I can see the trainer stage fading out this summer. I've been advised by club members that an "ugly stick" or similar intermediate plane would be a good next choice.

I've got a feeling I 'll be into sport/aerobatics/3D sooner or later.

What do you guys think about skipping this intermediate "stick" plane stage and go to a large winged sport plane like the UcanDo 60 or a Katana? Or some other suggested planes would be welcome.

People have told me U can do's are a great second plane. By thw way, some people will flame you for this. I personally won't because i was in your shoes not too long ago.

Hi Expo,i couldn't agree more with there decision the ugly stick is perfect for a second plane i own one now as well.and i don't regret it at all its taught me allot,as far as the ucando its a floater and yes you may not have any trouble flying it at all. But it really has a soft landing gear set up the wood it soft guaranteed to rip out on a hard landing.and as for the funtana think before you buy its a hand full........... But had i seen this plane.... before the stick it would have been a no brainer,hands down. me and a Friend of mine went flying with a group of his Friend's and one of them had this plane it was sweet. it was love at first flight check it out.heres the review [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=164]MIDWEST AEROBAT[/link]

This is always a difficult question to answer because the only one that knows the answer is you. It would depend fully on your flying skill. I have seen people (usually younger kids) that will get their wings in a matter of weeks then the next time I see them they are carving up the skies with some aerobat. Others will get their wings and then struggle to confidently do circuits on a windy day. If you are sure you can handle an aerobatic model then get one. If you are not sure then probably best to wait. If you can, fly a friends aerobatic model then give it a go and see how you handle it.

I am of the opionion that any plane with a large airfoil for slowing and a good all around performer is a nice second plane. There are a number of them, I would stay away from the Funtana 40 for the only reason that its built light and wont take many hard landings if any at all. But the Twist, any "fun fly type" profile plane you can find will all be real nice performers. While they are all capable of 3D tuning the throws down and have a forward CG will make them all fly very nicley and be a blast to fly. Then when you are ready you can dial them in and try the 3D aspect out. I am not that old but i started flying 12 yrs ago and when I moved up to my 2nd plane there wasnt really anything like what we have available now and I went with a fully symetrical razor type wing and it was a handful to say the least. I too think the 4*'s are good along with the sticks but you shouldnt limit your self to just them especially if 3D interest you.

I may be a stick in the mud on this one, but I'm going to step up and say that you SHOULDN'T skip that second plane. I'm an instructor and I see students try this quite often. Here's my take on what happens. Moving to the "second plane" is a natural progression, you move up to planes as your skills improve. When you "skip" a plane in the process you will find yourself flying a plane that your skills aren't' ready for. What I have seen in this case is the pilot spends all of the flying time being afraid of the plane, or always trying to keep up with the plane. This is a recipe for making this hobby no fun at all. By moving to that second plane you skills can develop with the plane and then when you move on your skills will be at a level where you can enjoy flying.

I've seen a lot of pilots make comments about advanced plane like "It's so easy to fly you could train on it" or "Turn down the throws and you'll be ok". You have to realize that a lot of what they are saying is from their prospective. Sure it's easy for them because they've been flying it for awhile and their skills are at a level that can handle it, but for a student just moving up from a trainer it will be very very difficult to fly. I fly a Dave Patrick Ultimate that I consider to be a great flyer and easy to fly, but I wouldn't recommend it for new students.

As a final comment on this I'll throw my personal experience in. I've been flying for 9 years and have flown quite a number of planes, ranging from trainers to full 3D capable machines. Earlier this year I got a Balsa USA Thunderbug, which could easily be on the list for a "second plane". It's got a low wing a boxy body, and is a very stable flier, and has walking crawl slow landings. But I am having more fun flying this plane than I have had on any plane in a while. It will do just about anything I ask it to do, and I'm not worried to put a $1,000+ plane in the ground. Don't write off a plane just because it's supposed to be a "2nd plane". Ask around here on RCU and I'll bet you will find a lot of experience pilots that love to fly their 4*'s, Tiger 60's, Superstar's, etc....... That's because they have discovered just what those planes are capable of.

Hope this helps

Ken

It's important to progress beyond the trainer stage -- our buddies are watching, & that ugly old trainer just can't cut it with the flashy 3D & Sport fliers -- right? Besides, you want a new plane -- right?

I've seen this too many times to count -- & I've seen a bunch of broken airplanes and broken hearts.

GO SLOWLY -- you will be a better pilot for doing so. What ever you chose, make sure that it is well within your capability as a pilot, or you will be frustrated, discouraged & fearfull of flying your new Chili-Pepper Aerobat Mk 11. It will fly you -- for a while -- until it goes to the great sandbox in the sky -- and your buddies will be watching that as well.

Can you truly wring your trainer's neck? Good pilots can make a trainer dance like a wonder-bird, & if you struggle with doing so, it is a clue that your ability is still modest. It is easy to do interesting things with aerobatic models, but that doesn't mean that you are a capable aerobatic pilot -- just one that is flying a model that does that stuff easily.

The more that you explore your trainer's real capabilities, the truly better you will be as a pilot. Additionally, the longer you wait to make the "second plane decision", the greater the liklihood that your decision will be well informed and personally relevant.

A very good intermediate step is to hop-up your trainer with a powerfull engine and some simple aerodynamic mods -- like a tail-dragger & no-dihedral wing set-up. That can be a lot of fun to do and to fly, while still developing your skills & letting you gain perspective.

Try sealing the gaps on all of your control surfaces (ailerons, elevator, and rudder). You would be suprised how much of a difference this will make in a trainer. It will seem like a completely different plane, with loads of new capabilities!!

Ken

What do you mean? You still are in his shoes!!!!

Expo, the Ugly stick is a great plane. Build the wing with no dihedral and you will love it. I have been flying almost 30 years and have always had an ugly stick in the hanger. They are just fun!

The U can do floats enough that you could get by with it if you want it, but make sure you get some help with it. Set it up on low rates and learn to fly it, then slowly add throws till it gets fun.

Either way, you will be able to fly it. I kinda feel like it would be a toss up. You would be ok with either as long as you had help.

i'd go for twist from hangar 9.... it is great at flying around, no bad tendecies, and good for beginner who want to get into 3D, also it is cheap, $99 for an ARF that's the cheapest i ever think it's gonna get. and put a 50 size engine on it if you want it to SCREAM! or a 46 would be fine

Expo,

I would do the Stik and not skip the second plane stage. I still fly a 4* 60 and that is after owning a 4*40 and getting rid of it and moving to 1/4 scale and up. I missed my 4* and went back to one because it feels really good to plant my butt in a chair and just bore holes in the sky for several tanks plus shoot nothing but touch and goes.

I really enjoy the bigger planes but going back to my "second" plane is always fun.

I'd go with the Stik but get the bigger size of just about any of them if you have the funds. They are more fun than you are allowed to have.

A UCD or a Twist could be a good second plane but you need to have certain skills down pat and are completely comfortable with inverted flight, rudder control and a small host of others. On a personal note. I had the 4*40 and the Twist all in the same day. I maidened the 4* first ands then the Twist. I prked the Twist and did not fly it for several weeks and flew the snot out of the 4*.

As I have said before. What may be easy to fly for one person may not be easy to fly for another.

I'd definately suggest going with the 4* series for your second plane. Large wing area, low wing, good looks, and flys great, but will slow down and land like a trainer. Built straight from the box it is a great plane, but with a few little modifications, it'll do just about everything you could want it to do. I loved mine and will probably build another one after I get tired of my Sig SE

Connery,
Very nice looking planes.

Ken

Connery,

Very nice set of planes there

What do you think of the SSE. I know, stupid question. Now here is another. Have you ever tried to count the rolls while on the book recommended high rates at half throttle of more.

Talk about getting dizzy and an unbelieveable roll rate [X(]

I also had the SSE both were kits, one was glow and the other I electrocuted.

Expo,

What's with the avatar? Foot fetish?

I have no use for sticks, never understood why anyone wants one. However, that's just me. I don't like UCD's or Funtanas, either.

Regardless, this really depends on your resources and your skills. If you can hover your trainer, you can hover a UCD. If you can fly it inverted, you can fly an Extra inverted. If you can knife-edge your trainer, you can knife-edge an Ultimate. Can you do all those things, with your trainer? Rolling circles? Four point rolls? If so, buy whatever you like, right now.

If not, I will suggest that you practice until you can do those things, before you buy a stick, UCD, Funtana, or whatever. I attach great value to being able to wring out that trainer.

Of course, opinions differ. Good luck!
Dave Olson

How about a super sportster? That was my second plane and sure never regreted it. I now also have an Extra 300 but still go back frequently to my sportster. It lands nicely and with its sleek shape it's very fast with a 46fx in it. It also flat spins perfectly. Good luck

You know the beauty of the stick is that it's simple. When you get into a U-Can-Do then simple starts to go away.
This is little stuff you don't think about, but it's there none the less. If the motor is running weird, you have to pull the prop, pull the cowl, etc etc etc. WHen it's all out in the open, it is a ton easier to deal with. Guys that have been doing this for awhile are probably saying, cowl? whats the big deal? But it is when you are starting and unsure how to proceed. Just something to think about, it's not all about flying.

After having gone the U-Can-Do route, (still have it, its for sale cheap and in nice condition) I then went to a warbird. It's going to be great, but now just a little more complex, my next bird will be a stick...why? Cause it's simple, hassle free, and I won't sweat flying it if the weather is a little off, or the wind is up.

It is tempting to want to branch into bigger flashy things, but unless you have a deep wallet, it's a pointless endevour.

I am all about just having fun and relaxing to fly.


Tom

I am glad to hear so many good things about sticks. Can't wait to fly mine this weekend

For a second plane, I think a lot of guys are ready for a profile 3D plane with the CG and control throws set conservative. They are extremely easy to land and will perform very well with any reccommended engine. Once you have got the feel for one of these, then the controls can be increased to the point where they will fly circles around the heavier built options, and cause a lot less grief if something goes wrong.