Spaceclam, you have a very good point right there. An ARF would be kinda better here. But I learned with an RTF, and since u learn to fly with an experienced pilot, he kinda goes teaching u hints when u acjust things on the plane and stuff like that. But ur second airplane will sure be an ARF and since u know how the airplane behaves in the air and the balance issues and stuff like that, it will ceartainly come out better than a first time ARF. Its just my way of seeing it, I would still go with the Alpha RTF.

will you give me a link to it on tower? i can only find the kit!

os makes some good engines. they make some not so good ones too. i had bad luck with their .46 la, and i have heard the same story from many. but i have heard good things about the .40. i would get the .46 fx or the .50 sx ringed. the .46 is cheaper, the .50 has 15% more power with about the same fuel consumption. The la's don't crank out as much power, but are cheaper. the fx se4ries has a fuel metering carb, the la doesn't. the la also has a plastic backplate. My second engine was a .;46 fx, and it was just a wonder. the instructions say you only need one tank of fuel to go through it because of the precision equipment they have. they are actually right. one tank, and it would not die when i gunned the engine (i did adjust the low end) and the needle setting only really changes the second, third, and fourth tanks. by the 5th tank, it is as broken in as it will ever be, and you can idle it down pretty low. the la took a long time to break in, and ultimatly vibrated it's own prop loose and ruined it. as about the radios, i would reccomend a computer radio. you will see why when you get your second plane, or put in 2 aileron servos, or have to mix. futaba makes a 6 channel one, it's good to start with. hitec also makes one, but i have never used it. by my third plane, i was hitting it's limitations though (i had a cap 232 which i fully loaded with gadgets and high performance parts so it required a better radio) so i sold it. for $50 difference, i bought a futaba 8u. they are incredible. they have every function you will need unless you get into battlebots or jets. because they stopped making them and started making the 9c about 6 months ago or so, you can probably buy it used for pretty cheap. mine was used, i bought it for $200 while they still made it. don't go too cheap in the beginning, it will become more expensive later.

sprry abotu that i thought they had the arfs. they do in stock i am sure, but don't offer it in the combo. youi must have just read that becaue i deleted it abotu 2 mins ago when i discovered that.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJ629&P=7

what makes this better than others?

with a .46 fx, it can fly so slow i can run along side it. i have done that. that is about 13 mph.

but cant you put that in any plane and do that?

Dan, if u still wanna go for the Superstar, this is as good as it gets:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXK971&P=0
Click on the first of two money saving combos, thats the best price, plus u have a $15 gift certificate

is that absolutely everything I would need?

it looks like it. Thanks for all the help!!

Dan, for a different flavor check this trainer out. I dont think too many fliers start with this model tho. looks very good!


http://morrishobbies.com/reviews/wasp-review.html

Dan, keep in mind that you'll still need field equipment on top of the combo that you purchase......but usually you can build this up slowly. I don't know how well you know your instructor, but I doubt if he'd have a problem letting you use his glow ignitor and electric starter, etc. until you got everything yourself.

i would not reccomend that engine. flying was a miserable experiance or me with that one. the only thing that kept me going is i wanted to learn. i was progressing slowly until i got the fx, where i jsut soared. i was capable of flying solo in 3 months. after 3 months, my instructor wwas holding the button down all the time, but i was too cautious. finally, after 6 months, he let me go.

what engine are you talking about?

do they have a website?

sorry for taking so long, yes thats the manufacturer's original site. Because horizon hobby owns zenoah hangar 9 saito hobby zone and JR, and some other brand

My 1.5cents info......
I think the best and the most affordable trainer over here is the Thunder Tiger easy Trainer.I know that it is on ly about $99 in the states and it is strong and takes heavy punishments.
I'm not sure if there are any other trainers out there as good for that price.

yes, the tiger is a good , but it has many plastic parts, cowling, turtle deck, stuff that the sun beasts up, plus, if u crash it and break the plastic, u r in trouble, cos it will look ugly. The Alpha, I've seen it go down 90 degrees against the ground, WHAM!!. nose down. Nothing, just the engine slided a bit, but the nosewheel didnt break, neither did the fuselage, or the tail. The Aplha's just the bomb, plus u dont have to build anything, just epoxy the wing and tail feathers. Later

I mean, where can u get the best RTF trainer combo for only $299? Plus the engineis a .45, has been broken in and adjusted at the factory.

iv been lookin at teh spads alot lately. they seem durable,and cheap, and easy to fix/build

$289 sorry

Dude, a radio would cost around 170, an engine lets say 60, u got 230 already, engine mount 8 bucks, tank 5 bucks, fuel tubing 3 bucks, pushrods 4 bucks, CA glue 6 bucks, coro 15 bucks, metrics rulers for spars 6 bucks, keep adding up......theres still a lot of stuff left. for 290 u get a REAl airplane

Woah!

/me puts on the flame retardant suit and shuffles sideways out of the forum...

before buying anything. Find out what your instructor recommends, find out what radios most guys are using. for example if they use Futaba and you use JR, you may have trouble finding someone with a buddy box. At my field show up with a JR and you will most certainly need to bring your own buddy box. However there are always three or four futaba boxes at the field. So do some research not only here but also locally before your jump out and spend $300 only to find out ya gotta spend more finding a buddy box. I btw vote for the Superstar Select.

Terry