Next plane choice - should i consider anything else?

[Tim Yates]

Hi All

I am self taught from sim through to my current plane - Hobbyzone Super Cub LP. Its all been going really well and i feel i am ready to progress to a plane with ailerons. I have highlighted the E Flite apprentice as possibly the best model to progress to; thinking it is still best for me to stay with a high wing plane at this time. Though my end aim is to fly a spitfire...

 

Should i consider any other plane at this time or go ahead and purchase the apprentice?

 

As an aside note, i found that spraying the underside of the wings on the supercub blue gave me better vision and feeling of the plane at a distance. I'd certainly recommend this to anyone else who is learning. Obviously this is a standard feature of of the spitfire that i aspire to fly!

 

Thanks all

Tim

Edited By Tim Yates on 21/02/2010 14:15:13

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Tim Yates]

Thanks Eric. I thought apprentice as the parts seem readily available, the wingspan of 1475mm and the general spec of the plane - brushless motor etc.

 

What other options are worth a look within the similar kind of spec and price range? I would like something quite popular so that parts are readily available.

 

Thanks

Tim

 

 

[Tim Yates]

Sorry guys n gals - i have just looked back through my posts and it seems i have double posted. I posted a similar thread last year and in short the multiplex mentor and e-flite apprentice were recommended. At that time i didnt buy as had a few other things abosrbing cash. Ready to purchase now though.....

[Alan Williams]

I have yhe multiplex magister,which is now the mentor and cant recommend it highly enough.Very stable and easy to fly.Alan Williams

 

[Yorkman]

Where are you Tim? I've got a twinstar cluttering up my shed that needs a home!

[Tim Yates]

Thanks Alan. Nice to have a recommendation of a tried and tested model. I think whichever i go for i wont be dissapointed so the final choice will probably come down to costs. As i mentioned, i want it to learn with so i can then move on to a spitfire - hopefully afterwards...

I'll work out the costs of the apprentice and mentor and then go shopping. I say work out costs as i'll need a 2.4 system too and i don't have motor or ESC either. (SuperCub LP was a basic one box purchase and not brushless so cant use any of those bits).

 

Yorkman, thanks for the offer! Im guessing you're in the York(shire) area? A tad far from me in Oxford.

Thanks though..

[Yorkman]

Actually Tim I'm in Andover,so a bit closer than you thought! The 'York' refers to that model flying by in my avatar...

[Andy Harris]

PA Addiction [low rates]

Parkzone T28

 

I test flew my T28 yesterday at a fair windy Newbury, very easy, not one click of trim needed.

 

Not as capable or as interesting as the Addition but will land slowly.

 

My son has a T28 which he used for landing practice, literally 100+ touch and goes, we had a cross wind yesterday so a great day for balancing the ailerons against the rudder and making long slow passes down the runway.

 

Andy

[Lee Smalley]

Please andy dont recommend a Addiction (even on low rates0 a great aircraft it may well be but for a first aileron aircraft....honestly ....

Anyway Tim i can only recommend what i  have flown and seen fly and if you are on a budget and it does fly fantastically seagul Epioneer electric trainer, but to be honest eveything mentioned here apart form the PA Addiction is fine

[David Davis]

I have flown a pupil's Apprentice and I thought it was excellent. Having said that Multiplex products have an enviable reputation.

 

As another alternative why not try electrifying a WOT 4? Details on Chris Foss Models website. 

[Tim Yates]

Thanks guys.

Think ive pretty much settled on the apprentice. Do i buy the RTF version with the spektrum DX5 or should i get the ARTF version and a seperate DX6?

 

As mentioned my longer term aim is to fly a spitfire - would the DX5 be ok for that? In my way of thinking the 5th channel would be for retracting the landing gear of a spitfire and i don't need any more channels of features - is that correct? Im not wanting to drop bombs or anything like that - i just want to fly.

 

To be honest i am quite daunted by the DX6 with it's many switches - im not sure i would benefit from them and the dual rate settings, it might overcomplicate things for me - i am a novice remember.

Also i don't know what 'delta wing mixing' is.... answers on a postcard.

 

Also, who do you lot recommend for LiPo batteries? Ive got giant cod but who else?

 

 

[Tim Mackey]

No - the DX5 is not much more than a toy TBH.

Delta wing mix is for a 'plane which has the ailerons acting as elevators also. The mix setting on the Tx allows both the aileron servos ( you must use two...one on each aileron ) to also work together as a large elevator. Some times known as elevon mix too.

tail-less 'planes like.....err...delta wings and flying wings etc use em.

Cheap batteries - GC, or Hobby King have the best prices for good quality packs IMO

Edited By Timbo - Administrator on 23/02/2010 23:00:53

[Andy Harris]

Lee,

 

You're probably right, although having flown both the T28 and the Addiction at the weekend the Addiction has that locked-in always recoverable feeling whereas the T28 feels unpredictable in a simple aileron roll, it flops or barrels through the inverted bit.

 

The T28 will right itself rather than staying put in the turn, one always feels like one is putting pressure on the stick.

 

But the T28 takes the rough arrivals that sometime accompany learning.

 

I learnt on an Addition and still have it, and enjoy it, they make you feel like a better pilot than your skill level.

 

I reckon that Timbo will be moderating me for suggesting that the Addiction is a full all-rounder.  Some say the Hype3D has similar characteristics, if my girlfriend comes to the field one of the instructors puts her on a buddy box for a Hype3D on the grounds that they are impossible to to catch out the instructor.

 

I haven't got a 'B' yet so I'm still in the intermediate phase.

 

I do have a high winger models, a Tetra and a Free-Bee, but cricket bat mid wings seem so much easier.

 

Andy

Excutive Summary - Lee probably right

 

 

[Tim Mackey]

Well Lee seems to have succeeded where  failed..... the saga of you and addiction as trainer was played out long ago Andy

[Lee Smalley]

Andy, when we are looking at trainers you have to asume almost a worst case scenario there are pilots at my club that could never learn on a addiction no matter how low the rates are, but then again there are some that prob could have!!  on a forum you can't make an assumption that the prospective pilot is one of the few that could learn on a addiction (or similar) I am with you Andy it is a fantastic aircraft and i can understand completly your enthusiasm in recommending it your skills are just better than others, you lucky fella

 

Most learners require a certain amount of self righting ability from their trainer, so require a standard design (high wing and dihedral)

 

Edited By Timbo - Administrator on 24/02/2010 13:15:29

[Jonathan Lewzey]

i'd go for the mentor in this situation. from what i've seen it flies very nicely and has a good reputation on this very forum. its also aerobatic, but not too intimidating at your stage as an addicition would be. Don't fit it out with the multiplex power set as that costs a bomb. Look around for something cheaper. I'd definitely stay with the spektrum DSM2 that the apprentice offers too.

[Allan Bowker]

I too would recommend a Multiplex Mentor as I have one in my hanger too.

If you are going IC though as opposed to electric, I would recommend a WOT-4 with a .40 two stroke in it.

 

If you are on a tight budget have a look at www.britflight.co.uk as their Breeze is a nice little high wing and doesn't break the bank.

 

Have you thought about building your own foam depron plane? Easy and very cheap to do with plenty of free plans out there. If you have a crash the electronics can be transferred quickly to another depron plane. I'm building depron planes for about £10 each (glue, carbon, foam, horns, tape).

 

Dave Powers on YouTube is worth looking at if you are thinking of going the depron route.

RCSuperPowers