I'm brand new to the world of rc planes and I was wondering ifI should get a ready to fly or a plane that I build.

Definitely RTF or ARF for your first plane. If you get an ARF, that does give you some building experience to apply to your next project.

You can build, but it takes time and patients, and a some skill. Usually, (I won't get into the arguement that some will pose) new people will opt for an ARF because they go together fairly quickly, offer a sense of what it takes to build one (you can see the components as well as how they are put together), and, as I said, require less skill than a build kit would.

Now, with that said, a kit offers you the opportunity to see how they are really put together, make minor adjustments in the assembly process, make things straight and secure with the right glue (some arf manufacturers are terrible with what glue they use to put them together with), and you can cover it the way you wish.

It all depends on how much time and effort you want to put into your first aircraft. But, I would highly recommend a kit for at least your second plane. Build it with someone to help you out if you lack the skills.. you can learn quickly.

CGr.

Last weekend I did meet a group of great guys and girls at a local club that I'm thinking of joining. There is a guy at work who said that he would help me build a plane. I think my second plane will be one I build.

I believe there is no one particular answer to this question; rather it depends upon the modeler.

If you're mostly interested in learning to fly, then a RTF airplane package will get you flying the soonest.

If you really like the idea of building your own models, modifying them and experimenting with them, and also flying them, then building a kit right out of the gate is the best way to go.

If you are interested in both and/or you're very particular about what you get for your first plane, buying an ARF with a seperate radio system and engine will give you a good deal of flexibility, expose you to the basics of airplane building, and still allow you to get flying fairly quickly.

Again, which route is best simply depends on your primary interest in the hobby.

Good luck and good shopping!

Bottom line, if you enjoy building models then by all means do it.
If you just want to fly and don't want to spend several weeks building a plane then buy a RTF or ARF.
Many people that enjoy building will get something in the air quick like a ready to fly model and buy a kit to build during the winter.

RCKen (RCU moderator and instructor pilot) put together a list of good trainer planes http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm

I agree with the recommendation of a RTF or ARF to get started. If you spend months building your first plane you may become pretty attached to it. You might even be afraid to fly it because it might crash. You probably will not be attached to a RTF or ARF. If it breaks you lose money but not a huge time investment. As you're learning to fly you will decide if you want to stick with RC or move to something else. If you stick with it, you might want to build a trainer or a "second Plane" from a kit. My first build was a Great Planes trainer and I flew it for a long time. Even though I had crashed ARF trainers, it hurt my feelings when I crashed the plane I built. I fixed and crashed it several times before I finally killed it.

Thank you, I do want to build and experiment and learn how to fly them. Is it better to buy a different radio then what they sell in the kits?

It depends on what you get. There are some RTF trainers on the market with perfectly fine radios that will serve you well on many future models and some that are only really good for that model.
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HAN4400
is an example of one with a radio that can control multiple models.

My opinion is that the simple radio systems that come with most RTF packages are excellent for their intended purpose. After you learn to fly, keep the trainer totally intact. Get all new stuff for the next model. By the time you're ready for the next radio system you'll possibly have a better idea of what you want to choose.

By keeping the trainer intact you can fly it when you want, or when your next plane is 'in the shop' because of a crash.

I'll second carrellh's recomendation, plus take it slow, there are so many options for you to choose from that it can become overwhelming, it's real easy to become interested in all the different aspects of this hobby, but the more time you spend in this hobbie, your interest will begin to narrow down and decisions will be easy haha

I let my students learn to fly with my own trainer and gear then if they plan on sticking with the hobby then to go out and buy there own radio and gear. I see too many people give it a try then decide it isn't for them so other then fuel they aren't out anything using my stuff.
ARF or RTF is the better way to go for a first plane, maybe even a second plane, the second plane seems to really take the beating.
Some RTF combos are really a pretty good deal if the club doesn't have an instructor with his own trainer set up.
Get into the hobby as cheap as you can and see how you like it.

Good start finding a club. Learn to fly with an ARF trainer.

You're spot on with the idea of building a kit for the 2nd plane. Everyone needs to learn something about construction to most efficiently use ARFs. And if you find out you like kit building, you've just expanded your hobby two fold. Building a kit will also require some tools, the same ones you'll need when it comes time to repair whatever you're flying.

Good start.

The Alpha is a very good trainer.

It was by luck that I found them. Driving around in a ambulance and stopped by. They explained the way that they would teach me to fly and that safety was their primary goal. Going to join as soon as I get a plane. I already joined the AMA which is a prerequisite to joining the club.

Safety-mindedness is always a good thing but you need to be able to exercise good judgement too. Fools will always find a way to hurt themselves or someone else.
I've stopped flying at one field because they had a couple of accidents with idiots maiming themselves and the rest of the 250 people who use the field now have to live with the over-reaction of the safety police.
You'll be a popular addition to the club being a paramedic!
Safety comes from the acquired piloting skills and also from the self-discipline to exercise the correct procedures on the ground and in the air. That's the real value of learning at a club rather than just lobbing a model out of your back yard.
if you buy a an airframe, radio and engine combination that's familiar to the club, you'll get more value from your membership than just turning up with a "Mystery 46 " .
Good Luck with your purchases!

On radios: If you will buy a 6 channel computer radio up front it will save you money in the long run. Every major manufacturer has a quality product in that category, and until you start talking big scale or aerobatics planes a 6 channel is capable of running nearly any plane you could become interested in. Check with the trainers at your club to see what their buddy boxes are compatible with to keep from having to buy your own.

If you want to build and the money is not too tight, I would get an RTF/ARF and a kit of a like style trainer. One gets you in the air fast; the other is going to do a couple of things. One it can be a back up; as with training, the planes get beat up a bit. Second, trainers are the easiest to build and getting your feet wet with them can show you a lot of things before you build your dream plane instead of panics over details with that one. Your skills are also equal being a beginner. Once you can fly well you wont want to build a trainer. To make it different from the primary plane you could build the wing flat making it a bit more aerobatic, make it a tail dragger makes you know how to handle one, add working flaps something to play around with; things that will add to your abilitys but not too far of a stretch if the plane had to be pressed into service after the demise of the other.

When i first stared it was witha Flyzone Skypilot RTF 3 channel cessna 172 looking airplane. Flew it for a bit to get good and then bought an arf and a radio. Back then they didnt have as much plug and play model as they do now. I think getting a decent radio, even if its used like the DX6I i got a few months ago for $100 is the best way to go it has more than enough channels for me, its easy to program. If i could do it all over again i would get the DX6I first and a plug n play model, most PNP models nowadays are as cheap as some rtf, and they require almost no assembly, usually just glue the wings on or something. That way u have a great radio to start off with instead of most lower quality ones that come with rft airplanes. You WILL need a better radio one day just buy that first would be my advice.

Ditto what da Rock said.

Hogflyer

I'm an old time model airplane builder and flier. I've done two RC flights on a buddy box. I'm beginning to have some physical problems and may well take up RC where I can sit and fly and the airplane will come back to me. I've never flown an RTF or ARF. I kind of think I will draw up a trainer type airplane and build it with silk and dope. But maybe I will get an RTF to get me in the air quicker. Have to wait and see how I feel at the time. I will get an instructor.

Jim,

There is site with a lot of old plans from the 1930's - 1940's you may like. Several larger OT's that have to be scaled up and designed to be silk covered (and some rubber powered that look like they may be nice conversion to electric park flyers). While they where designed as FF, you'll have no problem adapting them to RC. There's a few I'm going to draw up.

http://www.theplanpage.com/

Hogflyer

Either is good. I helped an explorer post build & fly four Sig LT-40s and they went together fast and simply. The instructions are pretty complete.

But, a warning: After some success with two-channel gliders I tried to teach myself to fly a glow Sig Kadet and I built it pretty but heavy. Ended up smashing it repeatedly without success and gave up for 15 years. An ARF and instructor could have given me a heck of a jump on my R/C skills. Don't build so much into your first model that its loss will overly disturb you. It's not inevitable, but it can happen. I know several pilots who still have their original trainers and use them as float planes and winter ski planes.

This is the steps I took and still taking, with a little help from RCU and a few original guys in my club.

1) RTF Cheap electric trainer, 3 channel is best. ( It was cheap park flyer that I could break, and wouldn't break my bank if I were to crash it.)

2) Bought a used glow .40 glow plane trainer that was already built from my instructor. ( I joined a AMA sanctioned club) And I learned about glow engines, servo's and electrics and part replacement and how to balance props. "Buddy boxed" twice then I soloed. (Because I learned the basics with the 3 channel electric and I had the basics already down.)

3) Bought a few ARF aircraft, made many mistakes... building skill very poor, but I asked questions and got help anytime I didn't understand something. (Still do today)

4) After 7 years of being in this hobby, I've decided I wanted to build a kit. Building skills are better and I know I can do it. Kit building might be a dying breed, I don't want to see that. Also, I have more respect to a Kit or Scratch builder, not that I don't have respect for a ARF, I like them all... It's just I admire the Kit or scratch builder way more and want to learn what they know. Carry on the tradition, if you know what I mean.

Many buy a Glow trainer first, I saw a new guy at my Club last Sunday, he wanted to learn the hobby, the LHS set him up with everything he needed, he showed up at our field with his trainer... and the club instructors hooked up our clubs buddy box with his radio, now he's learning to fly and he's now a paid member. Also, I forgot to mention his plane is still in one piece.

Pete

I like TFF's suggestion. If you're leaning ultimately toward building, get a trainer ARF and a very similar kit to build. You can get through the initial difficulties with the ARF and be building at the same time. I think you'll find the kit gives you opportunities to learn a great deal while having a reference sitting right there and you can make cosmetic improvements of your own choosing. And you might be surprised that, assuming you take your time and build the kit well, the kit built will not only fly better than the ARF but also last longer.