Hey all,

I flew a friend of my dad's plane a couple years ago and after browsing some electic planes last night found this and just wonder if this would be the best way to go just to get started. Very limited budget at this time.

http://www.hobbytron.com/RCBigWaspEl...ne757B085.html

If anyone can tell me some information I can't really decifer from this page.

1. Does the "Time of about 20 minutes" mean flight time. Just wondering how long I will be able to fly on a fully charged battery.

2. Looks like a hand launched plane, is there much difference in hand launch and ground launch?

3. Any other suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

Daniel.

Daniel,
First of all welcome to RC Universe! Now, $33 is pretty cheap for a plane. It can also be a very expensive piece of junk. I'm leaning toward the piece of junk. For $33, you will get a plane that barely flies, and no way in heck is going to fly for 20 minutes. More like 2-3 minutes with the stock (crappy) battery. You will end up frustrated and turn your back on a wonderful and rewarding hobby.

Tight budgets can be a problem, but have you checked around the local club where you live? Many people in this hobby are generous souls, and willing to help out the new comers with their training, AND their equipment. If you lived closer, I'd have you set up with a proper 40 size glow plane, engine and radio to use until you could afford your own.

Stay away from these cheapies, and save up for something decent. Good luck!

If you want to go with an inexpensive real plane, look at the US Aircore Trainer, it is very affordable, goes together very easily, does not need covering and can take a pounding.

What you will need in addition to the airframe ($60):

.46 Motor - about $120
4 Ch Radio - about $200
Fuel and assorted HW - about $100

You could get a used radio and motor on ebay or from a local club, that would bring the cost down a lot.

I know compared to $33 the $480 I am talking about seems like a lot of money, but this is really cheap to get into the hobby, and you will have a real remote control aircraft, not just a cheap toy.

Good luck!

I have to agree completely with Deadeye,
The plane you are looking at, as well any any in that price range, are nothing but cheap toys that, maybe, if you are lucky, may fly.
Plug your zip code in this link and find a local club. You most likely will be much better off this way.
http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx
Don't let the $480 Mank posted scare you off. That is for brand new. You can get a brand new, Real Airplane, in the air much cheaper than that. In the $300ish range.
That said, I have seen many used ready to fly airplanes for under $100 and even a number of free ones. Check out the local clubs.

I have to agree with Deadeye. Cheapee bargains can be very expensive. I'm betting that the 20 minutes is closer to total life expectancy before utter frustration sets in and you stomp on it. Please forgive us/me for the negativity. It's just that we've all seen so many wide eyed people come out to our fields wondering why their Walmart, K-Mart, Radio Shack crap won't fly. This is not a cheap hobby but the costs can be controlled to an extent. Do check with a local club and try to get some help, they may have some used equipment for sale that is in good condition.

Good luck in your search.

"Don't let the $480 Mank posted scare you off. That is for brand new."

Remember I am from Canada, and things are a bit more pricy up here. I think you can get in the air for about $300 if you buy used from a club member who is moving up to a more advanced model, or from ebay.

Thank you all for the replies. I suspected that the cheap planes weren't exactly what I would need to enjoy flying. Thats why I sought out a forum like this one to ask for advice . Not discouraging at all, just means I will need to search around and find a good deal, may take a couple months but I think if I save up it will be worth it. Thanks again.

Be careful on EBAY too. What looks like a bargain in the eyes of a Newbie can also be a money pit and shipping can get expensive too. Again, go out to a field and ask around. You'll at least get a pleasant afternoon out of it.

manks, You can actually get in the air for under $300 here in the states with brand new stuff. A Tower Trainer RTF is $259 leaving enough money for a glow ignitor, chicken-stick & a gallon of fuel. That gets you in the air. An Instructor will get ya back on the ground!


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


This is a great RTF plane too. Even though I have moved on to bigger better planes, I still fly the Tower all the time. It's fun.

Tower allmost allways has some sort of discount going on that will either bring the price down or at least eat up the shipping cost.

It is unreal how inexpensive that is.

The cost of ARFs has really come down. That said, I like to build 'em, there is nothing like seeing your work fly for the first time.

They have gotten pretty inexpensive haven't they? I just found this add right here in the RCU Marketplace under Trainers.


http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=215256


That's not a bad deal for $190, it will get ya in the air & it's all new too.

I agree 110% I get as much enjoyment from building a kit as I do flying.
It is sad that kits have been so much on a decline lately.(given the fact that finishing a kit nowadays is actually more expensive than many ARFs on the market)

2 things..never buy something from a "stock photo"..I did once from right here on RCU and got ripped off..and the Tower trainer is in ARF form like $5 more than the kit and you can not build it yourself for that extra $5,,just get the ARF and build your next kit...Rog

The current unpublished discount, for RCU members, is $25 off a $150 order, code 011JF. Buying a Tower Trainer ARF, radio, engine, etc, and breaking the order in 2 pieces will most likely end up cheaper than the RTF package.

For me it is not about the extra cost of building, it is about the enjoyment of building, and the thrill of seeing something you made fly. If it were about cost and time savings I would go with ARFs as well, but I get my enjoyment from building.

Well apparently we effectively scared drifter off..the plane he listed is close to the aeroace by hog flyers which is a very popular plane for you front yard flying $30 at Target, $40 at Walmart..I had one and flew it all the time ,but it got eaten by a tree before a storm and is now gone...Rog

That's why you have to have 2 AirHogs,so you can still fly if 1 is lost.Love mine.

Nope, Im still here reading all the replies. I appreciate them all, just gonna take alittle more time to save up the money and alot more reading to understand all that goes into flying a gas powered plane. Im not afraid of the challenge though because someday Im sure it will be alot of fun. Thanks again for all the replies!

Glad you're still popping into the forums here to read and learn, Drifter81. The plane you were originally considering would likely be very difficult to control. It's a 2-channel aircraft where the throttle speed decides if it's climbing or descending and the plane is turned by varying the power supplied to the left and right motors. These kinds of aircraft aren't really controlled, the remote allows you to suggest what direction you'd like the plane to go. The plane may or may not listen to you depending on wind conditions and how much charge is left on the battery.

Small v-tail electrics can be challenging from a trim standpoint, too. One or two hard landings will result in a crooked tailboom and a skewed tail assembly, trying to get the plane to fly straight again after such alterations could prove really challenging.

Some of the better teach-yourself-to-fly electric RTF packages on the market include:

Hobbico Flyzone Mini Ventura RTF
Hobbico Flyzone Ventura RTF
Hobbyzone Super Cub RTF
Multiplex Easy Star

These ready-to-fly electric airplanes share a few similar traits. They all feature thick, stable fuselages that aren't going to get thrown out of alignment but a rough landing or two. They all feature a "t" tail configuration with a rudder and elevator for controlling the plane. They are all manufactured by well-known hobby companies and you can get spare parts through a local hobby dealer or through several different mail-order sources.

Considering the price range on these RTF airplanes runs from $89.99 to $179.99, they're all still very reasonably priced. All of them would handle slightly breezy conditions much better than the plane you were originally considering, as well.

Make no mistake, finding an AMA chartered flying club in your area and training to fly a 4-channel glow powered aircraft is the best way to learn to fly if you have the time and money to give it a try. If you'd really rather just spend a bit of your own money and spend some time at the local soccer field trying to figure things out, any of the above planes that I've mentioned should give you a fair chance of learning to fly on your own.

Good luck.

Those electric planes look pretty neat, I can see that this hobby cost more than I initially thought. After looking at the different types of planes I think I am now leaning more toward the gas powered. They seem to give the pilot more freedom and control. It is really scary to think that I could possibly pay that money and on my first flight crash and lose it all. I am going to try and contact a local group and see if there are instructors there for beginners like me.

I found a few planes that seem to be cheaper but leaning more toward what you guys were suggesting. What do you think of any of these?

http://h1069921.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...p?prod=HAN2065

http://h1069921.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...p?prod=SEA1000

http://h1069921.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...p?prod=HAN2625

Looks like these are ready to fly, but it doesn't seem like they come with everything, is it better (and cheaper) to buy all the components together in one kit.

Thanks!

I like the Arrow best of the ones you listed. I have instructed students on it.
I have also taught on these.
This is comparable to what you listed in ARF trim
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HAN2450
and here it is in RTF trim
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HAN2475
The difference is that in ARF there is no radio or motor. You would need to obtain and install these. ARF=Almost Ready to Fly
In the RTF the plane can be virtually taken from the box, batteries charged and flown. RTF=Ready To Fly Radio and motor are included and installed and only minor assembly is required.
There are a number of planes available in bothe conditions in a semi-wide price range. From "not too expensive" up to "too much". IMO
IMO= In My Opinion

Like bruce88123 stated, Drifter81, you'll want to make sure you have everything you need to fly and not just a basic airframe. Hangar 9 makes some of the nicest ARFs on the market, and any of the three trainers you picked out would be terrific for flight training.

If you don't buy the RTF versions, you'll not only need to purchase an engine and a radio system w/ flight pack, but you'll also need some miscellaneous parts and building equipment like fuel line, spinner, propeller, epoxy, and whatnot. The RTF packages are designed to get you in the air as quickly as possible. Going with an ARF gives you more flexibility with regard to radio and engine selection, but will require more time before you're ready for your first flight.

Many AMA Charter clubs actually keep club trainers available for new pilots to learn on. You may be able to fly with an instructor on a club trainer without even having to buy your own plane. The radio would be attached to a "buddy box," and the instructor would take off and land the plane. You'd be given control of the plane with the buddy box once it was in the air and the instructor could take back control immediately if you got into any kind of trouble with it. With this kind of training system, it would be impossible for you to crash the plane. The instructor would be responsible for the whole flight and the only way the plane could crash would be if the instructor failed to recognize the problem and take back control in an appropriately swift manner.

A flight or two on a club trainer will most likely only fuel your excitement for buying your own plane. It's awfully nice that you can actually try the hobby out in a hands-on fashion without having to shell out your own cash up front.

Check out the following to find an AMA Charter club near you:

http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx

And, not intended as an insult or anything like that, but you sound young. Many clubs and the AMA have youth programs/discounts too in an attempt to get younger people involved in this hobby. Reductions in membership costs/dues, especially this time of the year could be a big help. Some clubs even let "juniors" join for free. Now THAT is a tough price to beat.

Kentucy is a bit vague for an address. If you can give us a city or zip code maybe we can help you find a club.

To expand on what Bruce said, Junior AMA membership (under 19) is only $1 per year if you can live without the magazine $15 with the mag. Of course that is based on Bruces assumption, you may be old like me []

Drifter, welcome to da hobby. First let me say that there are sooooooooo many choices for beginners nowadays as oppose to when I started(16 yrs ago) pertaining to ARF's and RTF's. Most ARF's ___ you add your own equip... RTF's ___ usually everythang's provided minus fuel, flytebox, glowplugs and ignitor etc.. Now w/ that said the SOLO looks like the better choice but you provide radio,glue,li'l building,etc...Now w/ that said RTF's are generally less "expensive" due to the "package deal" concept and most of the components are closely matched for skill level and performance.W/ that said , the Arrow has a semi-symetrical as oppose to flat bottom as most Trainers. Some peeps can learn on a S/S wing___ some can't.The Flat-bottom has mo' float to it and therefore a slower flytespeed.I used to suggest to peeps to get the Hobbico Avistar .40 from Tower Hobbies 'cause it's cuts thru da wind here in Texas better. But I found out the S/S wing on it was too fast for them, hence lenghthenin' thier learnin' curve especially if they were totally green to any kind of aviation/flyin' thangs.Hanger Nine also sells the Alpha .40 RTF and ARF... RTF__ everythang's inc. ; ARF__ you buy separately all major items.Also World Models sells ARF's cheap__ no RTF's.. Look up SkyRaider Mach 1. Most peeps like O.S. engines for beginners, but like you I'm on a budget and have to dispense my hobby dollars wisely. So I own and like Super Tigre,GMS,and Magnum engines. I own O.S. but they are not in my price range anymo'. As for as radios, I started w/ Hitec, then Futaba__ generally get what your instructor has so you're compatable.As for as all the other items, most clubmembers will be more than willin' to help you get started and answer any questions. Also I generally don't advise gettin' used stuff from peeps 'cause don't know where it's been or condition.Keep askin' questions and you're only limited by your abilities,imagination, and your wallet size. Thanx,Rob.[sm=thumbs_up.gif]