duraplane or 3ch park fler vtail. Which one will train me better to fly my trainer?

neither one. I have been flying for close to 6 years and have never flown a V-tail. The tail on anyplane comes in handy when landing. Duraplane is not a beginners plane. Its sort of a KIT and will discourage you if you run into problems building the brick.

I suggest the Freedom Flyer, www.littleracers.com . When I was teaching myself this little bird continued to amaze me with how it with stood crashed and rough landing. Its a glider that flies with the characteristics of a regular plane. GL

Will this plane train me to fly the trainer and why does everyone hate the duraplane? I sit because its to fast or heavy?

I don't hate the duraplane, I never had one because of the reviews it receives. If you look at the duraplane it is a piece of PVC square pipe with an aluminum pole to complete the fuse. In other words nothing like a real plane. The freedom flyer will teach how to control an airplane and IMHO you should be able to move right into a trainer after learning to fly on the FF. I did and never looked back. If you get the FF covert the radio system to throttle control vs ON/OFF speed control.

So you learned on the freedom flyer ony and went straight to a trainer? Would the aero voyager be ok?

First of all I sounded like a commercial when I said the FF taught me to fly. Actually I have tried 4 other types of plane/helicopters before finding the Freedom Flyer. The FF was the first plane I was able to crash , patch up, upgrade, and continue to learn to fly without halting to buy another plane. I also practiced on the FMS and REAL FLIGHT simulators along with consistent every weekend flying.

It is really a challenge to teach yourself to fly and I don't recommend doing so but if you have no choice I suggest you start with something that has a tail and an elevator , not V-Tail mixing. Yes you can toss the aero voyager in the air , keep it in the air and land perfectly , but IMHO I would not consider that to be an successful RC AIRPLANE FLIGHT. The minute you go to a trainer the fourth channel will probably confuse you because it controls the tail and the nose wheel and this orientation can be learned with a plane with a vertical stab.

Neither. Maxx, you've asked this question a couple of times already. You always get the same responses. The Duracrap is fast and heavy. It is NOT a good trainer plane. It IS hard to damage, but when it DOES get damaged (and it will), it may be difficult to repair. The park flyers may be difficult to learn on in anything but a dead calm, and may teach you bad flying habits that you will have to unlearn when you switch to a REAL trainer.

Get one of the Hobbico trainers (Not the NextStar), or the Tower trainer, and learn on it properly. Wait until you can get with an instructor, unless you have lots of time and money to put into repairing trainer planes.

'nuff said.

Dr.1

With all due respect, he already said he can't find a teacher. I was in the same perdicament and made out some what ok. INHO I would rather have a new flyer practice on an EP park flyer than on a glow powered plane that can cause terminal damage to someone or their property.

mikmaxx , you have to think about the safest way to learn to fly and be absolutely sure you can't find someone to teach you. GL

PS allot of people advocate jumping right in to glow powered planes . I don't because I didn't.

For the price of a park flyer, you could buy a good computer RC flight simulator. Be sure it's a RC simulator and not one of those in the cockpit full scale simulators that you can buy at most computer stores. Practicing with a RC car helps a lot too. Get a cheap Radio Shack RC buggy with joystick steering. Don't even think of flying an RC plane until driving this car both away and towards yourself without running into things is instinctive.
Remember, you are not just learning how to fly, you are also learning how to control a vehicle by remote control, something that is not instinctive or natural. By learning these skills separately, you greatly increase the chances of successfully flying your first trainer or at least dramatically shorten the time spent with an instructor before you solo.

I agree. If you absolutely have no access to another rc pilot who is willing to spend some instruction time with you, get a computer simulator to practice on. Unless you are gifted I give no chance of taking off and landing unscathed your first attempt. Probibly not the second try either... learning without instruction is frustrating and costly. Most quit the hobby after the first crash.
RC cars do aid in overcoming the control reversal associated when the vehicle is comming toward you. Left = Right. Driving (or flying) away from you right is right & left is left. Driving toward yourself the effect is reverse. A trick I learned and still use when taking off or landing is to turn my shoulders in the direction of travel. This seems to switch the left right thing in my pea brain and my thumbs automatically move the stick the right direction.

Look up other potential pilots in your area here on RCU. There is a search tool that allows you to see other regestered users in your area. I'll bet there is someone regestered here that could help you learn!

Dave

If rc cars help me I have pleanty of help there I was into rccars for 4 years I ended with a high speed jato 55 mph coming straight at me. Thank you guys and rc fiend for ansering the question I asked. I was wondering if a rc sail plane could train me. LAst question would a four channel park flier with ailerons help me?

These are the types of planes I have also taught myself on with great success. Gliders teach orientation along with how to plan to land. Today I saw a guy flying a slow stick perfectly that couldn't fly the same plane worth a darn 3 months ago. I no he crashed a few times at this field do to the broken electric props I was finding there. but he stuck with it and now he's having a ball. Although he is one of the few that crash and bounce back if you don't have a choice I will not stop you from trying to help yourself.

This is one of those cases where we're going to have to accept that there are probably no nearby instructors. The members list only shows 1 other person in Samoa and he appears to be new also.

I'm in complete agreement about using a car, or boat, to learn how to control a model when it's coming toward you. Another choice would be a simulator. The other thing that will help is choosing a slow plane, something like a GWS Slow Stick for example.

mikmaxx,

Definitely get a flight simulator and fly the heck out of it before taking something out that can crash for real. The simulators that are available today are a great development for the RC hobby. These will get your basic skills more than half way there. For the advanced pilot they are great for learning the basic stick movement and timeing of a new advanced maneuver.

Check out these threads recently posted in the "Beginners" forum on RCU:

My first flight! hackobo
first "real" solo jamie130
First Time RC Flyer - J3 Cub.... Bob Cosby

Reading these may give you some additional perspective?

Multiflyer

There is nothing specific about V tails to parkflyers so it should not be a decision criteria. Just anothter way to lay out the control surfaces.

If you are looking at self training and want an RTF parkflyer class plane, here are a few to consider.

SPACE

How much space do you have for flying? If you have totally clear space of at
least 600'X600', about 9 square acres, approx 4-6 6 square football/soccer
fields,
then I
can recommend one class of plane. Call this class 1 - CL1

If your space is more like 200X200 (one square acre) then a different plane is
in order. Call this class 2 - CL2

If it is less than that, different again. This we will call this class 3 -
CL3

These are my own designations and are based on my subjective ranking of the
space a new flyer should have when learning on his own. An experienced flyer
can fly faster planes in smaller spaces, but a new flyer wants to have more
space so you are not in a constant state of panic trying to turn. Now, you
can get above the edges of the field and expand your space, but if you lose
control, you drop in woods, on top of kids or smash someone's
windshield. If that windshield is in a car is traveling down a road when you
hit the windshield, you could cause an accident or worse.

So much for space. You get the idea.

Below I list electric planes for beginners. Some come ready to fly, some are
almost ready to fly (add your own radio gear) and some are kits. All of them
are electric. If you are looking for your first plane, you should find
something here to peak your interest.



READY TO FLY STARTER PLANES - Electric Parkflyers
No building - they practically fly right out of the box
These also glide well so you can thermal soar
with them under the right conditions.


Slow-V from Parkzone - $140 - Space CL2/3
Best flown in still to under 5 mph breeze. This is the best choice for people
who only have a small space to fly or who have an indoor place to fly, such as
a gym or
similar space.
http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...p?prod=PKZ1300
Discussion Thread
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_20...tm.htm#2089493
Review
http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=426
Video
http://users.cwnet.com/dhsc19/Slo_V_Aerobatics.wmv
Night fly module on a Slo-V
http://rc-galaxy.com/messageboard/mb...ViewMsg&num=-8


T-Hawk - RTF - Excellent Value - $170 - space CL1
Comes with extra wing, tail and battery
Flies well and stands up to hard landings
Can be flown on 27 MHz or 72 MHz
http://www.toytx.com/thawk3chrtf.html
T-Hawk - Without Radio - add your radio and receiver
http://www.readytoflyfun.com/wittran.html
T-Hawk Discussion Thread
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ighlight=THawk
Videos
http://www.readytoflyfun.com/thawkvideos.html


Easy Star - RTF - $180 - Space CL1
Believe this goes easily back in the box to keep in the car
Super tough foam. Comes with 72 MHz radio in the US.
Good parkflyer and a good glider
Radio in RTF package can be used to fly other planes
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/240025.asp
Easy Star - ARF - Add you own radio gear
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/240009.asp
Amazing information site for easy star
http://www.mpx-easystar.de/
Videos
http://plawner.org/video/easygo.wmv
http://plawner.org/video/easystar.wmv
Mods, upgrades and more
http://www.mpx-easystar.de/
Adding ailerons
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...8&goto=newpost


Aerobird Challenger - RTF Electric - $150 - Space CL1
Great keep in the car plane - take off the wing and it goes back in the box!
I started on an Aerobird RTF. I have over 350 flights on my Aerobirds. I
also thermal
and slope soar this plane. Flies well and stands up to hard landings. Their
add on fun accessories for night flying, air to air combat and drop module add
to the fun!
http://horizon.hobbyshopnow.com/prod...p?prod=HBZ3500
Review
http://www.hobbyzonesports.com/Disco...ID=1289#Page01
Discussion Thread
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147621
Video
http://www.parkflyers.com/html/aerobird_video.html

New Electric Flyer FAQs
http://www.ezonemag.com/pages/faq/a105.shtml

Six Keys to Success for new e-flyers
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=355208

I learned by myself with a Zagi and a SPAD. SPADs are easy to build, cheap, and durable. I'd try going that route. If you have a similator, that would be a big plus.

I did my learning in the winter time, out on a frozen lake. No need to try and line up on a runway right away... lots of open space! I think it might be difficult for you to find a frozen lake in Samoa.

Good flying,
desmobob

FMS simulator is free. Do a search and begin practicing.