As long as you DO SOMETHING!. To micro-analyze the vast components will make this extremely fun sport, pure drudgery...Go with a 4 Chnl TX, an EP ARF, but most of all, Make the leap. lol. I have members of the club I belong to, that have worked out a financial plan, from the pure fact of affordability, desire, an income. They purchased one component every month or so, the whole time working with an instructor(Free) to learn how to fly. By the time they were proficient enough to solo, they were well on thier way to having everything,,,,,its just up to you......most of all have fun.
I, myself, am about to go out to our club field and fly my Uproar40, and complete my requirements to obtain an AMA All-Season Flyer Patch. Its 29 degrees, and wind from the north at 5-15mph,,,,,Oh what fun !!!!!

First of all,

Don't worry about light, paratroopers, and smoke just yet.. It will be more than enough to excite him when your just flying..

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You wanted a devils advocate?[sm=idea.gif] I'll try and talk you into the 6EXA.. For the money, you can get a nice computer beginner radio, 4 servo's, batteries, and receiver... THe radio itself will also offer different features such as EPA, Digi trim, 6 model memory, Dual rates, and EXPO. All these can be used in your trainer and in manyways can help simplify your control installation.

Plus you can drop paratroopers and lights and smoke later with the gear switch!

soonerIce --

I hear you. my impatience is a real good antidote to analysis-paralysis. See below.

Ice - your advocacy cam exactly 2 min too late! I took the plunge and ordered the SSEP, 4YF.

Based on folks' comments I don't regret that (and the 60$ I save gets me a field charger).

I can still call and adjust the order so talk to me about how (as a full novice) features such as
- PPM/PCM switchable
- EPA
- dual rates
- elevon/flaperon
- throttle cut switch

are useful NOW until I get comfortable with the 4 ch on the SuperStar.

Right now, it's a tradeoff between growth vs cost. So if the features will only really be helpful in 6mo/1yr, wouldn't it make sense to THEN get the 6EXAS transmitter only (where tho - Tower only offer the full package)?

Well crap![:'(]

If you already ordered I wouldn't worry about it. Instead you can get a nice field charger and save up your money for a better radio when you see fit.

Sigh. OK here goes:

After discussing with my finance minister (wife) I'll go for the 6EXAS - noone seems to be able to say anything bad about the radio.
Tower was great - order cancelled, here I go reordering.

ANy of you have opinions on practicing taxiing (esp when the plane i soming at me) -- or should I just spend the time on a sim?

Jeez. I am all tickled. Can't wait. Say's it'll be here in a week!

IF you are going to buy a non digital radio just get the 4 channel and save the extra cost for when you decide to buy a computer radio which you are going to want eventually more than likely.
Unless you turn out to be a person who only is interested in trainers and cubs(which is fine) you are NOT going to be satisfied with the 6EXA. I 100% Guarantee you you will not be satisfied for long, no matter what the other guys say here. If you intend to move up to any kind of (relatively) serious aerobatic flying and get into planes outside of 4*40's, Stiks, .40 sized planes and small scale planes its not going to work for you. One good thing is that the 6EX is an ok radio and its not much more expensive than the 4Y so you really arent losing anything significant buy buying it but it wont be your last computer radio I promise you. You WILL want to get a better one within 6 months if you develop at all as a pilot.

OK,

It will take a servo to drop a parachute, bomb, etc.

How long it takes you to learn to fly depends on you. Some folks I have trained have been capable of soloing in about 3-4 days at the fields making 3-4 flights per trip. Others have literally taken months of lessons 1-3 times per week. Everyone eventually gets it and moves on to fly on their own if they really want to learn. A good trainer wont cut you loose even if you can takeoff and land intil they are sure that you can handle the plane in the typical abnormal situations and you demonstrate the ability to fly the plane with good control no matter what direction it is facing relative to your point of view.

I would say if you are an average, younger (15-45 year old), computer saavy person with pretty good hand eye coordination you will probably learn to fly competantly in 4-8 lessons which can probably be done in 3 weeks to a month.

Mike - thanks. I'll report back where in that spectrum I fall!

Does anyone here recommend practicing taxiing and short hops (1ft off ground) etc by myself?

Taxiing yes, short hops No way. Short hops lead to tip stalls and busted planes if you arent careful. Taxiing is almost exactly like driving an RC car. Its not going to teach you a thing about flying, but it will get you familiar with the plane, running the engine and will give you "the feel" of using the transmitter.

That being said, if you hav never started and run a glow engine, its not 100% necessary, but it would be advantageous to get some help just to steepen the learning curve.

Remember, turn the Transmitter on 1st on off last.

Another little useless beginnre tip, get a neckstrap. Its a whole lot more comfortable to fly with the Transmitter secured and resting against you belly and your hands free to do nothing but move the sticks. SOme guys dont use a strap, but 95% of pilots eventually go to one and 100% of those stay with it. Some even move up to a tray but thats just a few.

Trainers, Cubs, 4*40s, sticks, .40 size planes, and small scale planes are what 80% or more of the people fly. That's why basic 6 channel computer radios are so popular, the have what MOST people need. I've had my 6EXA for more than a year and the ONLY issue I've got with it's only got memory for 6 planes. I had to take one of my planes out of commission because I'm getting another ready! []

Yes, taxiing is good practice. However, do yourself, and your new plane, a favor and do it WITHOUT THE WING!!! This will prevent any unexpected flights, perhaps when you panic and move the throttle to full instead of idle.

By the way, it's great to see orders being placed, even if they're made, cancelled and redone, all in the couple hours I was in the shop working on my new plane. [X(] You'll be in the air in no time. I expect to see some pictures soon!

OUTSTANDING!!!!. Your gonna love it, whatever the model, radio etc...Just the experience of first flight, then on to learning how to control the plane and not let the plane control you,,,,then ultimately the solo. If your like most folks here, you will have your second plane halfway built in your head, before you get your first one soloed.

Oh and BTW, I did go out to our club field, Good to see Septic Shock and Derrick, out, along with other super folks, who are just as crazy as me & my wife! The temp dropped to 38 with a 12-18mph wind from the north, that equates to a 20degree windchill. Oh but what great flights we had.

I don't use a neck strap, yet , but please take the transmitter from around your neck when bending down to check, start or adjust the motor. This is what scares me about neck straps, with out one you are forced to lay down your TX before doing anything else. GL

OK good point. A safety note about neckstraps. Always ALWAYS tuck it in your shirt while you are starting the engine. Once you pick the up transmitter and back away from the plane to taxi out, clip on the strap and go fly. Its quite simple actually and a very easy habit to get into.

Yes, you are right.
But depending on your intentions this may or may not be the right choice, that is my point. Im not disagreeing Im just saying that there are a LOT of choices and the beginner should be aware of ALL their options so that they can make the most effiecient purchase.

I started out with a 4 channel and then knowing I was going to need a good versatile computer radio after doing some homework went with the 9C and Im sure glad that I did.

All thanks for your kind words.

Chuck - capital idea to taxi without wing!
Mike - check on the No Hops. (Damn, there goes my nefarious plot to report back "I did it!")

Appreciate your saftey tips RE Tx and strap, Mike; are they based in experience?!

Luckily the plane's electric, so I won't be fussing with a starter (though I am sure some folks have done so :0 )

Sweet. On to shop for a TX to USB cable to hook this puppy up to FMS...

More soon as I get it.

Oh: So I couldn't keep the secret and told my 5yr old:
Me: Jasper, I got the plane.
J: What?
M: I bought the plane and a radio!! (besides self w/ excitement)
J: Where is it, can I see it? (nonchalant)
M: .... uh, um, no. It's still in the mail.

Seems like we got to work on the whole concept that certain things take time, $$ don't grow on trees, and -- oh wait. He's 5. Scratch that.

LOL, no not from experience but Im an AMA safety officer so I do have a habit of preaching safety.

However, I fly larger planes and I cant afford to get my lanyard stuck in a 28" prop and get my head neatly removed from my neck. The smaller engines will probably die if it happened but I wouldnt want to find out, a small engine can inflict some nasty and possibly mortal wounds. No thats not from experience,,,, yet,,,, but I have seen other people get cut up pretty badly by a .46.

Another safety point while Im on my soap box. Never stand beside or in front of a spinning prop. If the engine backfires or kicks back it can throw a prop and impale you before you even know you have been stuck. Weird things happen, props come off, spinners explode, a wood prop can have an invisible crack and shatter.... There are just to many reasons to crank it and immediately move to a position behind the prop. []

These are pics from a friends new 40% 3W Votec spinner that exploded when he was running out the engine last week.

Mike - wow. That spinner looks nasty. I dig the paintjob on that plane tho!

My experience with moving propellers comes first hand. Stupidity and impatience make a dangerous pair. Luckily it was a 300 motor with folding props, so it just banged my hand up nicely. I can only imagin what a glo prop can do -

Seriously - how often do bad things happen? Is this more prone to happen on glos, or same with electrics?

Well carbon fiber spinners and glow/gas planes dont mix well. A CF spinner has to be just right on a non electric.

But it is very common to see a glow engine especially a .40-1.00 size throw the prop and spinner.

Check this out, this is a friend of mines plane. He has about 2 flights on it....

That is an awesome graphics scheme Mike!

I was warned,(retold a horror story, actually) of a seasoned flyer, bending over and having the metal clasp catch the spinning prop on a 4*40(46FX). The clasp flew up, still attached to the strap(and pilot) and neatly sliced through his upper lip, and his left nostril![:@] After a trip to the ER, he was rewarded with 26 stitches and an appointment to see a oral surgeon to reattach his left front tooth. [X(]

From then on, I put my strap inside my tee shirt. Sure, I've forgotten to pull it out and attach it, thus making for a funny feeling, but hey, least I still got all my parts. Just the thought of it happening. makes me cringe.[:'(]

Dang. But that's much better than getting the strap wound around the prop and ... yikes.

I've had the hook on my strap hit a running prop. I was lucky in that it only bounced back up and smacked my ear (my pride was more hurt than anything), but just that little bit got my attention. I make it my habit now to put my neck strap around my back so it's hanging down my back. Since it's part of my routine now I feel strange when I forget to do it, and stop to figure out what is wrong. If you develop good safety habits they will usually kick in when our brains stop thinking!!!!

Ken

that seems to apply to a lot of jobs and hobbies - you want reflexes so you don't need to rely on your brain.

In that sense -- what sense does it make to say Tx = first on, last off? Shouldn't it be the Rx? I mean if I turn on my Tx, turn aroudn and some idiot touches the left stick, I might have a surprise on my hands when I thought I was safe...

Actually, in t he case of your radio you do want to turn on the transmitter first. The reason for that is because stray radio signals can and will drive servos past their limits and destroy them.

Ken

Ken -- how does my turning on my Tx counter act stray signals? The would hit the Rx anyway, no?

No. The signal from your receiver will be on the receiver and that is what the receiver will accept. Yes, a stray signal can cause you to lose control of your receiver but it's not going to damage servos. Have you ever turned on your receiver before the transmitter and have all of you servos "twitch" or "jump". This caused by stray signals Sometimes they just cause twitching, but they can also command your servo to move past it's limits and damage the servo. You have to remember that the receiver gets all of it's "commands" from the transmitter, which it then passes on to the servos. Without the transmitter on first the receiver doesn't know what to tell the servos, and any stray voltage in the receiver can actually be passed onto the servo as a command, which it will execute. Servos work by comparing their given position with the position that the receiver tells it to go to. When you move your stick to the right, the servo will move to the right until it matches what the transmitter/receiver tell it where it should be. This is an over simplification of how they work, but it gets the idea across. When you turn on your receiver first there is no signal from the transmitter telling it where to stop moving at, because of this servos can be damaged.

When I first started flying I though the same way as you did. I was a bit hard headed about doing it I didn't change my habits until I destroyed a $120 high torque servo. Now it's just another habit I do when I'm at the field.

Ken

Ken -- cool beans. I get what you're saying but the why -- my electronics skills are, well, rudimentary. I do remember the twitching on my first crappy 2ch (see my first post). Man.

Thanks for humoring me!