mervyn robb Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi I am retired and about to take up radio controlled flying. I live in Northern Ireland and have joined a local club. I have been seeking advice on a suitable trainer and four have come up as options ST DISCOVERY GLASSAIR SPORTSMAN ELITE APPRENTIVE SAFE CENTURY RIOT I would love to hear some advice as to what to buy. I will be learning in a club environment with guidance. Money not a serious restriction. Look forward to hearing from you Regards MERVYN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Tweddle Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 What do the club fly mate any of the above... David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masher Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi Mervyn What better way to enjoy retirement - but don't underestimate the time and money it soaks up! Most of my early training up to and including the A test was done on the ST Discovery so I know that is suitable. The only issue I had was weak wire in the nose wheel - this would bend very easily not just on my heavy landings but also due to take off drag from wet grass. There is no WOT on your list although I think the RIOT is very similar! If you are having the benefit of expert training from an instructor with buddy lead, I would recommend the WOT 4 - foam electric or wood IC. Both can be used as trainers but they need setting up as such and can be a bit lively for first flights. The added bonus is that they can grow with you and be quite sporty as you get better. I did get a bit bored with the Discovery - nowhere near as much fun as a WOT (IMHO) The key point is that you are getting proper help from a club member - as suggested, seek their advice but your options are much widened when you have experienced support Edited By Masher on 28/10/2013 13:34:05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Tweddle Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Wot4 David C/O Ditto Dep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Mervyn, what made you come up with that list of models? Are they ones which are flown in your club? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn robb Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Thanks guys for the very prompt replies, I'm impressed. David, I have only got to know one guy so far and he has taken me under his wing and has been teaching for 40 years. He says that some members have the Discovery but he has drawn my attention to the new E-flite Apprentice which won't be in the UK for another month. Horizon Hobby will be distributing it. It has SAFE technology with a 'panic' button which, if pressed, will immediately return the plane to level flight. Sounds great for a learner! Dont know if I can wait however as I'm keen to get started. Its about £250 complete. The same chap has suggested the Glassair Sportsman which also has some learner restrictions but I dont know if other members have it or not, dont think so. The Riot is not owned by any member but the feeling is that it is too 'lively' for a learner. The Riot was suggested by a local dealer and is not in the club either. So there, all I want to know is what to buy. Sounds like you guys are very experienced. The Apprentice sounds good but if its not that then the Sportsman looks like a good compromise. Keep chucking out the comments guys. Many thanks Regards MERVYN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn robb Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi John F - sounds like you are a bit suprised at the my list of proposed models. Have you some good suggestions I could consider as I would welcome them. Masher looks like the WOT 4 is popular? Merv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masher Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 WOT 4 has stood the long test of time and most experienced flyers seem to have owned one at some point. I have had a foam one which I flew to death and now enjoy my IC one - never let's me down. With the caveat of not being ideal for the beginner without support, you can't beat it on suitability, durability and price (I'm hoping Mr Foss will give me a donation!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Our club has two electric trainers, the E-flite Apprentice and the NT Discovery. Enough said. I've flown the Apprentice but not the Discovery, however, it appears to fly very slowly giving the beginner plenty of thinking time. The Multiplex Mentor appears to be very good and it's a bit larger than the other two, again I haven't flown it but those that have recommend it. The WOT 4 is a superb second model but it's not a trainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark a Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi Mervyn. I trained on a WOT4 last year with an instructor on a buddy lead. The model was set up to be very docile and within a dozen flights I went solo. A year or so on I still have my WOT4 in my fleet its one of my favourites and I'm now doing some very outrages manoeuvres with it which is great fun. What I'm trying to say is a WOT4 can be almost any aircraft you want it to be by just changing the set up, the perfect trainer it is not but its worth a look if you feel up to it. Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger 2 Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi Mervyn Ask 5 flyers get 5 different but prob correct answers, it depends on ones experience with that model. For my sins I have been flying models since the 70's. I keep an old Irvine 40 as a hack for the very infrequent bad weather we all get. As a trainer I cannot fault it and a lot of beginners have had a go with it. Only thing it wouldn't do is a bunt, I Know cos I cut the grass getting out of one once. Electric are cleaner but you need a number of lipo's where as with ic another slurp of fuel and away you go..Take your pick Cheers Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beeney Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Mervyn, We have a learner member that’s recently acquired one of the E-Flite Apprentice models with the self-righting function. It’s only flown once, I think the last time we were flying. A colleague was flying it with him, and he said that it behaved exactly as described, and even actually landed itself at one point, perfectly! When the weather improves and we can get back to the strip we can give it a bit more wellie! However, I’ve always been a teeny-weeny bit chary about the ‘learning to fly’ add-ons. My preferred training setup is a standard well trimmed trainer type in the first instance, with plenty of power when needed, and full control throws with no rates or expo etc. No bells and whistles. This usually results in the beginner quickly getting the hang of it; then, of course, they can experiment to their heart’s content. We’ve also flown a couple of Riots all summer in a slightly different situation, intensive training with youngsters; for an hour at the time. We’ve also occasionally used some smaller types as well. These Riots have coped admirably, the only stoppage was a faulty ESC, to be instantly replaced FOC. One serious crash, when one lad, who’d never flown before at Christmas, went on to become an instructor. He discovered that he could spin down for a landing quicker than doing a circuit, this was fine for a short while, and then he didn’t quite make it back. A club colleague of mine took it all apart, made some new plywood parts and repaired some foam; it returned as good as new. Consequently, after some fairly firm communication from me as to who would definitely be repairing the next one, they’ve not even bent so much as an undercarriage for weeks! For their latest trickery they’ve adorned one model with camera mountings, one on the top and one underneath, two at the time. This is considered ‘mental’, that’s one of their expressions? Thus FPV sits on the wing, a small standard and probably expensive video camera slung underneath. The latest FPV is now very sleek, the goggles have a little aerial and are fully self contained, no external connections. So now we have a pilot beating up the strip flying FPV, and getting it all in-flight recorded at the same time! Mental could well be a very appropriate description for this…… It’s for a school project, I’m told, I suspect the project is seeing how many iPads and iPhones this can get into… The Riot takes all this in it’s stride with aplomb, although I have keep an eye on the battery time. They seem to forget the extra load requires more power. As I’ve said in previous threads, I do like the Riot as a trainer. The light wing loading insures it will fly slowly without becoming a liability, but it still has to be flown, it won’t stooge around for long on it’s own; therefore if you want to be able to fly, you have to learn to fly. There are a few pointers for anyone putting it together out of the box, but once flying it does seem to be very resilient. So the Riot might be a contender with the rest, and it does infer in the instructions that the nose weight can be removed and it can be made as lively as the pilot might care to do, and turn it into a nice little aerobat! All the Very Best of Luck. PB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez Saunders Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi Mervyn, I am on the teach myself to fly route and am doing it with a Hobbyzone Glasair Sportsman,its working for me, I have about 30-40 flights under my belt over the last few months with some heavy arrivals,even landing in a tree the other evening ! It seems to be very robust probably helped buy its light weight. It should only be flown in light winds,10 mph according to instructions but got caught out the other evening when the wind got up and managed to get an interesting flight and land OK. If you are getting an exsperiened instructor at a club then it maybe that a different aircraft would be more suitable but I bought the model with everything I needed to fly for about 160 pounds, the battery does not last long,but plenty long enough for your first flights as the concentration levels are fairly high in the beginning ! Its one weakness is the nose wheel,it does bend easily with a rough landing,I have lost count of the amount of times it has been straightened but it is still the original part. Anyway good luck with what plane you decide on and let us know how you get on in your new hobby. All the best Jez. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn robb Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Thanks all I can't believe the helpful response I'm getting and only a few hours after registering today! Will digest later and no doubt will have more questions. Thanks all for the welcome Mervyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn robb Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 HI me again. I thought the Eflite Apprentice SAFE was only arriving in the UK at end of November 2013 for the first time according to Hobbyzone. I see David you mention the Apprentice. Have I got that wrong and if it is already here where can I get it? Mervyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 The E-Flite Apprentice has been available for some time. I do not know what an Apprentice SAFE is. Must be some development pf the original Apprentice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn robb Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi David The latest Apprentice seems to be referred to as the SAFE version. it has a PANIC button on the controller which, when pressed, returns the plane to level flight should a novice lose control of it. Thats the one we're waiting on! Regards MERVYN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 i have flown the multiplex mentor. it was the first plane i flew when i joined the new club after teaching myself to fly. it is docile and just plods round safely and sedately. though in the right hands. well hmmmmmmmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 I reckon the Century Riot is a good foam trainer. I think we have three guys learning on them at the club at present. They handle wind fairly well for foam, and the undercarriage is nice and strong. If you want to learn to fly on a foamy It seems to be a very good way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Depron Daz Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 WOT4 was my first plane, absolutely loved it, went solo after 3 flights, and I have only just sold it. It was my "go to" plane when winds were 15+ mph. I done my A cert with her when the wind was 18mph and gusting. It is a very forgiving plane, and when you're ready, whack up the throws and the rates, and it is capable of mild 3D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beeney Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Mervyn, I’m pretty convinced the Apprentice my beginner friend has is the one with the SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) function. It is brand new. When I next meet him, and that may well be on Wednesday, I will get all the details, and also give it a little pole around to see how well it performs. I’d say it was just about foolproof. PB PS I think that might be a somewhat contrived acronym, too! Edited By Peter Beeney on 28/10/2013 23:21:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn robb Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi Peter that would be brilliant. I don't want to pass this model by if I can get it somehow. Horizon Hobby told me it was leaving China BY BOAT at the end of October and would be with them early December - TALK ABOUT THE SLOW BOAT TO CHINA - OR FROM CHINA! Maybe your friend got it elsewhere. It has a self righting function whereby you push a panic button to return the plane to level flight while you take your next valium to recover your composure. Thanks Peter look forward to hearing more from you MERVYN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob43 Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Hi MervynIf you like the feature of the e flight apprentice with the self levelling feature you can always buy a 3 axis gyro with self levelling function and just fit it to whatever aircraft you decide to buy. I use one made by ftec that cost about 60 poinds, if you get in to trouble just release the sticks and it will right the aircraft fairly quickly. Its also switchable from the tx and certainly keep your plane much steadier whilst you learn to get to grips with orientation etc. There is a lot of mixed opinion on the use of gyros for beginners but it will make your first flights easier for sure and this helps to inspire confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn robb Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Thanks Rob. The Apprentice appeals to me as an absolute novice as it sounds idiotproof! Mind you loads of people must have learned to fly without such a luxury. I notice some planes come with 4 channel controller and some 6. Which should I go for? MERV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Hi Merv, I'd go for six. Four is fine for a very basic set up. ie. throttle, rudder, elevators, & ailerons. If you need more functions, maybe one channel for each aileron, retracts, flaps etc, then you will need more, and have to get a new radio. I suppose it dépends on how far you intend to go with the hobby ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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