I recently purchased, and have just flown the new Firebird Commander 2. Just wanted to let people know the impression.

First, I've only been flying ANY RC for a little over a year, so, I'm essentially a beginner. I started with, and still use, a SlowStick. I also have a couple of pusher wings with at least 48" wingspan. That's my only experience. All electric.

I just thought I would like a RTF. So, I purchased the Firebird Commander 2. I guess, generally speaking from my little experience, I would suggest that a Slow Stick, though not an RTF, would be much easier, and safer (speed wise) than the Commander 2 for a beginner. I flew the Commander 2 for about 30 minutes worth of batteries. There was no wind at ground level, and 2-5 mph (I'm guessing) aloft. The plane climbs out nicely...if thrown hard enough. Not being used to flying without an elevator (the Commander 2's altitude is controlled by throttle speed) probably made me a little nervous, and having to "think" a lot more, when in flight. I also bought the X-port attachements for dropping "bombs"/parachuter and the night lights. These are "cute". The "bomb dropper is small and a little cheaply built. The lights are also small, but seem more "stout" and work fine.

Anyway, overall, the little plane flies quite fast, and lands quite "hot", for a beginner. I would definitely recommend a slower plane for someone just starting....and one a little easier to control, and with an elevator. Maybe I just got used to the relaxing flight characteristics of the SlowStick....but, then again...the wings I have "move on down the road" themselves. I know the SlowStick is not RTF, but, I think it would be worth reading a few forum posts and putting some basic electronics on it and learning to fly on something a little more slower and controlable than the Commander 2. I know there are plenty of other good starter planes out there also, I just only have experience with the SlowStick.

I'm NOT trying to say the Commander 2 is a bad ariplane. I just don't think it's a good "starter" plane. I'll fly mine, and enjoy it. I just have to get used to using that throttle to try to stay above the earth, since it is only a 2-channel aircraft. I only paid $100 for it and two batteries....RTF. Not a bad price at all for the transmitter, plane, and all batteries, plus an extra battery...had to add about $10 for shipping....and then I went and spent another $40 for the X-port attachments. But, the transmitter and plane (plus extra battery), delivered, for ~$110 ain't bad. Just not so sure it is a good "starter" plane.

Oh, yeah, I didn't get to try out the ACT (Anti-Crash Technology). It was late in the day and the sun was low on the horizon. The manual mentions that such a condition my throw the ACT off.

That's all. Just wanted to share an impression from just one person, with limited experience, with the rest of the crowd here.

Cheers!

Lobo

Hey Lobo I just bought one of those planes this weekend have not flown here yet it is raining out and today should get better weather. I am total noob at planes only sim time so I'll let you know how it goes. The hobby shop where I purchased it advised me that this would be a good started plane and I hve been doing buisness with them for years and have never been steered wrong so I hope this is not the fist time . If anyone else has exp with this plane could u please post some info? Thanks

I have had a few smaller 2 channel planes, they used the system Lobo mentioned (throttle & alt on one channel).

As tough as it can be to get used to, you DO get used to it and flying becomes very "simple" once you get to know the ins & outs of the plane, like the amount of wind it will fly in. The guy who flies his firebird "look-a-like" on the field i fly my EZ is almost a clone of the plane Lobo described and i can say that he gets decent long flights out of this reliable style of plane, the plane always gets to great altitude (5 or 6 times more than i fly) and without realy being extreemly exciting, the flights are pleasant and almost peaceful.

When we had a little chat, he said he had bought a mini cam and was just working around to desighning a strut of some kind to attach it to his plane. I then thought to myself how these planes must make great spy planes as they are slow and steady, get to great altitude and with wide wing spans could easily glide using thermals (could be wrong) from their advanced hight. Some of the views would be awesome id imagine too.

Hope thats a help at all.

Originally Posted by ejs04

Hey Lobo I just bought one of those planes this weekend have not flown here yet it is raining out and today should get better weather. I am total noob at planes only sim time so I'll let you know how it goes. The hobby shop where I purchased it advised me that this would be a good started plane and I hve been doing buisness with them for years and have never been steered wrong so I hope this is not the fist time . If anyone else has exp with this plane could u please post some info? Thanks

EJS,

I'm sure you'll do fine and enjoy the Firebird. Plenty of room out in Gallop, and "fast" is a relative term. I just kinda like the "real" look and slow manuverability of the SlowStick a little better, that's all. If you move on up to a 3-channel plane like the Parkzone's Mustang, or such, you'll be glad you started with a little faster plane.

Hope all goes well. Let me know how your maiden flight goes.

Lobo

Hey Lobo thanks for the support and I will let you know how the flight goes just as soon as I can get an afternoon with no wind. I plan on getting the F-27 Stryker next I am very interested in the wing type of plane. I fly a Hummingbird v2 heli right now so this will be a change. I have a gas trainer plane but I have never flown to scared I guess but now that I have an inexpensive plane to learn on I will most likley fly that next.

Originally Posted by ejs04

Hey Lobo thanks for the support and I will let you know how the flight goes just as soon as I can get an afternoon with no wind. I plan on getting the F-27 Stryker next I am very interested in the wing type of plane. I fly a Hummingbird v2 heli right now so this will be a change. I have a gas trainer plane but I have never flown to scared I guess but now that I have an inexpensive plane to learn on I will most likley fly that next.

I went from a Slo-V to a Stryker. Lets just say it was eye opening. Its one thing to see a vid of the Stryker or any plane flying and quite another to get the plane out to your field and letting it rip. It was lots of fun until I realized the trees that seemed sooooo far away when flying the Slo-V suddenly reached out and grabbed my Stryker Still waiting for some parts to come in so I can take it back out. It was fun for the couple flights it lasted!

I went backwards...from a Stryker to a Slo-V. I wasn't having problems with the Stryker, I just wanted a slow flyer. Before the stryker it was a Firebird Commander that I couldn't keep in the air more than 5 minutes.

Stryker now runs a 3c lipo....big difference.

frvrngn,
What parts are you waiting for? I've got a few stryker pieces and you're not too far away from me.

[/QUOTE] it was a Firebird Commander that I couldn't keep in the air more than 5 minutes.
.[/QUOTE]
you are not the first person to make that coment about the Firebird Commander and not beeing able to keep it in the air for more than 5 min, Why is that? I have still yet to get a decent day I guess I may have to brave the 5 to 8 mph winds and just try it. I was hoping for a calm day for the maiden flight so I could get a feel for it before taking her up in the wind but i guess it is not going to happen at least for a while according to the weather reports light winds and rain for the next week

It doesn't have enough thrust to recover from a stall & with no elevator control you can't change the pitch. On most planes, speed is controlled with the elevator and altitude is controlled by the engine. So you're forced to try to control speed & altitude with the engine. If the turn gets even a little tight the FBC will tip stall into a death spiral.

It will fly, but only if you keep a steady speed & don't let it nose down unless you're at more than 120ft above the ground.

Originally Posted by thebackroads

It doesn't have enough thrust to recover from a stall & with no elevator control you can't change the pitch. On most planes, speed is controlled with the elevator and altitude is controlled by the engine. So you're forced to try to control speed & altitude with the engine. If the turn gets even a little tight the FBC will tip stall into a death spiral.

Ok, so it wasn't just me I got an FBC recently, because the shop did not have the foamie I wanted in stock, and I thought it would be fun to play around with until I'd get a more decent plane.

It's really quite hard to get it to fly level, and bringing it down for landing is pure luck. It picked up a thermal or something over some trees, and I had problems getting it back down without any elevation control. Also, when you realize you're going down too fast, it's already too late, pushing up the throttle will only make it hit the ground harder.

Yes, I am a complete beginner - but that plane was designed for people like me, right? I hope (and believe) that the EasyGlider will provide me with better control, without being overly complex.

Here are a few more observations/hints from my limited experience with the plane, for what they're worth.

When launching it, you have to have it on full throttle, and push it forward with quite some force. If you don't push enough, it will hit the ground. And even if you do, it will only start going up after a dangerous-looking dive.

First of all, learn to fly the plane level at about shoulder height. This will teach you how to control the throttle, and you will be able to land it without having a heart attack. Pushing it up too high on full throttle will only result in the plane diving down and moving up repeatedly, until it either hits the ground or you eventually get to grips with the throttle. Landing it from shoulder height is done by slightly reducing the throttle, but not too much. Once you got the flying level part, this will actually be pretty easy.

Be careful with the rudder - move it slowly and gently. There is a certain delay until the plane reacts, and if you try to fly narrow curves, you will make the plane unstable.

Don't believe the crap about the plane being as easy to fly as driving an RC car. It's not. It's much harder to control a plane, and the auto stabilization features only kick in once the plane goes out of range (just try it with the transmitter switched off, and the flight pack connected: if you move the plane, the servos will react).

I know this isnt what you want to hear, you have spent money on this plane and may get a sense of disapointment when it does only last 5 mins or does a "death spiral" but il say it anyways because people told me when i was there and i found it to be a real help.

I know it seems like the ideal start, a "nice and easy" 2 channel flyer will get you started in this hobby.... right ? ..... wrong.

You should be looking to get a good begginer plane with 3 channels, and starting with 2 is just going to slow your progress when you buy a 3 channel plane, it did for me. This is why.

When you launch your plane, all your doing is telling the plane to get fast and it will, it will also start to climb, now if you want to descend, you just slow the plane down. Now as stated above, this isnt how its supposed to be done, you SHOULD be able to tell the plane to go up & down at any time, on any power. So when you buy a 3 channel plane, it will confuse the hell out of you when your pressing up on the stick and instead of slowing down and landing, the plane nose dives lol.

Buy a 3 channel starter plane and you will be in this hobby a long time, stay away from 2 channel toys. I bought a multiplex easystar for £159 rtf and ive had about 20 amazing flights out of it up to now, doing loops, inverted flight, and anything you can imagine.

The ol' Aerobird Challenger is the way to go. You can try to fly it around as though it's a 2 channel b/c of the wing design; yes don't use elevator functions. And you still have the elevator third channel if you struggle with it, or just to get her up and down in more efficient fashion. I'd roll with the Challenger; it also has the X-port additions available. She was fast enough to be fun, but could also hang up there a pretty long time. Actually, I often had to dive her just to get her out of the thermals to set her up for landing. Sure as heck was vastly better than my Megajunk Airstrike, although most people will agree a non-v-tail trainer (ie slowstick) is the way to start out.

I'll say it again. I started on the Firebird challenger and have now moved on to the PZ Cub, then the PZ P-51, and now my GWS Corsair. I still take the challenger out and fly it sometimes. It's so docile and just floats around the field. It's a very relaxing plane to fly.

I think the best thing the plane did for me was teach me throttle control which is something that has saved my butt on more than one occasion. Learning how to get a plane into a good glide path for landing and setting the plane down slowly when not having elevator control is one huge advantage. I've never once broken a prop on my belly landers. Only reason I can see people breaking so many props is they don't know how to glide a plane in gently. This plane teaches that. Almost forces that.

Sure I crashed the commander several times but other than that I have only once had a major crash on my other 3 planes in well over 200 flights on all of them.

Id agree with you lostsoul, and basically say the same thing near the top of this thread, these types of planes do get up very high and go a nice slow speed, look very gentle in the air. But id still say that if your starting out you will get bored of something like this very quickly as its controls hold you back, all you can do is gently fly around the field, which i great and i love watching the guy on my field do so, but im sure he must be itching to start going a little faster already.