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Recommendations for a foamie trainer?


Chris300s
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So today I entered into the market for a new trainer.

 

This Arising Star was about 15-years old and on its last legs when I decided to start training my 5-year old on it. He’s developing his fine motor skills and mostly bangs the sticks around on buddy box. This morning he put it into a power dive from about 150 ft and just as I took back control the wings folded and it did it’s best impression of a badger. 
 

Now I learned to fly in the 80’s so I’m not up to speed with the modern crop of trainers so I’m asking you fine folks for some recommendations.

 

I think I’d like to find an electric foamy for ease of set up. One that’s large enough that I can see it and will handle the wind a bit better than the park flyers, but stable enough that he’ll get some rewarding flights out of it and enjoy the experience.

 

I’ve been having a great time recently with an FMS Fox which may be clouding my judgement. So I’m thinking a powered glider like my Fox, or something more traditional like a Carbon Cub, or maybe a bespoke trainer like a Bixler pusher?


I fly Futaba so I’d rather not join the cult of Spektrum if I can avoid it.

 

What’re your thoughts?

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I am a long time flyer (BMFA examiner) and in recent years the 2 foamy trainers that impressed me most when I first flew them at the RCHotel were the ST Models Discovery and FMS Super EZ - to the extent that I have added both to my fleet. 

 

In addition to being good trainers both also make good sports models as experience is gained. My Super EZ is primarily used on floats as a waterplane whilst I modified the Discovery with an uprated AXI motor & digital servos to take full advantage of its fine flying properties.

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10 minutes ago, John Lee said:

I am a long time flyer (BMFA examiner) and in recent years the 2 foamy trainers that impressed me most when I first flew them at the RCHotel were the ST Models Discovery and FMS Super EZ - to the extent that I have added both to my fleet. 

 

In addition to being good trainers both also make good sports models as experience is gained. My Super EZ is primarily used on floats as a waterplane whilst I modified the Discovery with an uprated AXI motor & digital servos to take full advantage of its fine flying properties.

My club are looking for an electric trainer and ST Models Discovery has been recommended by a member who serves in the RAF who have some and they survived some extreme environments, been highly recommended.

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I'm flying since the mid 1980s.  So learned to fly with glow models and still fly with glow models.  But along the way I dabbled a bit in electric and one electric trainer which I think you would like very much is the Multiplex Easystar.  I had one and its very easy to fly and would get you off to a good start.  I recommend it.  Good luck.  

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On the assumption that you can both basically fly I you might want to consider something a bit more advanced like a Max Thrust riot, you can tame it down with low rates and it will cope with a breeze and is also upgradable to use with 4 cell packs if you want to get a bit more adventurous.

 

I've trained plenty of people on a Riot, they really teach you to fly whereas some of the easier models almost fly themselves, the E flite Apprentice certainly used to be a popular model with beginners but it's just too easy and those that I trained on it had difficulty moving on their next model. 

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I concur and have a very similar experience to Phil. That is good advice IMO. However, your lad is 5, and so his interests are bound to change. I would either go S/H cheap with anything from a trainer as I mentioned, others have mentioned, an easystar etc.. something cheap and cheerful for 6 months to a year to get him "orientated", and if he takes to it, look at something a little longer term at that point,  or get something like a Riot with the view that if he isnt really interested then you can have it and wring its neck :).  Or if money is no object, get what you fancy :). 

I learned to fly at the age of 6 and taught people from the age of 10 BTW, and there were no Peppa Pig planes in those days!! 🙂

 

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IMO, for a 5 year old forget about RC, get him something he can chuck about & run after to retrieve like one of the smaller versions Lidl glider. If you can get a couple that he can enjoy along with a friend. 

If that sparks the interest he'll ask for an RC model when he's ready.   

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Thanks guys, some good recommendations here. I like the looks of the Tasman and EZ so I’ll keep my out out for a good deal.


Yeah, he’s 5 and probably borderline for learning to fly. But he’s keen, and I wasn’t much older when I learned. I don’t want to push him into it, but when he asks I want to have a dedicated trainer the he can fly. Even if it means he just bangs the sticks around for now. He’s got some depron chuck gliders that he takes out to the field with me. And if he’s having fun too, that’s all that matters.

 

Update: he just explained to my wife that “I didn’t crash daddy’s airplane, daddy let me crash his airplane”. And unprompted explained that “we need to go buy a new one”!

Edited by Chris300s
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Chris the FMS Super EZ comes fitted with their Reflex gyro (as do many other FMS and Arrows Hobby [where it is branded Vector gyro] models), which offers a couple of potential advantages for your situation.

 

Firstly it has three switchable in flight modes, Off, Optimised (which dampens disturbances caused by wind gusts etc) and Stabilised. The Stabilised Mode limits bank & pitch angles and self levels when you release the controls. Whilst most experienced pilots find this unnatural it may be just what is required for a stick banging 5 year old, he certainly will not be able to fold the wings with it on!

 

Secondly whilst you can fit a conventional receiver it will also operate off a single lead from anything that gives the option of Sbus or PPM outputs. I run mine off a satellite Rx but I don't know if you have a comparable Futaba device gives that output facility.

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

The Bixler 2 is a very forgiving model big enough to see, yet flies on a 11.1V 3S 2200mAH battery.  Cheap too!

If you can find one, the Hobbyking Bushmaster is about the same size as the Arising Star and if you mix a bit of rudder in with the ailerons, flies really nicely.

 

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Perhaps I'm a traditionalist (can you be traditional when talking foamies?) but I reckon the good old Wot4 in its foamie guise takes some beating - all the Wots have been copied and shamelessly ripped off now and again, but never really ever bettered IMHO.

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