1st electric plane...
 

hey everybody..
I wanted to get my first electric plane but since i`m new to it i`m not sure what to get. I was wondering RTF something that comes with everything included (radio charger ...)so i don`t have to go around and buy everything separate.. I want a plane that can take of the ground and a plane that has a good range 1500 feet minimum... I was thinking about MEGATECH since they have ready kits but after reading some BAD REVIEWS here i decided not to.. So now what can i buy then? I can`t spend too much money on it also, since i`ll probably crash it few times...Please help me out guys..Thanks!!

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I was thinking..

Cessna 180 RTF
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/128309.asp

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

The small RTF electrics are usually hand launced. That is not to say that with a good smooth runway that you can't get them to take off but don't expect to much and hand launching isn't a bad skill to aquire.

Try looking at the GWS line of planes. Two good beginner planes are the slow stick and Tigermoth. These are not RTF or even ARF but they are very easy to assemble and GEW sells flight packs for them that makes getting the right gear very simple. Only thing I don't like about their flight pack is the battery but if you are going to do any E-flying extra batteries and a GOOD charger are really a must.

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

what you think about Super Aviator Draganfly ?
http://www.rcuniverse.com/product_gu...cfm?kit_id=199

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I think it looks nearly identical to the megatech airstrike (aka the "groundstrike"). I second Crashem's recommendation of the GWS line of kits; it's what got me started when I came back into the hobby several years ago. If money is an issue and you really need an "everything in one box" solution, check out the parkzone Slo-V. I recently bought one of their other offerings and I'm very pleased with it. The Slo-V is very similar to the GWS slow stick as recommended by crashem.

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

Toytronics T-Hawk, best 1st electric plane hands down... 3 ch, durable and a great flyer.... i'm self taught and it was my first plane, now i'm flying glow planes without any instruction. Its a good one. Especially with all the stuff they give ya !! www.toytx.com

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

GWS Slow Stick

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

GWS Slow Stick, Wingo, or T-52. These firebird 2 channel jobs are okay but don't really teach you much. I'm self taught too but learned
a hell of alot more on the T-52. You can even look into the Parkzone J3 Cub. It comes with everything.

Dave...

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

listen to these people,,go GWS,, YOU DO NOT WANT ANYTHING FROM MEGATECH!!!
it wont fly unless you drop it from a cliff

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I like my Parkzone Slo-V. It's pretty fun to fly, and it'll even hold inverted at the top of a loop.

-Jeff

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I would recommend the EZStar, which is available from Hobby-Lobby. I have one that flies absolutely wonderfully for a trainer. It's not a acrobatic wonder but it is graceful and easy to fly. Look into it... it's pretty darn good! Of course it is hand launched and has no gear but hey... it's a trainer.

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

depends on your wallet. the Electra is availible as an ARF & flie s well. one of the park flyers. the hobby lobby wingo.

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I had a megatech. Even if you drop it from a cliff it still doesn't fly. It plumets to mother earth where that bird belongs.

Go GWS Slowstick or the firebird line.

Mark

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

My advice is this: Go to your local hobby shop and see what they have. Our local Hobbytown has quite a few electrics to choose from: Hobbyzone, Parkzone, GWS and electric trainers (slight smaller than 40 sized glow trainers but the same basic look).

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I have crashed many planes when I first started flying. The best, very best, absolute best starter is the GWS E-Starter. This plane is a all foam, easy to build and fly slow flyer. I eventually changed the stock EPS 380 motor to a Electrifly S-280 motor with 4.4:1 gear box and it flew the plane much better than the larger stock motor.

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I don't know... but the Multiplex EZStar is really something you should look into. It may not be that popular on this forum but there are other forum where the EZStar is maybe on its tenth forum with each one having all raving reviews. The material is not foam but Elapor, which is definitely more durable than foam. I have one and I would recommend it to anyone... plus because it is a pusher, it is much safer. Also, it is so easy to assemble/disassembly. You literally plug in the wings and go (I put some velcro in there just to make me feel better but I doubt it is necessary). The RTF takes less time to put together than to charge the battery. I have a friend that flew it by herself within ten minutes of picking it up the first time.

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

get an accipiter badius from raidentech.com. they are 70 bucks + shipping and cheap spares. even cheaper, like 50-60 on ebay! go to the does anyone fly accipiter badius thread and read. you will not regret it

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

The type of plane will depend a lot on your flying skills. If you are a new flyer, go with a slow stick, if you have experience than this is a setup you will love.

I am an intermediate flyer.

I have flown low wing planes that are aerobatic trainers and scale low wing planes - Pacific Aero Gee Bee Y (this is the long body sport model, not the racer ), Rambler 30, Bingo (4* clone), Rearwin Speedster and Cessna 195 (both high wing ).

I wanted an electric that would do the following WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK:

ROG from a grass field.
Be able to handle 8 - 10 mph winds.
Have performance equivilent to a 40 size glow plane.
Have a flight time of 10 minutes (or more) on NIMH cells.

What I got was the Freedom 3D ARF package from Model Electronics Corp.
http://www.modelelectronicscorp.com/ for $410. (go to price list and then to the Freedom 3d )
All you need to add is a 10 cell battery, servos and receiver.

I have the plane setup with high rates at the suggested throws and low rates at 55% of the high rates. On low rates it is a little more spirited than a 4*, and on high rates......WOW !! I also get 9 - 10 minutes flying time doing basic aerobatics - loops, rolls, knife edge, spins, etc. This is at an average of 3/4 throttle. With better throttle management I should be able to get close to 12 minutes.

The Freedom 3D does EVERYTHING I asked for in an electric initially and then some. The ARF is well built and light in weight.

IMHO, if you have flown low wing glow powered planes AND can do basic aerobatics, this would be an excellent 1st electric. You will need your regular field to fly this in (at least until you become proficient with the plane ), but you will not be disappointed in the power or performance.

Hope this is of some help.

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

Since there are so many good suggestions here, I'll only re-iterate this: Don't buy a Megatech!! :)
How much money did they make off of us fools? I could throw a brick further than the AirStrike, er, GroundStrike would fly.......I even tried it again after I became profecient with glow planes, it still didn't fly! Where was this forum back then before I bought that plane! [:o]:D

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I would have to say the Hobbyzone Aerobird Challenger. It is a pusher so there is not prop/shalf replacement, comes with EVERYTHING in the box, tough as nails and I mean that, parts are plentiful, good price, flyies very well at high or low speeds, and glides great. What more can you want imo?

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

My first plane (very first) was a firebird commander. It was in stock at my LHS, CHEAP ($117 including tax, even includes AA batteries, NiMH flight pack and charger), and they stock every replacement part for it (and i do mean EVERY part). It is one tough plane, mine has hit the ground in an adverse manner more times than a frog's tail and still flies like a champ. (mostly due to me trying things beyond the capability of the plane, hehe)
It is really really really easy to fly, will take off of a smooth paved strip in about 30 feet (full battery), is easy to land on its wheels (touch and goes are fun)...but it won't teach you a whole lot about flying a bigger glow trainer. Not impossible to fly a glow trainer after you master the commander, but difficult. Also it does NOT like wind...

It wasn't a waste of money, per se, because it let me actually get in the air cheaply (to let me know if I was really interested enough in the hobby to buy a more expensive setup), but now I wish i had sprung for a GP PT-Electric or something from GWS.

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

i just got a megatech freedomflyer and cant say enough about it. this is the first megatech that actually flys great. i would tell anyone to buy this bird , my 9 yaer old son flys this thing whith no problem his other plain is a fbc. the freedomflyer has a speed 400 and three channels can fly in 10mph winds no problem, rog in 20 feet loop, invert, and roll. the batteries from the abc ( 7-cell) work perfect. i have seen this thing selling for $99 at HUNGATES.COM

RE: 1st electric plane...
 

I would have to say mate if ur a beginner and you dont wanna spend too much money u cant go past a freedom flyer they come with everything in the box and plenty of spare parts they really are the best its an rtf so 5 minutes fixing it up your ready to fly its about $99 u get 2 spare wings 2 spare tails and 3 props if that isnt good value what is. I would say try and keep away from the aerobirds as a beginner one big prob is the v-tail and the control lines are like fishing wire if u brake those u might as well buy a new plane also the prop is right behind the wing so when u crash nose first (which u will) the wing is pushed back into the wing and it cuts up the wing although u can reinforce it with packing tape it will do damage. where as the ff the props at the front and its quite sturdy so if u nose dive it the prop usually handles it
any way good luck go the ff it really is good