Well it may be a bit premature, but I'm thinking about my second plane. I'm learning on an Eagle II powered by an OS LA .46.

I want to learn aerobatics (the kind "real" airplanes do, not necessarily 3D), and it's been suggested to me that one of the "Sticks" would be a good second airplane for me.

I don't really want to buy another radio to go with my second plane, so I'd like something I can fly with my Airtronics VG600.

So far, I've found the Big Stick by Great Planes and the Super Stick by Hangar 9. Any ideas on which would be the better plane? What size should I get 40 or 60??

Do "flaperons" make short field landings easier - can I set that up without a computer TX? The landing strip where I am learning is 600' long and about 50' wide, but a friend of mine has his own strip at his farm, but it is only 100' x 25' so the ability to throw out an anchor on approach would be great.

Other planes that have been suggested are the SIG 4 Star, and the Lanier Stinger. The Ultra Star 40 + also looks really interesting but I will wait until a few people have actually flown them before whipping out the old Visa card...plus if I am going to build a kit, I want to make sure it's around for a while to enjoy, so I want to build up more experience first.

Any thoughts?

PS...having a blast, third weekend out.....nailed about a dozen landings, made a good save on a crosswind attempt, and just about gave myself a haircut on another crosswind attempt. My instructor later apologized for not taking the plane, but he thought I had things under control. I crossed the threshold waaaay on the other side of the runway, but it didn't stay over there! I also found out that the closer the plane gets to me, the slower my brain works!

CONGRADUATION DAVID,
When you have soloed go with a 60 stick.I like both the Greatplanes Big Stick & Hanger Ultra Stick.
I have an older style GP Big Stick kit form that I bought that was ailorons only and the thing flys great with a OS 61. Been flying it for 2 years now.
I know guys that have the Ulra Stike and have used the flaps and they really enjoy messing with the crow on their computer radios
If you dont have a computer radio, you can set up the flaps with a three way switch on your radio.
good luck on your futur in RC
nedyob

the stick planes can land so very slow with out flaps,most of pur club members with the sticks are flying with 4c radios and take off and landings or very short and easy,with a computor radio the plave has more flying options,all sticks fly great, but at our club most fly the Hanger 9,ARF, if you go with the H 9 be sure to throw the fuel tank away,most of them leak with out to much stick time,Sullivan,Dubro,Hayes are all fine tanks.

Have a goodun,John.

I've read the manual for both kits, given that the neck of the fuel tank "plugs in" it the fire wall, I imagine that you need a tank with a specific shape to replace the one supplied, are they readily available?

Tanks for sticks are readilly available. Regardless of the company name, check the tank for leaks. Hook up the hoses as specified by the manufacturer and place it under water while blowing air into one line and out the other. This will quickly verify if there is a leak.

Might take a little effort but don't have to us a tank that plugs into the existing hole, just run the lines thru the hole then seal the hole off with something.
Have a goodun,John.

I've been flying a Hangar 9 Ultrastick this summer. It's been a good plane, and I'd buy it again. I picked it up for $119 at the local shop this spring, which is pretty hard to beat. It sinks right in on landings without the flaps or crow settings. My only complaint is the stock tank. It burst on me in August. I'd read that I should have replaced it, but did I listen? Not until it bit me.

For a few bucks more than the SuperStick or older GP stick you can get an UltraStick that has better covering. That's worth it, I think.

Congratulations David! Good solo today!

David, check out the SpadStick and the DasPlasStick at http://www.spadtothebone.com under Spad Originals. Using the equipment from your trainer you can get one of these in the air for less than 10 bucks. The fear factor of crashing it is a lot less, and they take a lot more abuse and that equals lots of hard flying to learn those aerobatic moves. BTW, one of our local naysayers recently got his hands on Kraut's SpadStick and it blew him away, he said it flew identical if not better than his Stick...now he wants one

Both of my teenage son's (12 & 14 at the time)
soloed on a World Models Super Stunts 40. This
is a $100 ARF that goes together easy. It will
do almost any trick in the book. It has a semi-symmetrical wing. It builds light. Start with
the throws where the assy guide shows. Then kick
them up a little at a time. A .46 fx will pull it around like great. My youngest boy has a .40 fsr
on his and it screams!

David,

I have both the Ultra Stick 40 and the Ultra Stick 60. I have an OS 50SX on the 40 and a YS 91 on the 60. I would highly recommend the 60 as your next plane but you really need to put a 4 stroke on it for the most fun. It floats in at walking speed but has unlimited vertical. IMO it is easier to fly than a 40 size trainer. I set my radio up for flaperons and it will crawl in for a landing.

One piece of advice, put in another 30-40 hours of flying with the trainer before you move on to another plane. Make your mistakes with a lesser plane.

Sticks are an excellent choice for a 2nd plane.

Just my 2 pennies.

Splitess

Thanks for the tips guys!

You know ehat the best thing about a long weekend is?? Three days of flying in a row! Wahooo!!!

I would forget the stick plannes and go to a easy to fly and land low wing. I am thinking about the Goldberg Tigers. They can really move out and fly fast or hover in a breeze due to the large wing and light weight. They are aerobatic because of the sym. wing and can be built as a taildragger or trike. Get one of these and you you will have a hard time finding a better flying plane!

I have a BIg Stick 60 with a ST75 and have had a Goldberg Tiger 60 wiht a Saito 91 four stroke. I agree with the previous person, buy the Tiger 60 and it flies excellent and is much better than the Sticks. Looks much better also.

sticks are nice, tiger2s are nice, four stars are nice, venture 60 is nice,

any of the above I would say are exellent choices.

my first "aerobatic" plane was a CG Super Chipmunk and can make a good second plane but is probably better as a 3rd another option which has not been mentioned is something like the U-Can-Do 3d. this is a 3d plane but if you tone the throws down it is a simple pleasure to fly. go as slow or fast as you want, it doesnt float down on landings, it stops, looks both ways, then touches down on its tip toes . the only thing ou have to wathc for is im not sure how it would hold up to a "hard" landing. you may want to get to the point were you can grease your trainer consistently before you try this.

also another over looked option. use your trainer to fly aerobatics.

increase the throws on everything, move the CG back a bit at a time then see what it can do.

it amazing what a little trainer can do when you set it up right, I had a little .20 size that would do the most awsome flat spins, you would set it up, spin it, flatten it out then let go of the sticks and it would just spin and spin, it was fun to watch. and recovery was simply opposite rudder and a blast of power and would fall right out, (or a ton of rudder and aileron and about 20' if the engine was dead )

ask your instructor if he can start teaching you some basic aerobatics such as rolls and loops and snap-rolls and such. also ask him for some stall recovery practice you will need it if you start aerbatics.

good luck and keep practicing