bbspurgeon

My Feedback: (4)

Hello I am going to be getting an Hobbico NexSTAR and I was wondering what you guys thought about the radio. I have a brand new Futaba 7C still in the box. I was going to swap out the controller for the newer/nicer one thinking the 7C would be it. What do you think would be the best choice or does it really not matter to much??? Also what have some people found to be a good prop on the NexSTAR with the OS .46 on it????

Thanks
Ben

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

The 7C is a sweet radio. For the trainer either will work and work well, however the 7C has more option's available that you might find nice to have. As for a prop for the 46, a 10 X 7 will work good. Good Luck, Dave

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

I used an 11x5 with a 46AX on the Nexstar and liked it.

Many people will say a 4ch radio will be fine. I personally found the need within my first year of flying to replace my 6ch radio with a more capable radio, and because of that I suggest getting a 7ch. You probably will never need to replace the 7ch, but you will want to replace the 4ch at some point in time. If you get the 7ch, it is a great idea to not use any of the features so you learn how to properly fly and setup the plane.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Use the radio that comes with the trainer and save the 7C for your next plane. The 4 channel radio is all you need for the trainer. Leave it in the Nexstar.

Ken

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

Are you getting the ARF or the RTF?

bbspurgeon

My Feedback: (4)

RTF

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

If you are getting the RTF if will come with the prop that you will need. I can't remember if it comes with spares.

Do you mind if I ask why you are choosing the Nexstar?? I ask because I have always felt that this package is overpriced. The Nexstar is an average flying trainer, there isn't anything special about it that sets it apart from other trainers. You are paying extra for the "gadgets" on it. Those include the AFS (co-pilot system), flaps/speed brakes, and the wing droops. Nearly every instructor I know will remove all of these gadgets before they start training you. These items really don't help any, especially when you have an instructor. So if you are paying extra for items you aren't using why pay for them?? You can purchase the Tower Trainer 40 RTF package for $279, and it's just as good of flying trainer as the Nexstar is. [link]http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCXF4**&P=ML[/link] . I have trained more students than I can count and have had plenty of experience with both of these trainers. The Tower Trainer is a great flying plane and you will have no troubles learning on it. And you can use that extra $120 to purchase the field equipment you are going to need for your plane.

I honestly feel that the Tower Trainer is probably the best valued trainer out on the market these days. In fact, I learned on one 12 years ago. And I still have it and it's still flying!!!

Just something for you to think about. The most expensive isn't always the best choice.

Ken

flaminheli

My son used the Nexstar to learn to fly. It was a waste of money as far as I am concerned because I did not let him use the gadgets that came with it. His Avistar RTF flies better than his Nexstar. If I had to do over again I would not let him talk me into getting him both planes and just get him the Avistar RTF. The Nexstar RTF uses an 11x7 prop on a .46 and it does not come extras. The Avistar RTF uses a 10x6 on a .40 and does not come with any extras. There is nothing wrong with the radio that comes with the Nexstar RTF. The only thing I do not like about it is the lack of a voltage scale, which is on the Avistar RTF radio. The Nexstar comes with a better engine than the Avistar, as far as displacement and being a BB engine compared to the Avistar bushing engine. Heck you already have the radio, buy a nice trainer ARF and an engine and you'll be set.

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

I trained on the Nexstar ARF. Not a bad experience, but planes like the Avistar or Tower Trainer are a much better value. I strongly advise NOT to get the Nexstar RTF. You can get simulators that will hook up to your 7C for free, and spend much less on a plane and get your own 46AX engine.

carrellh

Another trainer that is a really good value is the Thunder Tiger trainer
http://www.thundertiger4u.com/thunde...de-p-7284.html

For $265.99 you get the RTF plane/engine/radio, plus a free 'Side Kick'

The side kick is some basic field equipment
fuel pump
glow driver with charger
starting stick
recoil fuel tubing
fuel cap
plug wrench
cardboard field box

I agree with Ken that people are too quick to dismiss the basic four channel transmitter. When learning to fly, you do not need dual rates, expo, mixing, end point adjustment, etc, etc. Save all of that for plane number 2 or 3. For plane number 1, learn the basics.

jetmech05

the Nexstar is overpriced and there are better flying planes to learn on

forestroke

getting the basics down only requires a 4 channel. and i found the mechanical trims of the 4 channel to be much easier to use than the digital trims. the two things that i think is great with the computer radios is the ability recharge the pack and to see how much batteries are left. on the other end, if you have a 7C 2.4 or a PCM, it might be better than a run of the mill FM. i still remember the time i was flying my plane and all of a sudden the plane lost control. i could only intermittently control it so i called for landing and immediately set her down, running with it to stay as close as i could. after i got her down, i walked to the board and to my surprise someone had posted the same frequency as i had and not alerted me. i knew i had nearly been shot down!

i called the phone number and complained that i had almost been shot down. at that point i saw him coming up the road to the field, cell phone in one hand, totalled plane in the other. i'm glad that my PCM didn't listen to his FM transmissions. i was often unable to control the plane but i was able to maneuvre slightly to get it back near me. once close, i was able to control it better. not all radios are created equal...

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

In defense of the Nexstar:

The Nexstar comes with the Nexstar Simulator by Great Planes. None of the others come with anything like that.

The Nexstar is larger than the Tower, for instance and most others. The Nexstar has a 69" wing span and the Tower has a 62" wing span. Larger is better for trainers.

Don't knock it, it's just as good as the rest of them.

With that said, I had a brand new Airtronics RD6000 radio system and wanted to use that in my plane. One reason was my instructor was using Airtronics and we (the club) has an Airtronics Buddy Box, so I swapped out the Futaba for my Airtronics. I also removed the AFS at the same time and sold it along with the Futaba radio.

I used the "gizmo's" on the wing for a while, took them off once I solo'ed, and only noticed a change in the elevator trim and a less steep approach. I solo'ed with it and would still have the plane if one of the older new club members hadn't crashed his, and really wanted to buy it from me, so I sold it to him.

The Nexstar is a fine aircraft, just as good a trainer as any of the others. And, having had / flown several other trainers, I can say that the Nexstar, being slightly larger than the others, was easier to see than the rest of them. No better, no worse, just easier to see, which for those baby boomers amongst us, well, seeing is a good thing..

I solo'ed several years ago and still admire the Nexstar. Probably partial because I had one, and solo'ed with it.

If you don't like the RTF version, there is an ARF and an electric version. With the ARF, you can do what you wish.. any engine, any radio, and, no gizmo's if you don't want them.

CGr.

flaminheli

No, the Nexstar is not a bad plane. Buy the ARF, use your radio and install a .55 or .61 engine. The .46 I feel is just not enough engine for it. But be ready because that Nexstar will glide forever.

bruce88123

The radio in the Nexstar is fine for the plane it's in if you disconnect the AFS. Which 7C do you have? The 72 MHz version or the 2.4 GHz version?

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah, that's what I did at first, disconnect the AFS and flew it with the Futaba. We (the instructor and me) tried it out with the AFS, flew it a few orbits, then landed it and disconnected it and never used it again. It was a few weeks later that I converted it over to the Airtronics and continued to fly it that way until I solo'ed.

CGr.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

I learned to fly on the Nexstar Select RTF, and like everyone else in this thread, I have plenty of opinions about the topics discussed so far.

Nexstar pluses:

-It's really nice looking. Bolt-on wing and aluminum landing gear look very nice, so does white/red/silver/black trim scheme.
-It's very, very easy with which to learn to land.
-The included O.S. Max .46 FXi engine is easy to tune and very high quality. It has plenty of power to fly the Nexstar.
-The included Futaba 4YBF radio system is perfect for the Nexstar. You don't need anything fancier (or more confusing) with which to fly the Nexstar.
-The included Real Flight G2 Nexstar addition simulator is a great basic learning tool, and a nice consolation on days when the weather keeps you home.
-The included Nexstar propeller is an ideal trainer prop. It's 11x5, comes almost perfectly balanced out of the package, and spares are very cheap.

Nexstar minuses:

-The Nexstar's steep dihedral and deep wing chord make it difficult for new pilots to handle in windy conditions.
-The Nexstar's steep dihedral makes basic aerobatics like loops and rolls more difficult.
-The speed brakes and spin control airfoil extensions aren't necessary, the Nexstar is slow and stable by design.
-The AFS auto-levelling system only works at high noon. It isn't useful for morning or evening flight and should simply be disconnected.

Is the Nexstar Select RTF package too expensive? At $399.99 it isn't cheap. There are less expensive ready-to-fly trainer packages that fly as well or better than the Nexstar. There are also some very nice .60-size trainer packages in the same price range that fly better than the Nexstar.

If you like the Nexstar Select RTF, you can get a good deal if you look around. Tower Hobbies was offering $60 off orders of $300 or more last month (Nov '08), along with free shipping, to Super Saver members. That would put a Nexstar Select RTF on your doorstep for $339.99 shipping included. At that price, it's a much more attractive package.

I think the Nexstar is generally a good trainer, and that the Nexstar Select RTF is a high quality package. You will give up some aerobatic capabilities for more stable flying characteristics, which is why many experienced pilots will tell you they don't like the way the Nexstar flies.

There are other RTF trainer packages (in no particular order) that certainly deserve a look:

1) The Alpha .40 RTF and Alpha .40 DMS2 RTF trainer packages can still be found under $300 (my local Hobbytown USA stores). These are great flying trainers bundled with good engines and good radio systems. The Alpha .40 is smaller than the Nexstar (63" wingspan vs. 68.75") and doesn't come bundled with a flight simulator, but they're very nice flying airframes. Available for around $100 less than the Nexstar Select RTF, Alpha .40 RTF packages are a smart buy.

2) The Avistar Select RTF seems inferior to the Nexstar in every way, at least on paper. It's way smaller, features flimsier wire landing gear, an LA series engine instead of an FXi ball bearing engine, and an older style 4VF radio system, and no simulator. When you actually take the Avistar out and fly it, however, you find that the engine has plenty of power for the airframe, the 4VF radio works just fine, and that 59" wingspan with relatively low dihedral works fine for basic training but provides a much crisper roll rate and straighter tracking through loops. The Avistar also flies extremely well in windy conditions and is a joy to fly.

3) The Hobbico Hobbistar Select RTF is bigger than the Nexstar at a 71" wingspan but features the more aerobatic low-dihedral wing design of the Avistar trainer. The Hobbistar also comes bundled with the outstanding O.S. Max .65 LA engine. The .65 LA is a plain bearing engine that actually out-turns the .61 FX ball bearing engine on many props. It's powerful, easy to tune, and dead solid reliable. Updated Hobbistar Select RTFs (those not sitting on a hobby store shelf for the last couple of years) are shipping with the Futaba 6EXAP computer radio. The Hobbistar and the Nexstar are the same price, and while you'll have to buy your own flight simulator, the Hobbistar will provide you with a larger, more stable airframe that will also be more aerobatic.

4) The Thunder Tiger Easy Trainer combo mentioned previously by carrellh is well worth considering. It's by far the best value on the market, providing a complete basic field kit at no additonal cost. Thunder Tiger airframes are as good as any on the market, and the Easy Trainer series is similar to the Hobbico Avistar with regard to being easy to train on yet suprisingly aerobatic. The Hitec Laser 4 radio system included is actually nicer than the Futaba transmitters bundled with Avistar or Nexstar (metal handle, v-tail/elevon mixing). The Thunder Tiger GP-42 engine bundled with Thunder Tiger's .40-sized trainers (Pegasus, Easy Trainer .40, Tiger Trainer .40) is widely regarded as one of the easiest-to-tune engines available.

You can read a very thorough review of the Easy Trainer .40 Super Combo at the AMA's Sport Aviator Website:

http://www.masportaviator.com/ah.asp?CatID=1&ID=124

The only trainer packaged mentioned so far that might deserve a cautionary mention is the Tower Trainer .40 RTF package. The Tower Trainer .40 Mk II is a terrific airframe, and it comes bundled with very good radio gear. The Tower Trainer .46 ball bearing engine that is included with the RTF package, while quite powerful, can vary in quality and reliability. Many pilots enjoy the power and value that Tower Hobby engines provide, but they may not be the best choice if you're new to glow engines and you aren't familiar with how to troubleshoot and resolve minor engine problems.

One of the fun things about our hobby is that there are so many cool choices available to us. Nobody has even mentioned the H9 Arrow RTF or the Kyosho Calmato Trainer RTF options yet. If you decide on the Nexstar, you'll most likely be quite happy with the quality of it.

Good luck and good shopping!