Greetings.Been nosing thru the site and finally decided to register.Lets see where it goes from here.

A little history.I've always had an interest in RC,but was limited by skill and funding to toy grade models.The 2 times I tried hobby grade models(1 electric heli and 1 electric plane) it ended badly.Recently however,my wife gave me the ok to try again,as long as I stayed smart about it.

I looked into the one and only hobby shop near me,and found the prices were astronomical.So I went net hunting and discovered Hobby Hobby in Mississauga.They have 2 packages that catch my eye,both of which have been mentioned inother posts.

The E-Flite Aprentice 15e RTF and the Hangar 9 Alpha 40 RTF.Both are complete setups withalmost everything needed to get a newbieflying.And theyare both the same price.$317.

Here's the differences I've found.Aside from the obvious(power systems)

1,the Alpha is made of wood,while theAprentice is made of foam.Future(and inevitable) repairs in mind.

2,The Alpha seems to have room in its design for future upgrades,while the Aprenticeseems tobe at it's bestout of the box.

So here's what I'd like to know from the skilled RC fliers out there.If you were going to buy one of these for a student pilot,which one would it be an why?

(PS.I am looking into the 3 RC flying clubs in my area).

If it where me, I would get the Alpha. As a newbie you have no idea how much easier a larger plane is to fly. That being said... Go to those clubs you mentioned and see who may be selling used but usable gear. Make them work for it a little and demonstrate the planes abilities for you. Your first plane will likely end up getting destroyed at some point. Not paying full retail for it makes it not bother you so much.

<span style="font-size: medium"><span style="font-family: Arial">Both are excellent systems for learning. The biggest factor in your decision is the obvious. Fuel or electric. Additional costs are involved for both.
The electric cost may only be a good quality field charger for the included battery. Additional batteries are almost a necessity, or you have to wait for your battery to charge between flights.

The Alpha will require fuel, fuel pump, glow driver, starter or chicken stick, and probably a field box to carry it all. Ibought my field equipment as a complete setup, cost me about 120 bucks. Came with the box, starter, fuel pump, a glow driver and the power panel and battery to power it all. The guys at the club you join MAY let you use theirs in the beginning, but you'll have to get it eventually.

I went with the glow fuel option because I like to tinker with engines,I like the noise and smell of the engine, and I liked the idea of a wooden plane.

There is also a slight difference in the learning curve for each. If you go electric, you need to learn about LiPo battery technologies and hazards. If you go glow, learning to tune the engine for flight is another step. easy for some, not so easy for others.

These are some things to consider, I'm sure others will add additional things. Joining a club is a great idea, you'll get a lot of help there.

Btw, I've only been flying since July. Ilove the hobby and I'm pretty sure you will too. Remember, you can always ask here and get good advice. Good luck, Jim

A great site for information:
<font color="#00265e">www.gettingairborne.com</font>
</span></span>

Ditto Mr67Stang.  I have a preferance for internal combustion over electric.  And size matters.  I am 51 and my eyes are not that good these days so I buy big.  It is so much easier to tell a/c attitude on a larger model.  And you definatly want to check out those clubs and see if there are instructors.  Ultimatly electric or nitro is just a personal preferance. 
Ive never tried foam, but Ive done many repairs to balsa. 

Borrow a  Flight Simulator for 50 hrs.

When I first started I made the mistake of buying one of those small electric flyers...worst mistake I could make. It was a dog to fly and now looking back I cannot understand why they sell them to folks starting out. It has got to discourage people from flying. This may not be an issue with all the trainer style electric planes, but the one I had was terrible for learning. I wound up buying an Alpha and joining a club which was a much better move. I wished I had saved my money and not bought the electric but that is history now.

I did buy a flight simulator when I was starting out and that helped some as well. There seems to be no real formula for flying RC planes, but if I could advise, it would be to go get with a good instructor with a trainer plane like the Alpha 40 or similar. There are a lot of great trainers on the market. Take your time and learn the ins and outs of the hobby. I think this is more critical than most would lead you to believe.

Learn as much as possible right here on RCU. This has been a great store-house of knowledge allbeit sometimes you gotta learn to wade through the muck to pick up the pearls here (Like you gotta get this plane with this motor to really rock, or my OS engine is better than your Saito, and general muck like that)

The only real drawback I can see in RC planes is it is RIDICULOUS pricey! It is nothing to tie up some serious cash. I started out thinking I might only spend 500 - 800 or so. Man, that was about 2000 dollars or more ago! And believe me I am VERY frugle with my coins so I did not spend what one less saavy might have!

Whatever you do have a lot of fun because this is a great and fun hobby. I am not into planes like I was as a little boy and yet I really enjoy flying RC and I am in my mid fifties. I am usually the first or one of the first guys always at the field so that speaks for itself. They say I am die-hard, but I bought my planes to fly and not sit on benches in the shop all the time.

I hear guys say they have a dozen planes at home and all that and I am thinking that you can only fly one at a time. I wonder how many of them they really fly. I know one guy at our field that probably does fly about a dozen throughout the year, but the rest of the guys usually fly no more than 6 different planes throughout the entire year.

Den37,
Welcome back. I just got into the hobby last summer and your story sounds exactly like mine. One problem,right now, is that the weather is not permitting you to go out to a field and observe the electrics versus the glow planes. If you could you would get a better feel for which you like better. I also was torn between the Apprentice and the Alpha. Well, I bought the Apprentice, and while it is a great trainer I would buy the Alpha if I had to do it over again. WHY? Because I realized after awhile that I like the Glow planes better. One thing your going to find is that after you get into the hobby you are going to start looking more closely at how the planes are built. The Alpha is a much better built plane. The Apprentice, after awhile will start to feel more like a toy than the Alpha will. There are so many things to consider, it makes it a hard decision. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Apprentice Pros:

1. Cleaner.....You don't have to clean fuel off it when your done.
2. Quieter.....And this could be a big one if you would like to fly it at a park or other open space without traveling to your club field. Even though I am now into glow I still can take my Apprentice to the park near my house and get my flying fix if I don't have time to go to the field.
3. You can fly it with everything that comes with it. You don't HAVE to buy anything else. (But see cons below).

Apprentice Cons:

1. Batteries..... You will need at least one and probably two extra batteries and they are not cheap. Extra battery for your Apprentice is around $80.00 in the states. You can get them for $40.00 from HobbyCity overseas.
2. Foam construction....It is not built as nice as the Alpha. BUT, it is also easier to repair.
3. The motor that comes with the Apprentice is a "package deal" kind of motor. It is not very durable and a replacment is not cheap.
4. Charger...The charger you get with the plane is about as cheap as they get. You will need a better charger if you plan on flying more than once at the field. Good Lipo batt. chargers can cost you anywhere between $100.00 and $200.00 in the US. You can get a good one from HobbyCity for $25.00. ( The Turnegy Accucel 6 ).

Alpha Pros:

1. Built better. It won't feel like a toy, even after you have had it for awhile.
2. Sound...This is a plus only if you dig the way glow planes sound.

Alpha Cons:

1. Field equipment....You will need to buy field equipment like Fuel, Fuel pump, glow plug starter, field charger for your reciever batteries ( $20.00 ), Electric starter (not mandatory but highly recommended)
2. Cleaning...You will have to clean your plane when you are done flying. (not so bad, but you still need to do it)
3. Engines...Glow engines can be a pain in the butt when they want to be. You will need to learn how to tune them. (also not to hard)
4. Balsa construction.... Looks much better but also much harder to repair than foam.

Electrics can be tricky if you get into building them. They have alot more things to be aware of. They have ESC/BECs which control the motor and reciever. Its critical that you match all your electronics together.

A flight simulator is one of the best learning tools for just starting out. You can get one online for $39.00 (Clearview ) and a usb contoller for $20.00

By the way, some of the guys have made reference to small electrics. THE APPRENTICE IS NOT SMALL.

Well, I ran out of hot air! Hope this helps.

If you have anymore questions about the Apprentice just e-mail me. [email protected]

Being an instructor of many years now, I prefer a student show up with a 40-60 size glow trainer. The biggest reason can be time.

With an electric you need to have at least two batteries and a quality peak charger. Flight 1 with pack A. Put pack A on charger. Flight 2 with pack B. Put pack B on charger. Flight 3 with pack A.... It can be difficult to get in a lot of flying time in a short period with e-power unless you invest in at least 3 batteries. JMO.

I guess it comes down to the fact that I like to get a student at least an hour of flying time in per session. And that can be hard to do depending on the plane, number of packs, pack capacity, hours available at the field...

Other than that I really dont care too much. Id rather a person show up than not at all.

You might consider getting in touch with the clubs you mentioned and see what their instructors prefer. My bets on the Alpha since the bigger stuff is easier to see at a far distance.

Cheers.

Anyone having issues opening the main categories??? I'm getting runtime errors... but I can reply to posts on the the right side of the main categories like kitbuilding, etc... I can access everyting but the Airplane sections.

same here
its only in the airplane forums, i can get the engine forums and the clubhouse

The advice to check with your club instructors is the best in the whole thread. To get into the hobby right and do it the cheapest way possible, pick your club first and meet the instructors. Some clubs have trainers that new guys can use, and if you're the friendly sort a deal may pop up on a beginner friendly setup. Your best chances of learning without wrecks will be with the planes that your instructors are comfortable with.

On cost: You don't have to spend $1000 a year to do this hobby, but you very quickly can. What kills so many people in this is thinking that the initial investment is all that is required. If you can, it would be smart before buying anything to sit down with your wife and work out an ongoing budget for hobby stuff. About $600 a year will keep you involved (including dues and fuel) if you don't want fancy stuff and are a good shopper for used items.

Wonderful!Thanks for all the good advice.

I've decided on the Alpha,once the funding comes.The thought of bigger,gentler flight characterisics seems the way to go.

The clubs right now seem to be in the off season,but I'll try to contact them.With 3 clubs in the area,I should find one that works for me.

In the meantime I'll keep watching this thread and the rest of the site for valueable info.Lord knows there's plenty of that here.[8D]

If you speak to an instructor before buying anything, you might find that they have a better recommendation for you than the Alpha. For example, it's usually windy at my club because it's next to a lake so the traditional trainers get tossed around alot. We recommend the Hobbico Avistar for trainees because it performs so much better in the wind. Without speaking to an instructor, new pilots don't know that and their training takes longer because of it.