my first plane
 

hi,i been into rc boats but love old fighter planes.i never wanted too get one because of not knowing how too fly.but i been looking at e flites mentor rtf and hanger 9s mustang as a start,if any one can help that would be great,thanks.

RE: my first plane
 

Warbirds are not usually very good planes to start with. Their flight characteristics are less forgiving because they are generally designed to fly fast and nimble. If you are set on getting one I would recommend a flight simulator first. I picked up Realflight G 3.5 for about $100. It'll save you way more than that in crashes. I've heard people suggest these in the past and I just shrugged it off and thought If I wanted to play video games I would hop on my XBox. But after I got one I realized how helpful these things are. The flight simulator is great for orientation, but before you try the real thing you will need to find somebody to help you set up the plane for your first flight. If you are stubborn and want a warbird....get a mustang. Those things are sweet!

RE: my first plane
 

The Hanger 9 P-51 PTS is a great primary trainer and comes with a flight simulator. It allows your training to progress from basic flight to more advanced flight by the manipulation of the wing, removing the wing extensions and making the flaps work via a servo. Get the ready to fly version and it has an engine and radio and you will be ready to go in no time. If you want to fly a fighter you can learn how to fly with one!

RE: my first plane
 

2 kids in my neighborhood taught themselves how to fly RC with a 6 foot span, 2 channel glider. They showed me how to fly it and I bought a kit and built my own. After I taught my sisters how to fly it and got bored with it, I sold it to another kid in the neighborhood after giving him a couple hours worth of help so he could fly it on his own. This is 1 proven way to learn the basics of RC flight control for a relatively small investment..

RE: my first plane
 

If you have never flown any rc plane, don't justgo to the park and crash one. Without having any rcairplane experience you should atleast know you're talent level. If you arenot sure of certain things, seek help from an experiencedpilot and ask him/ her/ them to helpyou if you are not certain, reguardless of the airplane. If you feel you can fly it, I say go for it. I'm a self taught pilot and it is possible to learn rc without an instructor and have a 0% crash ratio. Know your limits and do the homework, you'll be fine.

RE: my first plane
 

I have taught3 people to fly on the PTS Mustang. Two of them I had to put on my trainer first ,bigger , easier to see and fly.Then after they got a few flights under thier belt , moved them into the PTS.The 3rd guy was a Heli pilot and he still fly,s it. So if you get some help with the PTS, you more than likely well be fine.
Being self taught is fine, but be prepared for many up,s and down,s. Stay with the foamies, like a Super Cub and make sure you have easyaccess to parts.
Or go to a local club and see if someone has a trainer for sale , it,s not unusaul that you can pick up a RTF and goodies from some one moving into thier 2nd plane.
Best advise I can give you ,is go to your local Club , You,ll hook up with guy,s , just like you,ve meet here on RCU. that well be happy to get you started . You,ll spend less money and learn faster in the long run. I,m self taught and it was a little spendy .lol

RE: my first plane
 

Also, if you're set on a warbird, the foamie T28 Trojan RTF is a good investment. A bit more stable than the Mustang for a 1st time flyer, but still more than capable for a more experienced pilot also.