do you think a ucando 3d.46 or.60 will make a good 2nd plane

I have one and if you set the throws up for low rates it will fly like a trainer its a light frame for such a large model if you put a 46 in it you can fly nice and easy mine has a OS61 well powered unlimited vertical. here's a pic of a great second plane called a gizmo powered by a OS46 AX easy to fly kit, ya have to build it though. I built mine with large ailerons,modified rudder and elevator the advantage of a kit you can customize it. was out flying this morning so here's a shot in the driveway

Although easy to fly on low rates, the UCD is a fairly delicate plane that won't take a lot of abuse. A sturdier second plane would be something like an Ultra Stick or 4 Star.

I actually thought about about the UCD 3D also when I was looking at a second plane. I went with the Sig Mayhem since it was supposed to be a much more sturdy plane. I absolutely love it and I am doing a bunch of 3D manuevers on it now. Low throws make it a very easy flier, but on high rates it is a very capable 3D plane.

i have found that the tower hobbies uproar with a .46 in it will do alot of aerobatics and is a very sturdy plane. i am a rookie pilot to. the uproar was given to me by another club member and has proven to be very sturdy. if set on low rates it will respond nice for a beginner. if set on high rates it will do things very quick. the plane will slow down very nicely for landing and take off's are a breeze.with the .46 in it, it has plenty of power. the plane is also affordable from tower. hope this helps

Highway,
The UCD 60 is one of the best planes I've ever had. Here's why, it flys like its on rails, easy to land, easy to TO and it does every trick in the book. I could teach on that airframe if I wanted to. As far as durability, I think its a great ARF, really put together well. If your talkin about crashin it in, that I couldn't tell you but its still built strong.
I would say if your going UCD, go 60 size. I have friends with the 46 and I say the 60 is better. It flys in the wind really well and its very predictable with a little time on it. Stall speed is so slow its hard to believe. I can lose an engine anywhere (within reason) and make the field no problem.
I've had a stick and that to is a great plane but I have to say givin the choice again I'd go UCD 60 every time.
Only other thing I might suggest is for a second you might want to go used. Less $ for the green thumbs, if you know what I mean. Good Luck!!

highwayman,
Congrats on getting ready to move up to your second plane. As far as the U Can Do series of planes I tend to discourage people from using these as second planes. The main reason why is that they are "tender" and don't take a lot of abuse very well. It may sound a bit odd but a second plane tends to take a worse beating than your trainer did. This is because as pilots move to a second plane they start exploring aerobatics and more advanced flying, but the problem is that they no longer have a "safety net" of an instructor on the buddy box to save them. So for most pilots their second planes usually take a pretty good beating, so you'll want something a little more sturdy for your second plane. I've compiled a list of planes that make good trainers as well as advanced trainers/second planes. All of the planes listed on this list are there because they are very good at soaking up rough treatment. You can find that list here:
[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm]Looking for a trainer, what's available. (Updated 8-14-06)[/link]

One thing that I like to tell people to watch out for is when a plane it recommended by saying "it's easier to fly than my trainer was" or "that plane could be used as a trainer", statements such as these are thrown around a lot when subjects such as this come up when talking about second planes. A lot of newer pilots will make these statements when talking about their second planes, but a lot of the time these opinions are based on very limited experience. If you think about the perspective of a newer pilot you will see what I mean. A lot of people making statements such as this are usually pretty new to flying, usually still on their second plane (or maybe third plane). At this point they have a very limited perspective to this hobby. You have to realize that when they first experienced their trainer it was from the perspective of a NON-PILOT. They had no experience at all with flying so learning to fly their trainer is probably one of the hardest things they have ever done. Now when the move to their second plane there perspective is now one of a PILOT. They approach their second plane now as somebody that knows how to fly. And from this viewpoint the second plane looks easier to fly in their eyes, when compared to how difficult it was to learn to fly. So their viewpoints are a bit skewed. Why am I telling you all of this? Simply to take into consideration where advice is coming from when making these considerations.

Hope this helps

Ken

Take a look at world models sky raider mach II i am still training and have not soloed my trainer yet but i got one as a gift and couldnt wait got it together and flew it yesterday first day soloed with a new plane fourth flight of the day. flies like its on rails and wind doesnt bother it flys really slow and take offs and landings are graceful. once again im no expert having just a couple of solo flights but it seems to be a whole lot more stable than my avistar is. and th price is right also just 69.00 for the plane itself just a consideration.

Highway,
All do respect to the above posts, the reasons I suggested the UCD 60 is because of undisputable aerodynamics. The above mentioned suggestions have thinner wings and more weight to wing area ratios, I didn't want to get all technical but apparently this needs to be described. The simple fact is that a heavy thin winged plane will be slippery and harder to fly. Anyone who has flown BOTH a UCD 60 and a stick knows this to be true.

The point about the lack of "safety net" is a little off the mark, when you transition to a new airframe you should ALWAYS get help in one way or another, in fact ALL pilots get training all the time. I'm sure you know that.

Finally, I would not offer you advise unless I knew it to be true. I have owned both and flown the crap out of both of them.

I own and fly both an Ultra Stick 60 and a UCD 60. The Ultra Stick 60 floats along pretty good and is not hard to fly at all. It's actually a very easy to fly plane. Extremely forgiving, lands slow and is very sturdy. The UCD 60 is a great plane, but for a second plane, the US60 is a better choice IMHO.

Highway,
There you go man! Two guys that are adamant in their opinions... translation: you can't go wrong with either the Stick or the UCD 60. Truely they are both great planes!

Limitations: UCD 60 - no flaps (so you will not learn how they work) US - no knife edge flight (with any kind of performance that is)

How about the 40 size Twist on low rates it lands easier than my trainer or my 40 size Ultra Stick.

Just my .02

Joel

let me ask about another plane. a sig somethin extra 40. my girlfriend dad told me to get ready to be confused and broke. i guess he was right

Boy, is he right.

I like the Somethin Extra, it's a perky little plane.

A lot depends on how you like to fly. Some are smooth, some more responsive (and hense jerkier) and more wind sensitive. In ARF's I really like the Big Stik and Kangke S/K-50 for second plane choices. The Somethin Extra lends itself better to the current 3-D style. You have to find a plane that appeals to you, and that you is still developing on the second plane (and may continue to change throughout your life). Some pilots are intimidated by a plane that flies like a terrier after a rat, others think a plane that flies "like it's on rails" is a dog of another breed, and not a good one at that. A pound of weight makes a big difference in a .40 size airframe. IMHO any .40 size will keep you happier if you drop a .46 engine in it. You can use low rates and mellow out a flight, or use maximum throws and throttle up.

I've never flown a U-Can-Do, but I know a string of pilots that have moved from trainer to the Kaos or Four-Stars and still pull them out for fun flies. Check around and see what guys are flying just for fun. THAT's a good place to start for a second plane. The guys that are all pent up, shouting at other pilots and seem generally frustrated - pay attention to what they have in the air and avoid it. And if you ever see a guy kick an airplane while in the pits - avoid that model of engine.