And now for something completely different. I have build this F-22 Raptor, from this thread:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=723890
It's a very fun flyer, and actually, with Dual Rate and Expo. It's rather easy to fly. It's nearlu impossible to stall it. It's not flicking, and landing is easy. Just turn of the motor, and give some up rudder. And put it down in front of your feet. We use it as a cheap trainer, in our club. Because it can fly very slow.
I think i will give it 3,5.

There we go guys, havent updated things in a while so put the backlogged ratings up.

Changed the 6mmFlyRc Profile YF-22 Raptor to a solid 4 as it has ailerons and isn't directionally stable, I have built a similar one myself that can slowfly but you still need to be on the sticks to keep it upright.

Changed the Multiplex FunCub to a solid 4 as well as it has flaps and ailerons, adding complexity for new flyers even though it can fly easily.

As always, if anyone disagrees I'm open to changes... and keep those ratings coming!

Cheers - boingk

Notes from my personal experience and suggestions of planes to add, again based on my fleet.

Disagree that PkZ mini super cub and Easystar electric have same rating. I struggled mightily with the MSC and gave up on it. The Easystar got me flying.

MSC is small so hard to see and gets knocked about, and it is not that tough on hard landings, plus the LG adds complexity. Also doesn't handle that well. I would never recommend for a beginner.

Easystar is big, stable, slow, simple, and nearly indestructible. Very wide flight envelope. I'd call it a 1.

Pkz T28 was my 3rd plane - I'd rate it a 3.5, not a 4, and definitely not a 4.5. It does have some quirks including the troublesome gear, however, so I can see why it might be higher. Mine flew primarily as a tail dragger. I'll defer to the group since almost every one of us has had this plane at some point.

You can add the Maxjets F-18 to the 6 ratings, just a tad easier to fly than their F-35...flares into high AOA very well so can really slow down for a belly flop landing.

GP Super Sportster was my 4th plane. Nice flyer but it lands hot. Would rate it a 6 for that reason. Good landing trainer for bigger heavier tail draggers.

CerMark Fantasy Racer - would rate 7 overall. Good size, good vis due to markings, good handling once you set it up right, but that requires medium / advanced build and setup knowledge. Needs a forward CG. Short body means coordinated flying and p-factor on takeoff due to short tail moment. Medium landing difficulty.

3DHS 300 SHP. This is really 2 planes in one. When set up as a sport flyer, with forward CG, it is one of the most stable, forgiving, and precise planes you can fly. It is also easy to land. The paint schemes are excellent for viz. I'd rate it a 3.5 or maybe 4 in that configuration. Scott Stoops has an article on how to set it up for Sport but it's basically forward CG at 27% and low throws. Set up for 3D, it is tougher to fly but not that much tougher. It is in some respects easier to fly than the T-28. Super nice design with aboslutely no bad habits and a HUGE flight envelope. Some of your other 3DHS look suspect. The big 300 should be rated lower (easier), while the 57 SC is definitely a 5/6 in my mind.

H9 P-51 "40 Sport" - electric version of the PTS. 7 overall: bigger and has excellent markings. Flies fast on the recommended power but has light wing loading plus flaps so it can really slow down. Handles wind well. No bad handling habits with flaps. Reasonably robust gear. Good ground handling and take-off behavior.

World Models Spitfire 8 - light (8-8.5lb) .60 size sport plane with very standoff scale. The ARF builds easy and is very complete. Flies very well and is ultra-stable at 25% MAC. Stalls straight ahead, nearly impossible to tip-stall at this CG. Stock retracts are excellent - they are fuss-free and strong. Unlike most Spits, this one does not want to nose over. Slow lander with flaps, no bad habits with flaps. Visibility is not so good but manageable. Good flight envelope.

Will Hobby .60 66" Sea Fury 8.5. Excellent flyer when set up right. Lands slow and stable with flaps even at 37oz wing loading. No bad habits or trim issues. No tip stalling at 25% MAC CG. Just flies fast, stable, and can slow down when needed. Requires advanced building skills to get the most out of the plane and for electric conversion. Excellent paint scheme for viz.

Rating some popular scratch builds.

Forlack's Dead Simple 24" flying wing scratch build built as per instructions...6.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1252282


Forlack's DS wing built with a kfm4 airfoil and hot motor...7.5.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...0#post22216242


Otto Diff's 24" Mini Dep Zep kfm4 flying wing as per instructions....6.5.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1599852
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1626928

2 E-flite Apprentice 15e - Maiden flight for a newbie. Flew like a dream! Set up D/R & Expo for a beginner and she flew beautifully. Very stable and smooth. I have been continually practicing on the Pheonix simulator for last two months but this was so much more rewarding (and scary!). Wow what a buzz! I'd recommend it very highly

i cannot recommend any balsa or composite type plane to any beginner. i think the 1st criteria of TOUGHNESS automatically classifies them as a 10, experienced pilots only. the 1 exception is if u join a club and go through the wings program and always be buddy boxed with a qualified instructor.
the beginner's first 3 planes should be made out of foam.
for an actual first plane, i think it depends a lot n your philosophy on toughness vs flight stability. for toughness, i think a plane like a parkzone ultra micro ember or vapor r ideal IF u live in an area without too much wind. they would be way too difficult if u lived on the coast with virtually no days with wind less than 10mph. if u have constant light winds maybe an pz ultramicro cub or even an um t28 for a skilled videogamer or a kid with good rc car/boat/heli experience.
if there is always some wind, than an epo pusher type plane like the easystar or planes from hobbyking like the bixler1/2 and clouds fly/axn floater jet or the new parkzone stratos are excellent choices. something without a motor up front

as for absolute beginner planes for unsupervised little kids etc, only a "toy" plane like SOME airhogs r truly safe. even a parkzone ember runs on lipos and a small child can get hurt from a tiny 1s batt. i myself have got burnt (cauterized like a surgeons tool) from a 1s 180mah batt that had a broken connector.

What would the Art tech PC-9 850mm rate as? I am trying to trying to decide between the Art Tech PC-9 and a Pkzone F4F as my next plane.

The PC-9 is available from HK and Nitroplanes.
HK PC-9
Art Tech PC-9

Thanks!

How would you rate this plane as a first timer aircraft?

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dProduct=18055

Yes, it's from Hobby King so I don't see alot of parts becoming widely available but this was a present to me from my wife so of course I'll keep it and more so I'd love for it to be my trainer just don't know much about it, according to UPS I'll have it tomorrow.

I would not suggest it as a first time aircraft unless you have a 'buddy box' system, where an experienced pilot takes control of the aircraft and either hands over or takes back control as needed until you learn.

I would heavily suggest something along the lines of this:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...lug_n_Fly.html

It has plenty of dihedral, so will right itself out of a banked turn. It comes plug-and-play so you just need a battery and receiver to fit to it. This way you can get a nice radio that you will keep and use with other planes, too.

I would strongly recommend visiting your local aeromodelling club for some advice on this, or even just for some help when it comes time to balance the model and test fly it. I've had several of these models (building third after giving second to a friend) and all need some noseweight, or a larger battery hung under the nose, to fly right.

Cheers - boingk

PS: Will update list when I get time, busy and about to head on holidays.

Originally Posted by NewAussieRCuser

2 E-flite Apprentice 15e - Maiden flight for a newbie. Flew like a dream! Set up D/R & Expo for a beginner and she flew beautifully. Very stable and smooth. I have been continually practicing on the Pheonix simulator for last two months but this was so much more rewarding (and scary!). Wow what a buzz! I'd recommend it very highly

I quoted your whole post because it's an excellent 'newbie review.' Apprentice is a little bigger and heavier than the smaller average trainers but that actually makes it -easier- to fly. It's easier to see if it gets a little too far away. It reacts slower when the pilot makes a mistake (meaning more time to react/recover.) It's -extremely- docile and newbie-friendly. I've seen a bunch of newbies learn with it easily and quickly.

You sound like you're doing great with it. Keep at it till you've got the instinctive reactions in your fingers where, in a 3rd-person sense, you can 'watch the plane fly' and not have to be continuously -thinking- about what you're doing and what you're going to do next. With that you'll be ready for a 0-dihedral that has much snappier aerobatic capability. Later will come the mid-wings that're even tons more fun.

Please excuse me if this has already been asked, I didn't feel it was necessary to scroll through all 16 pages, as I assume you update the list as new planes are mentioned in replies.

Why are their no sailplanes? The closest I could find were a couple of electric beer-coolers. Where are the Gentle Ladys? The Oly's? Chrysalises? Birds of Time? Gliders are traditionally recomended as beginner or first time aircraft, yet you show almost none, neither beginner, intermediate nor advanced. I'm sure their are people interested in getting into motor-less flight that are interested in what would be a good bird to start with based on their current skills.

The ratings are those provided by the forum members. Apparently no one has submitted anything for those planes. If you see something missing, and can contribute some feedback... go for it!

Originally Posted by Fly Wheel

Please excuse me if this has already been asked, I didn't feel it was necessary to scroll through all 16 pages, as I assume you update the list as new planes are mentioned in replies.

Why are their no sailplanes? The closest I could find were a couple of electric beer-coolers. Where are the Gentle Ladys? The Oly's? Chrysalises? Birds of Time? Gliders are traditionally recomended as beginner or first time aircraft, yet you show almost none, neither beginner, intermediate nor advanced. I'm sure their are people interested in getting into motor-less flight that are interested in what would be a good bird to start with based on their current skills.

Feel free to add them.

Graupner Junior S 1.8m (glider/sailplane)
Performance from 36mm BL motor was eye opening. Major tendency to gain alt @ WOT
Handling introduced me to tip-stalls. Throttle-closed gliding was A OK
Size was good, raised horizontal stab threw off my orientation.
Toughness was bad: first crash exploded fuse.

If Durafly P51 is 8, this was 10.

Ps send from gsm, cg was nose-h. Read that GL is a sweetie

Originally Posted by Fly Wheel

Why no glider ratings?

Originally Posted by Ron H

Feel free to add them

Bingo, guys. If you think something you've flown qualifies for a rating of 'X' then add it here with a short description.

- boingk