Electric recommendations

| I haven't been involved in the hobby for a few years now but I've held | on to my AMA license in hopes to get back.

It's not a license. It's a membership card. You don't need it to fly anywhere but an AMA field.

| I have a Futaba T6XA that I used with my only airplane left (40 size | Midwest Hots II) so, I would like to get an Elec flight pack to use with | it if they're still available.

A flight pack to use with your T6XA or your Hots II? The former makes little sense. The latter is possible, but you'll pay a lot for an electric power system to replace the glow engine in your plane.

You might want to get your feet wet with a smaller electric plane before you get into a 0.40 sized electric plane -- assuming that's even what you meant.

If you really did mean the former, your TX will work fine with electric planes as-is -- no changes needed.

| As far as the airplane,...maybe a high wing with removable landing gear | that would be tough enough to take a landing on tall grass on occasion | because I may not always be near a paved or closely cut field.

What's your budget? Are you looking for a kit, ARF, RTF? How much space do you have to fly in?

If you've really been out of the hobby for only a few years, I wouldn't worry too much about getting a trainer type plane -- it would all come back very quickly, and you could probably fly even a wildly aerobatic plane without much trouble (but try to keep the rates down and the CoG forward, at least for the first flight.)

| Unless the hobby has changed drastically in the past few years, I know | there is no shortage of opinions around these lists so, let me have 'em! | ;-)

Nope, that hasn't changed ...

Sorry, wrong choice of word. I said I was out for awhile! ;-)

Man!, I screwed this post ALL up, didn't I. I meant a flight pack for the Futaba...small receiver, micro servos, etc.

I'm not opposed to an ARF but, I'd feel more comfortable building it. As far as budget, I'm just trying to get an idea of what's out there...I know I'll probably need to drop $300+ to get all the gear of decent quality. Field size?...let's say at least a football field.

Yeah, I've been through this before and it didn't take too long to get the coordination back so I was thinking maybe about a high symmetrical wing configuration with enough motor to pull some decent vertical but throttled back for the first few flights.

Thanks for the reply, Sonny

How about something like an E-Flite Mini Ultra Stick. I don't know if you can take the landing gear off or not. If you did, that would make it look very much like a SPAD made for combat. The SPAD would probably be perfect some makes an Electric version.

However, I think its going to cost you more than $300 once you buy the plane, a couple of lithium batteries, servos, the motor and ESC.

A friend of mine bought this set-up and put a motor on it that is slightly bigger than recommended. Its really been a great plane for him when his isn't playing with his glow planes.

But I'm new to all of this myself, so take my recommendations with a grain of salt.

Harlan

Oops! My response was a bit garbled.

I meant to say I don't know if anyone makes a combat type SPAD with an electric motor.

I should also clarify that my friend's plane is an electric Mini Ultra Stick, not a SPAD.

Its been a long day.

Harlan

Lots. have a look at

Off hand i would say that better than 100 different combinations of plane, motor pack and prop meet your requirements.

So weird...I was just over at their site reading about that and their Cub. Nice looking stuff!

...and these new brushless motors and lipo batteries...I've been missing a lot! Need to bone up.

Thanks for the reply, Sonny

Learn as much as you can about those LiPos and brushless motors before you buy, but they are indeed the state of the art now. And, as you are doing now, seek competent advice.

Two aircraft that are as much fun as I can remember having are the E-Flite Mini Funtana and their Edge 540. Park size aircraft that, with an upgraded power package, will fly like living stink. And they fly pretty darn well with the stock power package too. If you've been out of it a while, I might venture to say that the quality of ARFs like these might amaze and astound you - you mentioned being more comfortable with building, is that due to past experiences with ARF quality, or just a personal preference?

If the E-Flite Mini Ultra Stick is as well done as the two aircraft mentioned above then I'll bet it's a winner too. Although aerobatically they will out do it somewhat. As an example my Mini Funtana is capable of knife edge loops and all sorts of crazy gyrations, yet on low rates is very gentle and predictable to fly.

Will do....am doing.

Yep, past experience with ARF's was not good plus, I just like having something that looks different than everyone else and I enjoy building. Although, the more I look at the E-Flite stuff, the more I'm willing to give 'em a try.

That's great if it's capable of knife edge loops...'cause, the last time I remember flying...I wasn't. ;-) I can relate to the "gentle and predictable" though.

Thanks for the reply, Sonny

Check out our planes at

Well-engineered, reasonably priced stuff that performs extremely well. The JINX is totally unique... the likes of which you've probably never seen. Videos showcase our planes' performance, and we offer "one click" shopping where you can get everything you need in package deals.

Randy Model Airplane Engineering

If you want to start out nice and easy, with almost no $$$ invested, consider building a foamy for yourself. Assuming you go REALLY cheap and use a J250 motor, the only "sunk" cost will be the brushed controller.

For dead-simple, gentle, forgiving, hand-the-xmitter-to-the- kid-next-to-you safe, try Glen Weber's "Trainer One":

For even simpler building, and little more excitement flying, Jerbear's Simple Wing:

For something in between, the Stealth Sport:

The last of these can be built in well under an hour if you've got bluecor, an X-acto, some packing tape, a glue-gun, and two small servos. The simple wing might take an hour; the T-1 takes a little more, because you have to camber the wing. None of them were difficult for me, and I'm a total beginner at this stuff.

-John

In article , "John F. Hughes" wrote: The last of these can be built in well under an hour if you've got

Thanks for all the suggestions but, I'd like to stay with a bit more conventional aircraft built with balsa.

Thanks anyway, Sonny