I am a very smart almost 14 year old kid, and I was wondering if this stuff is all true. Is it really easier to fly a plane with the wing mounted above the fuselage? How much easier is it? Would I be able to fly a plane relatively easily with the wing mounted under the fuselage? The reason I ask this is because there is a plane at my local hobby store that I like a lot and am seriously considering buying it that has the wing mounted under the fuselage. The guy there said that it will be harder, but it shouldn't be too bad and that I would still be able to grasp flying quickly. I just wanted to double check this. Thank you.
~me~

They are more difficult to fly if you've never flown before. If a trainer is needed, go with the high wing to learn and then get the low wing. A low wing trike gear wouldn't be that bad though. It just wouldn't float like a high wing.

If you're "very smart," you'll get an instructor. There are lots of good low wing planes that COULD be used as primary trainers with the right combination of instructor/student, but the learning curve will be much steeper! You didn't tell us what kind of plane it is. Lots of planes are low wing--including most warbirds, which would make for impossible trainers. More information is needed, but you DO NEED AN INSTRUCTOR!!!

If you're smart, answer this:

Is it easier to stand on top of a clothesline, or hang from it?

The obvious answer is to hang from it because you are more stable with your weight below the line.

Same thing with an airplane - you can put all of the weight on top of the wing, or below it.

Now it's true that there are many different ways to configure a plane, and you CAN design a high wing plane that is less stable than a low wing plane, but in general, when it comes to Radio Control models, a High-wing plane will be more stable.

But as 2slow said, first arrange getting an instructor - Find your local club, go check them out and talk to the guys, they will be more than happy to help you get started. They will help you pick out a trainer, and they may even have a "Club Trainer" that you can fly. Once they see how quickly you pick it up, they may even recommend skipping a basic trainer, and going with a low-wing "Intermediate Trainer" - But again, you need THEM to recommend the trainer. There are a few low-wing models that SOME instructors MIGHT recommend as long as THEY are the ones who will be instructing you

I am getting an instructor, so don't worry about that. If I got a trainer plane how long would it be before I would need a better preforming plane? I don't exactly want a slow plane that I won't be able to do much with. I'd much rather learn slower and have a plane that could last me a while, than having a slow plan that will last me 3 months. As I said before, I am still a kid, so money is hard for me to get. (No I'm not a lazy bum that mooches off my parents, I buy everything, and they buy nothing for me) Is there some kind of plane that I could learn with, and stay with me for a long time? I am really interested in Combat Flying if that means anything. Thanks for all you help.
~me~

Newb, alot of people still fly their trainers after 10+ years in the hobby, just cause their easy to fly doesnt mean they're boring...and with a few mods after you get proficient, you would be suprised what you can make one do...

Stick with a trainer, high wing...Nexstar, Avistar, Kadet...something like that, you really wont regret it...

One other thing to think about is that with the high wing trainers, if it has a flat bottomed wing, you can easily build different wings for it, with different airfoils, dihedrals, added ailerons or lack of, etc. There is no reason that a trainer has to be boring. I'm building a Kadet Jr from plans. The plans call for almost 2" of dihedral on a 48" wing. I'm building it with NO DIHEDRAL AND AILERONS, to give me a 4-channel plane instead of three. Even on the wing mods, I'm working with an experienced designer who moderates another forum, so I know I'm not going to screw it up. Just something else to think about[sm=idea.gif]

The guy at the hobby store said that this plane was a beginners plane. (the one with the low wing) I like this thing a lot and I would love to get it, but I have highly considered what you guys are saying. Since this low winged plane is a beginners model would it be ok?
~me~

What model...your asking a question that is SO open ended that it cannot be answered, and it seems like your going to keep re-asking it untill you get the answer you want...

Go ahead, buy it, im all for somone doing whatever the want...ive been in more than one argument on this board defending people like yourself that want to jump in maybe a bit too deep at first...because alot of time it works and you feel great about it...

Just know, that as a trainer, very few low wing planes are good, for one, they have almost no self-correcting tendancies, with a high wing, you can (with altitude)put it in to a stall and ust let off the controls, it will find level flight on its own...a big advantage as a new flyer...and low wings will ALWAYS need to land faster, since the CG is above the plane's pivot point...the plane will naturally want to flip nose or tail first depending on BG...

I guess I have been kinda stuborn haven't I? I'm just worried that it will be too slow it all. Anyone know what the average speed a trainer flies at? Also a kind of random question here, but how hard is it to get backflips and barrel rolls and stuff like that down pat? Would I be able to do that stuff with a trainer? Also, what if I bought a begginers model and not a trainer, would that be ok? (high wing) And one more thing, this is probably a pretty difficult thing to do...but my curiousity has taken over so. What is that manuever called when the plane is like floating vertically about 3 feet above the ground called? How hard is that to do, and is it even possible to do that with a high winged plane? I havn't said the model because it is a custom model that the guy at the hobby store built. It's made out of fiberglass? maybe? I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure it's not balsa. Thanks again, you guys have helped me out a lot.
~me~

If you are dead set on getting this plane I would suggest that you get the personwho is going to instruct you to have a look at the plane first and get thier opinion. Also see if they feel comfterable training you with the plane. Remember that the hobby shop owner is there to make money not friends he may be just trying to move merchandise that has been sitting for a while (not saying all model shops owners are like that).

Well is there any possible way to tell how stable it will be in flight just by looking at it, or with out flying it? I am not really about to go out and drop some money on a plane I won't even be able to fly, so despite how it appears, I am very apprehensive about buying this plane. There is another high winged plane that I have my eye on though!...Unfortunately it's like $50 more[&o]
~me~

Would I be able to learn on a Super Chipmonk?
~me~

chipmonk--no.
You said you don't want something you'd be bored with after three months. Consider yourself lucky if your trainer lasts three months. Most people who "still have their trainers" actually have another trainer that they bought after they crashed theirs. I would stay away from the fiberglass plane--they are inherently heavier, which = higher wing loading, which = even higher landing speeds, nastier stall tendencies, and so on. Plus, once you crash it, repair is much more difficult for a beginner. Sometimes when you crash your balsa trainer, you can re-build it. Once you start cracking that fiberglass, it will be difficult for a beginner to repair it. You need experience before you move to a plane like that.

Trainers can fly in the neighborhood of 55 to 60 mph. Is that not fast enough for you?

BTW,
Barel rolls are definitely possible with a trainer, as are stall turns, some brief hovering (the vertical maneurver you were referring to), snap rolls, cuban eights, reverse cuban eights, split s', immellmans, and other basic aerobatic stunts. "tail flipping," as you called it (I believe you are referring to waterfalling), is not going to be possible with a trainer due to the lack of necessary control surface area, but you will not get bored for a long time!
If you are really worried about being bored, get a trainer with a semi-symmetrical wing, it will perform more aerobatically in the air, but you will need more help and time to solo might be increased somewhat.

Newb...

You dont want fiberglass, the hovering you mention is 3D and no you're not going to do it with a high wing, and you wont do it period untill WELL AFTER you learn the basics...

Most trainers move at 60mph easy....

Super chipmunk, no

Im just going to say it...

Judging by what you have said so far you are clueless about RC flight, and I can almost guarantee you that you dont have the skills or natural ability to fly a low winged plane...you dont have the (im not being insulting here) common -flight- sense to handle a jump right to low wing...and you will crash it...an instructor isnt going to be able to save a low wing near as well, and you're going to lose it.

Stop trying to worry about what you want to do a year or 2, or even 6 months from now, focus on what you need to do, and that is learn the basics, the other stuff will follow, you can probably turn around and resell the trainer you buy for a hundred bux, or pull out the motor and electrics and put it in a low wing arf, your looking at about 150 dollar upgrade for something like a 4-star.

I can guarantee you that anything that is custom built wasnt built for a begginer, nobody targets a custom build at that flying level because it isnt cost effective to get that kind of performance out of a custom plane...

Like I said, do what you want, but this is one of the few times that I will say that judging from the amount of knowledge you have, combined with how ambitious you are trying to be, that if you buy that low wing, you will be out full cost, not just the cost of an easy upgrade later on...

i don't know how much you plan on spending but the new p-51pts from hanger 9 will do what you are looking for.but i advise it only if you are going to use an instructor on a buddy chord,which is included along with a flight simulator that you can practice on at home(it helps alot).a high wing is easier to learn on but this p-51 flies well and if you use a instuctor it can be a good plane that you can speed up as you remove the trainer stuff.and it looks cool too[8D]

That P51 would be a better second or third plane, NOT A FIRST. It falls into the same catagory as the Pro Boat/Horizon Budweisers. They are ARF boats that many hobby shops sell as beginner boats, which they are not. As you can tell, most here are telling you to stay with the high winged trainer, and it's for a good reason. To put it simply, you need to learn how to fly, which includes muscle responces, not just thinking. A trainer will let you learn to react without having to think first. Did you go out and ride a bike, without falling, the first time out? You want to learn to fly, go get yourself a Kadet LT-40 or similar airplane(I'm partial to Kadets), a engine to match and a radio(not going to recommend one, it would open another can of worms). Now you have the makings of a successful trainer set up. Take your time putting it together AND HAVE YOUR INSTRUCTOR CHECK AND PREFLIGHT IT. Be sure he goes over it with a fine toothed comb. Even though it's your plane, let him do the first flight. If it's got something wrong, he will have a better chance of getting it down in one piece if he doesn't have to take over in midair from you.

Please buy a Simulator, like Great planes G2, and work on it first.

By the way you will have a blast with it!

Ok thanks a lot guys, I'll pick up a sweet trainer I found at the store maybe tomarrow. Thanks again you guys really helped me out a lot!
~me~

High/low differences: High winged trainers have what is called self correcting ability. In other words if you are in a hard turn and you let go of the stick the plane will level out by itself. High wing trainers usually have a flat bottom wing which provides lots of lift. This means that the plane is capable of landing at slow speeds. But if needed, hit the throttle and the plane will start to gain altitude. This factor acts as a good safety feature. The high wing planes are easier to see from the ground because of the fusleage hanging below the wing. Low wing planes are more of whats called point and shoot. In other words if you put the plane into a turn and then let go of the stick, the plane will stay at an angle in the turn. To get the plane out of the turn you have to move the stick in the opposite direction. In general the low wing planes also tend to fly a lot faster than high wing planes and will also turn much quicker. The higher speeds and quicker response times make things happen too fast for a new flyer to control or understand what is happening. TO fly safe you will need to fly at an RC club. Ask the hobby shop where they are and go visit them. A lot of clubs have trainers that you can try on a buddy box and see what its all about. You can download a free flight sim called FMS and try that alos. Don't buy G8 right now. Its fancy and looks cool but its very expensive. Liink to FMS included for you and a model from the sim. [8D]

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index_e.html

hydro i disagree,have you flown the new p-51 PTS trainer? i am new to this and just picked one up two weeks ago.like i said i only recomend it if he was planing on using a instuctor on a buddy box,not learning on his own. it has speed brakes,fixed position flaps(that can be made to functional with a servo) and wing droops which really slows it down and can be removed as you learn to speed it up and make it turn more crisp. jmho being a begginer myself.14 yr olds learn pretty fast and become bored if not challenged,the simulator will help practice when at home and not at the field.i started with a nexstar and this plane handled much better especially on the ground really the only difference i've noticed is the p-51 drops a little more in the turns other than that it flies the same.

And it will tipstall, as you posted in another thread. A good reason why it is NOT a good primary trainer.

Newb,

I was in the same position you are in now a few years ago. So, I'm going to give you some more useful advice to add to what everyone else has said. You really need to swallow your pride and ambitions and start at the very bottom. You can NOT choose a plane you are going to learn how to fly based on how it looks! Face it...basic trainers arent the best looking or performing planes....because theyre not supposed to be. The characteristics that make them easy to fly are the ones that dont make them exciting for an experienced flyer. With all due respect, you are not experienced yet, considering that you have never flown before. Therefore, you need to get a trainer...you may be surprised how much its not boring simply because you have never flown before. It may look boring, but once you learn how to fly, you can do some simple maneuevers and you'll see that the plane is not just straight and level flight. (However, this it what you might be doing at the very beginning of your training.

I learned to fly a few years ago and was about your age too. I wanted a Great Planes .40 P-51, but instead, I learned how to fly on an old Goldberg Eagle. Believe me, the plane I got was uglier than any of the trainers out there today. Yet, it did its job: it taught me to fly, and that is the entire point of a trainer. Once you have built up some experience, etc, you can move on to a slightly more performing plane. I went from the trainer, to a motorglider, and now I fly a Piper Cub, 2 electric planes (one simple warbird, the other a 3D foamie) and have fun-fly model almost ready to go, which will be followed by a larger T-34, and then a large pattern model with retracts (my first). All of this I am using to build up to my Top Flite Fw-190...which will be expensive to complete, and I want to make sure it lasts a long time. Therefore, I'm being patient and working/learning on my building and flying skills until I can a handle something like this .90 powered warbird. (I expect that to take a year or 2, especially with college, etc) I've been in the hobby for about 6 years now...it takes lots of time to work your way up properly.

About the aerobatics you were asking about....

That kind of flying is all but impossible for a newb in the hobby, plus the fact that your trianer that you should (really, you should) get is not set-up for this at all. Your trainer will do basics such as loops, rolls, hammerheads, etc. Real 3D/ aerobatic flying takes a few years to become proficent at, and you need the correct plane and set-up. You need an overpowered plane (not good for newbs) with huge control surfaces, and the right design. You may also need more powerful servos, computer radio...etc etc. Basically, its something you build up to over time as you get the right equipment and skills, which are so necessary in this hobby when you become a better pilot, and as you gradually buy more and more stuff.

Get a good instructor, and become friends with him/her and the people in the club you will join. Having experienced friends in the hobby is invaluable....I cant even say how much people in my club and my instructor have helped me over the years. I probably wouldnt be where I am today if it weren't for all their help.

I know this is long, but I felt you could use some advice from someone who was in your shoes not too long ago, and succeeded to become a proficent pilot by playing by the rules, and climbing the ladder of R/C flying at the right pace. You just need to understand that this IS NOT a hobby that you can pretty much just jump into. (like R/C cars for example, where everything happens on the ground, where you dont really need instruction, and 5 year olds can quite easily pick it up)

Finally, since money is an issue, as it was for me and for most young people who try to start in this hobby, heres another reason for the trainer. The trainer will last longer and be more durable; it will be a much better value, more bang for your buck. In the end, when you're ready for a 2nd plane, you will most likely have spent less money learning to fly with the trainer than if you had gotten "the plane that just looks cool". Look around for good deals, check out flea markets, and sometimes fellow club members are willing to help you out. The trainer I got was a hand-me-down that I got for free from a fellow club member, and he also gave me the T-34 I have now to help improve my skills. My instructor helps me out by getting me good deals for equipment, and selling me some of his things at prices I would never find from a hobby shop. You'll find that this hobby is much more enjoyable if you take it slowly, enjoying it every step of the way, and if you work your way up.

im flying a trainer self taught trust me under no circumstances get a low wing plane to learn on!!.as far as speed goes trainers are not slow but the big pluss is they can be flown slow unlike other types of planes!!.get a propper trainer youl learn more without the fear of crashing if you get too slow.as others have said you can put a larger engine in later and do all kinds of crazy things if you like.leave the low wing plane till later trust me you arent ready for it!!!.also the guy who suggested building another wing with no dehederall is spot on that would be a great idea and wont cost much especially if you build it from plans!!.