Beginner looking for 1st plane

[Million]

Whats the best and most reasonably priced ($80 and under) READY TO FLY plane to learn to fly with?

[sircrashalot]

Spend a little more ($109) and get something worthwhile- read some of the other threads in this category about the Hobbyzone Firebird Commander. Hobbyzone does make a plane or two in your under $80 range, but they likely won't teach you anything that would transfer to your next model. You get what you pay for, and for the extra $29 you'll get a heck of a lot more plane, and the PERFECT first bird. Take it from me, I just started flying in early December and spent a lot of time on here and other web sites researching what to get. I am still flying the commander almost daily, and it's still fun!!!

[Million]

They dont sell those on towerhobbies, where did you get yours from? Is there a good plane I can get from towerhobbies?

[sircrashalot]

got it at www.horizonhobby.com. Tower doesn't carry it- although I don't know why. I think Tower specializes mostly in gas planes....

[aeropal]

Is there a good plane I can get from towerhobbies?
Aero Voyager (http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/hobbico/hcaa1981.html) - Parts (http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0005p?&I=HCAA1981&P=Z)

[Million]

Thanks, Aero

What about this one?

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXGDW7&P=1

[Million]

Ok sircrashalot, thanks

this one( Aero Voyager) that aeropal posted looks similar to the Commander. How do they compare, and what about the 1 I posted from tower? I noticed that the Aero Voyager only has a 3 channel radio with 1 stick, dont 99% of airplane 2+ channel controllers have 2 sticks? And would learning on a 1 stick controller limit my abilities when moving to a plane at a higher level?

[aeajr]

Below I list electric planes, parkflyers and e-gliders for beginners. Some
come ready to fly, some are almost ready to fly (add your own radio gear) and
some are kits. All of them are electric. If you are looking for your first
plane, you should find something here to peak your interest.

I don't recommend two channel R/T electrics, which is what you are going to find for under $100. You won't find any on the list. They can be very easy to fly and can be a lot of fun, but they can also be very easy to lose. A three channel R/E/T is a better choice as a first plane, in my opinion.

If you are totally new to RC Flying, these articles may be helpful in
understanding how these planes fly

RC Planes Are not like RC Cars
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=17

Stall
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=31

Launch into the wind
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=43

Parts of the plane and how they work
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=54

The RC Pilots Cockpit
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=59

Flying the Plane
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=64


READY TO FLY STARTER PLANES - Parkflyers
No building - they practically fly right out of the box

Aerobird Challenger - RTF Electric
I started on an Aerobird RTF. I love it and recommend it highly I have
almost 250 flights on mine. It is a ready to fly package which includes the
radio, charger, batteries, and all. $150
http://horizon.hobbyshopnow.com/products/description.asp?prod=HBZ3500
Review
http://www.hobbyzonesports.com/Discover/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=1289#Page01
Discussion Thread
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147621


Slow-V from Parkzone - About $140
Best flown in still to under 5 mph breeze
Can also be flown indoors in a gym or similar space.
http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/products/description.asp?prod=PKZ1300
Discussion Thread
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_2074785/anchors_2089493/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#2089493
Video
http://users.cwnet.com/dhsc19/Slo_V_Aerobatics.wmv
Night fly module on a Slo-V
http://rc-galaxy.com/messageboard/mb.asp?M=Slow_Flyers&CMD=ViewMsg&num=-8


T-Hawk - RTF - $150
http://www.toytx.com/thawk3chrtf.html
T-Hawk - Without Radio - add your radio and receiver
http://www.readytoflyfun.com/wittran.html
T-Hawk Discussion Thread
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243202&highlight=THawk


Easy Star - RTF - $ 190
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/240025.asp
Easy Star - ARF - Add you own radio gear
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/240009.asp
Discussion Thread on Easy Star
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258656


ALMOST READY TO FLY and EASY TO BUILD KITS - STARTER PLANES

Some of the planes in the previous group are available ARF as indicated.
Below are ARF and kit planes. You will need to buy a radio if you don't have
one, so you might want to read these articles on radios. Radios. The
articles are written for sailplane beginners, but all the info applies to
electrics too.

Entry Level Radios - If you have to go cheap
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=44

Computer Radios - The recommended path for almost everyone
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=65


ARF typically means you are not gluing balsa pieces together, then covering
with Monocote or some other shrink film. Below are ARFs and some are very
easy to build kits. In each case you must add your own radio, receiver,
servos, speed control, batteries and battery charger. They all come with a
motor.

Slow stick
Best flown in still to under 5 mph breeze
Can also be flown indoors in a gym or similar space.
http://horizon.hobbyshopnow.com/products/description.asp?prod=GWS1040
Discussion Thread
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=122951

Tiger Moth
Best flown in still to under 5 mph breeze
Can also be flown indoors in a gym or similar space.
http://horizon.hobbyshopnow.com/products/description.asp?prod=GWS1020
Review
http://www.backyardflyer.com/BY/articles/tiger_moth.asp

Tipsey
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/tipsy.htm
Review
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/pdf/gr6232.pdf
http://rcgroups.com/links/index.php?sid=498277416&t=article&cat=198&id=3871

Balsa Wood Kits - If you like to build, these are highly recommended.

Dandy
http://www.mountainmodels.com/dandy.php

Dust Stick
http://www.mountainmodels.com/duskstik.php


ELECTRIC GLIDERS

Have you considered an electic glider? Usually larger than the typical
parkflyer, they also tend to be quite stable and fly a bit slower, which makes
them easy to fly.

If you would like to try soaring with the birds, then an electric glider might
be a good choice. These planes are launched with an electric motor. They can
be flown around using the motor, like a parkflyer, or they can be flown to
height, then the motor is turned off and you hunt for thermals, just like the
birds.

They can do loops and simple aerobatics, but are really optomized for thermal
soaring. The Aerobird and the T-Hawk, which are often mentioned as first
parkflyers, glide and thermal pretty well, but they come with fixed props.
These planes include folding props which make the plane more streamlined and
so it can glide better than a fixed propeller plane.

Some are RTF which are fully built, include all the radio gear with everything
installed. Battery and charger are included with the RTF planes. Some are
ARFs where you assemble the simple package, then add your own radio equipment.
Some are available either way.

With these planes you get a good first plane, a good first electric and a good
electric glider. It may not have been what you were thinking, but it may be
exactly what you were looking for.

Easy Star - RTF - also listed above
This is a Park Glider - can be flown as parkflyer or glider
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/240025.asp
Easy Star - ARF - Add you own radio gear
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/240009.asp
Discussion Thread on Easy Star
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258656

Ascent - this is a park glider ARF
It can be flown as a parkflyer or a glider
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByCategory/Product/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFL1075
Review
http://rcgroups.com/links/index.php?t=article&cat=237&id=4233

Spectra - 2M - RTF
78" wing span - perhaps too large for a parkflyer, but a good first e-glider
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXVJ51**&P=ML
Spectra ARF -
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXADK2&P=7

Electra - 2M ARF
78" wing span - perhaps too large for a parkflyer, but a good first e-glider
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDJB2&P=7

If you are not familiar with soaring, it is a lot of fun. Flights can be as
short as parkflyer flights, or can last for hours, if you find lift.

This article may be helpful in understanding lift and the fun that e-gliders
offer to the electric flyer.

Finding Lift
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=57