Hi All,
I am a total newb in RC. After much reading I concluded that the two most recommended planes for beginners are :

Parkzone Radian. (http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Def...ProdId=PKZ4700)
Hobbyzone Champ. (http://www.hobbyzonerc.com/Products/...#quickOverview)

But I am now confused about which one to buy between these two. Both planes have different character, and will definitely have pros and cons in terms of learning experience.


Since I live in India, where parts availability is non existent, and everything has to be shipped from China or US, hence durability and affordability is also one of my priorities.

Please help me find out which one of these two will be more suitable for the learning experience...

EASY TO CONTROL:
Both are three channel models (throttle, rudder, and elevator). The Radian is massively more powerful. Probably more power than a beginner really needs. It must be flown gently under power or it could loop and roll out of control.
ADVANTAGE, CHAMP.

EASY TO REPAIR:
The Radian can take a beating and still fly. When it does break, it is a simple task to glue it back together. Rhat's a good thing because as a beginner, you WILL crash. At just under 2 pounds, crashing the Radian always risks needing new parts rather than repair. The parts in the Champ are small and can be a challenge when it comes to repairs. The good news is, you probably won't need to make repairs often. It is so lightweight and slow that crashes seldom damage it.
ADVANTAGE: CHAMP.

COST:
Radian RTF, $250. Champ RTF, $90. Batteries for the Champ are cheap as are replacement parts if needed.
ADVANTAGE: CHAMP.

FLEXIBILITY:
The Champ must be flown when conditions are calm. A 150mAh battery will give you about a 10 minute flight. The Radian can tolerate moderate winds. The included 1300mAh battery can give you well over an hour of flying if the motor is used only to climb to altitude and you find a thermal or two while gliding.
ADVANTAGE: RADIAN.

TRANSMITTER:
The Spektrum DX5e included with the Radian RTF is far and away a better transmitter than the one included with the champ. It can operate at longer ranges and can be used to fly any DSM2/DSMX equipped models up to 5 channels. Either way, you will eventually want a more capable radio.
ADVANTAGE: RADIAN.

IN CONCLUSION:
While both models have their strengths and weaknesses, I believe the Champ will give a rank beginner the best chance of success, especially if learning alone. If you have an experienced RC pilot to help you learn, either model would be just fine.

both excellent planes.. buy the Champ, learn to fly it then a month later buy the Radian, thats exactly what i did.. 2 totally different planes, the Radian is not that easy to fly for beginners..you really need to know what you're doing before you throw a 2m sailplane into the air, could end in tears very quickly..!
chris..

The Radian is slow on the controls, good for a beginner, BUT you need something that is easy and quicker on the controls so that you learn to FLY the plane. A Champ is touchy enough that it will be easier to fly a bigger, better plane. IMHO, you may get complacent with a big, slow, (too) easy to fly plane.
Don

I'd go with the Radian for sure. Flying a 2m sailplane smoothly looks impressive; the Champ looks like a small kid's toy by comparison. The Radian is deadset easy to fly too - just move your control sticks by small amounts, and feed in elevator when you throttle up so that the nose stays down.

Hey, they're different. Take your pick and end up buying them both! I bought the Radian and love it. I also fly a Vapor, UM T-28 and a Slow Stick. The Slow Stick is dominating the flying time right now.

I would love the have a radian as my first plane but I bought a champ, a good flyer but too fragile for newbie like myself.

Edmond

Thank you Chickenwing and Chris, that's what I will do, first plane would be the Champ, once I have mastered it, I will go for Radian. I guess, the DX5e can be reused for other planes too, making it future proof, at least for some time

HappY Flying Guys !
Amol

Originally Posted by rccrazyfromindia

Thank you Chickenwing and Chris, that's what I will do, first plane would be the Champ, once I have mastered it, I will go for Radian. I guess, the DX5e can be reused for other planes too, making it future proof, at least for some time

HappY Flying Guys !
Amol

Great choice, they are both fine planes.

You might consider getting the DX6i, it will be nicer for multiple planes since it has 10-plane memory and computerized setups for mixing.

If you are staying with rc, as marhar says, you might be better off getting a good radio to last for some years, and not get a BNF plane, as the cheap throw away radios may be a waste of money in the long run.

The Camp is better for a beginner. It costs alot less when you crash it, and is just plain fun!

Interesting responses. I have a thread here and the consensus was the Champ is not the best beginner plane. Too light and fidgety to repair.

I'm a rank newbie and my only experience is on the champ. I wouldn't start with such a small plane unless you'll fly primarily indoors the slightest breeze knocks it from the sky. I'm moderately handy and find repairing it aggravating because of its size; while trying to repair one crack another develops.

Scroll down and read my thread

The thread title is: Feeling Down Need Coaching.

sorry bobonli..but i've just read the thread and I didn't think the consensus was that the Champ was not the best beginner plane, on the contrary, the Champ is an amazing little plane for a beginner, yes it doesn't fly well in wind but then a beginner shouldn't be flying in any wind..and it flys superb indoors..

I too have mixed feeling about my Champ too, while I love my plane and she really fly graceful and smooth, but just for landing and take off, no crash what so ever and the rudder broke because of the tail wheel was mounted on the bottom of the rudder, anyway I soon learn from the mod thread and remove the wheel under the fuse. If the flying field is big enough for me, I might just get a radian or a easystar.

Edmond