After a few months of micros, and 1 meter ws electric warbirds...I got my feet wet today on a nitro Nextar.

What a trip. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think the sound of the plane actually helped me fly it better, as it was much easier to orient the pitch of the plane due to the sound it made. I have been hanging out a bit with some guys from a local group, and decided to take advantage of their free flight training. Even though I've been at it for a few months, I will be the first to admit that extra stick time, especially under the supervision of an instructor is good for the soul...and humbling. At first, I felt a little silly taking "training" flights...while having a respectable hangar of my own. That lasted about 3 seconds, when the entire crew out there was just happy to see a "new guy" flying at their field. The instructor was awesome...although I thought he was a bit quick to "take over" a couple of times...but I certainly understand his reasoning. At one point, I was squirrel'd up a bit in a x-wind, and he let me recover...which I did...inverted, then half-looped it up to level flight, and rolled back into the pattern he was having me fly. He got a big smile, and said, "nice one".

All in all...great experience...and even though I walked into this with some measure of experience, I am proud to say I'm taking flight training.

I'd also like to thank all of you that weren't there today at "my" field...but are there, at your field...to offer the same experience...the same training...the same "pay it forward" attitude. Thanks for what you do FOR the hobby, rather than just with the hobby.

PS: I'm still not switching to gas.

Congrats...I don't fly electrics either....point though...you flew glow, not a gasser....gassers are gasoline powered......

*I fixed the title...see...still learning...

I currently fly electric (six years), and will begin to fly nitros this spring/summer (I have one trainer made, another in a box, and yet one more on plans). I figure I'll fly both electrics and nitros. Extra fun won't hurt, eh?

I've trained a few guy's that flew alot of electric's and it's really not long before they out grow the trainers.
Just depending on your skill level in electric some guys are better off going with somthing like a 4 star low wing.
Your biggest learning curve is using gas/ nitro engines

AAAAAHHHHH! Nothing like the smell of Nitro in the morning!!!

I used to think I was an electric-only flyer...until I bought my first glow plane. Sig Rascal Forty with an OS 4 Stroker. Starts easy everytime, plenty of power, and great sound! "Messing around" with the fuel, starting, cleaning is actually a fun part of flying. I bought the setup used, receiver-ready. All I had to do was fuel up and go.

The biggest difference is glow is a little faster and heavier, for the most part.

Originally Posted by tacx

AAAAAHHHHH! Nothing like the smell of Nitro in the morning!!!

Do you smell that? Nitro, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of Nitro in the morning!!

id been flying multiplex electric twinstars and easystars for the past 8 years and bought my first nitro plane just before christmas 2010. it was an alpha 40 rtf and i have to say that its my favourite plane of them all. i think its the sound of the engine and the trail of smoke that adds to the fun and excitement. i dont mind the clean up at the end of a days flying, to me its all part of the hobby and all part of the fun. ive just bought my first low winger this week, its a hangar 9 p51 mustang pts. its a beautiful plane and has the same evolution engine as the alpha 40. just run a tank of fuel through it this morning at idle speed and its running great. hope to maiden it this weekend weather permitting.

Your going to love that plane, it's my most favorite to train with?

our club had a swap meet a couple weeks ago. i picked up a receiver ready Modeltech Magic with OS .52FS for $125. I've flown a couple tanks and really like it. It makes a easy to fly sport plane, or crank up the rates for some '3D' funfly action. 40% throttle will hover the plane.

bye bye electric... ;-)

thanks kerwin for those words of encouragment on my new p51 mustang pts. i was delighted to read that its your favourite plane to train on. i cant wait to get it up there and see how it compares with flying the alpha 40. i would guess it will be slightly faster in both flying a circuit and coming into land. i will look forward to the challenge. its got a great colour scheme with its red tail and black and white stripes on silver. the little pilot already instaled in the cockpit gives it a touch of realism. its a really nice plane all round.

Originally Posted by The Hog Pen

After a few months of micros, and 1 meter ws electric warbirds...I got my feet wet today on a nitro Nextar.

What a trip. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think the sound of the plane actually helped me fly it better, as it was much easier to orient the pitch of the plane due to the sound it made. I have been hanging out a bit with some guys from a local group, and decided to take advantage of their free flight training. Even though I've been at it for a few months, I will be the first to admit that extra stick time, especially under the supervision of an instructor is good for the soul...and humbling. At first, I felt a little silly taking "training" flights...while having a respectable hangar of my own. That lasted about 3 seconds, when the entire crew out there was just happy to see a "new guy" flying at their field. The instructor was awesome...although I thought he was a bit quick to "take over" a couple of times...but I certainly understand his reasoning. At one point, I was squirrel'd up a bit in a x-wind, and he let me recover...which I did...inverted, then half-looped it up to level flight, and rolled back into the pattern he was having me fly. He got a big smile, and said, "nice one".

All in all...great experience...and even though I walked into this with some measure of experience, I am proud to say I'm taking flight training.

I'd also like to thank all of you that weren't there today at "my" field...but are there, at your field...to offer the same experience...the same training...the same "pay it forward" attitude. Thanks for what you do FOR the hobby, rather than just with the hobby.

PS: I'm still not switching to gas.

Thank you for the story. I don't think you're crazy. I , and my son, learned on an nitro avistar we got off craigslist. After the crash, the engine went into a debinair, then a debut, then a couple of Corostangs, then into the marsh to never be found again. Our current flying model is an electric Stryker. I've always known I liked the sound of the engine, even at a low throttle slow pass, I've always liked the sound of a smooth engine just purring along. Then the sound it makes screaming past the park, pulling out of a dive, you just can't beat. Now with my electric plane, I miss the engine sound. In fact I'm here because I'm online looking for nitro engines.
Happy flying all

here are a couple glow videos to get you guys ready for flying season. this is me at our local field:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8U7SEgy5z8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO88i..._order&list=UL