looking to buy a beginners rtf (or at least very basic build) electric starter plane for my boy. i already have a couple of remote control units so don't need a complete kit.
anyone have any recommendations? i'm guessing we need one of the foam jobbies so it can be crashed again and again!
I got one of these as my first plane [url= http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=HBZ7100 ]Super Cub[/url]
I know it has a controller but its a great beginners plane and easy to fly. There are plenty of spares available as well. Factor in another battery and a couple of props as well.
http://alshobbies.com/shop/cat.php?id=1104
can't do any worse than that....cheap considering has 2.4ghz radio too!
How much do you guys pay for insurance? When I last checked the cost of insurance put me off owning one of these, though I have to say I'd prefer a proper chopper.
As Beaker says the Super Cub is the one to go for.
I prefer choppers too! But they are a lot more difficult to control. 😉
I prefer choppers too! But they are a lot more difficult to control.
Planes are a bit simple to control 😀
BMFA is only £31 a year, not bad.
Join the bmfa and more importantly join a local club and learn there. It's harder than it looks at first and being on a buddy box will save you cash.
Something robust like jp prankster is a robust good first plane. Get a spare nose for it when you buy it.
Also recommend Phoenix flight sim to help practice the co-ordination and how to recover a plane that may be quite far away 🙂
Best tip though is to find and join your local club..
Where r u in the country? Are there any hills about? You could try slope soaring or indoor flying. Both very cheap. If yr near Brighton pm me and we can go slope soaring
you can also buy a simulator so you can practice on your 'puter, crashes are much cheaper that way 😉
I have RC Plane Master which IIRC cost about £20 including the USB "transmitter".
Helicopters are much more difficult (well, the single rotor + tail rotor ones are; co-axial ones tend to be a lot easier), but the 'leccy ones can be flown indoors in a church hall.
My local club has use of a local school sports hall once a month, some of the smaller electric planes are also suitable for an indoor space of this size
Go to the BMFA link & you should be able to find a Club Locator; your club membership or BMFA membership will include third-party insurance (in case you "land" it on someone/someone's house/car/dog) but most likely not for the model itself
Most of the fixed wing flyers at my local club fly their planes on a Mode 1 Tx, but helicopters are almost always Mode 2. Some Transmitters can be changed from Mode 1 to Mode 2 by opening them up, others cannot. Get advice from your local club or shop before you buy...
They're always flying them down near Catton Hall (Sleepless event place) in Staffordshire.
I learned to fly on a slope with an Irvine X-It flying wing.
EPP foam 'Wings' like [url= http://www.flyingwings.co.uk/store/index.php?cPath=157_145 ]this[/url] make pretty good first models, stall resistant, good low speed characteristics, very bouncy, super easy to fix, and can be setup as tame or as mental as you want.
Otherwise, I would recommend the [url= http://www.flyingwings.co.uk/store/index.php?cPath=158_121 ]FlyingWings V-Trainer[/url]. Again EPP foam and a versatile airframe to stick stuff like cameras on.
I flew planes and helis for years. A good option for low cost fun is a Zagi or similar type flying wing.
http://www.zagi.com/
Most good model shops will have them.
crouisk... perfect, thanks. the super cub suggestion looks like a cracking plane, but literally i'm after something very crashable that the boy can fly on a deserted beach at low tide and the zagi was what i imagined i would need.
I like the look at the Zagi's. So you need Batteries, Motor, Servo's, ESC and tranny.. Very tempting!
I like the look at the Zagi's. So you need Batteries, Motor, Servo's, ESC and tranny.. Very tempting!
I bought a zagi for my father, I've got to say it's a bit like flying a wasp initially but cheap and robust!
[url= http://www.hobbyking.com ]Hobbyking[/url]
Cheap, effective, large stock. The only problem that we have had at work is the time taken to get to us from Shanghai. So, we bulk order and get lots of bits in at once.
I learned on their own label EPP foam plane and am now crashing one of their small flying wings. When I've learned how to not crash that, or it has too much fibre glass on it to stay in the air, I'll build up the larger flying wing I have as a spare and use that.
Wings are great, but "normal" planes are more stable to learn on.