Advice Please

Kind of off the genre of our site but, I've taken Arti's advice on RC planes "They are quite difficult to fly"

However we all have to start somewhere, and my boy Matty has said that he would like an RC plane for xmas, so what is the easiest RC plane on the market for him to learn to fly without having the heartache of taking off only to drop smash your toy and never use it again.

Surely there is something out there nearly indestructable, and forgiving on the novice.

Thanks guys,

Jase.

First things first... Get a proper RC plane trainer. You can get a usb controller for around $20 off evilbay and then download clearview simulator off the net.
Or you can buy the USB controller and a copy of FMS simulator off ebay as well. But FMS is a bit a shite in the physics department and isn't really that realistic.... Oorrrrr you can pay through the nose for some seriously high quality sims like phoenix and buy a proper flight radio (like a spektrum, futaba, Jr etc.) that it will work with.

Once he's gotten the hang of the sim look for a foam trainer they're the most survivable. Most planes are going to break when you crash them, but a foamie is usually only tooth picks, tape, and some glue away from being in the air again.
Try and get a pusher (prop in the rear) so when you do dork it in, and you will, it won't break the prop.

Here's some of my suggestions. These aren't ready to fly, you'll need stuff to get them in the air. Some will only need radio gear (you can get it for under $30 off the same site), but others are nothing but the air frame and will need motor, esc, servo's and radio gear. All of them will need batteries, they are pretty specific for each plane. PLus make sure you read the reviews and descriptions for each plane, they'll generally point out any problems.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__24340__Hobbyking_Windragon_660mm_w_molded_fuselage_2pc_EPO_wing_PNF_AUS_Warehouse_.html
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__21131__Hobbyking_Gumby_Slowfly_890mm_PNF_AUS_Warehouse_.html
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__25808__Pusher_Star_EPO_Trainer_Plug_n_Play_AUS_Warehouse_.html
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__21128__AXN_Floater_Jet_w_Servo_Motor_ESC_EPO_PNF_AUS_Warehouse_.html

This isn't a pusher, but it's a cheap bare air frame.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=12971


The biggest thing to watch out for it this... Trees jumping out to eat your plane.
clicky

Or just send me some money and I will send you a bucket of broken #### back . Speaking from experience use to fly 25 yrs ago was quite costly then .

BIGBOY wrote:Or just send me some money and I will send you a bucket of broken #### back . Speaking from experience use to fly 25 yrs ago was quite costly then .

25years ago it was all balsa, tissue and dope... These day's you can get a foamie in the air for under $50 if you shop around. Hell i've got a Balsa piper cub that i paid less than $50 delivered for the air frame.... Throw in a cheap brushless/esc combo, some servo's and it's ready to rock for around $75.

The initial start up cost is still relatively high. But the biggest single expense for me has been my Tx&Rx, and the fact i needed to buy a few smaller sized batteries.

It only gets as expensive as you want it to get.... Or it's always expensive if you fly Heli's....

How times have changed it cost me $ 500 plus to get started back then . I see the crashing is still the same though !!!!

Yup the crashes never change... The great thing about cheap planes is now you laugh then they dork in, rather than cry over the 100s of hours work lost.

Your start up cost today would still be around the $300 mark for a decent tx package plus plane and batts.

I was looking at these for starters 2 channel cant go wrong to bwgin with:

Downside to a 2ch plane is that when (if) you ever do go to a 'normal' plane you have to re-learn how to fly again... The controls are totally different. With a 2ch plane, throttle is used to climb/descend and turning it done using different motor speeds.
Even 3ch (throttle, rudder, elevator) to 4ch (rudder, throttle, elevator and ailerons) is a fairly steep learning curve as they fly totally different.

i think that matty will be happy with just something that flies, thats why i thought a 2 ch system would be ok, for beginners anyway.