First Plane Needed....Please make suggestions

Tower has the GWS Slow Stick which I would recommend as a good first plane.

The Multiplex EasyStar is often recommended as a good beginner. Easy to assemble and easy to fly. It is made of EPP and is quite tough.

// Kim

Thanks guys. A friend just recommended this thing...Whaddya think?

is this a joke? with friends like these..... if it has aerobatic or 3d in the name and or description, it will make a truly bad trainer I doubt a newbie could fly that plane for 10 seconds.

I recommend GWS slowstik, Tiger Moth or Beaver.

You can read this guide:

That is not a good plane for a beginning pilot. Buy one with considerable dihedral in the wing (better stability and ability to self-recover somewhat if you turn loose the sticks), and don't go for a large plane with a big engine as a starter. For a trainer I suggest you start with an inexpensive electric with rudder, elevator and motor speed controls - ailerons are a good second step. Start with at least a 4 chan TX and 6 chan rcvr so you can expand to more functions.

Get help for the plane's 1st flight. Many things you need to know about flying are not intuitive, but must be learned.

Have fun. It's a great hobby

Don

Thanks Kim....what a great review! Think I might just be sold on this one. Next question....I'd really like to pick it up in a package deal (just to be sure I am getting the right acc.) What do you think of this setup? Or any suggestions on a better setup would be truly appreciated.

EasyStar Ready-To-Fly $166 shipped (3-channel 72MHz radio)

It looks ok, except for the transmitter, it is only 3 channel. Many planes require 4 channels, so if you want to use it with the next model you should buy a 4 channel transmitter.

// Kim

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

Your price range SEVERELY limits your choices - in that price range an Easy Star will probably be your best bet.

For a nitro plane you will need to be looking in the $400 - $500 range for decent equipment. Avoid the RTF packages in nitro. The engines range from marginal power to OK power FOR A TRAINER. The engines are rarely useable in a second plane due to lack of power. The transmitter is typically a BASE level 4 channel unit with no choice of channel and no amenities.

Since MANY people decide to play it smart and get an instructor, go hang out at the local flying field a couple of times. The people are normally quite friendly and easy to talk to. If you ask at the field you may be able to come up with a used trainer setup in your price range.

My starter kit contained

avistar 40 II ARF Super Tigre GS45 Futaba 6YG, go for the 6EXAS. I wish I had known about expotential before I bought the 6YG.

the GS45 will give all the power you will need. I have used that same motor on two SIG 4 Star 40's and it is now on a profile aerobatic plane. good luck.

yeah. A small foamie electric is a good place to begin. GWS pico stik, slow stik, tiger moth, tiger moth 400 beaver or E-starter are all good. Steer clear of the warbirds for a first model. Multiplex Pico cub is good too, or twinstar. Thats more like a nitro style plane in performance.

Some have vut their teeth on flying wings like a Zagi, or the Multiuplex Picojet, but these need reactions!

Some favor electric gliders like the Easy Pigeon or Protech alpha.

Any of the above is sufficiently easy to fly to not NEED instruction, but if you can't get help at a club, get a flight sim if you can. The initial learning curve with 2 2 axis sticks is worse than a car.

Actually buy a computerised multi-memory 6 channel, or risk needing it anyway once you progress beyond a single model..

If you fly wings you will need elevon mixing as well.

M.E.N. Trainer!

Another new option, barely fitting your price range is the RTF Multiplex Magister. It is a BIG 64" foam 4 channel trainer including the battery, radio, and charger for $299. It's getting pretty good writeups.Here is one review

PCPhill

You might want to consider a RTF out-of-the box thing from Ripmax or Hobby Zone/Parkzone for about $200 that inlcudes tranmitter etc.You just charge the battery and go. Something like an Aerobird Commander would be good - and if you're feeling brave, try a Strkyer. They are both very durable (with the aid of expoxy & packing tape), okay to learn on, and you can fly them in a nearby park. Though the Strkyer is quite a handful at first, it's great fun and there's plenty of scope to add mods.

Have a look at:

Come on be a real man and get a real plane. Dont waste your money on the junky electric crap. Buy you a real trainer plane and learn to fly the right way. Look at this link this is a very good model to start out with and learn on. But get help with it are any plane you buy

Chris, please know that there are some of us who were flying glow in the '50s who feel that electric is super.