great. Also another good start. Look into both of these copmpanies..

sig kadet LT-40 without any hesitation.
very well done kit, full kit but easy to build, extremely well done manual........
for the flight perfo, many experts consider the LT40 as the best trainer on the market

The SIG LT 40 is an excellent choice if you want to build. For a first plane though, I strongly suggest an ARF.

There are several reasons for this:
1. Learning to fly is difficult enough without adding in the possibility something may have been built incorrectly (or have a warp in it).
2. When you build, you tend to become emotionally attached to the plane. In a trainer this is not a good thing as a trainer is expected to get banged up. If you are emotionally attached, it will inhibit your ability to learn because you don't want to see "your baby" hurt.
3. There are several ARFs out there (Hobbico SuperStar and Avistar among others) that cost about $100 already built. You will not be able to purchase the kit and the necessary materials, not to mention your time to finish it for that amount of money.

While the RTF planes look like a good deal, in the long run they are not.
The engine provided, while fine for a trainer, USUALLY will have only marginal power for use in a second plane.
The radio is a BASE 4 channel radio that USUALLY has mechanical servo reversing switches. The mechanical servo reversing is OK, but the switches tend to mess up after a couple of months of use because of dirt, grime etc that gets in them. In addition, USUALLY by your 4th plane you will be wanting flaps and/or retractable landing gear - a 4 channel radio can not feasibily do this.

I suggest, getting a trainer ARF.
A decent ball bearing 46 engine (Thunder Tiger, GMS, OS FX/AX). The brands I mentioned are user friendly, very powerful and highly suited for use in other planes. I suggest staying away from the OS LA series and MDS engines.
A 6 channel COMPUTER radio (or more if the budget allows). The additional channels and features of a 6 channel computer radio will ensure you will not outgrow the radio for several years.

If you do decide you want an RTF, I CAN NOT RECOMMEND the NexStar. There have been too many problems with the AFS. Most users turn it off. Now you are paying a premium price for something you can not use.

I get the impression that you are thinking about trying to teach yourself. That's a real bad idea if you also want to start out with glow powered equipment. Find a local club, get an instructor, and read a LOT before you buy anything.

The AMA is a national organiztion that provides liability insurance (and other stuff), and pretty much any club you join will require AMA membership. Their site has a "Club Locater" page, where you can plug in your Zip Code and get a list of clubs close to you.
http://www.modelair.org/

If you're determined to try it yourself, or your budget won't allow you to spend $500 to $600 to get started, then about the least expensive option available is a small electric plane called the Aerobird Challenger. It's pretty ugly, it's made from foam, it won't fly in winds much over 5 to 8 MPH (especially starting out), and it only has 3 channels of control, BUT it can be bought complete, plane, radio gear, electric motor, battery pack and charger, for about $130 to $150.

Keep in mind, the radio components can NOT be used in a standard glow powered plane if you move up (or in ANY other plane for that matter), but people have taught themselves to fly with them.

Do NOT buy anything that is less expensive than the Aerobird, or anything that is 2 channels or less. IF you happen to get one that actually flys, it will fly badly, and you'll probably be disappointed.

Good luck with whatever you decide, and welcome to RCU!
Dennis-

I don't see anything here about learning to fly at all.

He just asked about a good cheap plane to BUILD.

wings,
No he doesn't say, but the "sound" of his post makes me think that he hasn't spent much time researching, and that's the guy who usually assumes that flying these things is easy. No one else had mentioned that it can be difficult so I thought he should be forwarned.

You have a problem with my cautioning him? [sm=confused.gif]
Dennis-

No, no problem.

Its just that when I was starting out and new to rcu it seemed that EVERY time I asked a question 10 people told me to get and instructor and join a club.

I got that response a zillion times on every question. Just kind of annoying.

Just a pet pieve now I guess.

OK. Hopefully hobbyman won't get hit with the same thing a zillion times.
Dennis-

Just got my first plane finished, a Sig Four Star 40.....been building it FOREVER!!!!!! Hubby and I both bought trainers LT-40 ARF for me and Hangar 9 Xtra easy RTF for him. Have also put together seveal other ARF's (Dazzler, Cub, Edge 540, AT6 Texan, P-51 Mustang). I highly doubt I will ever build another kit plane again. There is very little if any cost savings and tons of time involved. I am also not sure if I'll ever fly my Four Star.....because "it's my baby". If you really have a passion to build, I'd guess a LT-40 would be a good choice but if you are trying to be cost effective, go with an ARF.

I get the same thing. I agree with getting an instructor and all, but I'm not certain about the club. BUT THAT'S JUST IN LOGAN, DON'T GO BY WHAT I SAY!!!!!!!!! but I don't think it needs to be said as often as it is.

I know people are just trying to prevent you from spending a lot of money and trashing your plan and quiting the hobby.

But man it gets under your skin after the 50th time.

DB's post was polite. If everyone who had responded with this advice to me in the beginning said it in this manner it probably wouldn't became a pet peive.

Its the people that make the sarcastic remarks like you will make tooth pics out of your plane..etc. and similar that I got tired of hearing over and over.

All I wanted was a response to the original question. I really didn't need to hear that I will demolish my plane if I don't join a club and get an instructor every time I asked something.


Not that I would recommend it, but despite the nay sayers I did learn on my own. I flew my trainer many many flights before I destroyed. It probably cost me an extra $100 bucks on spare parts for the aerobird. But I learned to fly on that, then went glow.

I now belong to a club because I wanted a nice place to fly. Now that I've joined I like it a lot, seeing other peoples planes and its fun to hang out with others who fly. And people will help you with anything.

Well, I just started out myself last week, I went out and bought an aerobird challenger. Way way too fast for me to start out on, and it's not all that fast to begin with. And one of the downsides to it is that its a matched set, meaning if I bust up the plane real bad, then I have a radio that does me no good (as I understand it). The plus side of this type of plane was that there really was no building involved, just rubberband the wing on, and add the wheels and away you go.

So, I ended up spending $150 on a JR 5 channel radio, another $35.00 for a Slow Stick (which I really like by the way, nice and slow but has a little oomph, but nothing really fast, and very easy to start out on or so I've now found out after maiden flight today), another $58+ for a charger (of course you could spend much more for a charger), $5.50 for 3 additional props, and a bunch of other little things like packing tape to use on the slowstick instead of the decal tape, some 5 minute epoxy to use instead of the GWS glue, etc. etc. etc. I think the total was about $258.00

Now the good side about this is that the plane is really inexpensive, if you bust it up really really bad, and have to replace the whole plane, you can get another one for $35.00 And when your ready to advance, you still have a decent to nice radio, couple servos, speed controller, and receiver that you can pull out of the slow stick and put into another plane, then just add whatever else you might need for the next plane.

So I guess my main point is that I would avoid the prebuilt kits that come with a radio if they can only be used with that particular setup, AND that I find the GWS slow stick a really good plane to start learning on, and it apparently can take quite a beating. I let someone else at the park fly it first to make sure it could fly, and this guy was flying some other GWS plane like 300 feet up in the air and never had a problem so I let him have a go on it, and he took off got up to speed, went to turn left to avoid the stadium lighting post and WHAM! Right into it, the plane swung around the post and dropped to the ground. No damage what so ever. By the way it wasnt his fault, the rudder horn came loose (now it's been epoxied in place for another try tommorrow), and the plane couldnt turn left.

Anyway, I tried it after that, crashed 2x's, and on 3rd time, had a blast and found it really really easy to fly. Crashed again though because the darn rudder horn came loose again, but still no damage to the plane.

As far as an instructor goes, I think it depends on the person and the plane they are trying to fly. With a slow stick I dont think people really need an instructor to hold there hand, but having someone knowledgble next to you certainly doesnt hurt, and most younger people that I have met so far at the local parks seem to be more than willing to help out a noob learn the ropes of flying.

So thats my long winded suggestion.

Good luck,

In all honesty I didn't read all these replies to see if this has been said..but I'll say it anyway.
I think building is part of the hobby. Crashing is part of the hobby. You almost have to put "your baby" in that special section of your mind...the "I don't care section"....even though deep down you do care...if that makes sense.

At my club, which I haven't joined yet, but have visited as a non-member....I am new....I was told by several people that students can be taught to fly routinely without ever crashing their planes. Obviously, any RCer whos been around for a while has had several crashes. But I think with a good instructor, a good stable trainer (LT-40), and the ability to take things slow and be thorough, the chances of crashing your plane are small enough to not lose too much sleep over.

Also, like I said above, building is part of the hobby, at least for me. It just wouldn't be the same for me to buy an RTF. But if you build a kit...you'll know it like the back of your hand. Which means if you do crash it, just fix it up again. You can buy the parts for the LT-40 separately. You can reconstruct the wings or anything else that snaps. You can also buy sheet balsa and cut out the parts, but its tougher that way.

Also, I know you are a beginner....so am I...but eventually you can get a couple or three planes. That way if one is in the maintenance hangar, the others are still on the flight line. But that doesn't really apply to us tight budgeted beginners....but it is great in theory.

by the way the sig kadet LT40 is also available in ARF. I suggested the kit version because you seems to want to build.

If I may, I would like recommend....for about $20 more than a 40 hour build kit...you can get a great ARF trainer.

The Sky Raider Mach 1 is an excellent trainer for $69.95
http://ecsvr.com/abm/shopdisplayprod...les+%26+Sports

We have about 3 of them flying here....



CrazyHerb

I've had two of the mach II's.

I think its my favorite plane! It will do just about anything and it is cheap!