Im looking for a second plane, and Im stumped. I am still a beginner, because my first plane was a 2-channel plane, so it didnt take andy skill to fly. Now, I want an easy to fly plane, but one that does take some learning to become good at. I want one that can withstand crashes because i do not use a trainer (closest flying field is 45min, and Im 15, so I cant drive there.). However there are plenty of open fields around me, if I can learn myself. Plus, I want something cheap. Under $200 RTF would probably good. All I need is a 3-channel I guess. Nothing special. Id prefer RTF, but i can put one together and get seperate radio/ servos/ batteries, but those usually cost more than $200 alone (I do realize they are also much better quality, but im 15, and I can only afford the minimum.)

One plane someone suggested me was a T-Hawk. http://www.readytoflyfun.com/thawk3chrtf.html
I think this will be pretty good especially with all the spare parts it comes with.

So, please just give me ur opinions on this plane, or suggestions for others. Thanks.

I'm not quite sure why you say that closest flying field is 45 minutes away. There are 12 clubs located within 25 miles. You might want to check some of them out.
[link]http://modelaircraft.org/ClubZipLocator.aspx?z=21094&d=25[/link]
You might want to get in contact with some of them. Maybe they can give you a lift to the field, or your parents if the field isn't too far away. Getting with an instructor is going to be the least expensive way to continue advancing in flying. From what you asked, there aren't really too many planes that are "crash resistant".

Ken

It doesnt have to be crash resistant. Just not one where If I clip and wing on the ground, the wing doesnt break into pieces.

And thanks for the link. I have to check some of those out.

I looked at a few of those fields, and the closest is 25 min away. Not too bad, but considering I cant drive, I wont be able to go very often, and the price is $25, plus AMA price, plus the price of a plane. So, I doubt its worth it.

AMA is worth it because of the liability insurance you get with it. If you fly your plane and you hit somebody, their house, or their car you could find yourself in a lawsuit that could cost 6 or 7 figures. Since you're a minor your parents would be held liable in a situation like that. With the AMA you are covered with insurance. For that reason alone it's worth every penny.

As far as the drive. Contact the club, you might be suprised at how much they may be willing to help. Who knows, there may be somebody close to you that you could ride with. A lot of pilots are really willing to help out kids your age. A few years ago I had a 14 year old that I picked up and gave a ride to the field when he was coming out flying. He offered to chip in for gas, but I wouldn't take it. So instead he would bring the sodas for us to drink at the field. But you never know until you ask.

Just some food for thought

Ken

How much is AMA for someone my age. I see on one of the membership signups it says under 19 is $15 with Model Aviation included and $1 without the magazine. How long is this membership? If it a dollar only, then that be awesome, but It cant be as long as a membership for someone over 19, who is paying $58.

And the closest field I found charges $25 for the first year, so It accually wouldnt cost that much for me. Until I have have to buy a plane of course. Maybe one weekend Ill go out the the field to take a look.

AMA membership is by the calendar year. So it runs January to December.

Ken

Congratulations on making a decision to join this hobby. It's better than sitting in front of the television.

Follow Kens' advice if you can. He is Da Man around here.

Some clubs also have youth programs that can get you in the air for not a lot of money and there's usually someone who is
upgrading and will sell their trainer to a new member.

Check out the fields but also check out the clubs. Sometimes the clubhouse meets in church basements or places like that and they might be right around the block from you.

Also, the addresses on the AMA website aren't always the address of the flying fields. Sometimes they are the home address of the club president or contact. You might find that the flying field is closer than you think.

Ken

If i do find a field, should I get a RTF or a kit? Would a kit be a bad thing, since Ive never had experience with a plane like these? How long do first builds usually take?

Im thinking either a [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXEXK2**&P=0]NexSTAR[/link] RTF or a [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJ557&P=0]Great Planes PT-40 MKII Trainer Kit .35-.46,60"[/link] Kit.

I would love to build a kit, but im not sure if its worth doing. I mean if I do go to a field I would hope to have a plane by summer when im out of school, but I doubt I could build a kit on the weekends and spare time.

If your interested in seeing what goes into building a kit you might want to take some time and read through the LT-40 build thread that I did. It will give you a good idea of what it takes to put a kit together. My opinion, there is no better feeling in the world that seeing a plane you built yourself take to the air and fly!!.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3439708/tm.htm]Pay It Forward build thread!! LT-40 build.[/link]

Hope this helps

Ken

Nexstar is a good plane. Lots of people flying those. Or just about any other Nitro trainer.

Or get yourself a nice ParkZone Mustang or something and see if you really want to continue in this hobby.

I just finished reading a building guide, and most likely ill pass this time. If I decide to get a plane, then ill probably get the NexSTAR, then once I learn to fly that solo, I might start building a slightly better plane. So by the time Im doine building, Ill be at least decent with the NexSTAR. But having no experience looking around a plane, I doubt I should build one.

Hi Shortymet55, glad to hear you want to step up your RC flying efforts. I started out with a Nexstar Select RTF plane after I got tired of bashing around my Hobbyzone Aerobird Challenger into the ground. Learning to fly with a glow-powered plane and a flight instructor at a club was much easier for me than tossing my electric plane around a soccer field and trying to figure things out on my own.

I found that the larger, heavier, more powerful glow trainer handled windy conditions much better than my lighter, weaker electric plane. It also had a more positive control response and the plane went where I told it. My electric plane sometimes seemed to have a mind of its own.

You might be surprised at how affordable a really good glow-powered ready to fly trainer package really is. My local Hobbytown USA sells a house brand trainer packaged for them by Hobbico that has a 63" wingspan and comes with a Futaba 4YF radio system pre-installed and an O.S. .40 LA engine all for only $229.99. If you don't have a Hobbytown USA store near you, it might be worth checking out some really great deals that eHobbies.com has on some Thunder Tiger RTF trainer super combos:

http://www.ehobbies.com/ttr4523-f12.html

http://www.ehobbies.com/ttr4556-f12.html

That second package with the Pegasus .40 ARF, Hitec radio system, and Thunder Tiger GP-42 engine all preinstalled with prop and spinner for $219.99 is a really terrific deal. The Tiger Trainer .40 MkII super combo offered in the first link is also a great package at $229.99.

These are high quality airplanes with terrific radio systems and engines that can offer you years of flying service, instead of flying them for only a few weeks or months like a typical electric ready-to-fly airplane.

If the wind blows much in Maryland, you'll find learning to fly easier with a good glow-powered plane. That Pegasus .40 ARF boasts a 70" wingspan that is easy to see in the air, and at $219.99 you're not going to find an electric airplane package that is anywhere near the value of this full sized nitro trainer.

I will second that on the Pegasus. It is a darn good flier, that can take you to your gold wings, and do nearly every manoeuvre you want. Not only that, it is rugged with elastic banded wings. Elastic absorbs destructive energy. Bolted wings on a trainer make little sense. You need a plane that can fly slowly, and has no vicious stall habits. The Pegasus is the best trainer I know of, that is also capable of advanced flying. Once airborne, don't fly at max throttle, as you need time to think. Do get an instructor to help you, or you will surely come to grief.

Shortymet55,

Since your only 15, you qualify as a Junior member in AMA. Youth membership costs $15.00 per year, or $1.00 per year with out the magazine. For $14.00 per year the magazine is well worth it. You won't have to pay the Senior, or adult rate until your 19.

Hogflyer

ok, great thanks alot. Now one more question. WHat else is needed to get this thing in the air? I know I need fuel, but should i get an electric starter and a fuel pump? Maybe one of those totes with a power panel to keep things organized? ANd what other little things are needed?

Also, do most field with instructors have the trainer cords. Like do they have the cord for the Focus 4 that comes with the Pegasus to hook up to the instructors radio?

In addition to fuel, you will need a glow ignitor, a prop/glow plug wrench, a manual or electric fuel pump, and either a chicken stick or electric starter and battery.

Thunder Tiger offers a nice basic field equipment package available through eHobbies.com for $29.99:

http://www.ehobbies.com/ttr3002.html

A deluxe field equipment package with electric starter and wooden field tote is a very good investment, but isn't necessary to get your first trainer in the air. Hobbico sells a nice deluxe field equipment package available through Tower Hobbies for $119.99:

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

The deluxe field equipment package from Hobbico does NOT come with a rechargable glow ignitor. It comes with a glow lead that hooks to a power panel. Starting your plane this way is perfectly acceptable, but you will want to be very careful managing the glow ignitor wiring near your engine and propeller.

My advice? Start with the Thunder Tiger basic field equipment package then add a wooden tote box, battery, power panel, and electric starter down the road.

With regard to the Hitec radio system included with the Pegasus .40 super combo, it does have a buddy box connector on it and is usable with Hitec or Futaba radios when connected via the proper cable. Hitec radios use an older round DIN-style connector, and finding a compatible Futaba or Hitec radio or buddy box should be fairly easy. Most of the new Futaba radios use a square 6-pin connector on the back, and if you need to connect to the newer style Futaba training connecter, you simply need to purchase a round-to-square cable instead of a round-to-round cable.

Actually, I already have a 12v battery ( http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXL370&P=ML ). So, I think I might as well go with a power panel and electric starter, fueler. I also already have a glow starter ( http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXME71&P=7 ).

Will http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...0&I=LXD711&P=K work for the prop/glowplug wrench?

And finally, what do i need for fueling? I mean other than a pump. Do I need http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...0&I=LXK129&P=K , http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...0&I=LXJ811&P=K , http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...0&I=LXL380&P=K , or anything else?

That DuBro wrench will work fine. The fuel line and fuel cap kit that you picked out will work, too.

What did you decide on for a fuel pump? Are you going to go with a manual pump or an electric fuel pump? I bought an electric fuel pump, but I think I will go with a hand-crank pump the next time I need one.

You dont need a panel if you already have all that stuff...I have one and have never used it!..thundertiger4udot com also has a nic .15 size trainer, I have one but havent flown it yet ..hope to this week...Rog

I picked out an electric pump. What dont you like about electric ones? Anyways I made a Towerhobbies list of this I might get. Heres a screen shot of it. Tell me what you think:

All good field equipment that you've selected.

The electric fuel pumps are fast and they're good for sucking extra fuel out of your tank once you land. You have to watch your fill lines and exhaust lines, or you can accidentally spill a lot of fuel on the ground in a hurry.

A hand-cranked fuel pump won't dump fuel on the ground or create so much pressure that your fueliing nipple pops off your fill line. It will still create enough suction in reverse to pull left-over fuel out of your tank.

It's not a huge difference, I don't dislike my electric pump so much that I want to replace it.

Is there any special connector I need to fill the tank? I mean Im not sure how to fill it. Is it a lifting lid thing like my trucks, or and unscrew the lid and put the fuel line in the tak and start pumping it in? Thanks

I just want someone to explain the filling process to me. Where do I put the fuel line coming off the pump, when im filling? Its there a nipple on the tank or something that the line connects to? Thanks