TexasDave

Looking for advice on first plane, this might help:

Im 45yrs old, active & healthy (eyesight & reaction times)
I have a strong aviation background
I have flown R/C but it has been >10yrs so I am very rusty.
I have built and flown probably 10 gas or glider models fairly successfully including a twin years ago.
I want to get back into it, with electric - but I want to do it very slowly ie a very gentle plane; arf or rtf.
I have done my share of screaming around and stunt flying (with the attendant crashes, repairs, hours of alterations etc) and really just want to fly from the park next door for a half hour, come home and put it away so it will be all ready to fly the next day with minimal extra time preparing.
I have no access to instruction.
The field is a soccer pitch, maybe 250x100 with a few obstacles nearest house is a half mile.
I will fly late eve's when there is <5kts wind.
Money is not an object but I think this can be easily done for <250
I want to be able to fly with minimal recharge time so I think two battery packs and easily changed battery packs.

What is thought of the Aerobird Challenger RTF? I searched and found the thread about all the mods people think it requires. Otherwise the specs seem to fit my needs.
Thanks.

INeedHelp

My Feedback: (1)

Personally I like the Gws Pico Tigermoth to start with. You can find them here: http://www.allerc.com/product_info.p...products_id=56

Dr.Watson

My Feedback: (10)

i think you should go with the GWS Slow Stick. im 13 and am still flying one at a kickball field down the road. im getting about 10-15 min flight times with a GWS 8.4V 750Mah battery. you can get one off of towerhobbies for around $30-$45 depending on what motor you get. the Slow Stick has 4 different versions. 100 motor with C drive; 300 motor with C drive; 400 with C drive and one with out motor for slope gliding. you can get a decent radio system from about $120 with 2 micro servos and micro reciever. as for a charger, you can get a DC cigarette lighter charger for about $20 and an AC wall charger for about $30.
heres some links.

Slow Stick- http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHCJ1&P=7
Battery (the battery i have) http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHHU5&P=7
Charger- http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCJE2&P=7
Radio System- http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...=LXGAE8**&P=ML

hope this helps!

TexasDave

Thanks guys. The nice thing for me right now on the Aerobird is the 'includes everything' from radio, plane, charger, etc.
Is there anything comparable out there?

Dr.Watson

My Feedback: (10)

if this is goin to be your only electric plane that'll work. but there are 2 things wrong (in my opinion)
my neighbor is a teacher and does a science of flight class. he has 2 aerobird xtremes and they are FAST. we almost have to go to a field to fly them. and the other thing is that if you decide to get another plane that needs a radio system, you can't use the aerobird guts on it. just my $.02

TexasDave

aha this is the kind of thing I am looking for. Why can't you use the radio parts, are they bonded into the fuse somehow?
Thanks

INeedHelp

My Feedback: (1)

The receiver parts and servos are all built onto a pc board inside the fuselage. This makes it impossable to remove the parts to install on another plane. I started with the Fierbird 2 myself and when the plane was no longer useable so were the parts. Plus, like someone said they are fast.

The Pico Moth I suggested earlier flies slow like the Slow Stick but I like the way it looks better.