first plane

[darren campbell]

hi, never had an rc plane.

looking at the eflite apprentice e from sussex models.

comes with spektrum dx6i

is this a good starting point.

[Richard Wood]

Hi Darren,
The Apprentice has a good reputation but probably not as a first model for
a complete newbie on their own.
Are you in or going to join a club? Learning to fly on your own is not easy.
You'll get help & encouragement at most clubs.

[GONZO]

Some clubs, like mine, have a club trainer with dual controls. Very useful to try out the hobby before investing cash.

[Allan Bowker]

The E-Flite Apprentice is marketed as a first plane Darren, however I would recommend visiting a few clubs in your area first, speaking to as many people as possible and using an RC simulator before you part with any cash for a plane.

The BMFA website lists clubs in your area and a few of them might have the facility of a 'club trainer' plane for you to try with an instructor for free.

If you are going it alone, then there is an Apprentice version with the SAFE system that can help to get you out of some sticky situations.

[Graham Biddulph]

Hi Darren, I like you am going it alone, My first plane was the Hobbyzone stratos, very easy to fly but make sure there is no wind. Then I started flying a Bixler (no electronic aids on this,) but again I manage to fly this quite well. I cut all the rates down on this to make it as docile as possible, It does fly a lot faster than the stratos. Then I bought an eflite apprentice s, What a plane should have gone to this before the bixler, it flys so slow and stable I love it..The only problem I have is that I fly from a field behind my house, so can only fly it when the grass has been cut. I fly this in novice and intermediate modes, Having said all that, if you can get help from a club I would do that, just to get you going at least.

[Dave Hopkin]

Hi Darren

Nothing wrong with the Apprentice at all, you will need a plave to fly from with short grass of course, the only changes I would make are larger wheels to ease take off from grass - but make sure you buy the Dx6i option the DX5 is very poor in comparison.

I would recomend joining a club, I think in the long run you will learn faster and have less crashes but its not essential - BUT if you are going solo make sure you have insurance and choose your flying site VERY carefully - as you learn you will not be in full control of the aircraft and that makes it more dangerous to passing members of the public

[darren campbell]

The plane has SAFE system. The main reason for looking at the apprentice. And yes I am paying the little extra for the dx6i.considering going to the burbage Mac. Not too far from where I live. Only about 25 minutes drive. However where I live I have very large playing fields behind my house. And was considering using the cricket surface as a runway. Obviously when it's not in use.

[bouncebounce crunch]

Parkzone Radian, rudder, elevator, throttle. excellent learners model

I have seen club members learn with the Apprentice and that is another great learners model too.

If you can at least make one visit to a club and ask for help, you will save money and be well and truly on the right path if you let them know what your goals are.

[cymaz]

Your learning experience will be greatly enhanced by joining a club......years of knowledge, hints and tips are in clubs which will be invaluable. See what's around you and visit a couple if you can...pick the one that gives you a warm welcome and shows an interest in you.

Good luck with the flying

[..]

Posted by darren campbell on 15/08/2015 01:21:45:
The plane has SAFE system. The main reason for looking at the apprentice. And yes I am paying the little extra for the dx6i.considering going to the burbage Mac. Not too far from where I live. Only about 25 minutes drive. However where I live I have very large playing fields behind my house. And was considering using the cricket surface as a runway. Obviously when it's not in use.

Do you have permission to fly on the playing fields behind your house?

Learning is hard enough at a dedicated site let alone in a public space where the general public and his dog ( literally ) can cause untold problems.

The safe function IMO is no more than a gimmick aimed at the US market where open areas and rite of access is far less of an issue than it is here in the UK.

As for the plane it's self well its OK with the SAFE function off but personally having flown both I would recommend the Seagull E pioneer as a far better option for an electric trainer.

[Dave Hopkin]

Justin, I too have flown both and as a flying machine I agree the pioneer is far better - BUT the Apprentice is far more repairable for a beginner and you can get replacement parts easily - seagull advertise spare parts but try actually finding any in stock anywhere!!!!

The bulk of the work of the SAFE system can be replicated by setting rates (apart from the panic button) and to be honest while the function sounds very enticing I am not convinced that its a plane saver

[trebor]

To be honest I would say the Multiplex fun cub. It will do all the things you want, it can fly slow giving you time to think, it can fly on a small patch, if you have an accident being of good foam stands a chance of surviving. If you want just use the elevator and rudder to start with ok! It's not down as learner but it should be, its enjoyable to fly. When you get used to the controls then get something breakable and heavier.

[..]

Yes maybe Dave.

[darren campbell]

The fields behind my house are owned by the rugby club which all 3 of my kids play for. They have already given permission aslong as no teams are using it at the time. Ive looked at the pioneer and the fun cub. They work out more expensive than the apprentice. The apprentice is rtf and the dx6i is included for £220. Ive had rc cars in the past, and decided to switch to planes. I eventually want to become competent in aerobatics. Start with a basic plane and work my way up. I will be joining a club and progress from there.

i dont want to build my own plane just yet. Need to learn to fly first, then start building my own.

[darren campbell]

Posted by cymaz on 15/08/2015 07:02:37:

Your learning experience will be greatly enhanced by joining a club......years of knowledge, hints and tips are in clubs which will be invaluable. See what's around you and visit a couple if you can...pick the one that gives you a warm welcome and shows an interest in you.

Good luck with the flying

Ive looked at the local clubs websites. The closest to me I dont seem to keen on purely from the website. But I could be wrong. Going to take a run over to bmac club this weekend if I have the time.

[Dave Hopkin]

While flying at the Rugby Club will be ideal logistically, I would strongly advise flying at the club with an instructor first to get the basic controls under your belt - writing off your first plane with no second to fly with is incredibly disheartening

[..]

Go for it then Darren, you seem to have made your own mind up. Don't forget your BMFA membership or an alternate insurance before flying tho.

Good Luck..... J

[darren campbell]

Posted by Dave Hopkin on 15/08/2015 08:21:16:

While flying at the Rugby Club will be ideal logistically, I would strongly advise flying at the club with an instructor first to get the basic controls under your belt - writing off your first plane with no second to fly with is incredibly disheartening

I dont plan on buying the plane and going straight out on the fields on my own. Will be going to a club first. The use of the fields will be more for after I learn to fly without having to drive to a club.

[Braddock, VC]

Hi Darren, go for it. If you've mastered rc cars in the past your more than 50% of the way to being a pilot.

Whatever else you do the best advice on here so far is to join the bmfa, it's the easiest way of getting insurance and you'll definitely need that peace of mind before embarking on your undertaking on a rugby pitch.

Clubs are OK I suppose but you then are putting yourself at someone else's convenience. BTW you won't be doing anything new, it's what used to be done before rc clubs proliferated.

For a first model I'd suggest the hobby king Junior, cheap as chips, slow and will give you enough change from your £220 to buy a new spektrum set up, several batteries and a charger. I learned to fly on the model this was copied from, ie the Junior 60.

Just my 2p.

[Cuban8]

Whether to join a club or not, depends these days on what you are looking to get out of the hobby. If you're just giving model flying a try and will more than likely move onto something else quite quickly, then by all means get one of the foamy trainers with the panic switch and give it a go on your own. Providing you can operate safely and legally, I don't see a problem and if you get fed up with it, not a lot has been lost.

If your interest is a little more serious and you aspire eventually to flying something more advanced and developing your skills, then joining a club will be a wise move. Perhaps after a while of lone flying, the bug will bite and you'll need experienced help to move on. Unfortunately, some clubs are better than others when it comes to encouraging new flyers to the hobby, so visit a few and see which ones you think you could work with.

I don't see the attraction of standing in a field on your own and just flying about for the sake of it. Being a member of a good club is so much more than simply having somewhere to fly. Lifelong friendships are made and you'll find inspiration from other modellers and their aeroplanes, that you would otherwise miss out on as a 'lone wolf'.

 

Edited By Cuban8 on 15/08/2015 10:21:15

[ChrisB]

A chap in our club has the apprentice, it's a superb little model, although I'm told the nose wheel steering is a little weak.

I'd go to several clubs, maybe tomorrow if possible, as the weather will be nice and you'll see which one you like the best. Most clubs are ok, some can be a bit elite.

Cheers

Cb

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I agree with Chris - a good look around a couple of clubs would be a smart move at this stage. Don't judge clubs by their websites - sadly most club websites are pretty hopeless affairs (with a few honourable exceptions of course!) and don't reflect the club accurately at all. Web design is not necessarily a strong point in many clubs!

The important things to look out for are:

1. Do they welcome you and seem friendly? Remember you are the "visitor" so its really down to you to make the first move and introduce yourself. But once you do how do they react? Do they seem interested and prepared to talk?

2. Do they fly regularly and how many members do they have? You'll be best in a club with the critical mass to ensure that there is likely to be someone there who can take you up most days when its flyable.

3. Do they have an instructor scheme with nominated instructors? What is the way they run the scheme? Any competant pilot can instruct you, but if the club has an established team of instructors things tend to run more smoothly from the beginners point of view.

4. What transmitters/trainers are the instructors familar with. You should have no real issues here as the DX6 is a very common learner transmitter, but its worth checking.

5. Are there any other learners there you can chat to? What's their experience been like? Are they getting plenty of good instruction or are they finding it difficult to get support?

All that, plus of course your general personal feel about the guys there, should help you to pick a good club that will ease your path into the hobby really well and have you flying in no time!

BEB

[John Howes]

The Efilte Apprentice S is excellent although I think it's a touch large and heavy for a first plane. I'd probably go with an Easystar or Bixler, as they're cheaper (well the Bixler is!), lighter (if you hit someone!) and more crash proof. A model like this is ideal for learning orientation.

The Apprentice is a great next model, although TBH I only use the beginer mode to look at my watch (Engage Beginner, plane flies straight, look at watch!). The great thing is that it's very docile, easy to launch (fit some massive wheels from HK) and easy to land. It'll do rolls, loops and even inverted with a lot of up elevator and air speed.

My Apprentice has now become an action camera platform fro my SJCam M10, and works very well.

I also wouldn't bother with the DX5e. The DX6i will do you well for years to come.

For a good second battery look up the Turnigy 3300mAH from HK. It's a bit heavier, but fits fine, and a fraction of the price of the EFlite one.

Joining the BMFA is worth it just for the insurance. Nothing else (The monthly mag is like something from the salvation army! )

[Rich too]

I am going to rock the boat and give you advice based on my experiences.

I have always flown alone, or with an old flying mate - not via clubs. The main reason was/is flying time. Especially in the old days, with pegs boards, flying time was limited at clubs (I know because I've tried them), and I never had time to spend all day at the field. I like to go for a quick hour flying and then go home. My current site is no more than 5 mins away.

A spin off from this is that when you are learning, you learn far quicker when you are flying more, there is no substitute for stick time - it is like learning to ride a bike in that respect, one day it will just click into place - when I taught myself, I would go flying before and after school - every day!!

The major downside of learning alone is that you need a lot of patients. You WILL crash ALOT initially, and if that is going to be a problem for you - join a club!

And whatever you do, as John said, get some insurance - you can get BMFA country insurance for flying alone.

Good luck!

 

Edited By Rich2 on 26/08/2015 13:17:02

Edited By Rich2 on 26/08/2015 13:17:55

[ChrisB]

How did you get on Darren?

CB