I been out of the hobby for about 16 years. Was an avid pattern flyer back in the day. I have found a big stick that I am building. Have two questions, is the Magnum 52XL a decent engine? Do you think the 52 will be enough engine for a 40 size airplane?

What about radios? Do I need the 2.4 or is FM okay? Pretty big price difference for a guy just getting back in the hobby. Thanks for any input. Clint

That Magnum 52 is a good engine and will handle your stick just fine.

A lot of us are still using perfectly good 72MHz radios. Many used ones are available cheap. The Polk Tracker III transmitter, last I checked, was still available, a wonderful buy. I have two, and seldom use my other radios.

Best wishes,
Dave Olson

I have flown several 40 sized planes on a 52 4 stroke. Did fine. You may not get out of sight vertical performance but more than enough for puttering about and sport type maneuvers. Personally have had no problems with Magnum engines except they take a bit longer to break in.

FM is fine. Just do the usual range test and get your frequency pin. The programmable 2.4s are nice but you don't have to go to that expense now.

I am just coming back. Going to do my re solo Sunday if weather holds.

For what it is worth, I was out over 10 years and I decided to do a bit of buddy box time and requalify on my Kadet Senior trainer. Probably did not need all that; just wanted to keep my knees from knocking.

Welcome back.

Tom

I would tell you exactly the same that I would suggest to a total newby since you are starting fresh. It would be an expensive mistake for you not to start now with good 2.4 equipment. Plus you as an ex pattern puppy will have the savy to appriciate all the new things you could only just dream about before

If you go used that is one thing but if you are considering new (Which I highly reccommend for you) Here is an excellent system for little and the RX's are the lowest price list among the majors at fifty bucks when you want to start adding airplanes:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXYWL8&P=7


I will leave you with a question? Have you ever perhaps at a contest had a Tx start barking at you about a low Tx battery? Possibly you have and have you ever thought about that lonely flight battery up there and how it is doing? You may well have, well with this system it will bark at you also even if that lonely flight battery gets to low. Now thats magic

John

What happened to all your stuff?

Jim

Interesting, I know a couple of ex pattern fliers who have taken up control line precision aerobatics competition, and doing quite well.

I'd suggest the 2.4 route also. No risk of some idiot crossing your signals (we all know it can happen), the programmable and mixing features are fantastic, no ugly antenna wire trailing outside your fuse or huge great TX antenna to poke in someones eye etc.
The Spektrum DX6i is cost effective, compatible with all Spektrum/JR 'DSM2' receivers, and I just love the extra satellite receivers on the likes of the AR6200 receivers that lessen the risk of lost signals (I have one in both my .50 nitro heli and .61 sized trainer plane), and with nice ergonomics to boot, as the last thing I ever want to do is risk losing my plane, and especially my heli to a signal issue (them things are NOT cheap to fix/replace!!).

I got back into the hobby a couple of years ago. I did not need to buy a new radio, as I had gold snickered 72's. But I bought a new JR X9303 2.4 system and am glad I did. I did get a good price at Toledo RC show.

If your going to buy a new radio, go with the 2.4. That is the wave of the future, there are places to fly that only allow 2.4.

I think the DX7 is the lowest radio I would buy in that line.

sticks

If you're really looking to get in on the cheap then used 72mhz stuff is a steal these days. As said above, it still works as well as it ever did. But the 2.4 is where the hobby is going and if you're thinking about anything fancier than a 6 channel computer setup then go ahead and get the 2.4. The response is faster, the signal is more reliable, no interference, and the antennas are shorter so they are easier to mount.

Take a look at the Airtronics RDS8000 2.4. Great buy and good radio.

All: thanks for the input. Decided on the Futaba 7C and changed my mind on the engine going to go with the OS 40.

I had to go look, and I see the futaba 7c is a 2.4 system. Its a good idea to go with new,and the 2.4 is the coming thing.

Remember one thing, how we use the 2.4 is different that how we handled the 72 system. There is some learning to do.

I have the Jr 2.4 system, so I won't suggest ways the futaba sys. should be set up, not sure its the same as JR.

sticks