hobby zone super cub
 

Hi all
Could someone help please.Complete beginner,months of reading wanted a warbird decided to follow advice, got a super cub.First attempt went ok short and sweet not sure how much i did had ACT on, second time heavy landing but still ok.Third time no wind! tried a bit more distance and altitude but still well in range lost control and suffered fly away could not get cub to turn, cut throttle and crashed any ideas ACT? or flying down wind? or have I a more serious problem.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

from what i have been told, turn act off and fly it

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

I have never used act on the hobbyzone planes but i have read in these forums that ACT causes more crashes than it saves. I can't tell if the 'fly away' was due to act but maybe something dislodged from the last heavy landing. That is why a range test is recommended before flying planes. Double check and make sure all linkages are still on, make sure rudder still works properly, and do a range test to make sure all the components are working properly at a distance.

The hobbyzone/parkzone planes are easy to repair, just need foam safe CA glue and tape.

Hope this helps

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

I have a Super Cub, turn the ACT off!!! it tends to activate at the wrong times causing a loss of control. I've never had a range issue with mine, I would guesstimate I've had it at lease 1000 ft altitude and had no range or control issues. if you were flying it far away is it possible you got disoriented with the direction and gave in proper commands?

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

I too would recommend ACT off, its horrific.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

Thanks very much I will check it over and turn off the ACT.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

Something else I noticed about mine..... The transmitter batteries sometimes come out of thier holder. When I pull the battery door off, there they are. They are AA's. While I've never had it cause ME a problem, it raises some caution. I suppose when I set the Tx down too hard on it's back it happens. You might want to look at it. At least you'll know.

I suppose there's too much space between the battery and the battery door. Maybe I need to put a thin strip of cradboard in there or something.

P.S. It's a great flying little plane. The ACT isn't needed even if it works perfectly (which I doubt).

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

G-day

the act sometimes does not work if the sky is overcast or at sunrise or sunset because it cant tell the diferance between the sky and ground
also in some light conditions you can easily get disorientated without even realising.
this is a great little plane
good luck and dont give up

simmo

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

Hi I am considering getting one of these (used to a F27 Stryker) However where I fly has no tarmac, but rough grass, can you not assemble the wheels and land it on its belly Ok?

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

I wouldn't recommend belly landing as it's made of foam. Rough grass will probably tear it up, not to mention your wingtips will definitely get some chunks taken out. Leave the gear in! Even if you nose over, at least the wheels will have taken the brunt of it all, not your prop shaft and wingtips!

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

499DRJustin all of this somewhat justifies the other thread.

An experienced hand may do well with this plane, but as a trainer, not so good.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

A complete novice learning to fly on their own is going to have issues and things to learn regardless of which plane they first start out with. If you're going to fly on your own with no help from an experienced pilot, the Hobbyzone Super Cub is still one of your best options. If flying were easy and intuitive, it wouldn't have taken mankind an extra 25,000 years to figure it out after they got that whole "fire" thing nailed down.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

I disagree.

I've seen way too many novices go out with these to fly only to be comfounded by this plane, it's problems, complexities, etc.

Typically they leave with the plane in pieces, discouraged to proceed further.

As outlined in the other thread, there are too many strikes against it, to make it a good trainer.... there are other alternatives.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

Eh...it's my first plane and I love it! I've had a year prior on Realflight G3.5, so I'm sure that helped.

I can tear it up in an RC F-18 in that...hehe...

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

The HZ Super Cub RTF certainly wouldn't be my first choice either, opjose. I believe anyone truly interested in learning to fly RC aircraft should find/join an AMA chartered flying club and work with an experienced hobbyist at flight training.

Given that there are folks interested in learning to fly on their own, without the help of an experienced pilot and without going to a chartered flying club, what would you recommend instead of the Super Cub for the complete beginner?

-Multiplex Easy Star
-ReadytoFlyFun.com T-Hawk
-ParkFlyerRC BeginAir
-Parkzone Slo-V
-Hobbico Electristar
-Hobbico Nexstar EP

All of the other choices I can think of have their drawbacks as well. The Super Cub is the obvious choice because of Hobbyzone/Horizon's marketing of the Super Cub. More complete beginners will have heard of the Super Cub than any of the other choices. It's also one of the less expensive options and spare parts are readily available through most any lhs.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

Bozman, I launched my super cub by hand and landed in on rough heather wheels attached with no problems,until as I said third flyght lost control of it, but I now think the ACT cut in when it went above some trees.I also smashed nose first on my second attempted landing but no damage, seems to be very strong considering its made of foam.I now have a problem trying to find a suitable safe place to fly it,all of the clubs close to me seem to only allow certain types of aircraft and have no spaces for new members.I was recommended the super cub by the west midlands model center but have now discovered that no local clubs seem to allow them.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

Absolutely.

Price seems to be what everyone keys in on.... and Parkzone does advertized very well don't they?

On the other thread where this is being discussed there is already the beginnings of a list of good alternatives... all are four channel planes.

Yeah, you sure cannot beat Parkzone's saturation of the media.

Some LHS's aligned with Horizon may carry parts for it, but have you gone into an LHS and priced out parts for the Parkzones? Lotsa money for foam...

You may pay less for a set of wings on a Cub, but a beginner may be better served with a bigger starter plane... and given the pricing and durablity, the difference in price is almost nil.

An utter beginner is very likely to crash a PZ Cub especially in a light wind, ( then there's that awful ATC )...

Give them an Electricstar in the same conditions, and tell them that all they need to do to land is hold a little up, and chop the throttle... the Electricstar will land itself and survive. The Cub will need a new set of wings.

It may be an enjoyable plane for tooling around, if you don't care about the TX, etc. ( Hey I bought a Typhoon 2 3D too! GASP! )

I'm somewhat pressed to call it a beginner's plane, especially if there is no other help around.

I'm not married to the Electricstar either, but I have seen a complete novice take one up w/o any help in a wind and actually bring it down in one piece... albeit they nosed it over in the grass, fortunately they didn't attempt more than one turn. It lands fine in the grass too.

I was impressed. That made me a believer.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

You probably would have been better served by the P-51 PTS, or even a Pulse XT ( boy here it comes now!!! ) as you had the "memory muscle" already because of the sim.

Transitioning from the Sim to a PTS ( which IMHO is in many ways EASIER than the CUB if you have some help ) was a breeze.... the added advantage for you would be that the PTS would keep your interest as a "second" sports plane.

Now once you get your hands on a faster/better electric or glow, you'll loose interest in the Cub.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

A true beginner who's never flown an RC plane of any kind before may not even be sure if they will enjoy the hobby or not. They focus on cost so they won't be out a bunch of money if they lose interest or move on to something else later. When viewed from that perspective, investing $75 to $150 is way less of a commitment than spending $150 to $250.

I would certainly agree that Hobbyzone and Parkzone foam spare parts are designed more for keeping the cash registers ringing at the local hobby store than they are for benefitting the customer. Durability isn't really the issue with this kind of electric beginner's plane.

Glow trainers are designed to be kept and flown for years and years. A beginner's electric trainer is not. The plane is a throw-away, the electronics are throw away, and they're sold at a disposable price point. A beginner's electric plane like the Super Cub RTF is designed to allow the purchaser to learn the basics of flight, and to keep it flying with cheap repairs long enough for the pilot to develop a greater interest in the hobby.

The Hobbyzone Super Cub is designed perfectly for this mission. It is a nice looking disposable plane that can be used by someone who has never flown before to learn basic flight. If they are successful and they enjoy flying their Super Cub, they can then consider investing in a more durable hobby-grade aircraft.

As I previously stated, the utter beginner is very likely to crash anything. Put a Sig LT-40 with a Saito .56 on the nose and a Spektrum DX7 for a radio system in the hands of a beginner pilot and you'll end up with a trash bag full of airplane parts. No "ATC" or "ALS" or co-pilot system will change that fact anytime soon.

The Electristar that you've seen taken up and brought down in one piece was very likely flown at a chartered AMA field. The only real issue I have with the Electristar is that it requires as much room to be flown as a glow trainer, so why not just fly a glow trainer?

The Super Cub RTF is small enough that it can be flown at the local soccer or football field; a decent-sized schoolyard or park could also make a good flying area.

You are absolutely correct, opjose, that the Electristar Select RTF is a much better tool for learning to fly RC than the Super Cub. A complete novice is still going to require help from a flight instructor for their first few flights unless they spend a bunch of time on the sim practicing first. They are also going to need a space equal to a typical chartered flying field to fly the Electristar.

I think that it may be possible for someone to buy an Electristar, practice flying it on the simulator for 30 days or more, and then go fly it successfully all on their own. With Tower's current $199.99 sale price of the Electristar (not quite) RTF, a new pilot is still going to need to buy a pair of NiMH flight batteries and a suitable charger, which will push their initial investment to near $300. It's totally worth it, but the price tag will scare off a lot of uninitiated pilots.

Price and size are why the Electristar is a tough sale and the Super Cub is not. Heaven help any beginner who purchases an Electristar with the intent to fly it at the local park or soccer field. I would suggest that the Electristar is instead an ideal second electric airplane for folks who have purchased a lighter-weight electric starter plane and who now wants to advance in the hobby.

If you want to learn on your own and/or you don't want to want to learn to fly at a chartered flying field, then the Super Cub RTF is the best fit for teaching yourself to fly at the local schoolyard or soccer field. Once you've gotten some flights under your belt and you're ready to graduate to a more advanced 4-channel airplane, then the Electristar makes perfect sense. The cost won't seem as intimidating to someone who's flown the Super Cub and who now knows just how fun this hobby is.

At that point, their only challenge will be finding someplace large enough for them to fly their Electristar, and hopefully visiting the local chartered flying club won't seem as intimidating.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

The Super Cub was my 1st plane, I did have some Helli experience prior to buying the SC. I like the SC I think its easy to fly and it holds up pretty well in rough landings and minor crashes( like missing the runway and crashing into a sage bush) the only negative I have had was the transition from the SC to a 4ch. my first flight with my T-28 ended in a pretty bad crash that broke the motor mount and cracked the firewall because I was wanting to give a little rudder and gave a bunch of aileron instead. it was my fault partially from having it on the high settings on a first flight and rushing my flight trying to beat the sun instead of taking my time to get in the 4ch state of mind again. but aside from that the SC has done its job, it has gotten me addicted to RC planes.:D

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

That may be, but then by the same token, there are 4 channel birds that would fit the bill a bit better. The problem is that you have to look for them or be directed to them, by say a RCKen type listing for electrics. Hint, hint, hint.


I'd argue that the Cub ( or almost any 3 channel plane for that matter ) doesn't really teach one the "basics" of flight.
Most newbies have to learn all over again when they transition up.

I've too went down the so called "cheap repairs" road into this hobby, and in retrospect I wish someone had talked me out of it. Thankfully my LHS told me about the AMA and local club...

I still have 2 & 3 channel planes that collect dust. They are just too poor as an intro and hold no interest.

Even though I had these on hand, when I went to teach my ( then ) 10 year old daughter, I opted for a RTF Alpha package, knowing that it would survive.

She's bent the nose gear on some hellacious landings, but the plane still looks as good as new now that she's certified.

I don't know... I'd sooner either talk them into spending a bit more if possible, with say a Mini-Pulse PNP or many of the other alternatives that are out there which at the least feature all of the controls.

Given all of the shortcomings the Cub has along with the complaints seen here by novice pilots... well you know my feelings on it.


Yes without a doubt... at least a buddy box is doable with some of the alternatives though.

You're implying that if you put the Cub in the hands of the same pilot the results will not be similiar though...

I'd go as far as saying that the chances are higher that the alternatives are more likely to come back in one piece.

Heh good guess, and right on the money... also one reason I'd try to stear a newbie to something like this... it may push them towards a field where they are likely to get more help, end up enjoying the hobby more, not raise the ire of the neighborhood, etc....

And sure if you can push them into the glow trainer, mission accomplished! Heh.

Yup... but aren't there entry 4 channel planes that also fill this need?

That's the problem, and that's why the Cub sells so well at the same time, alternatives are difficult to find for someone new to RC...
But that's also where these forums can help...

Maybe, but why not at the least point the newbie towards starting out with a 4-channel plane?

There are many here also recommending the T-34 because it's a very forgiving plane made by the same company.

I haven't flown one yet, but even if it is $50.00 more it may fit this need.

I guess my biggest single gripe with the Cub is that it doesn't fly like what the newbie will experience once they get further into this hobby. I then see the problems with it, how people end up throwing a ton of money into it with modifications, etc... when they could have had a V8!

And yet, there are some wonderful RTF or PNP packages to be had out there.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

bigedmustafa and opjose.
You both have very valid arguments. Cost vs will the new pilot really get into RC or is this just a passing fad?
One very inexpensive way to find out, and less risk than even a cheap RTF, is the Introductory Pilot Program.
I am surprised it doesn't get more mention in this forum.
For those that don't know what the Introductory Pilot Program is, It is a program set up by the AMA to allow people that are interested in flying RC airplanes to get free instruction on a club owned airplane to see if it is right for them before dishing out any money.
The club I fly with has 2 introductory pilot trainers.
Quote from the AMA website:

Intro-Pilot Program
An intro-pilot program is available to all chartered clubs. Qualified pilots from chartered clubs may participate. Instructors can train non-AMA members to fly airplanes during a time period of 60 consecutive days, and students are covered by the liability provisions of the AMA insurance policy. Full details are available from the Membership Department at AMA Headquarters

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

I don't know that opjose and I are actually arguing. The three of us, Missleman, seem to agree completely that working with a flight instructor on a larger 4-channel trainer (glow or electric, but glow is more cool) at an AMA chartered flying field is the best way to learn how to fly RC.

The greater investment in initial equipment isn't even necessary upfront; most clubs have club trainer airplanes for new or potential members to fly with an instructor. If the student enjoys their flying lessons and they decide to buy their own trainer, that plane could last them for many years, and even if it doesn't, the engine and radio system will likely last them for many years.

The main contention is simply this - what do you recommend to the complete beginner who wants a small, inexpensive electric plane that they can learn to fly all on their own with no help in a park or a schoolyard? Convincing these people to take a leap of faith and find a local club works in some instances, but some folks don't like clubs and don't like asking for help.

The reason that the Super Cub RTF from Hobbyzone keeps getting mentioned is because it fits that role. Sportrider FZ6's comments are typical of folks who taught themselves on the Super Cub - they like the plane and were successful learning on their own with it. His comments also support opjose's ascertion that the Super Cub doesn't prepare you very well for your "next step" in RC flying.

I started flying in 2005 and new nothing. I remember what it's like being a complete beginner with a Hobbyzone plane. I remember dropping $130 on a plane that the hobby store recommended and then being told it was a piece of crap toy and I needed to spend $250 on an Avistar instead. I have no problem saying, "I don't know anything about this and I'd love it if you guys would help me learn." I also had no problem dropping $400 or so on a Nexstar Select RTF and a field box w/ accessories as I'd already made up my mind I wanted to fly.

Not everybody is comfortable admitting they don't know anything about a subject, and not everyone can spend $400 or so on a new glow trainer after already dropping $130 on an Aeroturd. Fear of looking foolish prevents many beginners from finding help from more experienced pilots. Fear of spending good money after bad and getting in over their heads prevents more still from investing in quality airplanes and equipment.

You guys need to understand that flight training, instructors, and chartered clubs aren't anything folks usually know about unless they are already in the hobby or brought into the hobby by an experienced pilot. To the outside world, the AMA's mission is to promote the art and science of medicine.

If you talk to somebody who has no idea that a club system and chartered fields even exist about AMA clubs and flying instructors, it just raises more fear, uncertainty, and doubt about trying to get started in RC flying. They start saying things like, "I have to join a club? What does that cost? I need to join the AMA before I can join a club? How much more is that? Wow, that's as much as my plane! Oh, I get liability insurance if I crash my plane into somebody's car? I didn't even think about that. I need to pay for club membership and AMA membership every year, huh? Boy, that kind of ads up, doesn't it?..."

When I was a rookie, I had already made up my mind that flying RC planes would kick ass and I wanted in. I ponied up $153 for two club memberships and an AMA membership without batting an eye. I joined two different clubs because their training nights were on different nights, so I could learn twice as fast. If you have the disposable income and you've made up your mind that this is the hobby for you, parting with the cash isn't that big of a deal.

I think a lot of the guys buying Hobbyzone Super Cub RTFs are the guys who don't necessarily have the time or money to jump into the sport with both feet. They might be still going to school. They might be newly married and/or have young children at home. They might live in an urban area, and the nearest chartered flying field is an hour's drive. They simply might live in a small apartment and may not have storage for a larger plane.

Anyway, I'm sure you'd all agree I've droned on and on for far too long already. Try to put yourself in the new pilot's shoes and there might be plenty of reasons why what we think of as the "best" solution isn't necessarily the best fit for someone else.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

I agree 100%.
I just wanted to put out another option that many people don't know about.
Most people don't know that AMA is only $1 a year up to age 19 either and some clubs don't charge minors are have reduced rates.
If we don't present all the options available then we have let down the perspective RC flyer.

RE: hobby zone super cub
 

I do understand everything you guys are saying, but given the opportunity for someone to drive without going through drivers ed and studying and taking a test, who would go through all that hassle? It's easier to take a cheap car out, crash a few, and then when you have managed to keep it on the road for a couple of miles, you feel ok about it, and drive to the grocery store whenever you want.

Biggest difference is that (usually) with a park flyer, no one gets injured in the crash. If you are truly motivated, the LHS will sell you another very quickly.

Finding a field and an instructor is the way to do it, but I don't think that the people that are addressed here are inclined to do that.

After several years of flying glow, I got tired of going to large outings without something to fly, and bought a park flyer. In my opinion, the Parkzone that I bought was just slightly less than mediocre. I won't take it with me when I have to go places, and I can't with good conscience sell it to anybody because I won't fly it. It just takes up space. To me, it was a waste of $200. It does fly, in the more correct sense that it remains airborne, but it is not nearly as enjoyable as my oldest Alpha trainer.