Thinking about getting back in to the hobby, lots has change.

[thisguy65]

Short story, I use to fly RC planes (had a trainer type when I was in 7th/8th grade) on the old farm. That ended when Go-Kart throttle was stuck and my Dad went to crank it up to move it. My plane was between the kart and brick wall. As you image the plane lost. This was a fuel type plane. I remember starting out I would remove the wings and drive it around like a R/C Car to get use to the controls. I'm 30 now and how this all started, I fell in the youtube hole and came across the Freewing A10. The A10 is my favorite bird, period. Then Saw RCjetdude A10 with the sound box and though it was the coolest thing.


Part of me wants to jump in the A10, while the other parts says get a cheap trainer to knock the cob-webs off or RC simulator. My first plane a was a 4 ch and I've flown DJI drones, although that's a different subject.

What I don't know is 1) the correct way to go. I don't have any gear. 2) How a fuel plane flies compare to a EDF or eletric prop plane. I can image coming off the throttle the electric motors just stop vs fuel coming to a idle.


Thanks for the help guys/gals.

[F22trainer]

Keep reading articles here and on Motion RC website.
I was out of the hobby since mid 90’s, an EDF was equivalent to a unicorn, and NiCd batteries were all there was.
I got back in the air first, as a Commercial Pilot and then with a Hobby Zone Carbon Cub S+ with a Spektrum DXe purchased separately (not RTF).
You can skip the first one, and unless you are still on the farm - join a club and get help.
It’s a blast and after only a year I have a decent hangar of foam and built models. See OLD KIT New technology under the Propeller Airplanes topic.
Tons of good helpful folks here

[xviper]

The part of you that wants the A-10 should be ignored, unless you want to simply write off 600 bucks. Going from a trainer 17 years ago to an A-10 will end badly and will likely turn you off RC for a good long time, making those expensive batteries you'll need and the transmitter and receiver you'll buy, another bunch of money that you may end up selling for 25 cents on the dollar.
Go with the "other part".

[Alpha]

Hey there Thisguy65, welcome home to Hobby Squawk!

You're not alone. Many of us began with liquid fuels years ago. The hobby has evolved in many ways, and in many other ways it has stayed the same. Some of flying is like riding a bike and will come back to you quickly, but you're also right in supposing that there are some key differences you'll have to relearn or learn anew (throttle sensitivity, how to store/charge/maintain a LiPo battery, etc).

As others have said, your first plan of action should be to read, research, and engage. Ask us here on Squawk, we're all friendly. Call Motion RC's service line at 224-633-9090, they all fly and can answer specific product questions and help you map out a confident path to get back into the hobby without breaking your wallet or your patience. Read through the forum, and the Knowledge Blog, too.

I led the development team on our Freewing 80mm A-10, and as much as I love it for many reasons, I'll echo Xviper by advising that you keep that one in your Future but not your Present. First invest in reliable gear (radio/receiver family, charger), set your goals of what you'd like to spend (in both time and money) to get started, and how much you're willing to spend to get to a future goal such as the A-10, and that will give the group of us better footing to make recommendations to you. Your progression from Trainer to A-10 could be short, or it could be long. None of us knows until you get started, but I speak for all of us when I say we want you to get started safely, smartly, and economically. This hobby can get dangerous and expensive quickly. Just ask.... well, everyone here, plus their wives, significant others, garages, and kitchen tables. :)

[Twowingtj]

Welcome to Hobby Squawk thisguy65! And welcome back to the hobby. I, like you, was in the hobby back in the "glow fuel and build it yourself" days. After nearly a 20 year break, I decided to get back in. Noting that the hobby had changed radically.

As Alpha and others have mentioned, do your research. In addition to on-line magazines and forums like here, you could also check out the Flight School on the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) website. The more you learn about what has changed, the better prepared you'll be to make the right choices on how to get started again. Contacting a local club could be very helpful as well.

Participating in the hobby today is much easier than it has ever been. Companies like Motion RC, offer quality products at resonable prices and back them up with great customer service.

Take your time and rebuild a good foundation of knowledge and skills. It will be worth it when you get to fly that A-10 further down the road. She does fly great too.:Cool:

[BRGT350]

Welcome! When I started in the hobby a few years ago, the A-10 was on the list of planes that I wanted to fly as an end goal. That and the F-14. The A-10 seemed to make more sense since it had a straight wing that would be good for slow flight. I figured I would be good to go within a few years. Turned out it took me 5 years, but that was a conservative approach and starting with zero RC plane experience. I went with the small UMX A-10 as my first EDF and it is my only EDF. I don't feel nearly ready for anything larger.

With that said, I would suggest getting into a nice and stable electric trainer. The Apprentice is a fantastic plane that you can really grow with. There are two sizes now in case you want a smaller one. From there I would move towards a stable low-wing bird like the T-28, E-Flite Cherokee, or Cirrus. When you have those mastered, I would consider the UMX A-10. It gives you the fun of the A-10 at a much lower price point and far less performance. I toss mine in the air and belly land it. To get an A-10 that will work on my grass runway requires stepping up to the biggest Freewing A-10, and that is something I just don't feel capable of handling.

Picking up a used Apprentice RTF would be where I would start. From there I would replace the RTF transmitter with something better since you will want that going forward. The RTF will get you into the air the easiest and quickest to see how you like flying electrics and to dust off the cobwebs. Sell the RTF Apprentice and upgrade to a better transmitter and low wing plane, but not a crazy expensive and big warbird.

While the UMX A-10 isn't nearly as bad ass as the big 80mm Freewing A-10, it still gives you the enjoyment of seeing an A-10 in the air and you can still go tank busting with it. Just really small tanks. ;)


Try Cities RC Fliers June 2018 by Bryan Redeker, on Flickr

[boomer108]

Welcome thisguy65! You came to the right place for advice. I was out of the hobby for 30 yrs. Got back in with a high wing trainer the Flyzone Sensei. After flying it for a whole season I felt I was ready to move up so I bought the FMS Corsair, what a handful. So after that I decided to find a low wing easy flyer to get more low wing experience. After reading up on the review's and people's comments here on the Squawk I went with the Freewing Pandora. It is a 4 in 1 airplane that you can configure high wing for starting out with nose wheel or tail dragger mode. The when your comfortable you can move to low wing in nose wheel or tail dragger mode, it also has optional flaps. To this day it's still one of go to planes in the low wing tail dragger set up, a great sport flyer. You should also consider a six channel radio which gives you room to expand, Tactic and Spektrum are good choices. Good luck and welcome back to a great hobby.

[Elbee]

Short story,.

TG65, Welcome to the Squawk and back into the hobby. I, too, saw RCJD's A-10 and just had to have one which became my re-entry back into the RC aircraft hobby. The advice here is 'top-notch' and the guys/gals are outstanding. Best, LB

[thisguy65]

Welcome thisguy65! After flying it for a whole season I felt I was ready to move up so I bought the FMS Corsair, what a handful.

How was Corsair a handful?

I did look at the Pandroa since I could fly it as a low wing flyier like the A10.

[Alpha]

Pandora is the only 4-in-1 on the market and is an ideal option in certain ways. It's PNP so you'd need to get the radio/battery/charger separately, compared to an RTF Apprentice, but this is technically okay since you'd be able to invest in a full radio/charger that will one day fly the A-10 rather than the basic one included in the RTF Apprentice package. On the other hand, you'd be trading future compatibility for short term convenience.

It all begins with my question of what kind of time and money you wanted to spend. You can choose your level of engagement... quick and easy, or the longer/more developed road.

[boomer108]

How was Corsair a handful?

I did look at the Pandroa since I could fly it as a low wing flyier like the A10.

I just wasn't ready for fast low wing warbird at the time. You have keep your speed up in the turns and the elevator is quite touchy plus add flaps and gear to the mix I just wasn't ready at the time. Now six years later no problems. Going slow and building flight time and advancing one step at a time is the way to go.

[rifleman_btx]

Yeah the corsair isnt a confidence builder, but it does demand a much higher degree of confidence in flight. Shes one you have to be steps ahead.

[BRGT350]

My first low wing plane was the Corsair, both the UMX Corsair and Hobbyzone Corsair S. I got the Corsair look without the warbird difficulty. The Corsair S flew very much like a trainer and that is what it was marketed as. The plane was the old Parkzone Corsair with a SAFE receiver. While many complained it was too expensive, along with all the normal SAFE complaints, I found the plane to be perfect for me. I went from the Apprentice to the Corsair S. It only took a few flights until I turned off SAFE and been flying it that way ever since. The plane was very stable and almost impossible to stall with the large cambered wing. It gave me the confidence to keep progressing. When I found the E-Flite P-47 a little too much for me, I parked it and went back to the Corsair. Many times I would take a step too far and decide to go backwards to improve my skills. Flying in Michigan also creates problems by a short flying season and being very rusty in the spring. I bought a better simulator to fly during the winter.

[thisguy65]

TG65, Welcome to the Squawk and back into the hobby. I, too, saw RCJD's A-10 and just had to have one which became my re-entry back into the RC aircraft hobby. The advice here is 'top-notch' and the guys/gals are outstanding. Best, LB

Gorgeous bird!

[thisguy65]

My first low wing plane was the Corsair, both the UMX Corsair and Hobbyzone Corsair S. I got the Corsair look without the warbird difficulty. The Corsair S flew very much like a trainer and that is what it was marketed as. The plane was the old Parkzone Corsair with a SAFE receiver. While many complained it was too expensive, along with all the normal SAFE complaints, I found the plane to be perfect for me. I went from the Apprentice to the Corsair S. It only took a few flights until I turned off SAFE and been flying it that way ever since. The plane was very stable and almost impossible to stall with the large cambered wing. It gave me the confidence to keep progressing. When I found the E-Flite P-47 a little too much for me, I parked it and went back to the Corsair. Many times I would take a step too far and decide to go backwards to improve my skills. Flying in Michigan also creates problems by a short flying season and being very rusty in the spring. I bought a better simulator to fly during the winter.

Thanks! Reached out to a few local clubs about dusting the cobwebs off. I’ll report back let you guys know how it goes.



one gentleman I was talking to suggest L-39 and/or Freewing Rebel

[Elbee]

Gorgeous bird!

TG65, Thank you. It flys like a quick-trainer just not as forgiving at slow speed approaches. I love flying it. Great Winter Project? Glad you're back. Best, LB

[xviper]

Thanks! Reached out to a few local clubs about dusting the cobwebs off. I’ll report back let you guys know how it goes.



one gentleman I was talking to suggest L-39 and/or Freewing Rebel

Going directly to one of these jets after such a long absence from a trainer type plane may not be the greatest idea. If you must go to a jet, pick the Rebel. It's still a fairly fast plane but it's cheaper and if you bury it, it won't hurt nearly as much. If you succeed with it, it'll remain a good "fall back" plane for those times you might suffer a bad case of "dumb thumbs". Remember who that "gentleman" is. You may have a few choice words for him after your first flight or you may want to thank him.

[thisguy65]

Going directly to one of these jets after such a long absence from a trainer type plane may not be the greatest idea. If you must go to a jet, pick the Rebel. It's still a fairly fast plane but it's cheaper and if you bury it, it won't hurt nearly as much. If you succeed with it, it'll remain a good "fall back" plane for those times you might suffer a bad case of "dumb thumbs". Remember who that "gentleman" is. You may have a few choice words for him after your first flight or you may want to thank him.

The gentlemen is a member here. I don’t have to go to jet, i understand needs to have a approach for success or might as well watch money burn. I was just mentioning what he said is all. Still looking in to them. One of the lock clubs has appericentice with safe system. They do free get togethers, I reached out to them. Will at least throw some funds to the group for their time.

[xviper]

The gentlemen is a member here. I don’t have to go to jet, i understand needs to have a approach for success or might as well watch money burn. I was just mentioning what he said is all. Still looking in to them. One of the lock clubs has appericentice with safe system. They do free get togethers, I reached out to them. Will at least throw some funds to the group for their time.

It's very hard to give recommendations on this topic over the "net". We can't truly tell your nature and ability to learn skills. Even my own comments to you may be way out in left field since I don't really know you. To tell you anything based on what you've posted here is a really wild stab in the dark. I tend to err on the side of caution. Of all the jets that one can buy, the L-39 is one of the most well rounded ones to date. It can be tame or it can be crazy wild. BUT, it's not the cheapest. Plan and expect the best but be prepared for the worst. In this hobby, I think most of us have seen our money "burn" and it's just part of the game. After almost 8 years in the hobby and many, many planes later, I've seen my share of money burn. I still watch the occasional plane take a dirt nap.

[thisguy65]

It's very hard to give recommendations on this topic over the "net". We can't truly tell your nature and ability to learn skills. Even my own comments to you may be way out in left field since I don't really know you. To tell you anything based on what you've posted here is a really wild stab in the dark. I tend to err on the side of caution. Of all the jets that one can buy, the L-39 is one of the most well rounded ones to date. It can be tame or it can be crazy wild. BUT, it's not the cheapest. Plan and expect the best but be prepared for the worst. In this hobby, I think most of us have seen our money "burn" and it's just part of the game. After almost 8 years in the hobby and many, many planes later, I've seen my share of money burn. I still watch the occasional plane take a dirt nap.

You are 100% correct and I get it. I do tend to pick up things quickly, however there is not problem err on the side of caution.
Coming from shooting background, trust I get it. It can be as deep of a rabbit hole as the person wants.