Hello everyone,

I am in desperate need of help in choosing my first electric airplane.

I made the mistake last summer in purchasing 2 really cheap electric planes (around $30-$50) off e-bay thinking it would be easy and they would work really well. Well, to my astonishment, it was a lot harder then I expected and dissapointment came to my senses.

One of the major issues that I had with BOTH planes was the reception. As soon as the plane was no more then 50-100 feet in the air, it would lose reception and crash to the ground (even though they claim it can fly well past 500 or more feet). What could have caused this? I know very well it was not my fault. Some people have told me it was a bad radio or receiver, or servos.
My other problem was the plane was hard to control and didn't respond very well.

Now I am assuming i had all these issues because I baught a cheap airplane. Right?

So, I am now doing my homework before I invest any more money in this venue.

I do not have a lot of money, so i am wanting to go AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE in purchasing my first electric plane. But I want to make sure that it has a good radio and reception (receiver etc...) as I am scared to death of losing reception as a result of what happened last summer.

So my first question would be, what beginner planes have a good radio and reception to ensure it staying in the air? My second question is what is a good beginner plane that is easier to hendle and learn from and will repond easier?

Now, I am not looking for a high quality body or cosmetics, just a very basic look, and cheap as possible in price that I can have confidence in staying in the air without it being my fault.

i have been looking on E-bay and there are so many to chose from that I am not sure what will be rliable in the air and good for a beginner. I am hoping to stay around the $100-$150 range for my first plane. Someday when I have more money and time, I will get the higher priced/quality planes. But I need to crash and learn before I do that.

So, any suggestions? If you could steer me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it. I am a little nervous due to my past experience with my other planes.

Also, if anyone is selling a good beginner plane, or knows of one on this website or on e-bay, please let me know too.

Thank you all for your help

bookstar...since you havent had any real succeful flights..you are still a newbie..for this reason I recommend you look st the t-hawk..from readytoflyfun.com..this is without a doubt the best valued RTF begginers plane aviliable,...and a excellent trainer right out of the box,,,it comes with many xtras ..like 2 wings/2 rudders/2 stabilizers/2 battery packs and 3 props...all for around $150..it can do around 20mph full throttle..or glide like a bird with the motor shut off..once you get it up a few hundred feet...the only drawback is it comes with a 27mhz tx..which works great..but is not a system you would want to put in future planes you purchase...this plane can take a beating like nothing else..check it out...

Thank you for the reply! What did you mean or what is the 27mhz tx? Is that the radio? Would this have something to do with the reciever and how good it receives the reception in the air?

I ask because I have had a bad experience with my first planes. I bought them cheap for $50 and when launched in the air, they lost reception and crashed (was not my fault).

So, I am looking for a plane that has a good radio and receiver so I don't have to worry about it crashing due to bad reception.

Please let me know. Thank you!

if your crahes were only due to bad reception..and nt pilot error..and you feel you can fly a plane..then without a dount you should look at the SKY-SCOOTER PRO2....its a RTF and for under $140 you get everything..including a good 72mhz radio system..thats reliable and ca be used in any future planes..read the HUGE sky scooter thread in the PARKFLYERS section on this website...

buy aerobird challenger. no doubt the best plane ever for beginner. very strong and durable wing (i've had my ABC crash lot of times with wing first to the ground, and it still on 1 pieces until now), also nose crash to the fence, tree, etc, no scratch or damage.
with ABC you can upgrade to pro mode (default mode is sport mode) with no extra cost...... (built in software)
also you can get aerial drop module (parachute, streamer bomb), and sonic combat module (sold separately), that allow you to dogfight with your friend in the air.
...........which T hawk doesn't has

So does either the t-hawk or the aerobird have any reception problems? I mean, do they drop out of the sky for no reason sometimes?

Also, which one is faster in the air?

Last, are we able to get replacement parts for cheap for the aerobird? How about extra batteries so we don't have to stop flying? I guess what is impressive with the t-hawk is all the replacement parts that come with it.

So I guess it is a toss up between these two planes.

bookstar..both of thos rtf planes come with a 27mhz radio system,,that you would not want to put into another expensive plane down the raod..you had mentioned that getting a rtf with a good radio system was a must..if this is the case..and you only have a maximum of $150 to spend..theres only 1 option...sky-scooter pro2....im not aware of any other rtf plane on the market that comes with everything..including a 72mhz tx/rec..and can fly great right out of the box..and even do acrobatics... except for the sky-scooter pro2...

O.k. sounds good. But I am inexperienced. Is this sky-scooter pro 2 o.k. for beginners? Where can we purchase them the cheapest? Would they ever sell on e-bay?

Thanks again for all your help

well..your kinda in a dilema then..I think the sky-scooter pro2...can be flwon by a begginer..and is tuff...but theres no doubt that the other 2 planes mentioned earlier are better begginer planes...BUT...they dont come with good radio systems...the scooter does..most RTF planes..are under $200 but come with the toy 27mhz transmitters...the sky scooter pro2 broke that trend..and added value by offering a complete kit with a 72 mhz system for under $140...go to hobbypeople.com ...or towerhobbies.com..and look at it...

the reason i keep recommending everyone aerobird challenger is because i have succesfully flown this lovely bird, so i will recommend the things that i have witnessed by my self that actually can fly, and easy to fly for beginner. i'm not against T hawk. the reason i'm not recommending T hawk is because i never try it. i believe its a good plane too, but i dont know how it is like and which one better. i guess the T hawk owner will also recommend T hawk instead ABC.
unless someone had actually flew both of them, they can clearly tell you which one is the best.
now its up to you, would you prefer the feature (ABC-pro mode, aerial drop, sonic combat) or worth for money (T hawk-extra wing, props, tail)
i dont think sky scooter pro 2 is good for beginner, the reason is because the propeller at the front, which will damage on a nosedive to the ground. consider it, as a beginner, you will either nosedive to the ground or crash into something.
good luck

milky..I woul never recomeend a plane that wasnt crash worthy..to a newbie...the sky-scooter has a folding prop...and does not break very easily on nose crashes...and its nice to have 72 mhz radio system...

well..... there you go.... like i said everyone has different opinion about the beginner plane based on their experience. i believe sky scooter pro 2 is a good beginner plane too because i've read so much good feedback about it as well as the ABC and T hawk. now its your chance to choose!
btw whats the advantage of 72 mhz? (because i'm a newbie too)

I agree with Music Publisher on the T-Hawk. I have an Aerobird Challenger, it's my first plane and is much like the T-Hawk except for the tail, but both have about the same wing load and should fly about the same. After fixing a setup problem with my Challenger my 11 year old daughter and I have been flying with no problem. The thing I like about the T-Hawk is it comes with spare wing tail and props for the same price as the Challenger! As for the radio, you can fly the plane until you almost can't see it anymore, never had a problem. I don't think any of the beginner planes come with a radio that you will want to use for to long. If you stay in the hobby you will want to get a good radio later on. I would either get the T-Hawk, or the Aerobird Challenger.

First plane? Thawk or Easy Star.

And dont even think to buy anything else.

I have an aerobird challenger and I love it. After my first crash I haven't crashed it since. Now my first crash cost me a new fuselage and wing. It's easy to fly and after awhile you will be wanting to switch to pro mode to get it to respond faster. I only fly in pro mode now. Only thing I like about the T-Hawk different than the Challenger is that the parts are transferable to another plane after your ready. The Challenger is all proprietary, can't change to another plane. Another plane you might want to check out is the MountainModel Magpie. I'm thinking about ordering one of those next month. After I buy a radio that I can use on more than one plane.

check out the GWS planes ,cheap easy to fly easy to build lots of models ( pico tiger moth 50.00) good first plane and you can swap parts around new replace tiger moth sg 24.00 so if crash will learning And it look like a airplane not some stick with wings.

I like my stick with wings!! [&o] lol It flies good but looks like S#!T. But if you are a first timer I would not get one.

Nothing wrong with a stick with wings. You don't want a "pretty" plane as your first, especially if you plan on going it alone.

That said, the GWS Pico Tiger Moth is both pretty and an excellent beginner plane. So is the GWS Slow Stick, at nearly half the price.

Everyone seems to be ignoring the basic question being asked.

The cheaper planes come with a 27 MHZ AM transmitters and receivers. These are often very limited in range, and worst of all are only single conversion recievers. This means that the receiver only filters the incoming signal one time, and if there is any transmitted noise near the same frequency range, it gets through and the plane responds incorrectly. Just like an AM radio station tends to be less enjoyable to listen to than FM mainly due to static (Noise).

A better system will be 72 MHZ FM transmitter and receivers. Range on most of these systems are Line of Sight. You will not be able to see the plane it will be so small, but it will still be controllable. Most, but not all, come with dual conversion receivers. Dual conversion means that the signal coming into the Receiver is filtered twice. This will clean the signal so only the worst and strongest interferance will get through, usually on the same frequency as the receiver crystal. FM is a bit more stable to begin with, and add dual conversion you get a really clean signal. Making your control over the Plane more dependable. Just as FM music is more enjoyable to listen to on your radio, almost no static.

My advise to any new person is to get a radio system that will carry them down the road. A little more Expense early on can save a lot of headaches in the future. Now with the advent of the computer Radios that can handle 5 to 8 planes on one transmitter, for $200 you can buy one system. When you build a second or third or more planes, you only have to buy the Receiver and servos. One Transmitter does it all. I really like having the one transmitter to carry to the field.

I couldn't agree more with all that Altacon has to say on the subject regarding Tx and Rx of 27 Mhz vs 72 Mhz...there is no question that 72 Mhz FM is the best. If you are totally sure that you WILL learn to fly and are financially ready to front several hundred dollars for a good, basic system, by all means do so. However if there is any doubt in your mind that you may not stick with the hobby... stay with the less expensive planes. Consider them " throw away learning experiences". On that note, may I suggest the Firebird Scout from HobbyZone. It runs a 27 Mhz system but the range (from experience) seems adaquate and for under $60 you get a remarkably good flyer from a quality company that stands behind their products. True, you won't be able to get to the electronics without destroying the fuselage but remember this is a "throw away" plane used to see if you really enjoy and want to stay with the hobby....and it's a pretty tough plane. There is a thread on the site regarding this plane.

Of course Matt is right also that the plane doesn't have to be beautiful to fly right. Stick and wings fly just as good (for the beginner) as a fancy plane...sometimes better. GWS has several ARF's for around $11-30 that you could put that 72 Mhz equipment in should you desire. Of course there is minor assembly required, but that's all part of the fun.

I remember my first RC system. A 27Mhz, single TUBE, single channel, regenerative TX and RX that I had to build from a kit. The batteries required made it too heavy for any planes at the time, so I put it in a boat. It only had a range of about 100 feet anyway. My, my. Haven't RC systems come a long way since 1948?

Bob

I have to dissagree with that particular statement. You can get a good 5 channel system complete for around $200.00 now. If you desire, you can go the several hundred dollar route. I've seen systems that cost $1500 and up.

I bought a Hitec Flash 5 Computer radio system last year, and have found it to be a great package. 5 planes flying on one transmitter. Just have to either buy extra servos and receivers, or swap the flight Pack from plane to plane. And if I remember the price was much less than $200 from Tower Hobbies.

I've recently upgraded to the Hitec Optic 6 system, and it works just as well, with some additional features that improve the finesse of setting up a plane. Again - less than $200 for a pretty sophisticated package.

This type of system will serve you in good stead for many years ginving a good Return On Investment.

Thanks guys for all your help!!!!

Question. I am purchasing a Slow-V and also an EasyStar for my two beginner planes. Does anyone know what kind of TX comes with them? Is it 27 or 72? Is it FM or AM frequency? Is there such thing as a 27mhz FM? Or is it only AM?

One would assume that if there is a 27mhz FM, it would be much better and more reliable then a 27mhz AM, right?

Go to the AMA site for a complete list of Frequencies.

But to check it, look at the Frequency on the transmitter and/or receiver. The Crystal shoul;d have a tag on it.

If it is 27.xxx its usually AM, if it's 72.xxx it most likely is FM. But the specifications for the plane should give you that information as to AM or FM.

The Easy Star ucomes with a Hitec Focus SS AM 72MHz 3-channel radio system with HAS-03MB receiver and
two Tiny-S Multiplex servos (MPUM6521) - (AM 72 MHZ single conversion receiver I would imagine)

Couldn't find the other plane, but assume it to be similar in the Radio chosen.

Found it on the Tower Hobbies site.

Wow, so 72 mhz also comes in Am frequency, ah? Man, I'm getting confused

Anyway, so I assume 72 FM is better then 72 AM, and 72AM is better the 27 FM, and 27FM is better then 72AM etc... Right? So basically anything FM will be better then AM no matter if the frequency is lower then the other, correct?

Pretty close.

My son bought a EP Superstar, and it came witht he same Type radio, only a Futaba. It works fine, and flies stable.