Hi, I'm interested in getting into flying gas powered planes. And I love the look of the bipes(that's what we flyers call them). Are they too much for a novice? I would think that with all that lift they would be a good choice but I don't see *any* for sale on the web as trainers. So I'm guessing I'm really, really wrong.
Chris
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that with a really good instructor you could lean on a biplane. With your first plane it's not a matter of "if" it's going to crash but "when" it's going to crash(after you're off the buddy box). I recommend an ARF trainer to start with then build something you like. mk (who did lots of time on a buddy box with a Longjohn)
A trainer has to have two major characteristics. First, it has to fly slowly enough and be predictable enough for a novice who hasn't learned the proper reflexes. A Big John, Tiger Moth, Lazy Ace, Aeromaster, etc, would be really good for learning to fly. The other important feature of a good trainer is crashworthiness. The only problem with most biplanes would be if you make a mistake and end up cartwheeling your trainer on a bad landing, and then you would have a big mess on your hands.
If you like biplanes, go for it, but only on one condition. Find somebody with experience to teach you to fly. An experienced teacher will be able to keep your crashing to a minimum. One other thing, stay away from the Ultimate, Pitts and other such high performance aerobats.
Incidentally, I recently built a Lazy Ace biplane specifically to teach my boys how to fly RC. They will be turning 8 and 9 years old this summer. Last summer we built a Goldberg Eaglet with an OS 25 and it was a bit too zippy for them. Later we found out that my older son needed glasses, which explained why he just didn't think airplanes were much fun. This year we'll be better off with glasses and a huge, slow biplane to learn with. I'll be sure to let everybody know how it all turns out. Currently we're trying to sell our house so we can move out to the country, so we haven't been out flying yet this year.
By the way, what kind of biplane do you have your eye on? Let us know, and you'll get some advice on how easy it is to fly. (You'll get ten different opinions probably, but don't let that discourage you.)
If you want a small bipe, a GWS Pico Tiger Moth wouldn't be too bad. It's a small cheap electric, and if you're use it as a trainer, it even has spare parts available. Not quite as stable as a good trainer, but not far off....
PCPhill
Chris,
I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm but, if you're just starting with RC models, don't start with a bipe or a gas plane. Why? You would have too much time and money invested for your first 'attempt'. Pick a good high-wing trainer for your first plane. It's not a question of 'IF' you will crash, but when, after the instructor is not around.
Tower Hobbies has a VERY GOOD trainer on sale for $65.00 + engine and radio. I call this a 'sleeper' on the market, meaning: a lot of people miss it.
Good Luck!
Earl of Troy AMA#40329
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