Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / September 2006

SIG Kadet Sr.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFF89&P=ML

Good flying,
desmobob

Carl Goldberg Eagle II ARF.  I learned on an Eagle 63 which was the old kit
version that I still have to this day.  Put a good .40 2-stroke or a .52
4-stroke and you will learn to fly in no time.

Eagle II ARF
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDJE4&P=ML

If you need everything (like radio, plane, engine and all) then might I
suggest on of the complete systems out there that includes everything you
need to fly.

Complete System
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0161p?&I=LZ1775

Hope this helps you.

I can recommend something even better than a kit -- a build-it-yourself
plan, called the "Trainer One". Information can be found at

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=383687

This is a simple electric trainer. Indeed, it's so simple you can build
it yourself and fly it yourself without anyone teaching you how. I know,
because I did so about a year ago.

On the one hand, it'll cost you several hours of time to build it, and
to get the parts (fanfold foam from Lowe's; a motor from Jameco; a prop
from Tower or the local hobby shop; a hot-melt glue gun; etc.) and
you'll need to actually get a transmitter, receiver, a battery pack,
and two small servos, which will make the whole thing cost a lot more
than the "just start flying" electrics from people like Hobbico. On the
good side, you'll then have a xmitter that you can keep using, and a
receiver and servos that you can re-use once the T-1 starts to bore you.
With the ready-to-fly version, everything in sight is proprietary or a
pain to salvage.

The good news is...

(a) You get a "support group" from the rcgroups crowd; they'll answer
any question you ask, and promptly and generally clearly.

(b) You built it yourself. When you break something, you'll be confident
about re-gluing it to fix it up.

(c) it's got a slightly annoying whine as it flies, but nothing that'll
annoy anyone if you use it at the local high-school football field.

(d) By building the plane, you'll begin to get some feel for how a bunch
of things work.

The bad news is...

(a) It takes time, and appears to take more money than the prebuilt
route.

(b) From the point of view of some people in this newsgroup, it's not
really getting started "in this hobby," because it's an electric rather
than an internal combustion power system.

Your mileage may vary...but it worked for me.

--John

Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not
so great) words of knowledge:

I would like to suggest an alternative.  Get an ARF for your 1st plane.
 Build your "labor of love" once you have mastered the basics of flying.

It is very easy for a beginner to build a warp into the plane and not
even realize it.  In addition, when you build a plane you form an
emotional attachment to it (at least I do and almost all of the people I
know who build do also).  With an ARF you do not have to worry about if
the plane is built correctly and you do not have the degree of emotional
attachment to the plane as if you built it.  In addition, you can not
build a plane for the cost of an ARF.

A trainer is to learn on.  It will get beat up, damaged and looking ugly
 (usually).  That is a basic fact of learning how to fly.

I suggest avoiding the RTF (Ready To Fly) packages as the engine with
the majority of them is marginal (at best) in a trainer and you will, in
all probability, not be able to use the engine in a more advanced plane.
 In addition, the radios are typically a base type 4 channel transmitter.

With some careful shopping, you can get a good quality ARF (Hobbico
SuperStar or Avistar) a decent, USER FRIENDLY 46 Ball Bearing Engine
(Thunder Tiger Pro 46 or Evolution 46NT) and a decent 6 (or more)
channel COMPUTER radio. (Futaba 6EXA, HiTec Optic 6 among others)
(Computer radios allow you to store multiple models among other things)
for less than some RTF (Nexstar) and usually within $50 of most RTF.

You will then have a radio you can grow into (and will be able to do
flaps and/or retracts when you are ready) and an engine that will be
very useable in future planes also.

The biggest thing though to make your learning experience as painless as
possible and for you to learn quickly AND correctly is:  GET AN
INSTRUCTOR !!  If you join a club, they not only have a place to fly,
but provide instructors at no charge.

You may also check at the local club to see if they have (or it is still
in force) a program where you can fly for 30 days at no cost to you.
The club provides the plane, instructor, fuel etc.  The program was
designed to let people try flying before they shelled out any money and
then found they may not like it.  As I said, I am not sure if this
program is still in use and not all clubs participated in that program.

Are you wanting a KIt or an ARF ? Many people are referring to ARF's
as KITS these days.
Are you wanting something with a minimum of work that you can learn
to fly with ? Or , are you wanting to spend many hours cutting and
glueing balsa and lite ply and then covering with Monokote or a
similiar product ?

One of the most successful trainer aircrafts I have ever seen is
a GWS Slow Stick , a little electric airplane that assembles easily
in an afternoon.
We've had three new flyers in the last two weeks. Each of them soloed
within 3 days and are having a ball. So far they have had only minor
damage to their aircraft.
After gaining experience they will move up to something that looks
more like a real airplane , maybe even build a kit.
I would not attempt to guess how many people at our field has learned
to fly on these in the last 3-4 years.

One of ..I said one of , maybe not THE easiest , kits to build as far
as  a built up balsa airplane goes would be the Goldberg Eagle or
Eaglet. Sig kits are a bit harder to build as are Great Planes and Top
Flite.

Some one mentioned a Sig Kadet Senior. They are probably the easiest
to fly of any of the built up airplanes , but they are a tough build
for a new builder..
They have so much 1/4 " stick truss construction and some 'carving'
and fitting of large balsa blocks.

I built one for my son on his 10th birthday 20 years ago. He still has
it although it was retired and hung from the ceiling a few years back.
I would venture to say that he and I together put in excess of 700
flights on it. All with an OS .61 4 Stroke which is still running just
fine.
Built one for a friend who was having a lot of trouble learning to fly
on some of the smaller trainers. In just a short while he was flying
good and having a ball.
I really believe you could tie a string to the nose and fly it as a
kite LOL

There are so many good aircraft out there and you will get many
answers here .I'm sure  all the advice will be good , just varied.
There are a lot of good guys...and gals here with a lot of experience
and I don't think anyone  would steer you wrong.

Welcome to the wonderful world of RC flying. Hope this is a help to
you.
Good luck

Ken

I just bought my first plane, a Hobbico Nexstar ARF. I'll list some of
the plusses and minusses keeping in mind that I have not flown it yet.

Plus:
-100% warranty if you crash while training. Good as gold for a new flier.
-Comes with simulator software. I've become very comfortable with the
plane without having it in the air yet. Hopefully this transfers well to
real flight.
-Options include a speed brake, droops on the wings and an automatic
righting system (which I do not plan to use).
-Spare parts are plentiful.

Minus:
-Build quality is not the greatest though probably better than I could
have done.
-The box claims that you'll be flying in 20 minutes. Hardly. Expect to
spend several hours setting the plane up and ensuring that everything is
tight and wroks properly.

I can't wait to try it out.

We just released our specially-packaged GWS Pico Stick (smaller version of
Slow Stick), which we are offering with our CD-ROM brushless outrunner
motor.  This package is lighter, more powerful, and quieter than the stock
IPS-powered Pico Stick.  Unlike the stock brushed motor IPS drive, our CDR
motor will run maintenance-free "forever" and without a noisy gearbox.  It
makes a great "first plane" for beginners, as well as a relaxing flyer for
the seasoned R/C pilot.  With our CDR motor, the plane is capable of really
nice loops and powerful climbs to altitude.  Check it out!

Randy
Model Airplane Engineering
www.M-A-E.com

EasyStar! RTF!!!!!

It rocks!

"John C" <jcvmf214@optonline.net> wrote in news:4E5Dg.49$Rh7.9
@newsfe11.lga:

I started the hobbie last year in the same state as you.  I didn't have a
clue. I walked into 3 different shops looking for advice.  2 shops were
larger establishments, one smaller and more personable.  I bought from
the smaller of the 3 because of the personalize service.  

I asked the shop keeper what I needed to start.  He recommended 2
aircraft.

1) the Sig Kadet and
2) the Seagull Boomerang.

I chose the Boomerang because of the semi-simeterical wing as it would
allow me to expand my flying after ground school without having to buy a
new aircraft right away.  

I bought a HiTech Optic6 with flight pack and an OS46 engine to complete
the package.  

The ARF Boomerang only cost $117.00 and by the time I bought the engine,
Radio/receiver, flight box and all the necessities to get started the
total ran just under $1000.00.  

The kit was high quality and was easy to put together. I was empressed
that the hinges were plastic with metal pins (not CA Hinges) and were
actually pinned into location. I had the model completed and first flight
was within the week.  

Ensure you join a club that has an excellent ground school.  I have a
very demanding job and could not attend regularly, however, with the
quality of instructors that assisted me I achieved earning my wings
within 8-10 flights.  The plane really helped as well, it is real stable
and forgiving and flys like a hawk.

Always look to and listen to the more experienced flyers for advise and
learn from their mistakes, not yours.  It is less expensive that way.

Another help is to buy a high quality Flight Simulator.  One that uses an
actual controller that resembles the radio you will use (not a joystick).  
I chose the Real Flight G3 Simulator from Great Planes.  Although it cost
$245.00, it has saved me over $60,000 in airplanes.

I have moved from the top winged Boomerang trainer to a SIG 4-Star 60.
This is an excellent 2nd plane and is an excellent 1st low winged
aircraft if that is the way you intend to go.  

I still fly my Boomerang regularly as well as my 4-Star.  

Remember, what goes up must come down and a Boomerang always comes back.

Have fun.

Brad