There goes the $55 difference. Maybe he can get it down to $75-80. I'm sure the engine is gummed up and just needs some heat and fuel to loosen it back up again. Nice deal there you don't see every day. I wish I could find an Ultra Sport on CL for that kind of money!

I did, I did!

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/tag/1723318225.html

Too bad it's the ARF version.

$63 for a new motor and he is golden.... wait, he still needs fuel..... and there is the .07 for the power the charge the batterys... damn

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...LXKF92&P=0

But anway, thats a great deal for someone getting into the hobbie.... or is it hobby.... lol

I'm sure the engine is fine, just needs to be cleaned. Castor gets them gummy when they sit. He doesn't need a GP engine, but new batteries, fuel, and 84 cents to cycle the batteries 3 times would be a good idea.


It's not hobbie, and it's not hobby, it's spelled a d d i c t i o n.

Well, I figured we scared the guy off....so I looked up his name , turns out he started an almost identical thread 2 years ago..he was gonna buy a tower trainer then...so he has to know he's not gonna get in the glow game for $155, wonder if he was looking for charity?.. I got into and out of , hobby in 94, back in around 2000 at the schoolyard a block away on sat mornings with a GWS plane and radio, took all week to charge up 5 paks to fly for 30 minutes....Rog
Now I have too many planes.....

Get outta here!! You kiddin' me? This guy is a hoax??? Are you sure?

No, I'm not making an accusation that he is a hoax, he may have been busy as heck for the last 2 years....But if he knows even about a tower trainer, he knows what it costs to get in the hobby,,,and $155 aint gonna cut it...I've read all the posts, even if he found everything for $50 that needs a few repairs , he's still gotta get a roll of covering and an iron, whats that $40 and/or new batteries, plus he cant train at a sanctioned field without getting his AMA card, thats another $60,,theres his budget right there...Rog
The one curious thing would be that a grown man has "$155 burning a hole in his pocket" sounds a bit odd to me, but we are all different...

He didn't ask for charity, $155 is a reasonable start for used equipment and I think that's been well established for those interested but have a limited budget. I talked extensively on the phone with the dad and didn't sense anything greedy in his nature, and he was happy to find a $175 Tower trainer right on RCU and in his area. He said he was going for that plane. Therefore I think his purpose in posting came to a successful conclusion.
$155 in rural GA might be big bucks to some.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemID=631936

This familiar seller just got a guy into the hobby for $165 today, it "cuts it" routinely. He won't need AMA or a club to fly, just like me and 25 others that gather at "our" field every morning.

Actually more than likely all the nay sayers here scared him off then too. Hopefully I read right and he's hooked up with one of the few folks on here who dont believe you have to be **Expletive deleted*** rich to fly a model plane. Heck, if he was a little closer Id hook him up with a Spad trainer and the skill to build it then teach him to fly myself for pennies compared to all the crap Ive read here.

Can he get into the hobby for $155? Sure, that's pushing it even for decent used gear and start up supplies but it can be done so quit trying to convince the world that one must spend over $500 to start out, Heck I spent $350 for my first outfit and this include a basic field kit and my first gallon of fuel! Prices havent changed so much since then, and if anything the flight gear and airframe are cheaper!

You folks go right ahead and spend that $500 or more, I will stick to what I can afford, and encourage others who are not rich to do the same..

Yes, a guy can get a flyable plane for $155 if he shops around. The problem is that most guys who ask this question really have their budget capped at that point and don't plan to spend any more money on the hobby for a while. And us giving these guys the answers they want just hurts the hobby as a guy without much money dumps his load only to find that there is another $100 (or more) in incidental costs. And that's before he takes his first flight. This is not a cheap hobby and we do well to let people know the real costs right up front. I do it pretty cheaply and have spent about $600 annually for the last 4 years, not including travel. I only have 3 planes and bought none of them new. That's a realistic budget and if that scares a guy away for now then let him wait a while. That's better than him badmouthing the hobby 6 months from now because he got started and couldn't finish.

Well then let's hear from Mr. JimmyDeQuinn. Whaddyasay Jimmy????? What's up?

This post IS THE VERY CRAP HE SPEAKS OF. I'm not rich. Most of the guys at the fields I belong to are not either. I have also raised 7 kids, and know the value of saving money. I have also been able to participate in this hobby for most of the last 40 years. Sometimes I pay retail at the hobby shop, to support them, and for convenience sake, sometimes I buy on the net, or at swap meets. But any way you slice it, it takes money to be in this hobby. The size of your fleet and the type, complexity, and size of your planes is governed buy how much time, money, space, and ambition you have to devote to your hobby. Another factor for someone new is the area he lives in and the availability of hobby shops, clubs, flying groups, or interest in RC in the local area. Isolation makes it more difficult and expensive due to the learning curve in the hobby. That is where seeking out experienced flyers is such a big help.

Much good advise has been given here for anyone considering this great hobby. Take it. Use it. Don't load up with a lot of old junk that guys just want to unload. And then get frustrated when it is harder than you expected. It will probably be even with good modern equipment, much less with undependable cheap junk. Save a little more, and spend it wisely. You won't regret it.

All I did was dig up information, opinions aside, I dug a little further, seems 2 years ago his "budget" was twice what it is now,,I didnt bother to read it all...yeah you can find buys if you know where to look and there were some suggestions for him to look at....He couldnt find anything in 2 years? I dont know where the heck he is in Ga or whether its rural or not....I dont have anything left nice to say, so I'll bite my tongue and listen to my mom ,rest her soul/......here....http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_69...tm.htm#6901711

http://www.rcuniverse.com/community/...1&memid=397003

opps

The only thing a simulator is really good for is practicing the controls. Left right up down. taxiing.

A simulator does not give you the feel of the air on your face when the wind changes. The gust over the runway on final. Full sense of that airplane in the sky. It does not teach you how to start an engine safely. how to adjust controls. balance the airplane. I picked up a simulator for dirt cheap two years ago because I wanted to get the feel of ducted fans and turbines. I seldom use it now. Spool ups, wind downs etc because they delay throttle response for spool up time to build thrust.

I never recommend someone to buy a simulator. My students when I teach we fly as much as schedules and weather conditions allow. I want them out at the field with me so I can teach them proper technique so they can safely operate that airplane without flying over our heads, behind us. A simulator will let you go anywhere and that is not always a good thing. Then they come out to the field and the plane flies them not the other way. If they are not taught how to fly a circuit they could possibly be a hazard to themselves and others. Set up proper approaches in different light and wind conditions. A simulator does not teach field safety.

To me the nay sayers refuse to take the time and energy to go look at alternatives for buying R/C stuff. They go to the LHS pay full price then ***** because that is what they want to do. It is easier to piss and moan than get out there and look. They are just mad because they did not know that when they started. I seldom pay retail anymore for anything I buy I know where to look and I am not afraid to do so.

It is completely possible to look around and get decent flyable equipment for pennies on the dollar. The deals are there if you take a few minutes to look.

Two weeks ago I picked up a CMP 120 Corsair, with brand new ASP 120 engine, robart retracts, Heavy duty dubro motor mount. everything new in the box or package for under $300.00. had not been assembled. I Know of at least three trainers right now in my area I could go buy for well under $155.00 some have everything even fuel. The deals are there. Just go look.

I'm trying to figure out who so many guys want to push the point that this hobby is cheap when they know darn well it's not. It's a straw man arguement to say that those such as myself believe that you must be rich to fly RC planes or that you have to buy everything at retail to get anything good. I buy a lot of stuff used. But good equipment is worth what it is worth, and you get what you pay for. Sure, cheap stuff sometimes works fine but if you take a broader look you'll also find that cheap stuff often fails, and for a new pilot that ends the hobby more often than not. For those who really think that the OP can get all set up and in the air at a flying site without being handicapped by his equipment for $150 total investment, I'd love to see the math you're using.

I agree with this gentlemen. That post was very amusing by the way.

Completely agree with Jester. I don't think anyone here is a "naysayer" or being negative or trying to scare this guy off. We're just pointing out that it's a hobby that can cost far more than you initially think. Maybe some can resist the temptation to buy more planes (bigger, faster, cooler), but I'd say most of us are owners of far more than our original trainers.

All:
Remember this.

All old equipment at one time was state of the art. Just because it's old does not mean it is not quality.

Glenn

Here here willing10, I agree! My trusty 5U and 6X radios work just great! Just got back from flying at our free un-scanctioned field and had a blast in my $70 Astro Hog (used, Sebastian swap meet buy). You could spend a lot more to get the same thing, but why?

It's beating a dead horse to convince the buyers how cheap sellers get into the hobby for, but once more, let's emphasize it with some details.
I've always picked up big lots of planes and engines, flew them, kept the ones I liked most, sold the rest, and managed to actually report income to the IRS from it, for over six years now. I've got kids, earned income credits are nice every April for me to build up inventory with.

Instead of spending money on the hobby, I'm producing an income from it, while enjoying it several times a week for free. I've given away three trainers this month to people starting out fresh in hobby and flight boxes were included. They bought their own fuel and 12v battery, so they got in the hobby for $40.00.

It's not every plane that sold for $155 or was given away, but I can afford to do so to a select few that have circumstances and a passion to get into the hobby that I feel moved to help out with my general hobby time used to obtain them. My buddies at our flying field got 3 free Super Sportsters from me as well, new in box, because their wives banned their spending and I didn't want to miss them on the weekends flying with me.

You might want to remember 2000+ ratings on RCU marketplace from guys like JJ Freestyle are making a living or adding an secondary income without working at Home Depot or Wal-Mart, doing the same thing from home as I do. He's got 100% thrilled customers from his used airplanes too, comments tell how great a deal they felt they received, yet the real deal was what he paid for it.
That's a lot of RC sold just from one forum. I'm sure he's not thinking the hobby costs him an arm and a leg to enjoy either.

I've bought as much as I sold on RCU, the bargains are right here, and usually, RCU members dealing with RCU members, are very careful in selling a healthy, safe, and reliable planes to their RCU friends having the hobby in common. Wouldn't you?

Oh, the little incidentals to get a plane up in the air? Most used flight boxes (given up by the shift from GP to EP pilots) stocked with extras and tools average $50-60 these days. You'd be amazed how easy it is to get into the hobby and enjoy it for years if you're careful.

That is precisely what I am talking about!!!! I have 10-20 year old radios that work perfectly and I use. (i have read threads here about brand new radios crashing airplanes. I had that happen when FM first came out.). I have airplanes over 25 years old. I have used planes I bought for 20 and sold the engine off from for $40.00. Because I just wanted the airframe for another engine.

IF someone who is really motivated to learn to fly. Comes out to the field with a "New, old," trainer he bought it passes the preflight inspection and needs a couple of things to keep him going 9 times out of 10 I will give it to them. I know most guys would. Just because you want to start flying on a tight budget does not mean you can't. I keep "budget" stuff in my flight box for precisely that reason. I can't count how many props I have given away over the years. Nuts, bolts screws clevis's, fuel line to make keepers or replace a worn line, another rubber bands I had days where I went through a whole box and only used 20 on my plane.

Fuel, I let a guy draw off my fuel all day one day because he left his fuel at home.

Just because you spent a fortune on something and it is "BRAND NEW" does not mean it will work perfectly. It also does not mean it will last. In most cases I will chance used because 1. I am experienced enough in this hobby to not be taken. 2. I see NO reason to spend a fortune on an item when i can get it used for pennies on the dollar.

I love this one, a Guy is bragging about spending big bucks on a 2.4 radio. I pull out my "off brand" radio I spent a quarter of the amount on brand new. His is a 6 channel and mine is 9. I smile and walk away. My "off brand radio" is now on its second full season and not a single problem, glitch, or lockout. Price does not mean quality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rambler - curious about how you make a profit following this hobby. I'm not trying to be challenging, but am really curious (would like to do the same, if possible). Do you sell your old planes \ equip for more that you paid for it? Do you look for bargains in the used arena and mark them up? Is this part of the hobby for you? (as rebuilding planes has become for some of us...).

Like anything else you buy from one venue and sell in another. You buy wholesale and in bulk, and sell one at a time or break it down into components. I don't try to get rich on anyone. Some deals are better than others, sometimes break even is a good thing.
I always attempt to fly or run whatever I bring in to have personal knowledge of the item being sold, goes a long way to CYA.

I've bought from Towers scratch and dent (box damage only) ads for years, that's a inventory of $34,000 a year I turn over typically.
Who flies the box? If it's missing hardware, great, $4 in that and I'm ready to retail it and they knock off some $50-100 most of the time, and I'm using the same club coupons you use and free shipping. I picked up a Stearman for $216 to my door and listed it here for $275, it sold the same day it arrived. All that is missing is the windscreens and he was fine with a $4.59 item he can get when it's back in stock.
Swap meets are well known for bargains. Look up Mirza in member search, he beats me to a lot of deals cutting in front of me! LOL

I'm in Florida, it's a retirement area, lots of estate sales, many eventually have health get in the way of their hobby and their collections are an accumulation of 40 years in some cases of beautiful planes that just need a general going over and new batteries to fly.

I started in 2002, I mentioned earlier on page 1 or 2 how I got started with $600 and bought 17 used planes. I started on E bay and discovered RCU's marketplace a little later on. I liked E bay for the auctions, the buyer determines the price, not me, but RCU has a blue book value history that is an excellent tool for me to buy and sell with as a guide so everyone is happy with the deal.

I do not buy new equipment for myself. My 10C radio came from scratch and dent, it was $375, I sold the 14 channel receiver for $110, and my 9C radio for $250. I only bought one dead radio in all of these years, the rest worked as it should.

Sebastian holds a swap meet in a parking lot in front of Riverside Hobbies twice a year and I am the first and last one there.
That's where I bought a Telemaster 40 rtf with Saito 56 for only $180. I love using flaps and watching air speed move it backwards on windy days. The Astro Hog was also bought there. I still laugh at one year I bought everything I saw all morning long, spent $2000. Then waited for everyone to leave. An hour passed and the afternoon Church crowd in dress clothes rushed in to buy and I laid out everything I just bought and sold it all for $3000!

One guy gets out of the hobby and he doesn't want to piece, part and ship everything. I do! I use greyhound quite a bit with great success. I sell locally at the flying field, when they crash, they come see me. I buy from guys giving up the hobby and they usually set the price for their garage full of planes. I never spent more than $1400 for a large collection of planes that in a few days I recover that expense with just 4 or 5 planes sold on RCU, and another 10 - 15 planes remain for an income, personal use, and gift giving.

I look on Craigslist daily. People just want to get rid of planes for a fraction of their value. I had many ARFs I bought that wouldn't sell for years until they became discontinued. Sometimes you wait for that and you can get your price.
I find kits to be the best swap meet deal you can find and on RCU or E bay, it brings in twice or three times the money.
Airborne-models.com has overstock sales continually at half price, and Hobby People have sales from time to time especially around xmas.
Enjoy.

Rambler - thanks for your lengthy and detailed response.

$155.00 is a great start to the hobby... please read...

1: I think it's awesome you and your son will be flying together.
2: Do you have a flight simulator? (If not, that's the first thing you need...)
3: Parkzone makes great foam flyers... (The best thing with a foam plane is the glue and excellerator that mend foam in seconds...)

http://www.*********andmore.com/category_349-list.aspx

Here is the hobby shop right down the street that would love to sell you a nice foam starter plane.... The owner is great...

Have fun with your son, I know my son loves it....