I am about to get into flying planes and a guy said he has a twist that he can cut back on the flaps so it wouldn't be too wild, and he said it would make a good trainer for me and he want's $250 for it. is this where i need to start and if so is this a good price. i know nothing about this sport but it looks funnnnnn so i'm going to give it a try.

thanks,
sean

I personally would not use a Twist as a trainer. Even though with the throws done really low it still can be a handful for a new person. They make a great second plane as long as you can do anything you want with your trainer.

I am sorry to bust you bubble on the Twist. For that price I hope you are getting most eveything with it as the plane brans new is only $99.00

A good trainer to start out with is the SIG LT-40. Have a look at Tower Hobbies web site or Hangar 9's web site for complete trainer kits what is known as ready to fly (RTF)

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByB...D=HAN&CatID=AR

or

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...=LXEXK2**&P=ML

I would never start with a twist. Just not stable enough for a trainer.. and too wild. If i were you, get thw RTF tower trainer or something like that. The nexstar is a good one too.

If you have never flown before then it's a good idea to start with a tariner, and get some help on a buddy box. I would pick up a sig lt-40 or a RTF kit for around $350

Hey sportser, the guy you are talking to is filling you full something r other. The Twist may be a good second or , I would think, third plane but it just doesn't have the characteristics you are looking for in a trainer. So don't waste your money. For the just a little more money invested you can have a trainer setup that will give you the best chance of success in this hobby. The Twist will be WAY too much plane for a beginner to handle, and would more than likely just give you a bad taste for this great hobbie. I think if you just do a search for trainers you will find a listing of a number of trainers that will more likely suit your needs.

Two suggestions are one: the PT 40 from Great Planes. This is the plane I learned on 9 yrs ago. Good solid plane. Second the Avistar from Hobbico. I just bought this one to train my son and give some people a chance to try flying something. I was really impressed with its flying characteristics. Very docile and smooth flying very forgiving and with the semi-semmetrical wing it did basic aerobatics quite well.

The Twist on low rates in not really that wild but it is a handful as it does not try to self correct as a trainer does. What that means is that a trainer will try to return to upright level flight. The Twist will go whatever way you point it until you tell it otherwise, what is known as a point and fly airplane

Also,

Here is a really good link for new pilots which was done by a member of RCU

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/A_Be...2420167/tm.htm

Just to add what bubba gates said,
The nexstar is the most expensive trainer out i think. I know of alot of electric planes that would be good. But for glow some good options would be:
The hobbico Avistar Select RTF:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=LXMU53**&P=0
The Hobbico SuperStar Select MKII:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=LXEKF4**&P=0
The tower hobbies select mkii(same as superstar bu more generic. It is still a great plane.):
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=LXCXF4**&P=0

Now, the Avistar is a very aerobatic plane for a trainer. The superstar is also aerboatic. The nexstar is ok.. though it is a very clam plane that will not do much. You will also need to get several other things when you get a plane including:
Fuel pump
Fuel
Glo plug ignitor
Extra prop
Extra Glow plug
Chicken stick or starter
Filling station

On some of the planes listed such as the Nexstar need an electric starter. And all of the items listed above and be bought in one pack for 50 bucks.

Very nice research Newb...good recommendations and to think you just soloed recently You are coming along fine. You been flying much? PM me when you get a second

As an instructor at our field I've got to add to this one, please get a trainer to learn on. Think about it this way--- You COULD learn to drive in a NASCAR stock car. Very similar to your situation. It's going to go too fast to learn anything good, and you're more than likely going to crash. If you get the Twist you are more than likely to very frustrated and have a sour feeling about this hobby.

Of course the guy selling the plane will tell you that it's a great plane to learn on, he wants you to buy his plane. It's kind of like a shady used car salesman, he's going to tell you anything you want to hear to make the deal. I've taught quite a few students out there that have use the Hobbico Avistar trainer.
[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_2560569/anchors_2824779/mpage_4/key_/anchor/tm.htm#2824779[/link]

It's only $30 more than the $250 you'd spend on the twist, and you get more. Comes with just about everything you need to get in the air. Plane, motor, and radio. It's easy to build, the longest part of getting it ready to fly is the time it takes to charge the batteries. And it is a very good flyer.

Hope this helps

I too think you should start with a trainer. Any trainer is ok, they allow you to learn on a much more stable plane. But only with an instructor!!!!!

I have some thoughts though;

I purchased a Hangar 9 Alpha 60, it is also offered in a 40 size.

The reason, I liked what I read about the Alpha, it comes with a trainer prop. A 3-blade fairly flat pitch wide blade prop made by Evolution.

The difference is amazing, much slower flight. The 3-blade trainer prop loads the engine and acts as an air brake. The first flight (with an instructor) we used a regular 2-blade prop. The next time I had installed the trainer prop, wanting to see if there was any difference. My instructor was amazed at the difference in the planes speed. It slows the plane down about half. And the approach speed was really helpful to learn how to land.

The trainer prop’s wide blades act as an air brake. At about 100 feet in altitude on approach, with the 2-blade, when you pull the throttle back it glides in nice but at a much higher speed. With the 3-blade prop at the same 100 feet, when you pull back on the throttle, the nose drops a great deal more, pull back on the elevator and it glides in at a much slower speed.

With the 3-blade Evolution trainer prop (12� slight pitch, 60 size) with idle set at 1500 to 1600 rpm’s, then change only the prop (to a 2-blade 12’ – 6 pitch) the rpm’s climbed to over 2400 rpm’s. Of coarse, you can slow the rpm’s by tuning the engine, but it doesn’t have the same effects of slowing the planes air speed.

I personally feel the trainer prop is a great advantage to a beginner pilot.

I purchased the ARF series of the Alpha because my instructor advised me to to so. It gives you the knowledge of how planes really work while assembling. Plus I was able to buy components that I wanted. I purchased an OS .61fx engine and Futaba radio equipment.

One thing though, the crankshaft on the OS engine and the Evolution are different length. With the Evolution trainer prop and the OS engine, I was not able to use the front prop washer and achieve a full nut on the prop using a standard plastic spinner. With a spinner-nut (no plastic spinner backing plate) you can get the washer and plenty of nut to tighten. I personally used the plastic spinner, but checked the prop nut between flights.

You can buy any plane, and purchase the Evolution trainer prop to go on it. But the Evolution Trainer prop is only available through a supplier who carries Evolution engines and I guess who also carries the Hangar 9 Alpha plane. Just be sure to get the right size for your plane, 40 or 60 size. The supplier I purchased my plane and numerous other supplies, including extra trainer props, find the links below;

Supplier http://www.*********.org/ They have both the Alpha 40 and 60 in ARF and RTF

Trainer prop for 60 size http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...prod=EVOE0610P

Trainer prop spinner for 60 size can't find the number, but RC Hobbies has it you can call the 800 number, or the 3-blade spinner from Dubro fits and is better, just more expensive.

Trainer prop for 40 size http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...?prod=EVOE100P

Trainer prop spinner 40 size http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...?prod=EVOE100S

Sportstr75: I solo'ed with the NexSTAR Select last August. I thought it was a great trainer. Very forgiving, and takes a beating (to which I can also attest). Several nice points:

1. RTF (Ready to Fly.. takes 20 to 40 minutes to put together.. 20 hours to charge the batteries [sm=stupid.gif].
2. Comes totally equipped with engine (OS46FXi), Radio (Futaba four channel) all installed and ready to go.
3. Comes with an build and fly video on DVD.
4. Comes with the RealFlight Simulator for the NexSTAR which REALLY helped me. It is much easier on both the ego and the pocketbook when a crash occurs on the computer screen rather than in the air. You can fly this on the computer and get the hang of the operation then go out to the field, with an instructor AND BUDDY BOX, and fly it. One guy here in our club used the software and ended up solo'ing on his second day out there. Landing on his first day. Not bad.

Note the emphasis on BUDDY BOX. It does not come with one. You will need one, but some of the buddy boxes out there are older and have a round connector. You will either need an adapter or one of the newer Futaba buddy boxes.

Best of luck with whatever you choose, but you can't go wrong with the NexSTAR. Best part: Hobbico guarantees that if you crash it, under their terms (must be with a certified AMA instructor pilot at a sanctioned field and in a sanctioned club) they will replace it. Not a bad deal. The list cost is $399 but you can get them on-sale for about 50 bucks off that which makes it pretty competetive.

Again, best of luck.

hey thanks you guys thats why i came to you first, i did buy me a starter and a hand crank fuel pump i already have a glow ignitor from my t-maxx so you guys have been a great help i'll let you know how it goes!!

Best of luck, Sportster. Just stick with it no matter what you get. It's worth the effort once you solo, believe me (and everybody else)

Well fellows i got me a trainer yesterday and if the wind allows my friend and i, i am going to try and fly this thing. wish me best of luck!!!!!!![sm=cool.gif]

Sportster,
If your "friend" doesn't already fly RC, then I'd highly recommend that you find a local club and an instructor.

These things are much harder to fly than you may think, and trying it on your own usually results in a 10 second "flight" followed by a pile of sticks.

You might get away with it if you've had dozens of hours on an RC simulator, or flown a lot of electrics, otherwise you're chances are greatly reduced.

Good luck,
Dennis-