Getting ready to purchase my first trainer. Looking at the Superstar 40 or the Alpha trainer. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Any other recommendations? Thanks! (new to this posting thing...posted my last msg. under "jets"...oops)!

I would strongly suggest the Alpha trainier .... I have been in RC for about 25 years and flew C/L since the eaarly 1950s ..... There are a couple of Alpha Trainers at our field and all of the "old guys" are marvelling at the value and more importantly the ease of use and flying characteristics of the plane ... The engine starts easily ... Has plenty of power ..... and the plane handles well ... plus you get a nice radio with buddy cord capability ..... A few field items (glow igniter, starter, and fuel), and you are on your way .... The only time this recommendation may not be valid would be if your local club has no JR "instructors" ...(people with a JR radio to use as the buddy box while you are learning...) This isn't bashing the Superstar as it too can be a good plane... It's just that I have seen the JR and the Superstar and the JR seems to be a more cohesive package.... Those with more experience with the Superstar may find it equally suitable... Recommendations of those who will be helping you learn should also be taken in to account .... No use in getting something that they have difficulty with .....Best of luck ... Enjoy

Thanks Rick. Advice taken. This "old gal" is looking forward to her first flight!

It isn't polite to ask a woman her age, so I won't. But I am on the big numbered side of 50 and with my eyesite not as wonderful as it use to be, not to mention other parts that don't move like they used to. I started on a Tower .60 Trainer. Alot had to do with the size in the air (visability) and my desire to go into a little larger aircraft in the future. My second plane is a TF Contender.

My trainer almost flies itself and is VERY forgiving of my newbie mistakes. The down side may also be the size. With my pickup it isn't a problem to transport it, but if you only have a family sedan that might pose a problem.

Hope this helps a bit.

AL

superstar60!!I put one of these arf's together last yr.just because
Ihad one nib.although i have had and flown many different planes.i thought i would build it and sell it to a newby.but
this thing fly's incredibly well.not real aerobatic of course,
but that's not my thing anyhow.man i cant leave this one
alone.i'm keeping it!!

What about extra parts for any of the trainers? Is it hard to find parts for any of the trainers.... Hangar 9 Alpha Trainer, Superstar 40, etc? Although women are MUCH better drivers (and probably flyers) than men... (haha) there may be a time when I may need a part for a plane just incase it crashes.

I notice Tower does not carry Hangar 9. I am sure there are a million places to purchase these items, but their prices seem reasonable.

THanks for your replies!!

no need worrying about parts.chances are if u cra*****here probably wont be much left.just fuel and charge up.go have
fun.

The only place I can think of to get extra parts for the Alpha is from Horizon Hobby Distributors or a hobby store that carries Hangar 9 products. But chances are that if you crash it, you will either be able to repair it or it will be beyond repair.

Parts aren't usually a problem in the case of a minor crash. Usually the plane will pop open at the seams or split in other places. As long as you gather all the pieces that might have broken off you can uually just reglue everything back togerther. Then you recover the damaged areas with monocoat, check the throws and your set. Spinners or props that may get broken are common items at the RC hoby store. I have repaired planes that have been broken in 2 in about 2 hours. Engines are usually pretty tough and don't require any parts due to a crash. Of course it helps if you build a kit trainer instead of an ARf because then you learn how it goes together. This makes repairs less intimidating to attempt and is the reason why I suggest a kit for a first plane. Problem now is that we are running our of Winter which is the buiulding season and getting into spring.

I started with the Aplha and am still learning on it. Everyone that has flown it loves it and says it is extrememly easy to fly. Since its my first plane I cant compare it to others. So far I have liked it and think its a good investment.

I suggest the Avaistar. You may recall that the Avaistar is the Big Brother to the Superstar. The Avaistar has a semi-symetrical airfoil so when you are ready to go into aerobatics the Avaistar can handle them (better than the Superstar anyway.)

After reading all of these replies, I guess it may be a good idea to avoid crashing???

Croon,

Check out the SPAD trainers and you might still crash, but at least you won't have to worry about it.

http://www.spadtothebone.com

I made 3 spads just to see how they work. They do fly well but I went back to balsa. The wings were heavy and tough as nails. The plastic drain pipe fuse was brittle and didn't stand up to our grass field and being plastic can't be repaired very easily. At first I was told to get the light weight drasin pipe to save weight. Then when I had problems with the screws ripping through it I was told to go to the heavy drain pipe which would double the weight of the fuse. Overall I think balsa and ply is tougher and much quicker to repair if needed.

Fastshy,

Sorry you had such a rough time with your SPADS. There are other alternatives to the downspout fuse. If you lok you can make a coro fuse or use Aluminum railing for the fuse. Personnaly I don't like the donwspout too much either (but for control surface conectors) I use mostly the other two and have found them to be very tough and very light. Check out the PQHOR profile funfly, might be a fun play-around-with plane for you.

Sounds like you got a hold of second generation pipe. I haven't seen much of it, but I have seen it. It doesn't have the layered look to it like most of the pipe is. It's white through out, and much more brittle.

Tattoo re: " It's white through out, and much more
brittle." Yep, thats the stuff I bought. Its thin and very light but thats all that can be said thats good about it. An all Coro design like the Coro Mustang looks like a good solid design but I think its performance level puts it above the trainer category. I still have 2 planes to complete before the flying season starts so no time to look at other models now. Maybe next winter!

Fastky,

Check these two trainers out. Both SPAD, both w/o downspout.



http://www.spadtothebone.com/SPAD/Buhor/


http://www.spadtothebone.com/SPAD/Spadet/

A second vote for the Superstar 60!

This plane is a lot bigger than the 40 sized trainers so is easier to see and is very docile in the air. Its not too big to get into an average car though, mine fits in my Mustang fine!

The Superstar is on sale now and is down to about $100 for the ARF. A complete package with radio and engine can therefore be had for not much more than the 40 sized trainers...

An Avistar at my field had the tail end ripped of on a "hard landing", doesn't say much for the strength....

I too had the tail come off on the Superstar, but at least I had a decent excuse, I put it through a tree! A bit of ply reinforcing and recovering and the plane is in the air again..

Hey Tattoo... fliers1 offered to teach me to fly on the Debonair (S.P.A.D.) that you gave him. Think I'll be able to fly it??

With ease...don't forget a flight report

I'm assuming you've found a club and an instructor. I would go with what he recommends.

FLIGHT REPORT FOR TATTOO..... flier1 let me fly the debonair. It was great! He is an excellent instructor! He can even teach women!!

Now, If I can only figure out how to build one of those spads! It was fun!