beginner glow plane

Keith, I suggest going to

Once you get there, look for the Beginners forum. You'll find lots of recommendations and helful people.

Now to answer your question. THe RTF packages are ok, but you can do better selecting the engine, plane, and radio. Doing this will usually give you better components, and often at a lower price. The Tower Trainer ARF is a good deal. Engines in the .45 size range from OS, Thunder Tiger, Supre Tigre, and a few other brands work well. For radios, a 4 channel system from Futaba, Hitec, or JR will be ok. Alternatively, you could get a basic 6 channel computer radio from one of these manufacturers.

Man your so kind!! and if i was lucky enough to live there,id be on your doorstep within 5 mins! I live in Switzerland (small country in central europe :)) Thanks ever so much for your wonderfull offer,i think thats cool,real kind thanks again. Keith "Storm's Hamburgers" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com...

A normal radio does things like trims and end point adjustment with a mechanical control. The trims are used to make small adjustments to the control surfaces so you can make the plane fly straight and level. The end point adjustments can be used to limit the amount of rotation the servo can make. On a computer radio these things are handled electronically, by the computer. Setting up a plane is easier with a computer radio than with a normal radio. The computer radios also let you save the setup for more than one plane. If you have more than one plane, the computer radio can remember the trims for each plane. This lets you save money by flying more than one plane, not at the same time, from the same transmitter. The computer radios also add some additional features such as mixing, which are not useful for a beginner, but may be desirable later.

In the US, a basic computer radio costs 20-50% more than a basic 4 channel radio. I think the money is well spent, but they are not required for a beginner. The cost of a 4 channel is only a little more than the cost to buy a flight pack, the stuff that goes in the plane. People who are not sure if they are going to like flying, can buy a 4 channel system to begin. When they are ready to move to their second plane, they might choose to buy a computer radio. As long as they buy a compatible brand and the same frequency, the flight pack from the first system can be controlled by the computer system.

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

A computer radio has many features, a lot of which you will not be using initially, but will most likely want by your 3rd or 4th plane.

Stores multiple planes in memory (trim settings, which channels are reversed, etc. )

Allows you to save the trim settings.

Allows mixing of channels.

Allows end point adjustments (how far the servo will move - this is for fine tuning of the servo(s) ).

Since MOST computer radios are 6 channel (or more ) you will have the channels for flaps and retractable landing gear.

Dual rates for the ailerons and elevator (some models also have it for the rudder too ).

These are the most common features on computer radios.

The number of models it can store in memory will vary by brand and model, but a 6 channel radio typically can store 6 models. Again, different brands/models offer different features, some of which you may or may not want.

I would suggest finding out what brand is used by the majority of people at your flying site, and get that brand. Manuals are good, but a live person with experience on your brand of radio is much better when (not if, but when) a problem/question arises.

I would also suggest finding out which are THE LEAST USED CHANNELS and get your radio on one of those channels. It will minimize your waiting time for the channel to clear so you can fly.

Hope this helps.

Hey, Ted,

Except for the model memory, My Hitec Master 7 did all those things without a computer screen! ;^) Included flaperon, V-tail, Delta and Crow as well!

Hi Keith, Is any hoby shop in Switzerland have tower products or you order by mail from USA ? Thanks Realdo from Croatia

Keith,

An RTF setup probably is the easiest and most cost-effective way t take your first step. It allows you to focus on setting up you airplane and on flying with confidence that the components work wel together.

I see that you're in Switzerland, so I don't know what options ar available to you in terms of brands and kits. Shop around and see wha there is.

As you learn to fly - hopefully with a good instructor - you can appl the knowledge you'll be acquiring towards picking your next airplane(s and the radio system that you'll choose for your next phase o advancement in the hobby.

Enjoy!

Bobby

-- bobbyge

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