I have a Senior Telemaster under construction and ordered a GP Spirit Select RTF. I am wondering will this sailplane offer enough experience in landing?

I know that taking off and flying is relatively easy but landing (basically a controlled crash) is hard, will this do? It's cheap and is ready to fly.

I do have the RF SIM G2 and am getting pretty good at landing (even on the runway!) But I still need some training but thought that in order to move ahead before construction of a powered ship is completed the sailplane might help. I have also been fascinated by non powered flight. I once saw a small maybe 30" wingspan sailplane hand launched and fly for approx 25 minutes and thought WOW really cool, no gas required.

Bernie

Bernie, I think you'll find that either a Telemaster .40 or Senior Telemaster is basically powered gliders! I have one of each. When they land at about 5mph, or less depending on the headwind, they aren't much problem. I have one of each and love'm both. Both have OS LA .65's on them (left over from a demised twin).
Obviously, there's no substitute for some instructor time. As far as trainers, the Telemasters have to be among the best. (my biased opinion, of course!)
Good Luck.
Come down and fly with us sometime,
Randy
Newsletter Editor, Valley RC Flying Club
Harrisonburg, Va.

Thanks for the advice. But Harrisonburg is a longs ways away for someone that has no real flying expericence.

What do you think of RF G2? I Love it but I find I can control and land the high performance planes easire than the trainer.

Bernie

We have the RF sim and I think it could be a real help. One guy who joined our club last year practiced on it before he ever flew RC. I don't know how long he worked the simulator, but after two sessions with an instructor and buddy box at the field, he was on his own and has been eve since.
All in all, there are a lot of variables to consider when making that transition.
I do have a Top Flite DC-3, and also set up the one on RF just like it, and they flly surprisingly similar. I did a lot of simulator practice before I flew the model, and I think it helped, at least as far as landing approaches, and getting the feel of the flaps.

Good Luck,
Randy

Two weekends ago I helped a very experienced sailplane flyer with his first powered plane. He took to it like a fish to water. After one flight he was handling everything on his own. After 2 hours of flying he was wringing it out to the max.