Ok here's my advice. If you really want to learn 3D then get the crack yak
http://www.twistedhobbys.com/TH-32-E...e-Standard.htm to pratice on.
It's ok to get a big gasser but don't try any certain 3D move with it until you have perfected it with the crack yak.
Now when it comes to 3D gassers there are only a few that are 3D machines.
Great planes, hangar 9, and aeroworks are lumber wagons and are a poor choice for 3D.
While they do IMAC well 3D they fall short.
Extreme Flight, 3DHS are the best and fly like a more like a trainer.
If you get a gasser be sure to get help from club memebers.

A trainer is a trainer they all fly similar. So I'd say get something like a Pluse, 4 Star, Stick somthing in those lines..120 size...fly that around before going to 50CC and up.
When I first came off the trainer I went to a 4 Star 60, I remember thinking that it did not self correct it would stay where I put it to the crash site. There is a difference.
Good Luck

Originally Posted by GeetarJoe

in summation, to the OP, if you can competently and confidently fly an alpha (and by this I mean you are always in control of the plane and flying actively not in a haphazard and reactionary way) you CAN fly a big aerobatic plane. the learning curve is there but it is pretty small and easily surmountable.

I agree with joe, I went from my elec PZ corsair to a 1/5 scale Waco with a 33cc gas engine and flew it for the first time last weekend. Other than almost peeing myself on the first takeoff it wasn't any harder than flying the small corsair and it's still in 1 piece. Just get some help with setting it up, theres a lot more to setting up a gas plane than a glow plane. Like how is your ignition and rx going to be powered, what kind of cut off are you going to use and placing the electronics to avoid interference. Also using barbs on the fuel lines and vent placement

It's quite a hike to the field, so I don't get in as much flying as I'd like so I make up for it with lots of sim time it's helped me.

For my second plane I went with a Pulse 125 powered by a DLE 20.



It's a great second plane and more challenging to fly (and land!) than my trainer.

Originally Posted by grosbeak

For my second plane I went with a Pulse 125 powered by a DLE 20.



It's a great second plane and more challenging to fly (and land!) than my trainer.

Thats a nice looking plane, what kind of servos did you use in it?

Forget the 50cc. and go with a 40%

Originally Posted by rstekeur

Thats a nice looking plane, what kind of servos did you use in it?

You can see all the specs at http://www.grosbeakrc.ca/hangar/pulse125/pulse125.html. I've done a number of mods; the first three in the list are linked and I'm still working on the remainder.

There is a lot of interesting advice, above. Before you commit, watch all the planes you are thinking about flying on youtube. There are excellent fliers, and there are really bad fliers, and they sometimes look alike.

Big scale Cubs can be terrible fliers! But some of the clipped wing Cubs are really nice bigger trainers. Decathlons can be OK, or clutzy. I've gone the electric route -- 55 inch Steinbach with 2200 watt motor (6S, 190A, 5,000 mAh). But the smaller electrics (or glow) do turn REALLY fast, and a bad choice will quickly plant them.

A well trimmed Yak or Extra (65 inch) will land like a trainer, and IMAC aerobatic setups will react slower and give you time to think. But if you go this route, have a really good flier trim it out for you, and set exponential to dampen the response.

Don't buy a plane because it says "trainer" or "low-wing trainer". Some of these are really twitchy fliers.

But there are gorgeous, stable fliers out there that you could probably ease into, if you don't get crazy, and if you get someone with experience to trim it out for you.

Like I said earlier if you really want to learn 3d get the foamie called the crack yak and also get a 3DHS Slick.
For me I'm still learning 3D and when I perfect a manuver on my foamie I then start using it on my gasser.
Most of the plane in the above post will not 3D
To learn 3D go to the electric 3D section and check out wampsy or the bone doc's videos on the different 3d manuvers.
Careful 3D is very addictive

Here's the link to th bone doc's videos.
He has been very helpful to me
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=904349

Pilot RC has a new plane out that might be about what you're looking for. 20-30 cc 3D trainer is what they call it. About 90" wing span and tricycle or tail dragger. Pilot has a good rep for quality. I have had a giant stick with a 30cc gasser on the front and have bought this plane. I live in a pretty windy area and am going to make this my windy day plane since my giant stick is no longer with us.

http://www.chiefaircraft.com/radio-c...tt3d30-01.html

Originally Posted by earlwb

I would go with a smaller aerobatic plane at first, just to rack up more experience and flight time.

The big gasser is certainly a possibility. But it is quite a bit more expensive should you inadvertently crash it. You might want to factor in how much it all costs before you go with it at this time.

Usually a RC'er goes with a trainer, then a sport high wing plane of some sort, then to a low wing sport plane and on to a more advanced plane for aerobatics, etc. The giant scale size planes sort of come along after that.

You might want to go with a big plane that has the gas engine open so you can adjust it and fiddle with it as needed, before going on to something much more nice looking. Sometimes getting a gas engine to work OK for a newbie can be a huge challenge in itself. I would suggest a major brand name gas engine for your first gasser as the brand name engines have service and support and do not need to be fixed or repaired or modified to work right out of the box,

i agree with the opening statement 100%.
get you a good "first low wing" plane. they are not slouches in the aerobatic department.

after the first low wing plane (super sportster, four star type plane), sky is the limit. go any direction you want. you want aerobatics, they do aerobatics. you want fast, they can go pretty fast. and they're economical to run with smaller engines. those planes are designed to ease people in to *real flying* where the plane does exactly what you say and nothing more. not the trainery assisted wont do what you tell it crap.

I've had and flown the 4stars, supersportsters and I think a twist is a better plane.
But it you have the money for a gasser then you have the money for a gasser and a foamie as well as a 3dhs 41 inch edge.
That is a good combo to learn 3D on.
The aboved mention do not even come close to 3D flight which is completely different than sport aerobatics.
3D planes stall different and fly more by thrust vectoring.