Ok, I've been flying my trainer (Thunder Tiger .61)for a few months now, I'm feeling comfortable with the control of the takeoff and landings. And I'm now starting to think about moving on from the trainer. I would like to stick with an ARF and a low wing type plane. I've been looking around and not really sure as to what would be a good next plane. Any suggestions?

I love my Fourstar 40. It's a low wing and taildragger. I bought the kit because I like to build, and they also have a .60 and 1.20 kits. It looks like only the .60 is ARF. Here are the websites from Tower:

[link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFG06&P=7]Sig Four-Star 40 Kit .30-.40,59.75" [/link]
[link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFG16&P=7]Sig Four-Star 60 Kit .60-.75,71" [/link]
[link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFG08&P=7]Sig Giant Four-Star 120 Kit .90-1.5Sig Giant Four-Star 120 Kit .90-1.50,81"0,81"[/link]
[link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCHY3&P=7]Sig Four-Star 60 ARF Red .60-.75,71"[/link]
[link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCHY4&P=7]Sig Four-Star 60 ARF Yellow .60-.75,71"[/link]

Good luck!

My personal favorite is the Goldberg Tiger (Which is available in a 60 -size ARF)

It's very stable, yet very aerobatic

Sig Four Star 60. Match it up with a .91 Four Stroke and an APC 14x6 prop and you'll never look back. Plus, you'll thank me later.

Tower has a .40 in the arf. I ordered mine yesterday.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXFKA9&P=ML

Can`t go wrong with a 4*. Hear good things about the Pulse XT. If you`d like another trike, look at a World Model T-34. Great first low wing IMHO.

The World Models T-34 is my second nitro powered plane, and Im pretty happy with it so far.

My recommendation is the Hangar 9's Pulse XT. I've been flying mine (also my second plane) for about 9 months now. It's a great flying plane and will keep you happy for as long as you keep it in one piece. IMHO, it's a better looking plane than the 4*.

Only thing is the Pulse only comes as a 40 size plane. I don't know if you're trying to transfer the engine from your 60 size trainer or not.

The "second plane" question. Many are very quick to recomend the 4 Star series as it is a great second plane and the traditional choice. But rairly does anyone ask the original poster what kind of flying are you interested in doing? Are you the lazy circles guy? Aspiring 3D or IMAC pattern pilot? Scale civil or warbirds? Giving us an idea of where you want to go in this hobby will give you better results because right now all you know is what the other people think was/is a great second plane for them.

On a side note I recomend to my students that they spend as little as possible on their second plane, perhaps a used airframe from a reputable club member. The reason being is after a new pilot is cut loose of his trainer they soon find out that basic flying of almost any plane is not that difficult. So they start pushing the plane and their skills to try to find the extent of both and they often do in short order. Often times the pilots trainer will outlive their second and third planes. I have also in the past pointed out that a [link=http://www.spadtothebone.com/]SPAD[/link] might be a good choice as they are the least expensive airframes you can get and very durable/repairable. They are also a lot of time difficult to fly and force the pilot to concentrate on basic skills that will be reinforced and perminantly impressed upon the pilot for all subsequent aircraft choices. It has been said that if you can fly a SPAD you can probably fly just about anything.

Good luck, have fun, don't quit.

Goldberg Tiger .60 ARF or Kit, with a good .91 2-stroke on the nose.

Ed you hit the nail on the head. You can't go wrong with a tiger. or a fourstar (I tend to favor tigers)

I recommend a Jumpin' Geo as a secon plane, but that's because it was my second.
Look at what you wanna do with the plane a buy accordingly.
G

I will second the Pulse XT, it comes in a [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=HAN4100]ARF[/link] and a [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=HAN4125]PNP[/link] version. I have just started to use one as a step up from a World Models Super Frontier 40 that is supposed to be a very basic trainer and I have not had problems as of yet (Touch Wood).

Hope this helps
Cheers
Pups

Since Betelguese has been flying a .60-sized trainer, he'd probably rather stick with a .60-sized or larger airplane for second aircraft. The Pulse XT is a pretty airplane, but they don't make a .60-sized version (yet).

The Goldberg Tiger 1.20 ARF has been on Tower Hobbies' daily special chart all month. It's normally priced at $349.99, and it's slowly worked it's way down to $233 and some change. If you order within the next three hours, you get get the daily sale price plus an additional $25 off.

Tower will have another promo discount for June, but the Goldberg Tiger 1.20 will most likely be off the daily sale list once the clock strikes midnight.

A good bargain engine to match with this ARF would be the KangkeUSA SK 1.10 2-stroke. This powerplant is only $119.99, and it's 33.1 ounces of weight will help balance the notoriously tail-heavy Tiger 1.20

That combination would make one sweet flying airplane for only $325 plus flight pack!

After a lot of research , I built a Sig 4Star .40 with a Saito 56 . for my second plane. Just a few flights after her Maiden , dude turned his radio on and augered her in.
I just so happened to have a Twist .40 with a Saito 72 and a 14x4w prop ready for it`s first flight. So I`ve been flying it and what a blast. Started out on low rates, made heart pound real fast. Went to high rates after a few flights , no more low rates. Defibrillator madatory for and old fart like me. Whew! Gotta luv it.
Any way. Brought the 4* home and fixed it. Flew it like I owned it today,. As a newbie, I recommend it highly. Or if you have a defibrilator handy, get a Twist and over power it. lol!

In a couple of months the Four Star 120 will be out in an ARF

Nice, you know the specs???

I haven't seen specs on the ARF version of the Four Star 120 yet, but Sig was displaying it at the Toledo show.

They have pictures of it at their site with all the numbers etc. I suppose at this moment its on a slow boat from China, which is why I decided to build one rather than wait. LOL

Yeah, I went over to www.sigmfg.com and saw the specs last night. Nice big two piece wing. 81" Should match up well with a 1.20FS

Gonna have to go with BigEd on this one, Tiger 60 with a good .91 two stroke.