I know I'll get a lot of different answers on this, but in reality what makes a plane a 1st aileron plane and what makes one a 2nd aileron plane? For example what makes a Parkflyers BeginAir a 1st aileron plane and what a 4 channel warbird a 2nd aileron (if you think it's one) other than how it handles and the fact the warbird would probably go a bit faster than something like the BeginAir.

Referring to glow planes: a first type plane basically has the wing on top called a high wing. It also has a flat bottom and a large wing area. This provides lots of lift and makes the plane capable of maitaining good control at slow speed flight. It will also take off and land slowly, has a gentle glide ratio and has gentle responses to control inputs. The 2 wing halves are also joined with a fair bit of angle between them calle dihedral. This makes the plane capable of self levelling itself if the control sticks are released. Get a 4 channel to start. Not much harder to learn than a 3 channel and you have more control in windy conditions. 2nd type planes have a different shaped wing with a curve on both sides. If the curve is equal on both sides then the wing is called symetrical. If the wing has a flat section then its called semi-symetrical. The wing halves are also joined with less dihedral than trainer planes which means that the plane won't tend to self correct if the sticks are released. This wing type flys faster and has a much quicker rreponse to stick inputs than a trainer. The wing area is usually also less vs. the size of the plane. This means that the plane will usually need more speed to both takeoff and land. The plane will also not glide as far if the engine dies. The plane can be a high wing, mid wing, or a low wing. From the planes I have flown, the low wing planes tend to handle the wind better and won't flair up on you if the wind gusts up while landing. For me this makes landing the low wing planes easier in windy conditions. The down side is that low wing planes are a bit harder to see in the air because you don't see the fuselage when the plane is directly overhead. Hope this helps. [8D]

Avoid trying war birds or scale models for even your second plane. The differences between them and actual trainers can be huge. They will a lot of times have higher wing loading and carry with them some if not most of the characteristics of their full scale counter parts. That in mind they can be far more challenging to fly and take off and land than you would think. You often have to keep power on for example while landing where as with a trainer they land easily even with the engine out. I have even heard from some that certain scale biplane models will almost be unflyable if your engine dies. Get a lot of experience with your trainers, get something with a symmetrical wing and then go into war birds and the other true scale planes. You will have a lot more fun with them. Jeff

well said! i would only add that there are many new "fun scale" warbirds that are coming into the market that may not necessarily be a bad second plane provided that you, as laker mentioned, really spend time learning to fly your trainer. i had a lazy tiger and it flew slow and stable enough for a beginner. i have let my newbie friends have a go on it with the buddy box. i hear the new hanger 9 p-51 is also a decend second plane. but note, these planes aren't scale and have a lot of the characteristics fastsky described as trainers, eg big, flat wings, large dihedral. difference is in the low wing configuration and the tail dragger landing gear which is a touch harder to get use to.