Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Hello everyone! I'm really new to this. I own a little Yellow bee plane and a Housefly heli. I'm hoping some of you can suggest a nice trainer plane after the Yellow Bee for me to cut my teeth on. I was recommended the Hanger 9 P51 trainer. Can any of you suggets a few more nice looking and forgiving planes?

Thanks!

Wes

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I don't know about first trainer plane H9 P 51 PTS It's a low wing MHOP You should start with a high wing setup
I have the P51 It's ok but I had three high wing trainer planes before, but low wing and tail drager was different and harder to get use to. H9 P 51 is hard to see with gray clouds or when the sun goes down you can loose it fast.

roltech

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Sig Kadet LT 40 and an instructor.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Follow the advice already given here. The P-51 would make a nice 2nd plane but not what I would recommend for a first one. The Sig LT-40 is very hard to beat. It will fly even with an OS LA-40 however a little more power is nice like the OS 46AX which could be used in another plane later. Instructor is a must with a plane that will give you time to think while learning. As your skills grow you will do things instinctively.

EXCAP232

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Wes
The new Hanger 9 trainer configered P51 with its flaps set as recommended and the wing leading edge slats and air brakes installed looks a good bet, Hanger 9 have a very good reputation and would not jepodise this by bringing out a trainer that was not cappable of doing its designed function, this aircraft is very current as of the posting date and not manny people have seen it or know of its design configeration to be a beginers aircraft, the concept I think is brilliant and should bring a lot more people into RC who are put off by high with boring aircraft.
Just my opinion, but if you don't like it I'v got plenty of others.
Mike

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

The LT-40 with an LA46 engine and you can not go wrong. For the price you will be the happiest flier at the field. You will need an instructor. I wish I could tell you how many people I talk to and they say they tried to fly RC planes but gave up because they said it was to hard to learn. Come to find out they didnt have an instructor to help them. It doesnt matter if you flown helis or electric planes if your going to go nitro then go and get an instructor. Bottom line LT40 with a 46 engine and an instructor and you will have a life time of RC flying.

Alan

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

If you have the basics down, a Hobico Stury Birdy is what I learned on and still fly one today. I taught myself to fly it and went through some rough landings a crashes. Some mods and epoxy and she was in the air again. I don't recommend learning on your own but it can be done. Just be in a place that will not injure anyone or property because you will crash. At $59 bucks and $20 for a .40 or .46 LA on Ebay and your in there. It will even fly with .25 LA but I would go with the .40. Still light, super reliable and easy to tune. Not that powerful but you don't want that learning. I even had to add nose weight to mine with the .40 on the front to get the balance right. I can take off and land in my front yard and I live in a subdivision. ;)

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

The Hanger 9 P-51 trainer package is a very nice loking setup, however, I would suggest a high wing trainer with a ball bearing 46 to learn on.

What a lot of people are overlooking is the wingloading. The MAJORITY of high wing trainers have a wing loading in the mid to high teens. The Hanger 9 P-51 wingloading is in the mid 20's or higher.

What this means in the real world is: A lower (lighter) wing loading will allow the plane to fly slower and land slower. The higher the wing loading, the faster the plane must fly to stay airborne and the plane must also land faster.

While you are learning to fly, slow is better. There is going to be a VERY noticeable difference in speed between your Yellow Bee and a glo plane - the glow plane is going to be 3 - 4 times faster. Your skills and reaction times, at present, are geared towards a plane flying at 10 - 15 mph. A glow trainer is going to fly at 40 - 50 mph and land at 20 - 25 mph. The Hanger 9 Mustang is going to be noticeably faster than a trainer.

Think of it this way, when you learned to drive a car, 60 mph on the highway most likely required a fair amount of concentration and your reactions required some time to catch up. Do you think you could have gotten behind the wheel of an Indy 500 race car and driven it at 200+ mph ?

While I have not flown the Hanger 9 P-51, MOST warbirds tend to require a fair amount of concentration and very good reactions - in otherwords, they are typically a "handful".

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I've talked to one person who has flown the H9 Mustang PTS, he said that although it was more docile than a regular Mustang, it did not fly like a trainer. You are going to get many different opinions as to which trainer is best. Based on my personal experience, I would recommend the Sig LT40 with a good .46 size engine. You will get a ton of engine recommendations also. I went with the Evolution .46nt (not the trainer power system version) and I have had absolutely zero problems with the motor. It's never deadsticked (except for a couple of times when I ran it out of fuel when I was training), and it has loads of power. I've moved on to a Four Star 60, but I still fly my LT40, and with a 12x4 prop, it has great performance for a trainer. If you are wanting to build a kit, the LT40 kit assembles very easily. If you prefer an ARF, the LT40 ARF is very well built and goes together in a night or two.I converted mine to a taildragger before I ever even flew it, mainly because all the aircraft I am interested in flying later on are taildraggers, so I figured it best to start out on one from the beginning. Bottom line is, for a solid durable trainer, the LT40 is very hard to beat.;)

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

The Sig Kadet Senior with a a good .46-.50 sized engine. While it does cost more than the LT-40 the big plus is that it is very large and easy to see. (When learning bigger is better INMO) It also has a "real airplane" apeearance than most other trainers do not have. You won't go wrong with the LT-40 either its another great airplane.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

If you want something inexpensive, the Hobbico Superstar is a superb primary trainer.

If you want something inexpensive with a bit of pizzaz, the Hobbico Avistar can't be beaten.

If you have $ & aren't particularly adventuresome, the Nexstar covers the widest possible range of novice aptitudes.

If you are very bold, want pizzaz & have $, the Hangar 9 Mustang PTS just might survive long enough to do the job.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I suggest you save some money and get a tower trainer rtf setup. ITs cheap, and it will ast a long time and give you loads of fun. Make sure you get an instructor.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Like samolot, I think a high wing RTF is the way to go at first. The Tower, Sig and Hobbico trainers mentioned before are excellent planes and flyers, and as a RTF kit can be assembled quickly. If possible, have someone with experience help with assembly. There are simple things that can make the plane fly better and last longer.
The H-9 Alpha or Arrow cost a bit more, but the Evo trainer system will make the first few flights, and especially landing attempts much easier. The training system slows the a/c down nicely when needed. You can easily change to an 11x6 or 11x8 two-blade prop later. Plus, almost everything you need, including a rudimentary simulator, are included.
My Arrow has now been converted to a tail dragger and I actually prefer flying it to my PTS.

[disclaimer] Keep in mind, I've only been at this for a few months.

By the way, I used to live between Buckroe Beach and Phoebus in Hampton. I loved living in VA.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

The wing loading on the Hanger 9 PTS is not in the twentys, I do not think we are talking abount the same airframe, I have instructed with the Hanger 9 PTS and it behaves like a trainer, poitive inputs give a positive responce, the only thing this hasn't which a trainer does is lateral self righting, with a buddy box (I do not advocate training in any other way) this aircraft is perfectly capable of training a learner the big big difference is that the transittion to the next stage is not so traumatic, same airframe with the brakes and or slats removed, one at a time, it also looks the part, which is an important view for any one with the first airframe, the old fashion high wing trainer has been around for a long time and had its place when you used to have to grab the tranny from the pilot when they got into trouble, you wanted some natural stability to ensure you had time to recover whilst transfering control after a grab, with the buddy box this over stability is no longer required, the learning curve is only as steep as the pupil can cope with. I once taught a young man to fly full size gliders, on his silver C cross country flight (50km), he flew over 300km for a gold instead, his comment was nobody told me it was difficult.

this is my opinion and if you don't like it I have plenty of others.

Mike

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

You're speaking in generalities. The plane in question is NOT designed like most warbirds, it is designed specifically to be a trainer.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I don't. I agree that high wing trainers are a good choice, but I don't endorse the RTFs for the average person getting started. For about the same money, a careful shopper can base their starter setup off an ARF trainer and get much better components than one gets with an RTF setup. Assembling an ARF will also give the beginner valuable experience installing all of the components. It's important to begin building these skills on the trainer plane because it will make assembly of the second plane significantly easier.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I mostly agree with Piper Chuck re RTF's vs ARF's. However, for a true beginner, assembling an ARF is rather like an experienced builder putting a modest kit together. It could easily take a novice 30 - 40 hrs without help. Few working folks can put that much time together easily & even an ARF "build" could stretch out over a month or more -- that is a lot of flying time lost in the shop. The RTF is a quick solution to the completely inexperienced who otherwise might be turned off by the initial time/effort requirements.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

My ARF builds usually stretch out to a month or more! :D

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

The whole point of the exercise whether AFR or RTF or kit is to get into the air and learn how to fly, get a what you like and with an instructor on the buddy box go enjoy yourself, there is plenty of time after you have learnt to go into the finner points of how it is put together, let the instructor check all the linkages and inform you what they are doing, but in the first instance just fly and fly and fly.
Mike

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Have a look at the P51 PTS Thread, instructors and beginners give there comments on the P51 PTS as a trainer, very positive on all counts.
Mike

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I suggest joining a club and finding an instructor to help, someone who enjoys helping beginners get started. He might have a specific trainer he feels works best for his students. If so, pay attention! Many great primary trainers are out there and I know the Hanger 9 P-51 PTS was designed specifically as a first airplane. I have not flown, but, have seen fly and the low time pilots who did fly it had very very high praise! Stick time on a simulator is also a very good idea, if your "confuser" is up to snuff. Installing a good simulator will cost about the same as a good ARF. Great Planes G-3 is for sale on R/CUniverse and Ebay at attractive prices!

You can look for help here; but, be aware the miriad of opinions will tend to confuse! Better to hook up with someone local, of undisputed expertise to help.

If I have offended someone here, so be it! However, I am simply trying to give good help.

Mark DeSchane, AMA 59157

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I was in the same dilema when i started flying about 3 months ago. I purchased the Hobbico trainer plane http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXK971 and took it to the field i wanted to join. I got a instructer to take me up on a buddy cord and I was flying solo on my 3rd flight. I got very bored with the plane and decided i needed a new and better looking plane. So i convinced my wife to let me go to the LHS and i purchased a Sig Rascal 40 and took it home and put it together that weekend. The following weekend I show back up at the air strip and ask one of the guys there to take it up for me and make sure its trimmed out and ect. THe plane flew great and so i took it myself for the first flight, this thing flew better than a trainer but still was very forgiving like a trainer plane. It was much more fun to fly nad did loops, rolls, hammerheads, ect with so much more ease. Honestly i think the so called trainer planes are harder to fly except for landing purpose maybe. I would really look into the Sig Rascal 40 or the p51 PTS as a new plane as it will take you into more things and look better than the trainer planes will.

Philip

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

hello,
I am new to the rc flying world and have a few questions to inquire about. First of all I was wondering if I should look into electric or nitro planes? Should I purchase an ARF or a RTF plane? I want something that will let me learn on, but can also be very fun. I would also like somthing not only performance pleasing, but aesthically as well. I can use all the help I can get. Any help is greatly appreciated.:D

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Sorry if I am making you repeat yourselves, but I am getting confused due to the numerous suggestions and comments on a lot of the planes I look at.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I'm not surprised -- you will get as many opinions as there are folks to offer them.

If you stick with virtually any of the standard high wing trainers, you will be just fine. The differences between them are small & relatively meaningless. If you stray outside of that realm, then things become more of a crap shoot. The price goes up and so does the uncertainty of success. The H9 P-51 PTS is more of a crap shoot.

You can play safe, or you can roll the dice. If money is an issue, I suggest that you play safe. If it is not an issue & you like adventure, roll the dice -- with the full knowledge that you could either win or lose the game.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Mess 7 -- Now that you have all this advice why don't you go to a local club and get their opinion and REALLY see what it's all about. Most of the suggestions here are good but the one you decide to follow may just be someone that doesn't know anything but what they learned in the last week or so. Go to a club and be sure of what you are doing.
ENJOY !!! RED

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

That may be good advice --- assuming that Red didn't just learn how to fly in the last week or so:)

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Red is repeating what I have said in my posts and it bears repeating again, find a club and see what they use ask questions and go along with what you are advised by someone responsible who can instruct you at that club.
Have an enjoyable experience learning how to fly RC
Mike

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

i would have to recommend the hobbico avistar, very easy to fly, and aerobatic when you want. it was my first plane and i have 3 other planes now and it is still my favorite because its the most fun thing i have to fly. i suggest putting a supertigre g-51, awesome verticals. i believe the rtf is under 300$ which isnt bad because it comes with decent equipment, the motor is a little weak but PLENTY of power for the beginner. i have flown the lt-40 and it does fly awesome, EXTREMELY easy to fly, nice little plane but the avistar has more room to grow with you imo.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

The Hanger 9 P51 PTS has even more room to grow into, and with the training system fitted is docile as a lamb.
Mike

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

A Hobbico Nexstar Rtf I think is the best way to go. It does cost a few dollars but with everything you get with it, it's worth it. My 6 year old son and 3 year old daughter are constantly flying the realflight sim that came with it and could probly fly the plane better than me just from all the practice they have on that. If you have anybody that might be coming up behind you in this hobby, it'll be worth it to get one and hang on to it.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

The H9 P51 PTS is not a crap shoot, please talk from experience not what you think, I have fown and trained on this aircraft (30 years an instructor) and can recommend it highly the transition to a low wing aircraft using the system devised by H9 is non existant, with the buddy box system the progress made by the ab-initio's is far faster than it ever used to be with the standard high wing trainer, there will always be those that cannot cope with an aircraft other than a high wing trainer, but these are now rare and far between.
Go to your chosen club, see what they train on, use there trainer aircraft, most every club has one, if they do not have ther own training aircraft, find another club they obviously do not take training seriously, get some hrs in, lots of landings and take offs loosing control up high your instructor will cope, loosing control on landing or take off the instructor will be with you on the controls, once you have confidence in what you are flying, move on to somthing else if its radical go back on the buddy box, don't feel ashamed of asking for help. I still ask for second opinions on my craft before a first flight and sometimes have a second experienced pilot with me on the patch to help with orientation and posible flight problems on a new craft.
Compliments of the season to all.
Mike

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I can't speak to the H9 P51 PTS as I have no personal experience with one, all I truely know about the plane is that it is purty! I do like the concept of having a nice looking Warbird that you can actually train on & strip the training devices as you grow into the plane, leaving you with a plane that you won't grow out of of right away.

I can however agree with J ME65's assestment of the Hobbico NexStar. After getting a little frustrated at my progress with my Tower Trainer & Insturctor, ( no fault of either the plane or Instructor implied ) I bought the NexStar, practiced on the sim that comes with it for a couple of days, went out to the field by myself, & proceeded to fly it. I had a great day & have been off & running since. The AFS system that comes with the plane makes a great paper-weight too!


Hobbico, if you're listening your AFS sells for $99 buy itself, if you were to trash the AFS from the NexStar RTF, you would then have the best RTF Trainer on the market (IMHO) for $299


Mark

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I disagree with the statement that a club without a trainer should be blown off. Our instructors take training very seriously. We do not have club trainer planes. We do have buddy boxes and cords. If someone brings their plane and asks for help they definitely get it but we do not provide the plane. If you have a club trainer plane you need someone to assemble (or build) it, store it, maintain it, haul it to the field, etc, etc.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

I presume that little dissertation was pointed at me.

BaldEagle (fellow well experienced instructor), with respect, we dissagree. As you certainly know, there are more than a few students who have their drawers full handling a standard trainer, and plenty more who think that they are born fighter pilots. They certainly can't tell how well they will progress until they actually try flying, but invariably some helpfull soul will "advise" them about what to get for their first plane.

For you, me, or any experienced pilot &/or instructor, the H9 PTS Mustang is a walk in the park -- but you & I aren't the students -- we are the instructors, with a responsibility to advise with care. Given the unknown tallent in any student, I think that it is imprudent to talk them into anything other than a model type that will give them the greatest chance for success. The standard RC trainer is a well proven concept. The H9 'stang, however pretty, is not yet in that category.

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

LT-40, baby!

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Fine lookin lil' bird there Septic.[sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif] I would have to agree that checking out your local club first is a very good idea. You're gonna need to do that as well as getting your AMA membership anyway to have a place to fly. So why not go & visit the club first, meet the Instructors, see what they are willing to train you on. Some people are very set in their ways, & may or may not want to train on the new P-51 PTS. You never know, but it would surely be a shame to go out & spend all that money only to find out no-one close to you wants to try teaching you on the thing. Go check it out first, see what they say, they might love the thing, like I say you just never know, till you go & ask. Good luck, & Merry Christmas to all.


Mark

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Well personally i would say go with a Eagle 2 from Goldberg models

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Carrellh
Yes you are correct it takes someone to Assemble, store, maintain, Haul it to the field, fuel it, supply the fuel etc: thats taking it seriously.
Mike

RE: Suggestions for a trainer plane
 

Britbrat
I think we are saying the same thing in a different way, you must try the P51 PTS it rearly is as good as any high wing trainer that I have flow, my ab-anitio's love it not just for its flying ability but mostly for its looks, which encorage then to return this particular P51 PTS is mine that I use for training, I find it is better for all if the aircraft is maintained by someone with experience in the first instance the pupil can then concentrate on their flying, plenty of time to learn the basics of building etc: when they buy thier own, which is supprisingly very soon after the bug has bitten. One of my candidates went for the traditional high wing and was serverly dissapointed with its performance after the P51 PTS, this young girl only had four months training on the PTS and is now flying an Extra 300L competently.

Please do not take this personnaly, but we also have a responsiblity to move with the times and not stay in the mould of our crinckly exterior and in my case folicly challanged exterior.

Pleas do try the Hanger 9 P51 PTS you will be suprised.

I do not think anymore can be achived on this site with this topic, I do think that a thread for experienced instructors to exchange ideas Would make a good thread for us and for inexperienced people to eaves drop on. What do you think?
Mike