I have both of these beauties and price right off the Super Cub is a great value, but lets see what you have with the Larger Apprentice, 58 inch Span, and big Lipo Battery, also higher frequency for less interference issues, Spectrum tech here tho the transmitter is not computer type, still functions very well..like it...

The Apprentice is 4 channel, slightly advanced perhaps for a raw newcomer but possible with outside help from an experienced flyer...

What will strike you first is the size, even with one foot extra span it will dwarf the Super Cub, impressive in this department..The wheels win here, larger and make for easy grass landings, two out of three of my landings were easy, one slighltly bumped in as gusts over 10 MPH and was only my 2nd flight, I'm very weak in the landing other than with the Super Cub and now the Apprentice both are great here as both nearly glide in by themselves...

Apprentice flys very similar to the Cub other than take off I've found abit more touchy on the controls, but I may have some trims going on yet and correct COG Center Of Gravity, tho the Apprentice is flying very predictable...

I personally like both of these planes, reason for the Apprentice for me is later into Night Flights, the Super Cub is stunning for this as well with over 30 Night Flights and now am hooked...my Cub is finally wearing down and wanted an advanced trainer, Apprentice so far handling great, you have to decide if the extra investment is worth it, its all mega size here and I feel a bargain...

http://www.hobbyzone.com/rc-planes-e...ce-15e-rtf.htm

BEST ..<>..

in the past 24 hours, i went from never hearing of an electric rc plane to buying a supercub and flying it.

i have years of ms flt sim experience and can fly lax to jfk in a lear within limits.

i looked at both rtf kits and the supercub was an easier "in" for me. the cubs $160 and $20 for the extra batt got me out the door for under $200. the apprentice was 300 and 70 for an extra batt which was under 400.

the apprentice had better specs and batt, brushless motor and more controls. the supercub has a good history and decent price point.

i didnt know what to expect when i full throttled and threw it into the wind but it might take some time to completely control this thing.

what a blast. free-flying around is easy and the plane is fairly responsive. i need to work on flying patterns in the environments.

i crashed a few times and the plane held up well. then a few nice tire down landings and it was time to go.

Originally Posted by wnppmy

What will strike you first is the size, even with one foot extra span it will dwarf the Super Cub,

This statement screams for pics

Sixth Flight, Oh Babie, were in tune now...<>..

Agree, hi hi, but seriously this puppie is huge, had no idea a measley extra foot added so much, fuselage bigger, its mega...flew this AM, was getting concerned as my take offs turned quickly before reaching near any altitude, last night flew in some stronger breezes near 10 MPH or more gusts and darn near decked this beautie in, skimmed the ground a low turn but made it up and flew more kiting than expected..Last added some light weight just below the front under the battery is a hollow area, huge difference it took off correctly for the first time straight out no turnings on take off now, went up even at half throttle, lowered even more and enjoyed an increadible flight experience, Super Cub is great here also as both look like the real thing inflight, there is a different feel in handling, tho the airleron turns on the Apprentice turn on a dime for you so a strong plus there, each will make it for you, its up to you if you want the extra's as brushless, bigger size (I'm loving this), and the landing, Super Cub will land sweetly for you also, but whew, this Apprentice skims on the pavement like a kitten, stopped only 20 feet from my Van and puffed the throttle for easy taxi, yes the Super Cub taxi's excellent, I'm just enjoying the size of this one...gads I flew over 100 inch gliders, think I would be use to this, but is something special going on here...if there is a downside comparing the two than obvious value on the Cub, its the efficient motor is strong enough to get the newbie in trouble as max throttle and wrong inputs would put it vertical in the blink of an eye ending in a bad stall...and the 4th channel, might be above some, however with any guidence, its fantastic, I'm drooling for upcoming Night Flights, no too far down the road....there's alot more in this package, heck I bought two Super Cubs as loved this one so much, but really liking this one..hi hi..<>...BEST ..<>..

I keep hearing this topic lately about which trainer is better but I really don't know if they are meant to compete against each other, after all they are both made by HH. I look at the Super Cub as a first plane, one a total beginner could take out with no sim time or help and learn to fly (like I did) but I see the Apprentice as more of an 'aileron' trainer, not a first plane. That $300.00 price tag is going to chase off a lot of beginners, even the $160.00 of the SC is higher than a lot of other so-called trainers. Once you have learned to fly the SC and are ready for your first 4 channel plane and you know you're sticking with the hobby a while that $300.00 + price isn't so bad and the Apprentice would be perfect then.

Excellent info there RAZ, agree 100 percent with all that...

I'm always curious on what the handling is on a new product, checking reviews, perhaps a video etc, to see if this one will work for me...

I will personally say, Again the Apprentice has some great size to it, love this, its handling is slightly different tho rather stable as the Super Cub, I did have an issue with the Apprentice on take off, I corrected the COG Center Of Gravity for my flying at the moment abit more towards the nose, original setting was very close but acted tail heavy to me as slushy as it started to leave the pavement, I use just over 1/2 to 3/4 throtte, not quite max to avoid any possible torque, steady lift and she responds on the money with the current setting, but before it nearly always went into a turn during the lift, infact scary a few times at the first settings, but other than this concern, as now corrected, it simply flys fantastic, made some held inverted and performs this manuver with ease..the visuals on this one are perfect with the added size, landing are its plus, tho again the Super Cub is great here as well, landings are a treat with the Apprentice, easily see its postions with the added size as it comes in, pure pleasure here, note classify myself as mediocore flyer and the Apprentice Trainer is an easy task...

If you want a sporty zinging flyer, this isn't it, after all this one's a trainer, but a beefed up one, yessss and with nice size and power to spare a real winner, yep here it is !!!

Yes it is 4 channel, this puts it slightly above the beginners choice, tho it handles very well on the ailerons, these are faster response than example the Super Cubs rudder as expected, Apprentice's rudder gives a soft slow turn, but ailerons required for quick turning, give the Apprentice otherwise a thumbs up for a newbie provided he has an instructor...yep, price is heavier for some, but a very attractive package with the size of this puppie, big lipo, brushless motor, and Spectrum Tech, its a winner..l'm really enjoying mine todate...still look forward to each outing as approaching dozen flights on this beautie, lovely .....BEST WARREN ..<>..

Ok going to break this further down, now this is my own personal views on these two strongly suggested flyers, they are both beauties..

Flight times, about equal here, tho flown the Apprentice about 12-14 minutes max as want recovery if needed, Super Cub great here as well, re-call loads of 17 minute Cub flights, motor cuts off but pulses are left for landing, dead heat here...<>..

Deadstick, if there is an area I have anything close on flying skills, absolutely this is it, as my first ventures were gliders, certainly an important element for me, Super Cub excellent on Deadstick Throttle Off, provided you keep things flying nose down for airspeed as required, Apprentice is also increadible on Deadstick, not too tight of turns to lose things and again keep things flying it comes all the way in with ease, tuff one here, as both are great, I'll say its a dead heat...<>..

Super Cub, proven flyer and certainly a great value, tho over $100 tag worth every cent...
Apprentice, pricy at $299 but loads of extras and increased size, beefy plane here, but its your money, hi hi...<>..Super Cub wins in value product...

Size, both nice, 4 footer on the Cub, is great, addtional foot on the Apprentice even better, Apprentice wins here simply on size..

Flying characteristics both being trainers are very predictable, take offs on the Apprentcie go easy here, straight and level and she's on the money as the Super Cub, give the Super Cub edge on take off, but this could be my flying, out of the box Super Cub wins, as had two Cubs, give a slight edge, but simply check the COG Center Of Gravity on both prior to flights, mandatory here to fly correctly...

Landings, Super Cub is a treat to land once you learn to flare etc, however the larger Apprentice is even better, landings give the edge to the Apprentice, if I have a weak link its my landings, but the Super Cub and Apprentice are easy once you learn to flare, Super Cub landings are yes Super but the Apprentice landings for ease simply off the charts, spectacular here, Apprentice wins...

Looks inflight, they are about a dead heat, tho larger Apprentice is majestic..both winners here...<>..

What you get in the package, Apprentice with the beefed up motor and larger lipo, Spectrum Tech, and the flight package on the apprentice is reuseable on other planes, so Apprentice wins here for your later ventures....

For the novice, edge back to the Super Cub as its a 3 channel, and its record is simply off the chart for newbie success, but if you want something advanced with additional outside help with a qualified instructor, Apprentice is a very strong option if you realize your serious into this fantastic hobbie...

Note these are only the comments from a single flyer, do the homework and you decide whats best for you...<>..

Happy Flying, BEST..<>..

Had a maiden flight tonight with the Apprentice and all went well. I flew the Super Cub first and surprisingly had a mild crash on initial take off. I haven't crashed the Cub in months and just before a maiden of a more advanced plane I screw up. I flew the Apprentice anyway and had a wobbly first few minutes having never flown a plane with ailerons but I took to it and set it down 3 times to a dead stop and would practice my taxi then up in the air again. The control surfaces are my more responsive than the Super Cub and the front steering wheel needs to be tweaked a little for ground steering. Over all it was great, much slower than the hopped up Super Cub and thats a good thing for now.

The owner of our LHS took an Apprentice out to the schoolyard and had a ball flying it in about 10 MPH winds. He "hovered" it directly over our heads, by matching the wind speed with its forward speed, and could do that little trick over and over again.

He easily landed the plane in the rough grass-covered field, the same on in which my Son flipped our Lancair EP, so it even passed the ground handling test, for that matter!

I was quite impressed with the plane, but I do realize that it was in the hands of an expert flier. But from all appearances, it is well built, tough, nicely sized and powered, and should make a really nice intermediate trainer.

I started with an aerobird xtreme and crashed it almost everytime i flew it. Bought the apprentice, and have been lucky so far, only broke a propeller. That was only because i can't take off on smooth pavement. I cut the grass at the house and i always cut it a little short in one spot to take off

The plane takes off straight on grass perfect everytime

Not to hijack this thread, but Horizon recently introduced the Apprentice in a PNP version. My LHS had one for $226, I believe it was. If someone had been in helis for example, had maybe a DX6i, DX5E, chargers, etc., and wanted to get into planes, the PNP version might be the way to go. Personally, that's where I am. I've been looking at these two planes and this thread is exactly the question I've been asking.

I started with the SC, many crashes along the way, and now it's fully modded and a blast. The Apprentice costs more but comes with more, and it looks good for starting.

But a couple questions that might make a difference to newbies. 1. What is the Apprentice durability and fixability with crashes compared to the SC? 2. What is the range of mods possible with the Apprentice and has anybody done them?

Icky

I am brand new to the hobby. I actually bought a airhog for my newphew and daughter and had a blast with it. I then bought a mini supercub and flew it about 3 hours crashing it like crazy until getting the hang of it. I bought a apprentice last Saturday and flew it with a instructor. The apprentice blows away my minicub in terms of handling and sheer enjoyment. I think the mini/supercub is a great place to start though. Thats what I did.

Originally Posted by tlr-boise

Not to hijack this thread, but Horizon recently introduced the Apprentice in a PNP version. My LHS had one for $226, I believe it was. If someone had been in helis for example, had maybe a DX6i, DX5E, chargers, etc., and wanted to get into planes, the PNP version might be the way to go. Personally, that's where I am. I've been looking at these two planes and this thread is exactly the question I've been asking.

It's about time! I've expressed this desire several times, as have others. The Apprentice seems like a nice, solid aileron trainer. I'd have bought the PnP kit if it had been available. Oh well...

I have had my apprentice for about a month and i fly just as much as possible. It was real windy out today and i wanted to try out wind flying. Took off into the wind and went almost straight up. This is my first plane and in my opinion, it should be a first starter plane because it is so easy to handle. Even in the wind it flew great. As for mods, what else is there to do to a plane like this? JW? As for durability, I haven't crashed it yet (knock on wood), but it seems to be a sturdy plane, and as i have heard about other planes having weak landing gear, this plane stands up pretty good. Only thing people might have problems with is the nose gear, i find it hard to take off on pavement because it doesn't want to take off straight. But other than that, I love the plane.