Beginner Purchasing Help
 

Hi All,

I think I had myself convinced on buying the Hangar 9 Alpha 60 RTF. Even though it's a little more expensive than what I'd like to pay, I think it's what I want. However, I've talked to alot of people who have tried to convince me to go electric. What are your opinions on electric versus gas? I like the idea of being able to land, fuel up, and be back in the air. Charging batteries seems like it would be annoying.

I've had a cheap J-3 Cub that I bought off of Ebay. I just finally got it up in the air and I love it. Even though it's underpowered and the landing gear isn't big enough to take off from the ground. I want something with a little more power. I've already been to a local club, and they'll help me learn how to fly. Since the Alpha controller will buddy with a Futaba, it would be a great choice. Also, I like the fact that I can plug it into the computer and practice on their flight sim.

Thoughts? Ideas?

Thanks in advance.

-Chantman

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

Nothin like the smell of glow fuel in the mornin:D

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

that alpha is a great plane your gonna love it. electrics are cool if you like to fly in parks, so go with glow and enjoy yourself at the club. heres a bit of a warning, your gonna want more and more of them. nobody has stopped at just one:) just ask rcken he's got thirty :D

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

Chantman,

I think that you are correct in thinking that going with a glow plane is likely to give you more stick time than an electric, and hence will help you to learn faster. Sure, you could equip yourself with a heap of spare batteries but you would still need to manage charging them.

If you are going on a buddy box (recommended) by the time your instructor has taken the plane up there may not be much battery left for you to fly, especially keeping some back to land.

We have a new guy at our club who has decided to go electric and I have some concerns as to how much flying time he will get in a session. Hopefully I am wrong.

Just my $0.02 worth (pr nothing against electrics, have a couple myself).


Terry

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

What are their arguments for going electric? If you live and fly in a closely populated area, electric might be worth considering for noise abatement. The thing is, there's as much ground support equipment for electric almost as there is for fuel, and the equipment for one doesn't really help you for the other. Personally, I like my planes to make noise other than a whirrrrrrrrr.... as it goes by, but my flying area is not that heavily populated, and the people who do live close by do not mind the sound (we've been there for over 30 years). The cleanup factor is also something to consider, as is fuel storage at home if you don't have a garage or other place separate from your living area.

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

Gas is messy and takes more skills,but nothing beats it. I've myself just learned to fly this summer and I'm doing great. I started with a PT-40 trainer,then moved onto a Big Stik .60,and now I'm flying an SU-31. Honestly,as long as your gonna use a flight sim and a reputable instructor.......I would start with a plane similart to perhaps a Big Stik .40. Its my experience and my instructor will tell you the same thing that trainers are actually harder to fly than most planes and much harder to land because of thier wing design. My instructor explained to me while flying my PT-40 trainer which I was having trouble landing in any sort of wind whatsoever,that a plane such as a Big Stik will land and deal with wind MUCH better then my trainer plane because of its more symmetrical wing design. And he was very right. It cuts through the wind rather than be pushed all over the plane like my trainer. And it flew just as slow and easy if not better. The only advantage I've noticed with my trainer is its ability to take a beating,but as my instructor says..."planes are built for flying,not crashing",lol. Just my thoughts....

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

ELECTRIC

Advantages;
-quite
-clean
-always runs (no engine tuning)
-can fly in small area

Disadvantages;
-not so great in real windy conditions
-stick time can be shorter
-charging
-general lack of power

GLOW/GAS

Advantages;
-just fuel it up and go
-cheaper when you get to a descent size
-no batteries to worry about
-generaly faster and more powerful

Disadvantages;
-dirty
-tuning of engine
-need large area
-noisy

When you think about the fact that you have to buy fuel for the glow planes, also think about the batteries, those lipoly batteries are really expensive and they don't last forever

These are just some of the things i though of, i'm sure there are more.


Austin

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

I started with an Electric...the Electristar when I first started, I thought it would be easier, cleaner and just that same as glow. Well I now wish I would have started with glow to begin with. For what I paid for my first electric with batteries and charger, I could have bought a glow trainer for half the price.

There also isnt any comparison in power. the glow .40 size engines far outpower the brushless motor I had. You also have to consider the constant charging of batteries. I used to be able to go to the field and have 3 flights ...and maybe squeeze a fourth if I charged using my car battery....but with glow I fly all day long.

The alpha 60 is a great plane. Very stable. You might also want to consider the Sig Kadet LT-40. Its a great plane which is stable, large and well built. The Kadet will fly VERY slow if you wish, giving you that extra reaction time while learning.


Best of Luck...

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

Thanks all for the quick and helpful responses. I think I will stick with the Alpha 60 RTF. The wife might not like the price, but ah well.

On another note... When do you normally end your flying season? I live in Ohio and pretty soon it'll start being windy out regularly. Hopefully it will hold off for another month or two though.

-Chantman

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

Acarter,
Please tell me that you are referring to foamys and park flyers when you listed the advantages and
disadvantages of nitro VS electric. I fly with electric guys every week at my field
and we all fly 2 meter pattern planes. Both the nitro and electric planes weigh the same
and have the same flying characteristics in the wind, also the electrics overpower the nitro
planes while getting the same amount of flight time. I usually burn upwards of 1 1/2 gallons
of fuel per day through my OS 1.60 while the electric guys had to buy $600 batteries that will last
them 3 seasons. So every 20 days I go flying I could have bought a lipo pack.

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

I am learning, and at first I thought electric too. Then I went to our club to talk to people. There were 8 people out (for our small field and it being 12:00 on a weekday) and all were electric insantly I tought electric is the way to go. Well I thought about the pros and cons of electric vs. gas and there are alot, but I went with gas. Then the 5 out of 6 times when I started it was all gas at the field.

I would recomend spending some time at your club and talking with the instructors. That is probenly the best

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

Electric is clean, easy and expensive if you want to get close to the fly time , nitro or gas will give you. If your the kind of guy , that don`t mind a little dirt under your finger nails, go Nitro.
If you like , clean and easy & conservative, electric may be for you. You want to Rock-n Roll go Nitor or Gas.
But this is my own observation and does not reflect the veiw of others.

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

electric systems are now up to any power rating or size plane you can imagine. with a knowledgable guide they can hang with the best glow fuel plane and for as long of flights as well. BUT less people really know what they are doing with them. that is changing quickly though. So it may come down to preference and walet thickness.

:):D you could always spend the dollars for synthetic motor sound so your plane will sound as cool as the fuelers!;);)

RE: Beginner Purchasing Help
 

Yeah, but nothing is ever gonna replace that sweet smell of castor in the exhaust!!!!! :D:D:D:D

Ken