Is a 1 acre backyard that is surrounded by trees enough for a newb? Maybe a Park Flyer?

I would say no for a newb. Once you get better then depending on the plane 1 acre could be more than enough. Off the top of my head the only planes I can think of for that small of an area would be a 3D plane of some sort.

I would fly in a big field if I were you. Like a corn field once its cut down, or a big park with no trees, cars, people around.

my house sits on an acre and even with electrics its tight at best and if your learning go a field much much bigger..

Nothing smaller than a football field and with no trees. Once you "Get it" you can fly in smaller and smaller places.

How much space you need depends on two things:

How well you can control the plane;

How fast your plane is:

If you can wait for VERY calm conditions, like under 2 mph, these planes can be flown, even learned on a 1 acre plot but I would recommend you find a larger plot for your first flights so you have more room to get ot know the planes. And you must have calm air and you must be a quick learner. 1 acre is not a lot of room. More space is much much better:

Slow-V from Parkzone - RTF
Best flown in still to under 2 mph breeze
Can also be flown indoors in a gym or similar space.
http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/pro...p?prod=PKZ1300
Discussion Thread
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_20...tm.htm#2089493

ARF typically means you are not gluing balsa pieces together, then covering
with Monocote or some other shrink film. Below are ARFs and some are very
easy to build kits. In each case you must add your own radio, receiver,
servos, speed control, batteries and battery charger. They all come with a
motor.

Slow stick
Best flown in still to under 5 mph breeze
Can also be flown indoors in a gym or similar space.
http://horizon.hobbyshopnow.com/prod...p?prod=GWS1040
Discussion Thread
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...hreadid=122951

Tiger Moth
Best flown in still to under 5 mph breeze
Can also be flown indoors in a gym or similar space.
http://horizon.hobbyshopnow.com/prod...p?prod=GWS1020
Review
http://www.backyardflyer.com/BY/articles/tiger_moth.asp


IFO - Easy to build kit
Demo at the 2000 Tournament of Champions
http://www.wildrc.com/htmlpages/movies/toc2000.mpg
Flying Combat in a gym
http://www.wildrc.com/htmlpages/movies/mk3combat.mpg

oops i screwed up

It depends on the plane that you are getting. A trainer IFO, Frog, Slow stick, Tiger Moth, or a Slo-V, you would probably be Ok. For an Aerobird type plane forget it you will not have enough room.

I agree with these assessments, assuming there are not trees in the 1 acre plot.

Flying is not hte issue. You hand launch down an open alley and you are above the trees in nothing flat. It is landing that is the problem. As you approach the ground you have to be very precise to avoid the trees. A breeze or a missed approach and you are in a tree or pulled out of the sky and crashing to the ground from clipping a branch.

It is landing that is the problem, especially for a new flyer. I know, I tried flying on my block. Dead calm air. Sent my Aerobird up and flew around, no problem, but getting the plane down among the trees, fences, cars, etc was not to be. Clipped a wing on a branch and down she came. No damage, but just the same, did not do that again.

I would say you will need more. Once you are confident you can do it, but you need to have consistently good plane control, that is getting it where you want to in the air and being able to fly around an imaginary obstacle course and keep it there. As a newbie landing is one of the problems, these things like to float down gently, not drop like a rock so they need a longish patch to come down on the first 1/2 dozen flights.

Also don't forget that it is easy to get disorientated whilst flying by the sun, being head on, tail on, distance etc. Your plane can end up pretty far away pretty quickly. When this happens (it also happens to experienced pilots too... mmm vertigo!!) you will be so greatful for the extra space. It is no fun watching your plane flying over someone's roof, or worse the road, when you are not in total control and wondering what's going to happen next.

On my first flight everything was great, but on the second it went too high and got away from me. I couldn't tell which way she was going - result: it flew onto someones roof (made a helluva BANG) and an emabarrasing scramble into and out of their yard for bits of foam and electronics.

I am newer than you. I have a Wing Dragon and i can safely say that you need LOTS OF SPACE. Like 8 soccer fields all joint together! I fly i a place about the size of 3 soccer fields surrounded by trees, roads and worst of all mass transport city trains. Its VERY difficult when the plane travels from 1 end to the other in 4 seconds and by the 3rd second you will already need to start turning which is the scary part.

My kids all learned to fly Frogs in a one basketball court gym! They are a nice slow flyer trainer. You can see them here www.foamfly.com
Hippo is a great guy he will not steer you wrong. He sells kits and plans for the Frog. I am getting ready to build one for a friend today as his first plane.