ok. i initially planned to get the neXstar rtf model that came with the nexstar version of the realflight simm, some wimpy radio and a os 46 fxi engine..

I'm about to head down to Edmonton tommorrow mourning to finally pick up what i want, but im thinking I'd be better off to get the Nexstar ARF instead. That way i could get a radio I will be wanting to use with future models aswell. Also, i would pick up the full version of the flight simm just for ****s n giggles. Im thinking the ARF would give me a little more "hands on," which is something im looking forward to doing.

What im curious about is what engine would i actually be wanting to get with this plane? I do know that after i have sufficently trained with it, and more then likely crashed with it, ^^ i plan on knocking off the landing gears and slappin on some floats. Im assuming i might need a beefier engine to do this? also, do i need engine mounts, ect, or anything else other the engine, radio and recievers on a arf?

I have figured on gettin the Futaba 6ex 2.4ghx radio. Im guessin this is a decent radio that would last me a long time, through multiple airplanes? Or is there a better one that would suit me better? And lastly, im guessin that the real flight g3.5 simm has its own remote u plug into usb right, or is the remote i plan on gettin capable of using on a flight simm aswell?

Id figure id ask you guys all this stuff. When i tried to talk to one of the guys at the hobby store where i plan to get this from he actually just started there and was into the buggys n cars, not so much planes.... >< not a good sign right from the get go.

If you want to do floats then I would not suggest geting the Nexstar at all. Most other trainers just about any of them make far better float planes. That rounded fuselage make a good float installation problamatic.

Lt 40 make a superb floater as well as primary trainer on wheels. Any good modern .46 such as a .46AX is fine on most averge trainers on floats.

John

your only going to need a engine and radio to get the arf ready to fly, as long as you get a OS 46 2stroke or eq.

the engine mount that comes with the plane is designed for the OS 46fx/AX either engine will fly the plane well,you might get a os 55AX to fit as it has the same foot print if you are looking for the extra power for the float plane option.
but you will have to shift some radio parts around ex. the battery,and reciever etc...to get it to balance the plane was designed with the 46 in mind.

I am in the middle of a NEXTAR float plane conversion, and upgraded to the OS 61fx but I had to change the engine mount to fit the larger engine,I just happen to have it handy so it's the one I decided to use.
as well as the gear relocation and some minor repair work that needed to be done after some beginner crashing, I am now recovering it after fitting the floats.
a couple of photos before the recovering, the fuse and floats are now white with red trim.
I liked the NEXTAR because it didn't look like a box and resembled a real plane.

Thats awsome. Did you make them floats yourself or purchase them premade?

The Nexstar ARF is a smarter buy than a Nexstar Select RTF, but I certainly wouldn't try to talk you out of considering the Sig Kadet LT-40 that was mentioned. Any decent .46-sized ball bearing engine from O.S., Thunder Tiger, Magnum, Super Tigre, or Evolution would be a fine choice and would provide plenty of power for your Nexstar and whatever you might choose to fly down the road. The O.S. 55AX, Magnum XLS .52A, or virtually any .70-sized 4-stroke would be a good bet if you want to make sure you have some extra power for float flying down the road.

The Futaba 6EXA 2.4Ghz FASST radio is an excellent choice and a good value for the price. Just make sure you get the four servos that you'll need to fly your trainer, they may not be included with that particular radio. It's the most affordable full range 2.4Ghz radio on the market, and it has plenty of features and enough model memory to satisfy a new sport pilot for quite some time.

Real Flight G3.5 does indeed come with a dedicated controller box that plugs into your PC via a USB port. You can hook a standard radio into the Interlink controller's trainer port so two people can fly on the PC simultaneously, but I honestly have no idea if the 2.4Ghz FASST radios will work through the Interlink controller or not.

Overall I think you're on the right track with regard to maximizing the value of your investment in a good trainer. Good luck and good shopping!

there Golberg 60 size Superfloats they come as a kit, they were not to hard to build there glassed with .6oz fiberglass with water based poly,then covered in ultracoat(not pictured) the front gear is Hangar-9 60 size,the rear wire ones come with the kit

IMHO anything but a Nexstar. over priced to many bells and whistles and i dont like the way they fly

For a trainer...save your money and get an Avistar....great performance....cheap!

I agree with every engine suggested by Biged, except the Evolution. I've had enough problems with the ones (plural) that I had that I sold them all (three of them) in favor of an OS replacement. I had lots of help with trying to get it running including a person that would be considered a 'pro' and could not get any of the evo's to run right.

As a beginner, and located remotely as you are, I would stick with those that are deemed totally reliable. And, all that Big Ed said are just fine.. with one exception. You don't need the sorts of problems I've encountered with those evo's.

DS.

I agree with John and recommend any of the flat-sided trainers over the Nexstar, both for ease of float installation and ease of repair. I have trained a couple of people on Nexstar RTFs and used to be a pretty big fan. One of my students, however, recently had a crash. With another trainer, it would have been a pretty simple repair and covering job. With the Nexstar, however, we decided to start fresh with an LT-40 ARF.

The two main problems are the pretty curved fuselage and the landing gear. The snap-in landing gear stinks. In its factory condition, it has a tendency to fall out. I had the joy of landing on the nose and one main wheel. We then used dowels to pin it in a little more permanently. The problem is that, with the landing gear running through the middle of the fuselage, a minor crash can do a lot of damage to the fuselage. Not what you want in a trainer.

-Scott

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0161p?&I=LZ2640
This would be the radio package you would want.