Good First Plane

[PackFan]

Looking for a good first plane for me and my kids (ages 10 & 8). From threads I have read thus far, it looks like the Spirit 2m is the best for the money. We will likely be flying in smaller areas. I also saw the Dynaflight Skeeter on towerhobbies website. Though classified as a handlaunch, it said it could be hi-started. Thought this smaller plane might be a better choice for smaller areas. Are there any downsides in going with a smaller plane such as this?

Thanks,

Joe

[Ollie]

The Skeeter is actually more expensive if you have to buy small, after market servos to fit into it and to keep it light enough to perform fairly well. The Spirit is a far greater value and will carry standard size servos gracefully.

I consider the Lil Bird 2-meter and the Soverign to be worth the extra cost because of the precision laser cut parts.

" The Bitterness of low quality remans long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten"

[JIsgren]

I am a newbie to the sport and just finished building and flying the 2M Lil Bird plane. I cna not say enough god about this plane!! Construction was straight forward without a lot of "tricks" needed. Ray's instructions are good and he has addtional information on his web-site. Flying was a blast and I was able to pick it up very quickly, although I have read everything I could find on the web and also spent several hours flying on the free simulator FMS.

I bought the Hitec Eclipse 7 radio from Hobby-lobby with the HS-81 servos. My total into the radio/plane is around $450 which includes a small HI-Start. For the Lil Bird you could get by with a cheaper radio such as the Flash 5X, but I don't plan to buy a new radio for awhile!!

I strongly suggest find a local club that can help you get started. I am in Houston and the Hawks have been great!

One advantage to the Lil Brd is that you build the wing straight and do not have to worry about building in washout.

You can see my plane here:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83223

[chlee]

Joe,

If you're building your first kit, I would highly recommend getting a laser-cut kit, as Ollie suggests. If you end up building the Spirit, however, do take a look at the following article:
http://www.charlesriverrc.org/articles/kitmods/dickwilliamson_gpspiritmods.htm


-Chung

[fprintf]

Joe,

Might I suggest looking at the DAW 1-26HLG or TG3 from Dave's AircraftWorks? http://www.davesaircraftworks.com/thermal.htm

With son's of 8 and 10 the plane you build will no doubt hit the ground shortly and they could really use the durability of a well flying foam plane. I bought a MAD Aircraft Highlander ( http://www.madaircraft.com/highlander.html ), which I think is no longer in production, but the EPP Foam construction has been very durable, surviving some crashes that would reduce a balsa plane to sticks.

Yes, it probably doesn't thermal as well as a LilBird2M or Sovereign (except in an experts hands) but it really flies quite well for a beginner to learn lefts and rights, up and down and how to cope with wind, histarts, and landings.

I am now onto my second plane and will be starting a Sovereign built up balsa plane (www.laserartco.com) shortly. I have a nephew age 11, and a son age 7 and there is no way I would trust them with a balsa plane unless they were already building free flight balsa planes and were planning on building/rebuilding the new RC glider. It is too easy for them to get into trouble and create a mess of sticks for me to fix.

The other thing is that I found the kids didn't have the attention span for the glider, whereas they certainly did for a power plane. The glider flights only last minutes at most and finding a thermal takes patience and practice - tough for an adult like me, even tougher for the kids. YMMV of course, as I heard that a 14 year old once did well (won?) at the Nationals. So it can be done, especially if you live on the coast where you can slope fly.

[leverick]

I started last year with the idea of sharing time with my 7 year old. We got a Firebird 2 electric which was a great way to get introduced to the sport. Its simple and is really only 2 dimensional for control. My 7 year old logged some good stick time with it on most flights until he discovered the death spiral manuever by holding the rudder over at which point I would take the controls.

The Firebird 2 led into a Spirit 2 meter which led to an art hobby Falco which led to a DLG, etc, etc, etc. Be careful and its only proper to give your spouse fair warning about your new hobby!!!!

You can get into the Firebird 2 for about $100 or so which includes the radio and a good intro video. If you go with the firebird, get the speed wing and the bigger battery as well right off the bat, this combo really helps with the control performance (more airspeed). http://www.parkflyers.com/html/firebird_2.html

Ditto that about the attention span of the youngsters but hey Dad needs some fun now and then too.

Good Luck,

Leverick

[amd123]

Check out www.isthmusmodels.com they have the gentle foamie that is foam like the highlander was. I just purchased one for the wife and neighbor kids. Good luck with the new hobby.

Alan Dolley

[Raymund Reyes]

Well, for you I would consider the kits others have mentioned, namely the Spirit 2m, Lil Bird 2m, sovereign, etc. The spirit kit is a rather rood value, but doesn't have the sharpness the laser cut kits provide during construction. For the Spirit you will want to do some modifications (go to the Charles River RC site) such as increasing the rudder area, reinforcing the spars and sheeting the tip panels. I've done so, and my spirit flies pretty well, although I could have built that thing better:) It and most other 2m ships can fly in slightly smaller areas.
I really don't recommend the Skeeter. Instructions are not to good, kit quality is not so good either...I have a kit (or whats left of it after scarpping the thing) that I bought a few years ago but never went past the fuse. You'd be much better off with the 2m ships before moving to the smaller handlaunches...plus standard gear is defininetly cheaper.

Just look at JIsgren's Lil Bird 2m (from www.skybench.com). Notice when he bot the kit and when he posted flying pics of it...very short time period:) good job JIsgren! Its a very good kit indeed.

Anyways, for the kids I really would also go for a foamie type aircraft, it will definitely take a beating.

The Solution...buy a foamie and a built up, one for you, one for the kids!! You can then train on the foamie for a bit then move up speedily. This hobby will become addicting anyway!! $20 extra bucks or so for en extra couple of standard servos ain't much, and you can always switch recievers. Ah yes, I also recommend buying at least a decent four channel radio...it will ease the trouble of having to buy another radio suitable for you needs.

Goodluck
Godspeed and see you on the flipside,
Ray

[Storhund]

I vote for the foamy (highlander or DAW) and put in metal geared servos which hold up better when crashing. Two of the best websites for beginners are:

http://www.fatlion.com/sailplanes/sailplanes.html
http://msinow.com/rc/

Good luck!
Gary

[Ollie]

If you are intending to teach yourself and your children to fly, then an EPP foamie like tha DAW 1-26 is the way to go. However, I don't think it is the best way to go.

The best way is to join a soaring club and get flight instruction which will preclude the vast majority of crashes. This makes a higher performing and better looking model like the Spirit or Lil Bird 2-meter more practical and it speeds the learning process greatly. The catch 22 is that it is easiest to learn to fly a well adjusted model but you won't be able to adjust it well till you have learned to fly. That's where an instructor comes in. He not only inspects your model for airworthiness but adjusts it to be easy to fly and then helps you to avoid crashes.

Contact:
DOWN EAST SOARING SOCIETY
RICHARD A PROSEUS LAKESIDE DR NW WILSON NC 27896-2011
(905)_252/291-8598
S3M2H4WL@COASTALNET.COM

They may be able to put you in touch with glider fliers closer to Greensboro.

_

[PackFan]

All,


Thanks for you input. It sounds like with the kids, a foamie is probably the way to start. I do have a follow up question. Given that my kids are 10 (girl) and 8 (boy), will they be board with a thermal sailplane? Should I go with a powered plane instead, or will they enjoy its challenges as well?

Thanks again for all your comments.


Joe

[Chipwillis]

As far as will they be bored.

I suggest you do the following. Find a powered airplane field and let them observe. Then find a Sailplane club, if you can, on a contest day.

No doubt they will probably be more interested in the power planes buzzing about, doing tricks, going fast. They are too young to appreciate or even understand the differences.

My son is 13 and after the summer going to contests, he gets the difference between soaring and power flying.

We have the G2 simulator, so when he has a power plane urge, he flies that. But he is anxiously awaiting to fly his first contest this year. I got him a Searcher 100 to continue to thermal train on and be his competition plane. He can fly a full house sailplane to a degree....

The more I think, im going to make a radical departure from most others and recommend you get a trainer backyard flyer electric plane. I taught my son to fly with a GWS Beaver. He had flown my sailplanes on a buddy box, and I even let him land a few times, but being able to take off and fly touch and go circuts is something that really was an accomplishment. My brainwashing will keep him into sailplanes primarilly. hehe...

Good luck, and be prepared to spend a few dollars replacing stuff from crashes.

One last note- If you get a DAW 1-26. It is a great airplane on a slope. It is absolutely horrid on a high start. I havent seen a Highlander fly, but supposedly they are top notch in performance, and durability. We have crashed the 1-26 many many times, and after a few mins. repair, its back up again.

Chip

[JIsgren]

My son just finished building a Moutain Models Dandy - It is sort of a hybred. It is a park-flyer, but due to the light weight and wing it will thermal well. I will let you know how he does on it.

Here is a thread about him building it.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83778

[Ollie]

There are probably 10 or 15 power fliers for every sailplane flier. It's a matter of personality which a person prefers. Some people (majority) like to force nature into submission. A few enjoy finessing nature to their will. It's like power boaters vs. sailboaters with about the same statistics. If you are not already a confirmed sailplane lover, then it is doubtful that you can communicate an appreciation of sailplanes to your children. They are too young for teen age rebelion to have set in so, there may be hope that they will want to follow your lead.