which one is recomended landing gear for beginner pilot??tail dragger or tricycle??what the different between this two??coz i saw there are trainer models that comes with these two type of landing gear....

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Trike gear is easier to takeoff and land, so it is the most often recommended. Tail draggers are a bit more challenging, especially during takeoff, so beginners are usually discouraged from learning on them. Having said this, I learned on a taildragger, so it is possible...

but....which one u prefer me to start with??

Definitely a tricycle gear plane. Don't put more problems into your learning process
than you have to. You can learn on both but you would be kinder to yourself using tricycle
landing gear.

Good luck,
Andy

ermm...thanks rcandy for your advise...ermm...how bout i'm start with world star from world model??and radio equipment....any suggestion???

First decide if you want helis or planes. You just asked that question. Get to know what you want. ONce you do, well recommend you everything you need in terms of your conditions (Cash, flying sites, etc...). TO asnwer your question, trike is the way to go for beginners, but youll go taildragger soon enough. Almost all the aerobatic planes are taildraggers. Try to learn on both and see what you like. So far i only have trikes so i wouldnt know, but from my experience in trikes, they are certaibnly much easier to learn on.

It's not ANY harder to learn to fly a taildragger than it is to fly trike gear, regardless of what some say, IF you are starting from the very beginning, and have an instructor that has tailwheel experience. It is, however, harder to transition over to a taildragger after you have learned on, and have quite a bit of time flying trike gear. First, you need to decide what you are going to do, as you seem pretty indecisive right now between heli's and planes. If you decide on planes, think about what aircraft you would like to be flying a year from now...ie, Aerobats, Warbirds, etc. In my opinion, that should have a bearing on what type of trainer you learn on. All the aerobatic aircraft (Extras, Edges, Caps, Pitts, Ultimates, etc) are taildraggers, as are 98% of all the Warbirds. If you start with a taildragger from the beginning, you will already be a leg up when it comes time to start moving into aircraft that will prepare you for those. Some people just have a pre-concieved notion that any taildragger is harder to fly, and that is just not true. I've got over 1500 hours in real tailwheel aircraft, and have been flying nothing BUT tailwheel RC planes since the day I first started RC. Matter of fact, my instructor hadnt even flown a taildragger until he flew my converted LT40 the first day we flew together. Dont let the tailwheel scare you, it's not that big of a deal.

I have several World Models planes and think they are great. While I don't have experience with their trainer, I expect it would be good. For radios, it depends what brands are most available in your area. Futaba and JR are usually at the top of people's list, but Hitec and Airtronics also make good stuff. The most important thing is to be sure what you get is compatible with the buddy box system on your instructor's radio. You do have an instructor already, right? If not, you might want to go to the Clubhouse forum and introduce yourself in the "MalayAsian hangar" thread. They should be able to find local help for you. Here's a link to the thread: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1506830/tm.htm

I beg to differ. I started on a tail dragger, my second plane was a trike, and I've continued to fly both through the years. There is more to do to get a tail dragger into the air without mishap. This makes it harder than a trike to learn on. I'm not saying it can't be done (heck, if I did it anyone can), but a trike is easier.

I dont know, I just dont see it that way. But, like I said, I havent flown anything BUT taildraggers since I started. I had converted my LT40 to tailwheel before I ever flew it.

ermmm....i think i might wanna try with tail dragger trainer...coz after the trainer i'm planned to go for aerobatics or warbids...like i saw most of them are tail dragger...it must be usefull if i start with it rite??

for starting i might have LA Flyer from world model...its a trainer with tail dragger....have anyone try on this??

Lowlevlflyer,

Not to be argumentative......and I don't mean to be, but flying a taildragger......that is taking
off and landing a taildragger..........is not a pre-conceived notion that it is a handful. I am a full-scale
pilot and I was recently out to lunch with some flying buddies (full-scale) of mine and I was complaining about transitioning from trikes to tail-draggers in models and the man who taught me how to fly commented that it was not only that way in models but that flying full scale tail draggers was much more of a challenge whether you start in them or go to them later. One of the other guys, a 747 captain, agreed. I am going to be flying almost exclusively tail-draggers as my first love is WWII warbirds and they are mostly all tail-draggers and I have been practicing with some trainer tail-draggers, but they are
definitely harder to handle and that is not "a pre-conceived notion". I still think the best advice for beginners is definitely a tricycle landing gear, high wing trainer.

Respectfully,
Andy

I respectfully agree -- in general. Once the student has mastered the basics of flying & ground handling with a trike, the transition to a dragger is generally easier that struggling with one right off the bat. He/she is no longer all wound up about the mechanics of flight -- just scared stiff about the take-off.

However, the trouble with generalities is that they are generalities -- with a gazillion exceptions. There are 'draggers from hell & 'draggers that are a piece of cake.

Generally converted trainers aren't a huge problem -- the large tail moment helps to tame them, so the transition from a Superstar trike to a Superstar 'dragger is pretty simple.

Other planes, like warbirds for example, are an entirely different matter & the transition from a Superstar trike to a Spitfire is quite hellacious, without regard to actually flying the Spit.

Similarly, there is a gigantic variation in natural tallent & reflexive response on the part of the pilots -- some hardly notice the 'dragger problems & some never get over them.

All things considered, I generally prefer students to take their lumps first with a trike -- not that trikes are faultless.

learning to takeoff in a straight line is tough no matter what aircraft you learn on but when you add to that the fact that you have to fly the tail of a taildragger so that the plane does not flip forward when you throttle up for takeoff it does add to your stress levels. once you become more familiar with takeoffs though you might not even notice trying to hold the tail down. trikes handle better usually on the ground whereas tail draggers are a little bit harder to a lot harder. They can be blown over on the ground easier then a trike. its not bad once you you are used it and aware how easy it can happen. my third plane was a taildragger and since I could already take off well getting used to a taildragger was easy.

I agree with essentially everything you said except that bit. A high-wing trike wilth a dose of dihedral is more prone to blow-over than most 'draggers.

Yup, and don't forget about gradually letting off the elevator so it doesn't takeoff too early and then snap back into the ground. All this while trying to steer with the left hand could add up to disaster for a beginner.

gilerarunner, I am an instructor in Australia, and you mentioned above a liking for the Worldstar model from World Models. I have 2 of them i use to train pilots with. Ok , they are tricycle undercariage aircraft, and fitted with a 46LA motor , they are a dream to learn with. For your radio, check at the club field what radios they are using, especially the trainers radio, as you need to be compatable with his. My recommendation would be to get at least a 6channel computer radio in the same mode as your instructors,learn to fly the WOrldstar till you are very proficient at it, then when you are ready change the engine for a Supertigre 52, and fly that again doing all sorts of aerobatics, till you are really comfortable with flying. While you are doing all this flying you can be building your tail-dragger and when you are ready , the transition from trik to tail-dragger will be a non-event , as by then you are a highly experienced pilot. Welcome to the hobby , and i wish you many happy years of flying.
the_madgenius down under in Australia

I learned on a tail dragger Debonair (SPAD) and never had a bit of trouble learning to control take-offs and landings. Having said that, I quickly learned that while taxiing and during the initial take off run to hold the tail down until I had some speed on. I didn't have to ease off, just released the elevator once speed was up and the tail would lift nicely just as the plane took off.

Having said that, as an instructor this year, I had my first opportunity to fly a trike gear trainer. Take off and landings were almost complete no brainers compared to the tail dragger. I didn't have to worry about flaring on approach, and the students was amazed to watch the greased landing (I didn't tell him until after it was down it was my first time landing a trike)

Bottom line for me - Trikes are easier than tail draggers, but tail draggers are not hard. Since you'll probably transition to tail draggers anyway, start there. It might add 1 extra session to your training, but what the hey.

The advantage to tail draggers is the saved weight of the nose gear. Its much easier to couple the tail wheel to the rudder, save linkage distance, and no heavy wheel gear. Additionally, there's no stress on the engine mount from the wheel during take off and landing. I've seen many bent nose gear, but very few bent tail wheels.

Brad

Guys, all I know is I myself had absolutely NO problems learning to fly RC with a taildragger. Several guys I have flown with learned on taildraggers, and they say they had no problems either. As far as full scale goes, I had around 100 hours in 172's when I did my taildragger transition. I did the transition in preparation to get into cropdusting. I did 15 hours in an Aeronca AC-11, 10 hours in a Super Cub, 5 hours in a Piper Pawnee 235, then moved into the 450 Ag Cat. Since then I've flown everything from J-3's to Cessna 185's, 600 Ag Cats, and Air Tractors. I've had my share of pissy landings, but I dont know a single pilot, taildragger OR trike, that hasn't. But the learning part just wasnt that big of a deal for me. In RC, I started out on a LT40 that I converted to taildragger before it ever flew, moved into a Four Star 60, and am presently building a Goldberg Pitts Model 12 which should be ready in about a week. I have a Hangar 9 AT-6 on the back burner also. I am sure that alot of people have problems with taildraggers, as you do have to be on top of things all the time during takeoffs and landings. Maybe I am just one of those that has a natural ability, I dont know. I'm just speaking from MY personal experience and that of some of my flying buddies.

I know that trikes are more popular than taildraggers as trainers and I won't dispute that there are good general reasons for that, but I will offer my thoughts on the subject.

First: I have flown a Kadet LT-40(trike) and currently own and fly an LT-25(taildragger). The LT-25 was my first glow powered plane after a string of parkflyers, and the LT-40 was borrowed. I found that the LT-25 actually had better ground handling manners and more crosswind ability than the LT-40. The LT-25 requires no more effort to take off and land than the LT-40, and does NOT require the legendary "taildragger tapdance" on the rudder. Just point down the runway, advance the throttle, and feed in up elevator when the tail rises. Landing is no harder. Maybe the LT-25 is just the exception that proves the rule, but my experience with other "sport" taildraggers, ie somethin' extra or "stick" types seems to tell me otherwise. It seems that certain scale models, notably cubs, warbirds, and pretty much anything with a short tail moment, exhibit negative handling in far greater quantity than "sport" and trainer types, but folks generally agree that "taildraggers are a handful", regardless of other factors.

Second: In certain situations, taildraggers have a distinct advantage. Example--how many Alaska Bushwheel equipped Cessna 182s do you see? Some, not many. Now, how many Cessna 180s and Super Cubs do you see? This seems to translate to models. Our club field is rough for a good portion of the yeardue to the freeze/thaw cycle. During that time(nov. to april), I and others have problems with tricycle geared planes--they seem to stub the nosegear and hang up constantly, where the taildraggers just seem to "float" over everything with a little up elevator. Maybe not something most have to worry about, but it does impact my flying, so I tend to fly more taildraggers and bellyfloppers.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Good discussion again.
Since RCU is new to me Iam surprised sometimes, boy Iam glade I didn't know I was learning the hard way when I built the telemaster went to the field with my instructor an flew it. Some times it's good to be ignorant of things. So it was harder your telling me so be it, buy what ever you like. I can 'nt see telling someone one way or the other if they have their heart set on a tail dragger if they truly don’t care well everyone seems to agree on a trike for ease. A good trainer is an absolute either way and you will be addicted.

I think it all depends on the type of plane it is.
My tiger 2 after converted to a tail dragger was a breeze to take off and land. I had flown it as a trike and I had flown a nextstar (trike) as a trainer.
Even though there was a difference, there didn't seem to be anything that was difficult.

However, take a warbird for example. The nose sits up much higher than many sport planes. The tail moment, most of the time is shorter (Corsair for example) and you usually have a higher torque engine in them than a small .46 2 stroke. That takes some work to get off the ground and land. Granted, you should not be learning on a wardbird but don't expect it to be the same as a tail dragger trainer.

Tail draggers are also more susceptible to torqueing to the left when you have a big 4 stroke. A trike, in my experience is easier to keep straight when applying a lot of power. Again though, it all depends on the plane. My Edge 540 has no problem "pivoting" to the left and it has a pretty big engine on it swinging a pretty big prop.

Tail draggers, depending on the plane CAN be more difficult but most trainers if set up as a tail dragger I think are going to be fairly docile. Yes, a little more work is involved than a trike but not as much as P-51 or Corsair on a take off roll.

I had two trainers simultaneously when I first started. One was a tail dragger, the other a trike.

Can't say I noticed too much of a difference.

For me the biggest factor was flying from less-than-perfect grass, where the dragger would sometimes nose over. Cost me a prop or two.

I'm an old-fashioned sort though and don't think there's any subsitute for experience. Regardless of the end goal, I'd suggest getting experience of every type and configuration of model you possibly can. You can only learn.

The trike will probably save a few props and a few walks to collect.

In honesty I couldn't keep either plane in a straight line as wheel alignment of models flying off grass isn't quite the science it is one real aircraft........

If it were me being asked for an honest opinion, I'd say go for a trike first to get used to operating a model, then get learning tail dragging.

The old Precedent T-180 was and still is the best 2nd model I've ever flown. My father built our one on a friend's recommendation and it teaches a student how to fly PROPERLY. It needs rudder in the turns, swings on take off and needs to be flown to a halt on landing. That said, it's very easy to fly safely, it just flies ugly unless you make the effort to tidy your flying up. It's possibly slightly fragile for use as a first model (read "lawn dart"). By that I mean it wont tolerate the common very early mistakes such as wrong control inputs in banks etc. It can be stalled on landing without show-stopping damage though.

Anyway, I digress. I'd recommend a trike for the very first model, and a decent sized tail dragger for the second.