which .40 gas trainer rtf is the best to learn on?

[nashushu]

I'm trying to figure out which gas trainer to buy, hanger9 alpha or arrow, hobico's superstar select, tower hobbies trainer just to name a few. My experience is one summer with a firebird commander and several hrs. on realflight G2. I'm leaning toward hanger9's arrow. from what i read it is a little more acrobatic than other trainers. Don't want to get to board to fast. And also why is hobico's nexstar $100 more than all the other trainers? Is it only because it's slightly bigger engine at .46 or is it just an all around better built plane. I appreciate any input.

[orenda635]

Hobbico Avistar

BTW, this should be in the Fuel Beginners Training Area.

[nashushu]

oh man! sorry everybody i'm new here and didn't realize i was in the electric section.

[RCTyp]

I am just a newbie too, but I have a couple answers.

The Nexstar has new electronics on it. It has a sensor that seems to be able to tell light from dark and then automatically reorient the plane for you to upright.

I too wanted to get the arrow but it seems to be sold out everywhere. I instead opted for the Alpha 0.60 so I can fly in more windy conditions. The Alpha 0.40 looked good too.

I found the reviews on RCUnivers very helpful in reading more about those planes.

Typ

[ivanc]

Get the Avistar - you would love flying it for long years to come (if it's still in one piece) - it has a semisymmetrical airfoil that will allow you to do all basic aerobatics and some advanced with it. Bigger (60 and up) trainers may look more stable in high winds but they are also heavier and with higher stall/landing speed.

[nashushu]

thank you for your replies.

[Viper Pilot]

I agree with everyone else . . . Avistar.

[JOSELE]

HI:

Im a new rc pilot, with 3 nice times in the air...
In the field we are 3 persons who are taking flight classes, and the teacher says that my trainer is the best of all... Has a TERRIFIC FLIGHT PERFORMANCE, and capable of a lot of aerobatics... Can go FASTER and VERY SLOW, and the landing is really smooth... and for less than U.S.D$70

Its feel great in the air... and has a better performance than the AVISTAR
really a exelent choice of a first trainner... :)

PLANE: VMAR DISCOVERY .40
taka a look in: http://www.richmondrc.com/frameset.htm

[Steven H.]

I have the Nexstar Select with AFS. Even though most pilots will tell yea AFS is a load of ****, i like it, and without a doubt i beleive it has saved me a few times from slamming into the ground. Pretty much all trainers in this area, Atleast all RTF's are gonna be in the $400 range so the rest is up to you.

Now most trainers come with removeable peices like my Nexstar, when i am more confident i can shut off the AFS completely and remove the Speed training flaps, and the spinfoils to make the the plane more airobatic. All which would prolly take less than five minutes to do. Then a few readjustments of my trims and she becomes a quicker plane.

But the real reason i liked this one over the Avistar was the dang rubber bands holding down the Avistar wing. The Nexstar uses a Nylon bolt which easily replaceable, and cheap a pack of 4 for like $1.99 or something. That is just my personal opinion. :p

[fhhuber506771]

Actually.. there is no such thing as "the best" trainer. With differences in student learning curves and reflexes and hand-eye coordination.. what is GREAT for one student would be a total mistake for some others.

the typical .40 ize trainer (which the Avistar, Tower Trainer 40, PG PT40, Nexstar, and a bunch of others all are examples of..) is a compromise aircraft that wil work well for MOST people.

Someone with slower reflexes and/or poor hand-eye coordination I recommend the "Butterfly" (now by Dynaflite.. once kitted by Craft Air) with a .19 to .25 (.40 is a bit much.. it fits. it works. full throttle will rip the wings off)

Someone with better hand-eye coordination and reflexes can start out with something like the Sig Four Star 40, or the Goldberg Tiger II. (mild mannered but aerobatic low wing models)

A plane that makes a good trainer that suprizes most instructors is a Tiger Moth (biplane) A semi-scale ARF Tiger Moth can actually do quite well because of the way the full scale was designed. The full scale had a reputation for showing students every mistake they made without killing them. (Piper Cubs hide your mistakes except for ground handling where it will kill you.)

I have seen someone start with a .60 size ARF P-51 and succeed.. but its very rare to find someone with that good hand eye coordination.. and an instructor that will even try helping them learn with it.

[blizzardwarrior]

From my past eprerience, and my most recent experience with triaing a couple of novices at my club, i have found this:
The top trainer planes in my opinion are: Hangar 9's Alpha .60 trainer, and Hobbico Nexstar.

WHY?
ALPHA TRAINER
1. The bigger wing area provides more lift, and even though it completely goes agaisnt what IVANC says, i have found this provides a lower stall speed, and allwos it to perform well at slwoer speeds.
2. The bigger planes, tend to react to control input the slightest bit slower, therefore in some cases allowing the pilot more time to think.
3. The bigger size allows for easy spotting in the sky.

Nexstar
1. (Same as above )
2. The included wing brakes are very effective at keeping the stall speed down.
3. As with most flat bottom winged trainers they have self righting capabilities

The evolution engine included with the Alpha 60, provides plenty of power, and is very easy to mantain and start. Also the alphha trainer has a very low wing loading for its size, and therefore makes it more beginning friendly, though i have seen people pull off loops at half throttle before.

[nashushu]

well it's been awhile since i posted this but i went with the avistar and man is it a lot faster than the pt-40 on G2. I thought i could handle this plane with no problem or instructer. But I'm sticking to my guns and will continue to fly with my instructor till I really know what the heck I'm doing. Have had only three flights so far but all pretty good. By the way my instructor is a kid about 25 years younger than me and has been flying only since feb 2004 but man he is good. amazing these kids today and what they can learn and do so fast. But man is this all so fun at any age!!!

[TRP]

Hobbico Avistar II.

That's what I used - still flying great after all of these years.

Ted

[garyinpa]

I just received my Hanger 9 Arrow Trainer and I had it out for 3 flights this weekend with an instructor at my club. The plane is a true RTF. It took about 90 minutes to put together and another 30 minutes at the field to "true it up." The Evolution engine started and ran with zero adjustments! The plane looks great and flys great. I really like the feel of the JR transmitter. Since it is not a flat bottom wing aerobatics are easy but it really flies like a newbie trainer. The 3 bladed prop keeps the speed down which really helps me. The plane complete with electronics and engine was under $300. The field equipment was about another $200 - $250 (I bought a lot of stuff.)
I'd love to hear if anyone has had good luck with their Arrow.

[ivanc]

...Hangar 9's Alpha .60 trainer...

1. The bigger wing area provides more lift, and even though it completely goes agaisnt what IVANC says, i have found this provides a lower stall speed, and allwos it to perform well at slwoer speeds.
2. The bigger planes, tend to react to control input the slightest bit slower, therefore in some cases allowing the pilot more time to think.
3. The bigger size allows for easy spotting in the sky.I stand corrected after I saw (a couple of days ago) an Alpha 60 fly really slow and descend without picking up too much speed. It has an OS 61FX. It had a 2-blade prop and was very hard to slow down for a landing. The other problem it had was that the engine wasn't properly tuned and the idle speed was too high. The owner of the plane put the 3-blade prop which came with the plane (ARF as I recall) and I tuned the engine for a really slow idle (1600-1800rpm). This setup made a huge difference. My previous experience on which I based my post was from the same Alpha 60, a Tower Trainer 60 and my Hobbistar 60. I haven't flown the Tower Trainer 60 - I observed its flight and the comments of the pilot were very similar to my observations flying the Hobbistar. The Hobbistar has a semi-symmetrical wing which increases the stall speed when compared to a flat-bottom wing.

[pache11]

The Avistar is a great first and second plane! I flew mine until I tipped stalled it flying inverted and too low. It will loop, roll, spin, fly inverted really well. Now I have taken the dihedral out of the wing after the crash and it is even better.

[nashushu]

If I put a three blade prop on my avistar will it slow it down much. It really comes in kinda fast for me as a newbie. Right now i have a two blade 10x6 prop on it. What size three bade shuold i get if it will slow my plane down?

[ivanc]

A general rule of thumb when going from 2- to 3-blade prop for engines in the .40-.60 range is to keep the pitch the same and reduce the diameter by 1". In your case the equivalent 3-blade prop will be 9x6. What engine do you have?

BTW you'll get almost the same effect from an 11x5 2-blade prop.

[nashushu]

I have an OS 40 LA. Wish it had a little more power for taxing in the grass. I have a tuff time if the grass isn't freshly mowed. Maybe I just need bigger wheels.

[ivanc]

Bigger wheels (3" - 3-1/2") will help. Keep in mind that it takes more power to start moving the plane than to keep it moving. I have a TH 40ABC (OS 40FP equivalent) in my heavy (6.3lbs.) coroplast trainer and 2-1/2" wheels. The grass at our field is mowed regularly and it still takes full throttle for the plane to start moving on the grass. Once it's moving I have to reduce the throttle, otherwise it'll acellerate and eventually take off.

[rc10705]

Hi, im new & just recieved the hobbistar 60 rtf. Im wondering if this would be a good plane, like if it has good power, & good training charactaristics.
I also wanted to buy the alpha 60, but its a bit to expensive & the main reason i got the hobbistar is because of the semi-semetrical wing foil. My instructor said it will handle winds better & will be great for aerobatics. I didnt reely read to many reviews on it so thats why im asking bout it,
Thx! :D

[ivanc]

The Hobbystar 60 is an excellent trainer. You made a good choice.

Ivan

[rc10705]

The Hobbystar 60 is an excellent trainer. You made a good choice.

Ivan


Good, im happy. Cant wait to fly it! :D

[waynemia]

IMO - If I was doing it again, I would get a GP Big Stik 40 or 60. I would prefer the 60. This plane is so stable and has such good slow speed performance I was astonished!

I first has a Tower Trainer 40. I assembled the Big Stik 60 as I started to fly the trainer. After 10 flights on the trainer, I flew the Big Stik and it was wonderful. You tame it down for the intial flights and turn it up as your skills progress. I never looked back at the trainer.

The Big Stik is a little more money than a cheap trainer but when I was done with the trainer, it was just money sitting there.

I know there will be hoards of disagreement but for my money, I wish I had skipped the trainer. The Big Stick was easier to fly, easier to land, and much better handling in less than perfect wind conditions.

If you are going to get a trainer, they are all about the same so just get a low cost one or better yet, see if your local club has a trainer to loan. When I bought my trainer, I picked one that was pretty inexpensive (Tower 40) then bought quality reciever, servos, and engine so I could use them in my next "real" plane. I really think that should be the strategy for anyone that plans to stay in the hobby. If you are not sure. check you local club and make up your mind before you start spending loads of money.

Good Luck.