Hobbico NexStar

The only one I saw didn't fly very well. Three experienced fliers tried it out all managed a successful landing. The plane seems to want to climb at a very steep angle. Turns are very difficult to make.

This being the only one I've seen doesn't say all of them are this way.

| The only one I saw didn't fly very well. Three experienced fliers | tried it out all managed a successful landing. The plane seems to | want to climb at a very steep angle.

I've never flown one, but this suggests that it's way out of trim or tail heavy. Neither would be the fault of this type of plane.

| Turns are very difficult to make.

This is harder to track down. Not enough control authority? Most trainers have very little, and that's intentional. Too much dihedral? I doubt that.

Do a Google search on this NG and you'll see that most folks aren't too impressed with the NexStar. It flies OK but the autopilot feature isn't what it should be. Your new member would probably be better off with a SuperStar or AviStar combo or some of the other trainers out there.

Morris

On 8/1/2004 8:37 AM Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not so great) words of knowledge:

STAY AWAY FROM IT !! The plane and engine are halfway decent. The AFS is a piece of junk and WILL CAUSE FLYING AND LEARNING PROBLEMS. The people I know that have the NexStar have turned off and/or removed the AFS system.

At this point (without the AFS) you have a VERY overpriced RTF trainer. As for the flight sim, D/L FMS and get an interface cord for about $25 of EBay.

I priced out two systems for someone yesterday at the Tower site.

Hobbico SuperStar Thunder Tiger Pro 46 HiTec Laser 6 w/4 servos

Total $330 plus shipping

Hobbico SuperStar OS 46 AX Futaba 6XAS w/4 servos

Total $415 plus shipping

Considering the MAJORITY of trainers fly the same, why buy a piece of junk with a BASE LEVEL 4 channel radio when you can get a GOOD engine and a 6 channel COMPUTER radio for about the same money or ?

Of course, some people have more money than sense and believe the company "propaganda".

This is just my opinion.

| In article , | ZEMSKI wrote: | | | The only one I saw didn't fly very well. Three experienced fliers | | tried it out all managed a successful landing. The plane seems to | | want to climb at a very steep angle. | | I've never flown one, but this suggests that it's way out of trim or | tail heavy. Neither would be the fault of this type of plane.

I'd forgotten about the autopilot thing. It should not cause this, unless it's somehow misconfigured or broken. | | Turns are very difficult to make. | | This is harder to track down. Not enough control authority? Most | trainers have very little, and that's intentional. Too much dihedral? | I doubt that.

The auto-pilot could certainly make it hard to turn.

I've flown one of my student's, it flies well. Worth the dough. Comes with the simulator. Gave the student a boost in learning.

CR

jjvb wrote:

Steer him toward the Avistar. It's a much better aircraft for training.

MJC

The best trainer I have seen next to the Nexstar is the Alpha 60. Similar pricing. and nice flying.

Throw out the autopilot on the nexstar, it will not help a student learn to fly.

Also had the landing gear fall off a couple of times, it's a plug in poor design.

Good Luck, Ray - Minooka, IL

A couple of others that are nice are Horizon's Xtra Easy 2 combo and Sig's Kadet LT40. For something similar to the Avistar, Horizon makes the Arrow.

Morris

I'd go with the Hanger9 Alpha trainer. Great engine, good flying plane and a JR radio. What more could you want???

JMHO Jim W

jjvb wrote: > A potential new member to our club was looking at the Hobbico NexStar combo setup for $400. Plane, radio, engine, flight sim, etc. I know the radio is on the low end, but what about the plane? How does it fly? Any other comments on this setup so I can help this guy out. >

I have one. Paid $369 for it locally. I'm a beginner and am learning to fly with it now. It actually flies very well once it is trimmed out, and the plane has so much lift that it turns into a very good glider when the engine shuts off in flight.

I am a bit disappointed in some low-quality components, though they have been fairly easy to fix. The biggest problem was my needle valve--Hobbico shipped it with the wrong needle in the needle housing. Compared to a known good needle, mine was a different taper than the needle housing permitted. I will be contacting Hobbico soon to see if they'll replace it for me.

The radio is VERY basic. It will become a buddy box later on.

AFS: I have never used the AFS, nor do I ever plan to. As a naive beginner I thought it would help me learn, but no trainer at the club would let me use it, so unless you're learning without a trainer it won't do much good. I have heard others with this model say the AFS system works well. Turned to maximum control, it will not let you bank the plane very steep, making it hard to turn. Turn the AFS control down and it's much more manageable.

One big benefit was the flight simulator software and cable provided with the plane. It also came with a "how-to" DVD, about 45 minutes long, that went over lots of stuff I didn't know. Very useful.

Email me if I can provide anymore info.

-Steve in Phoenix. two snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

Thanks for all of your very helpful replies.

John VB

Greetings,

Just thought I'd post my experience with the plane as a new pilot. The package seems like a decent way to get into the hobby at first look but it does have its issues.

The first problem I had with it occurred on a hard second landing of the plane when it was first being trimmed out. The snap in landing gear did not perform like they intended (at least I hope so). The landing gear snapped the internal plastic piece inside and broke apart the servo box. My more experienced friend fixed the plane for me by building a very secure base for the landing gear and attaching it to the bottom of the plane and recovered. After this was done the plane was good.

The other problem is that like others mentioned the plane really wants to go up. One of the things noted was there wasn't enough down thrust put on the engine so we added some washers behind the top bolts on the firewall which helped a lot.

The experienced pilots that were training me though still felt like the plane flew a little quirky. We tried it without the extra parts on it (the wing tips and full time flap things) and the plane then flew like they thought it should. Of course then it was much to fast for me and was not a good trainer so we put it all back on hehe.

Finally 2 weeks ago during some practice take offs some wind got the better of the plane (and me) and I couldn't pull out in time and the plane became many plane pieces.

Did I buy another one or fix it? No, and at this point I wouldn't recommend it to someone else. I purchased a Sig Kadet Senior ARF for my new trainer. My friend has a modified(it has ailerons) kit Kadet Senior which I had flown before and it was wonderful easy going plane. I would suggest the Kadet Senior ARF to a new pilot. The only problem I had putting it together was getting the thing balanced with the Nextstar's old OS .46FX. It was too tail heavy and my friend assisted me in producing some custom lead weights for the front.

Roy

Great. This isn't what I wanted to hear. :eek:

I read the reviews of the airplane, and they all seemed to be lik 'this is the best thing since sliced bread.' So, I bought th airplane.

My first problem is that I can't even get it put together! The win mounting system is off center, by as much as 2mm in width, and 1

1.5mm front to back. So, the wings have to go back to Hobbico to b replaced.

As to the AFS, I'll reserve judgement until I can actually fly th plane.

I expect to be putting in a few hours with the simulator between th time I ship the wings and the time I get them back. We'll see if tha does anything in the field when I get to fly. Of course, I have th huge handicap of being a real life pilot, and I've already heard al the problems I can expect because of that, so don't bother. :p

In a month or so, if the airplane is still in one piece (meaning haven't intentionally flown it into the ground) I'll come back an report on my initial feelings. I'll also report on the instructor' view of the AFS.

Gar

-- GaryM

----------------------------------------------------------------------- GaryMC's Profile:

this thread:

Gary, Sorry to hear about the wings. Other than the problems stated, I have actually had much success with my NexStar, and Hobbico's warranty service has been very friendly also. Expect to do a bunch of adjustments the day you finally fly it. I'd like to hear how it goes when you get it up in the air. Good luck!

-Steve.

GaryMC wrote:

I started this thread because a new member wanted a plane to learn with. I put him on the buddy box a couple of times and didn't have to take it away once. He really does well for no previuos rc experience. So, we ended up getting the Hanger 9 Arrow. Hope it flies as well as the Alphas I have helped other people fly.

John VB

View this thread:

The Arrow is a good trainer, much like the Hobbico Avistar. I've only flown one for a newbie, and though it was faster and not quite as stable than the typical trainer, it had no bad habits. Y'all made a good choice.

Morris

Yes this is exactly why I bought mine. I think on first look the plane does look great and the reviewers just don't spend enough time with it.

I had the exact same problem. It must be a manufacturing defect. I just widened the hole till it fit together myself.

I had far more trouble getting the tail together. They are insane if they think you can do it the way the instructions say. I ended up taking off some of the control horns so could get it all to fit together properly.

I never turned the AFS on once, and since the reciver was damaged in the crash it will never come on now hehe I kept hearing "You need to learn how to fly the right way" type things from reviews and stuff so I just left it off. I know it wouldn't have helped me in my crash that is for sure.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll have better luck than I.

Roy

Roy,

I really am sorry that you had all the issues with your NexSTAR. have to wonder about the landing gear on the airplane, too. I put i together, and couldn't pull the landing gear off, but then I remove the gear, intentionally, and had the devil of a time getting it to loc back into place. Finally I did, with enough patience, that I can't ge it back out again without pushing the buttons internally. I hope don't have issues with the landings.

I spoke to one of the instructors at our club, and his feeling is tha I shouldn't even install the speed flaps. He feels that is the caus of the problem with the high climb rates. For me, I don't like th attitude at which the airplane descends with them on, if the simulatio is to be believed. So, I won't put them on, but I will leave th 'droops' on the forward edge of the wings. I don't really have a issue with them being on there.

As to the AFS, again, if the simulation is to be believed, I think I' going to set it at about 10%. I feel, from flying the sim, that a that setting, I have a nice stable, but 'control accurate' airplane. Of course, flying the real thing when my wings get here will be th telling.

I will have an instructor at the flying field, and we will use a Budd Box, so hopefully that won't cause an issue. I am looking forward t getting this in the air, though.

Thanks for taking the time to post again, and tell me of your issues. I asked Hobby Services to 'test fit' the wings before they sent them t me. If they don't fit, I may ask for your assistance on *how* you go yours to go together.

Gar

-- GaryMC

----------------------------------------------------------------------- GaryMC1's Profile:

this thread: