Is this good for a first time flyer? im lookin through my catalog and i see a combo for $930
im wonderin if this is hard to fly?
i wonderin what radio comes with it

For a beginner? Definitely no!! I have been flying for several years now and would be a tad bit leary of flying one. Stick with a trainer to start off. There are seveal great recommendations from many different people here in RCU that will get you up and into the spirit without having a handful like the Pits P-12.

DS.

For a first plane I agree with DS on this one. Definitely not a beginners plane. Yes it looks cool, yes some people think it's "embarrasing" to fly a trainer at a field, but no one at a club should ever pick on anyone that is willing to learn and go about it in a logical manner. Since you did not post a link to towers site with the combo I can only assume. Most combos in that price range do not come with the radio, servos, and the like. It's usually just the plane and engine so based on the price you quoted, figure at least another 500 dollars in other equipment

For that same 500 you can get a complete trainer package with everything but the fuel and glow plug ignitor and starter

Now the reason why you would want a trainer versus a biplane or other plane is this

A trainer will give you time to recover from mistakes. They are mainly inherently stable and float in for a landing and are usually built much stronger to take the abuse. Any plane past a trainer is what's known as a point and fly plane. They will stay in whatever attitude you place them in until you tell them otherwise. A trainer will almost always try to level out on it's own and as a new pilot you will need that. Your first flights will have you thinking that this trainer is really moving fast, but as you progress up and you keepo your trainer for those days when you do not want to toss up a plane that in the end will cost you about 1500 to 2000 dollars to get into the air

Biplanes do not float at all, in fact once you chop throttle you are basically flying a brick with wings. Not that Biplanes fly bad, they are draggy and just need power to overcome that drag. A Pitts any model Pitts require a certain way to take off and to land that is not a skill you probably already have.

Now as a Biplane lover ( I own 3 different ones, A Pitts Monster, A Super Stearman and a Ultimate) I would always recommend one as a third plane but never ever a first.

I see by your signature that you may have already ordered it. Previous RC experience on cars does not translate well to airplanes or helicopters, especially helicopters, two totally different animals. Yes it helps with orientation in the sense of going away and coming at you but cars only run in two dimensions, Planes and helicopters add a third dimension, up and down.

I also just did a search on Pitts P-12 and the only combo I found was the Goldeberg one. There is a huge thread here on RCU on that plane. Take some time to read it. If that is the plane then my statements about spending an extra 500 dollars will be incorrect.

I am sorry to bust your bubble on this one but I really hate to see new pilots spend a ton of money on a plane that will make maybe one 10 second flight, it's the law of averages and here on RCU we see it all the time

Bubba and CGRetired have hit the nail on the head. I'm going to put it plain and simple, if you try this plane as a first plane you're going to wind up with a good supply of kindling for your fireplace. I've been flying for 9 years now and I too love biplanes, and when I fly a Pitts it's a handful for me to fly. They are probably one of the most difficult biplanes to fly, and definitely not a plane to try and learn on.

Hope this helps

Ken

Now I don't usually contradict ol' Bill, but today I'm gonna. Because not only will $500 get him the full "Trainer package with everything but the fuel & ignitor", with current discounts & free shipping right now @ Tower that $500 will get you there RTF Trainer & a complete field/flight box combo,ie: field box, power panel, glow ignitor, electric fuel pump,with all the fittings & fuel tubing, starter & battery & still have money left to buy a gallon of fuel or two from the LHS! And some spare props ta-boot.

And if ya think flying a Trainer @ the club field is embarrassing, take a look at the NexStar turned War-Duck that wheels created. I fine looking Trainer ready to do Victory rolls. Get a Trainer my friend, these guys have been there & done that, they know what they're talking about.http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...1&P=3&I=LM1324 Here's just one example of what less than $400 dollars can get ya. Sorry guys I forgot to throw in the buddy cord, but in my own defense he'll need to find out what kinda buddy cord port his Instructor's radio has first anyway[sm=idea.gif]


Mark

Hmm, I guess shopping cart links don't work, anyway I was trying to show ya a RFT Trainer, complete field box combo & a six pack of spare props for like $391 before the current discounts available right now.


Mark

2 of the MOST DIFFICULT planes to fly are a Pitts and a Corsair.

To learn how to fly I would highly recommend the following:

A high wing trainer - Hobbico SuperStar and Avistar (among others) are excellent trainers.

A USER FRIENDLY 46 BALL BEARING engine. I can highly recommend OS 46 AX, Thunder Tiger Pro 46 and the Evolution 46. By user friendly, I mean that 99%+ of the engines will run great right out of the box AND require little or no "FIDDELING" with to get to run great or keep running great. There are many very good engines out there, however, a good deal of them require long break ins, and/or a good deal of "fiddeling" with to get and keep running great. Many of the engines that come with RTF (Ready To Fly ) packages are bushed bearing engines. While these engines range from marginal to OK in power for a trainer they are almost never useable in a second plane. A BB 46 has almost twice the power of a bushed engine and will definitely be useable in a second plane.

I also suggest a 6 channel (or more ) COMPUTER radio. I realize that a 6 channel is a little bit of "overkill" for someone just starting, however, by your 3rd or 4th plane you will most likely be wanting to use flaps and/or retractable landing gear. The cost difference between a 4 channel and an entry level 6 channel radio are minimal, and it will save you from buying another radio within a relatively short period of time.

The biggest and strongest suggestion I will make is to join a local club AND GET AN INSTRUCTOR. The majority of people who try to teach themselves to fly have a first flight of 30 seconds or less with damage to the plane and/or equipment in it. An instructor is your quickest (and least expensive ) route to learning how to fly.

Hope this helps.

Just to touch on what Campy said regarding the user friendly .46 bb engines. I have both the Tower RTF, & the NexStar RTF. Both come with a .46bb engine. The Tower engine required about 3 minutes of tuning by an experienced person to achieve a nice smooth idle & good transition and has been a good running power-house of an engine ever since! I'm really surprised at just how well that cheaper engine runs. The NexStar comes with the OS .46AX (probably a much better engine quality wise) this one comes somewhat pre-tuned for ya, it has a plastic stop installed on the needle valve that allows you some adjustment but not enough to get out of the safe range for the engine, can't get too lean or too rich. It's really just a matter of finding the sweet spot within that small range of needle valve travel. I was able to achieve this by myself in just a couple minutes of warming up the engine & proceeded to break it in, in the air, no deadsticks, it ran flawlessly right out of the box. I love this engine!


Mark

Just out of curiosity, have you had any problems with the Tower 46 not shutting down ? The 2 I had were awesome on power, but it took them anywhere from 30 - 45 seconds to shut off after the throttle and trim were fully closed (and visual inspection showed the barrel fully closed ). I gave my 2 away because I felt the problem was a major safety hazard.

Campy, that's a good indication of an air leak around the base of the carb or the carb looking like it's closed but it really is not. YS engines are like this. The butterly looks closed but it actually has to go almost horizontal until it is really closed

Campy, no not at all. We set the idle with the throttle at about half trim, and when I slide it down it shuts right off, same with the OS

After some corrections from bruce I'm gonna try this again.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=LXCXF4**&P=0

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXL419&P=0

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXZ971&P=ML

Tower calls for a Top-Flght 10x8, bruce reminded me the error of my ways concerning wood vs nylon with beginners. And quite frankly it's smokes right along with the 10x8 on it, I was told an 11x6 might be a little better for that engine, so that's what I put up. Bruce or Bill can give you a much more experienced opinion on correct prop size. These three links are just an example of getting started for well under $500 with a plane you can actually learn to fly on.


Mark

Just so you'll know, the radio above is mfg for Tower by Futaba so it is a good one.

It's also the same radio that comes with the Pitts P-12 ultimate combo he was looking at for $909


Mark

ok but i thought the trainers didnt need those starter spinning things?
i thought it was just a glow ignitor and a stick
how about this as a begginer?
[link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0170P]Kangke Monocoupe Combo[/link]
if not though i would get the nextar and that acesory kit
im gettin a heli too
[link=http://www4.mailordercentral.com/heliproz/prodinfo.asp?number=162925SKU]Nitro Heli[/link]

http://www.atsrcplanes.com/monocoupe60.htm or
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXJEG0&P=ML

as stated in Tower ad: for intermediate or advanced pilots

Also not suitable for a trainer. Go with the Nexstar. The "starter spinning thing" is not NEEDED but sure makes life easier if an engine decides to get stubborn. BTW - they like to get stuborn.

And a heli too? Wow, what bank did you rob? I wish you well, you're taking on a lot all at once but it can be done.

Great troll. Lots of bites!

The NexStar is a fine choice, but do yourself a favor. While practicing on the sim don't ever even fly it with the AFS on. If you do you'll wanna use it when you fly for real & then you'll find that it doesn't work the way it does on the sim, & you might just find yourself in a world of doo-doo faster than you can recover from. Trust me been there & allmost crashed that! Since turning it off I've found that I can fly it successfully, & more importantly I can land it now too as often as I wish. It has much better landing gear than my Tower IMO & has very good ground handling manners. Now I'm not bashing the Tower Trainer by any means, it is perfectly good airplane, but I'm old & the NexStar just seems to be an easier gentle flying plane for me personally. I hope that going to an 11x6 prop on the Tower from the 10x8 that it comes with might help because as I get better it will be my practice plane for learning new things. If I crash it I allready have a nice ARF in mind to put all the gear & engine in as a transition plane before I do my Venture 60 project.

Bill, Bruce do me a favor and take a look at this link for me, I'd interested in your opinions of this plane before I try to move on to the Venture 60. Thanks in advance.

http://www.airborne-models.com/html/...p?ProductID=50


Mark

P.S. Of course I'll be getting the Red, White, & Blue one, but you knew that!

Pitts Monster for a first plane?? THAT should make for an interesting crash video... IF it ever gets off the ground, that is. I just bought this plane and am just waiting to put it together. Definitely not for a beginner!!

And you guys even posted in here HUM

We often see that same thing from Car guys wanting to fly planes so that's why it was answered, but it's possibly a troll can't argue that one

Hey Lowlevl, Is she as purty as she looks in the pic?


Mark

Yup, VERY nice!! Cant wait to get her in the air! I'm going with the OS 1.60 FX for power, so the performance should be outstanding.

Cool, Happy for ya. Eventually I'll get to the Bipes too, but I'm still along way from there right now, but it doesn't hurt to look & drool!


Mark

no im not a bill gates jr. im just gonna choose one of these hobbies.
thing is im not very close (30mins) to a local rc airstrip and im not really able to get to it alot
so i might just get this

[link=http://h1072014.hobbyshopnow.com/products/description.asp?prod=JRP9005C]Nitro heli with EVERYTHING[/link]
it has everything for $750 and its at my favorite lhs!yay!
i could fly helis around my house when im good at it but they seem more than planes
i want that kangke monocoupe cuz its a good deal $600 for everything but i just need the starter pack

Dude, do yourself a BIG favor and "listen" to the advice that's being given to you here. These guys that are telling you to get a TRAINER for your first aircraft are doing so for a reason. The Monocoupe is a nice looking airplane, I will admit. BUT, it is NOT a beginners aircraft either. Trainers are designed to be very forgiving of the mistakes that you WILL make while flying. I was just like you when I first got into R/C... I didnt want a trainer, I wanted a "cool" plane, so I bought a Sig somethin Extra with a Saito .56 Four Stroke engine. Tried to teach myself to fly, and that plane lasted about 45 seconds before it was totalled. It was only after that incident that I realized I should have listened to those who were telling me to get a trainer and an instructor. Bought myself a Sig Kadet LT40, got hooked up with an instructor, and things went very well. That was almost a year ago, and I've been flying ever since. In a hobby like this, you dont start out at the top, you start at the basics and work your way up. Start out with a trainer, get some experience, and before you know it, you will be ready for that Monocoupe or Pitts. But if you try and start with one of them right now, you WILL end up with a busted bird, I guarantee you. But, it's your money, so it's up to you.

Ok, I've watched this thread unfold today and it's becoming pretty obvious that this thread is going nowhere. It's either a case of a troll seeing who will bite, or if it's an honest situation then the person asking the question is waiting to get the answer he wants to hear and is going to ignore any other good advice. Either way I don't see this thread going anywhere at the rate it's going. Therefore I'm going to lock this thread down.

Ken