RCU Forums - Next plane?

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I started on a Firebird outlaw then went to a slow stick i also have a home built plane that i have not flown yet. Now I wont to go the next step what are some planes that ya'll recommend? maybe the Tubby Cubby By WattAge.
all info welcome-----Goose

All depends on your interest imo - that's the best part about the hobby! Scale? Speed? Relaxed flying? Foam? Balsa? Just some things to consider imo ... as for the Tubby, iirc user reviews weren't all that great, plane has a wallowing problem. You might want to try out Ailerons, in that case the E-Stater is a pretty good next step. You could also go for one of the flying wings (Zagi, etc) and have a plane that will handle windy days well.

Thank's for the info I'll take a look at those. Do you think a plane that is rated for an intermediate would be a good next step or should I just get a beginner plane with ailerons if there is such a thing?

Peter,
I agree with a fellow hobbyist here. The e-starter is my second airplane (I'm still a newby). I fly it stock, and it's a blast for fun acro, landings, or just cruising. Durable easy to repair and pretty stable. (Actually my e-starter now is my 3rd airplane. A tree jumped out and grabbed the first one, and wouldn't give it all back.) Pilot error.
Enjoy

How hard is the E-starter to build?
Goose

how much could you get the E Starter for
like everything but the transmitter (already have)
iu have no micro stuff yet

try a flying wing i will be soon they fly so good in wind from what i seen:D

yea a wing would be neat if I only had a transmitter with elevon mixing. How much does a good transmitter run anyway?
Goose

You can buy a mixer for about $15 or $20 that goes in the plane so you can use your current radio.

yea i know i have one on another plane i have but i don't wont to keep buying them and switching them around.
Goose

Well I just wrote an article on introductoy 2, 3 and 4 channel radios in RCezine. You can find it here. The article will be published on May 1. the column is called First Lift. You might find some useful info there.

Almost all the radios being sold today by Hitec, Futaba, JR and Airtronics include Vtail and elevon mixing. I know the GWS radios don't.

If you just need the radio, you can get a three channel for $39 that includes mixing.
http://www.servocity.com/html/3_4-ch...m_systems.html

You can get a 4 channel that has mixing, endponts and other featuers for $59
http://www.servocity.com/html/4-ch_l...m_systems.html

You can get a 4 channel computer radio with mixing, endpoints, exponental, and other featuers for $89
http://www.servocity.com/html/4-ch_f...m_systems.html

Or, if you really want to make a jump, you can get a 5 channel computer radio ( better than a 6 channel standard radio for all but a 6 channel plane) with model memories, and a bunch of mixes for about $110
http://www.servocity.com/html/5-ch_f...m_systems.html

So, if you are going to stay in the hobby and your current radio doesn't even have V or elevon mixing, it might be time to step up to a new radio. All the sets refrenced are Hitec. Servo city has these offers where you can just buy the radio. If you current receiver/s are negative shift, then Hitec/Futaba would be best.

I have a JR Quatro (4ch) just the basic radio what would be the best radio to upgrade to if i plain to stay in the hobby a while? i know nothing about the radios out side of the basic stuff so any help would be great?

Give us a budget to work with for just the radio. Without servos or receivers. Since you have a JR now, do you have more than one receiver?

JR and Airtronics both are positive shift so their systems are compatible.

Futaba and Hitec are negative shift.

However many of the newer radios can select shift, so it it less of an issue.

Do you have $120 for a new radio? 150? $200 More?

Budget will determine your next step up.

Which radio should I buy. All new flyers ask this question.

How many channels do I need? You will get many opinions.

And, you will get a debate on whether your first radio should be a standard
radio or a computer
radio. What's the difference?

First it is important to realize that you should be able to fly any plane on 4
channels. That is enough to control rudder, elevator, ailerons and throttle.
With that you can fly an indoor plane, an electric park flyer or a giant high
powered plane.

However, with more channels you gain flexibility. For example, you can put
two servos on the ailerons and control them individually. You can operate
moveable landing gear. And, when it comes to gliders/sailplanes you are
likely to do more surface mixing than on power planes, so if you into
sailplanes and plan to fly full house sailplanes, you typically want more than
4 channels so you can do that fancy surface mixing. The club wizards
recommended at least 7 channels for full house sailplanes.

Here is a typical channel breakdown. These apply to electrics, glo and
gliders.

Rudder - 1
Elevator - 1
Ailerons - 1 or 2
Spoilers/Flaps - 1 or 2
Motor/tow hook/landing gear - 1

That makes 5 or 7.

Could you use 9? Sure, if you have the money?
How about 12? Sure, if you have the money?

I am not pushing a given number of channels, just trying to help establish
what they are used for. In my opinion, most sport flyers will be well served
with a 5 channel computer radio and be able to do what they need to do for
years. Bump it up to 7 channels and you have about all you need to fly almost
any sport plane without feeling you are short channels. If your plane has
bomb doors, fires rockets, ejects pilots, and stuff like that, 12 might not be
enough.

For the rest of us, why would 7 be enough. You typically don't have spoilers
and flaps on the same plane. A motor and a tow hook would not likely reside on the same plane either. While landing gear is very rare on sailplanes it is common on power planes, but then you really don't need two flap servos because power planes don't usually do the kind of
complex flap mixing that sailplanes use. So 7 will still usually do it unless you are into really complex planes or really advanced competition.

Quote:

do you have more than one receiver?

yes i have a GWS 4ch, an electron 6ch, and another that is in (what was) my gas I think it is a JR 4ch or 6ch something. I am not sure of a budget. I don't know the price to look at lets just say less than $200 or $150 some were under that i guess. I wont good quality that is the most important thing.
Goose

I am a new pilot and just recently bought a Futuba 7C. [link=http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/futaba/futj69m.html]here are the specs[/link] . I felt that it gave me plenty of room to grow in to and also served my needs for the present. Now I have a radio that I can use pretty much on any aircraft I buy.

So far programming has been a breeze and even for someone as green as myself I've been able to figure it out fairly quickly. I'm sure you'll get alot of other advice from more experienced people. But from a newbie to a newbie, I love this radio and don't regret 1 dime I've spent on it.

Good luck in your search.
Bamater