Hello. I am considering the Nextar EP (electric) for my first airplane. I have many years experience in RC cars, but not air.

Is this a good choice? I was also considering the Hobbyzone Super Cub, so what are the pros / cons of each (besides money)?

Also, can I get by flying the Nexstar in a large size football field?

Thanks.

I would suggest the Hobbyzone Supercub for your first plane. The nexstar is a very nice plane, but I would not suggest it for your first. The reason being is that the nexstar is a wood plane which will not take a crash well at all, and parts will be much more expensive for it than the supercub. Since the supercub is an all foam plane it is much more forgiving when it comes to crashes. The great thing about foam planes is that when you do crash and break it, you can glue it back... The supercub is a great flying airplane and makes for the perfect first plane in my opinion. Thats what I learned to fly on and I still fly it occasionally even though I am now into much larger glow powered models. Start with that and once you get real good with it then move onto a larger wood plane. Happy flying!!!

yeah, what he said. Also, batteries for that plane are going to be big bucks

Thanks, guys.

If you want to spend the least possible and still have a fun, durable plane that you can learn from, check out the Hobbico Flyzone Skyfly.

Based on the fact of the flying area you indicated, the Super Cub would be a better choice.

If money is an issue, electric power is not the most cost effective way to fly. Why? 1) Batteries are expensive 2) Planes are fragile 3) quality speed controls are expensive 4) Electric motors are not cheap and are fragile and 5) Many electric RTF's are not buddy box compatible. Learn on glow first then go to electric. The list could continue but no point....

Once one learns to fly a glow model, then electric is a viable choice. Just my opinion...

Happy Landings!

mariog,

The problem you're facing with a NextStar in a football field is you're trying to fly a large plane in a park flyer field. From what I've been told by someone who has flown one, the electric version of the NextStar flies just like the nitro version. But, unless you have a lot of experience and can fly the NextStar on the edge of a stall, there is no way you'll be able to learn to fly it in an area the size of a football field, which is too small for nitro other then 1/2A through some .15 sized planes.

If you don't have a regular field to fly at, I'd suggest you look at a park flyer - something that you can almost teach your self on since most don't come with a buddy box. Something like a slow stick would be a good electric park flyer to learn on. But most park flyers don't handle wind very well. If this is the route you'll go, the do some research in the park flyer and electric forums - you'll get a lot of very good information there.

Hogflyer

The Nexstar is a better choice, albeit as noted it needs a bigger area to fly in.

why?

- It's larger and easier to see
- It's actually cheaper to replace parts on it than the SuperCub. ( just how much do they charge for that "foam"? check it out! ).
- It's less prone to crash, as it does better in wind and gusts
- It's a FULL aileron plane, as opposed to the HZ Cub which is only 3 channels w/no ailerons.
- Try bringing a HZ cub once the wind has picked up during a flight some time, you'll see!
- You will not have to relearn how to fly later
- The parts of the Nexstar can be used on other planes as they are standard sized components.
- The battery packs can be "upgraded" for more power, while still providing compatibility with other EP's.
- You can leaverage the cost of the batteries against your future plane purchases, not so with the HZ Cub.
- It can land in grass, the Supercub "breaks" in grass instead.
- The Nexstar qualifies at most club fields as a full trainer, the Supercub does not.

and the list goes on, and on, and on.

I have the NexStar EP and agree completely with opjose. If you decide to go with the NexStar do yourself a big favor and go with lipo batteries, and if you don't want to go with lipos I have a couple of NiMH I can give you a deal on.

Rob

I'm glad you qualified this as just your opinion, since none of your post is based on any known facts, and if you take offense to this I am sorry, but it offers no help to the OP to try and bash electric.

Rob

Ok, guys. I see what you are saying. I bought the Super cub and my first flight went awesome yesterday! But today it was a little windy out and I couldn't control it. Is this what you guys were talking about - it is a ***** to fly even in a little wind.

I learned on the Nexstar (glow) and really loved that plane. It helped me to learn to fly very well. You will need much more than a football field to fly in, but it's size allows you to fly it in large spaces and still see it easily.

There seems to be a little bit of an electric/glow debate here as well. I'm a glow fuel guy; I like engines. I was put off by the initial start up cost of electric too. However, I'm spending $30/wk on fuel alone - that's like a lipo every two weeks. Electric is a bit more up front, but less $$$ (or so it seems) in the long run. So yes, get the lipos.

At the end of the day, us glow guys are spending time running our engines dry of fuel, spraying the planes down with windex and wiping everything, and staining the carpet when we bring the planes inside. None of this bothers me, but some guys really enjoy landing, turning off the switch on their plane, and throwing it in the back of the truck. No tuning issues, no rough starts, no mess.

Each has it's own place; I'm sure you'd be happy with electric. If you're like me, you might be happier with glow

None taken, however reading your other posts leads me to believe you seem to enjoy baiting other members.

So you can take this to the bank:

A NexStar Ready To Fly cost is $379 + $100 for field equipment, for a total of $479 NexStar EP: cost is $400 + Hobbico Batt/Chgr Pack w/9.6V NiMH (2) & Chgr for $145 +90 (second set of batteries so you can fly twice). Total is $635 (non lipo).

The super cub is a foam job, as you mentioned parts are expensive, duh, and when was the last time you buddy boxed someone on one of "those" radios?

One hard landing on the nose takes care of most electric motors (gear box or shaft) and if the beginner doesn't kill the throttle before they hit it's another $85 for a speed control replacement.

You obviously have never trained anyone to land or even to fly, if you had you would know that beginner planes take a beating and that's a fact!

So here's the bottom line: Now no offense...check your own facts before you challenge someone else.

Regardless of the little argument here, that is primarily based on cost effectiveness which the original poster clearly stated he undestood and did not ask for that difference to be compared, he made the right choice simply because he stated that he would be flying in a "large football feild". The Nexstar is to big and fast to fly in a football feild. I do not like foam planes (my opinion only). However they do have their place and football feilds are one of them. Unfortunately there are not a lot of experience pilots out at football feilds to help you... This will be your biggest issue holding you back from a smooth start in R/C flying.

Congratulations! Welcome to the hobby, and have fu!

Uh yeah. I'm glad somebody picked up on the fact that the OP already bought the cub and is enjoying his new hobby. Congratulations!

I don't think the need for bickering still exists (if it ever did).

oops, meant to say have FuN!!!

hey what kind of lipo would i use on my nexstar select ep?

Thanks for the debate of Glow vs Electric. I believe the old school net etiquette of "No offense intended and no offense taken".

I can see that price doesn't make or break the decision. Even if the long run cost of fuel doesn't even up the playing field, if someone is spending $500 it's not hard to spend a little more for what you want.

I'm still researching (aka I'm a noob) but thus far I can say I am liking EP more for the following reasons:
Less noisy eg. less offensive to others and more acceptable to fly in public places.
Less messy, more time to fly and less time cleaning.
Since my intent would be to someday include a wireless camera, the battery is already there.

Just my 1-1/2 cents.

Happy Landings.

I managed to get my Nextar EP to the club flying field for some buddy box training. I was using 3600 niMH batterys from Tower Hobby.
Once it was trimmed we had to run the motor at WOT so we only got about 4 minutes flight time out of a set of batteries. I had 2 sets of batteries and both acted the same. Recharge time was an hour so we didn't get much flight time in a day. How stable is the Nexstar with the flap thingeys removed, I probably could run at a lower throttle setting and get more time. What about 5s2p 5000 mAh lipos. Or am I in too much of a hurry too learn to fly.

The included batteries are not mean to be run at WOT for more than a few seconds at a time.

As you've discovered, you only do get about 4 minutes or so this way.

The plane can fly for about 8 or so minutes if you keep the throttle down to around 60% - 70% after takeoff, and throttle back whenever possible.

Switch to LiPo batteries and things change completely.

The plane will have more power and much longer run times, if you choose the right set of LiPo's.

You can use the 5S configuration stated in the manual, that is purchasing a 3S 11v pack ( 3200mAh or greater ) with a matching 7.4v 2S pack ( 3200mAh or greater ) as long as both packs have the same capacity... note: both packs must be charged outside the plane and seperately!

Hint: Hobby City has GREAT deals on the batteries:

3S 11v [link=http://www.unitedhobbies.com/UNITEDHOBBIES/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7295&Product_Name=Rhino_ 3700mAh_3S_11.1v_20C_Lipoly_Pack]Click me for 11v[/link]

2S 7.4v [link=http://www.unitedhobbies.com/UNITEDHOBBIES/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7651&Product_Name=Rhino_ 3700mAh_2S1P_20C_Lipoly_Pack]Click me for 7.4v[/link]

Hint purchase 2 of each!

Why?

Match pairs of batteries can be combined in many other useful ways...

e.g.

You can combine the two 7.4v packs to create a single 14.8v 3700 pack capable of powering a larger plane.
You can combine the two 7.4v packs to create a single 7.4v 7400 pack capable of powering a plane for a much longer amount of time.
You can combine the two 11v packs to create a single 22v 3700 pack capable of powering a larger plane.
etc. etc. etc.

At worst you end up with two pairs, one to charge and the other to fly with, that should give you FAR longer flight times if you resist the urge to fly at WOT...

Don't be surprise to see 16+ minute flights out of your plane... on a charge...