M3galodon

Hello everybody!

I'm Sebastian, I'm 23.

I've always wanted to fly an RC, I'm now determined to get into this hobby and purchase my first Plane. Actually I did have a 2 ch mini RC but I don't think it counts, it was a Palm-Z Silverlit Mini RC Indoor Airplane which I flown for hours in my small living room.

My passion has always been for military jet planes so naturally I am keen to get an EDF Jet however I can't help to wonder if that wouldn't be a really bad choice, to say the least.

My pick was an F-22 70 mm ARF from Hobby King. I still need the Tx/Rx, motor, ESC, lipo and 5 servos, but I will not bother you with that until I will make my decision.

If the EDF is a definite NO NO I will go for the ARF Bixler with 1400 mm wingspan.

Thanks a lot!

Edit: I live in Ireland, pretty windy

cbatters

Yes - buy whatever you want but learn to fly on a trainer

cbatters

Put the EDF on a shelf to enjoy looking at until you have mastered a trainer.

M3galodon

Thanks cbatters for your fast reply
That wouldn't be a bad idea if I get too anxious about the EDF.

Nitro Blast

Flying a real Jet, even a 'trainer' jet you usually are a competent pilot to begin with.

RC is very similar to real life.


Jets are fast, and require you to be 'ahead' of the airplane.


Rookie RC pilots are usually 'chasing' their airplane for the first several months of flying, reacting to it instead of actively controlling it.


It is not my recommendation to go Jet first time out.

flydiver

It would be an expensive and short lesson in what not to do.
The Bixler looks like (another) Easy Star clone and should be a decent trainer. Then get a 4-channel trainer. Then get a prop jet. Only THEN go EDF. Short cuts....well, they aren't in this sport.

tobydogs

all of the above is true and wise advise.

Insomniac

But you can, of course, buy the jet now. Put it together, set it up, make it look nice... But you will have no chance of flying it as a first plane. The bixler does look like a great trainer, and it's very cheap. I can't comment fully on how an EDF is to fly, as I've never flown one, but my progression through RC went something like this, and no plane was a huge jump in difficulty:

Electrafun XP (3ch, r/e/t trainer. Flew this one many, many times) ----> Stryker F-27B (A prop powered 'jet', delta wing with ailerons. Somewhat quick but not really a challenge) ----> Scratchbuilt F&F combat foamy (3ch with ailerons, first brushless plane... Vertical performance and quite sensitive, but again not too challenging. Crashed it many times attempting to do silly maneuvers very low and fast) ---> Homemade flying wing (built from a dollar store glider's wing... No design went into this, all trial-and-error. Very unstable and was tail-heavy for many flights, crashed this more times than I can count. Very difficult plane to fly) ----> Art-Tech P-51 (First 4ch plane, quite easy to fly. Not very fast at all. Had one crash where I hit a pole landing, but it was a simple repair.)

With an RC simulator, it's not difficult to transition straight from a trainer to a prop jet, particularly if you get a whole bunch of experience on the trainer.

If I were you, I'd get a simulator, then fly something like the Bixler to death, then get a fast aerobatic plane with a prop, and fly that to death, THEN move to the EDF.

kenchiroalpha

Hi Sebastion
Welcome aboard
Pleased to meet you
All have given you excellent advise
The only thing i would add is when your ready to fly an edf think of trying out a F9F Panther
http://www.ductedfans.com/jets_electric_f9f_pather.html
Imho they are the most forgiving and easiest for the novice to edf flight
Take care and best of luck with your rc flight training
Yours Hank

M3galodon

Thank You all for the input. I see everybody is very determined on what is the best choice so you made it clear for me as well and you saved me throwing down the window $100.

I will go for the ARF Bixler, but I have a few questions about the build so I will start a new thread, i hope that is ok.

bbqflyer

Sebastion, everyone has definitely given good advice, and it is like real life. I spent a few years in the Navy on the air side, and even the f18 jockeys start out in a single engine prop trainer! And as for a first EDF, Kenchiroalpha hit square on the head, the F9F is a great place to start, it's fairly slow, very stable, and a good starting point. I don't have a link, but Hobby-Lobby has a great one and all's you'll need is the tx and rx.

Insomniac

Good choice. Feel free to open a new thread to ask questions about the build, people will be happy to help you set it up correctly.

TP16

If you want an F-22 and you don't mind building a little, there's a simple design for a foamie propjet out there (Dekan's F-22) that you could paint to look pretty nice. With some careful setup and low control rates, you might be able to get away with it as a first plane.

I just joined here today (ten minutes ago...) because RCG is down. If it wasn't I'd give you the link; I guess there could be a thread for it here but I haven't had a chance to look around.

Scott Page

Besides starting out with a slower trainer - I find that a simulator is worth every penny x 10. You can crash over and over with a simulator with no additional cost. Some (not all) will allow you to use your real transmitter which is even better.

I know folks are high on the Bixler - I echo that sentiment. My wife maiden flew her brand new Bixler one week ago - it was her maiden flight as well. Both plane and husband survived.

Rockin Robbins

I'll be high on the Bixler when people start talking about it like they do the Super Cub or Champ. That will take a long time. In the meantime I would choose to regard it as a typical Chinese kit, sold as RTF but needing important modifications before it is truly ready to fly, good for second or third plane but not clean enough of uncertainties to recommend to a beginner.

I think a beginner has to be ruthless in containing himself strictly to RTFs of bulletproof reputation, AEAJR has given a great list earlier. I think departing from that handful of planes makes the odds much worse that they can teach themselves to fly. If the Bixler belongs on the list it must earn the right. It hasn't.

Scott Page

True that! But then again, the first "Bixlers" have only been in hand for about a week - but it IS really the Banana Hobby "Sky Surfer" with a new name. Our "Bixler" even had a Sky Surfer outer box when it arrived last week.

The Sky Surfer has been around about a year and a half, and is VERY similar to the AXN floater jet, Easy Star, or other pusher gliders - the most notable difference I see is the Bix has a spacious fuse - & the foam is also better than the AXN.

I put an aileron gyro in my wife's Bix to help with wind gusts, and it makes it easier to take off from the grass rather than hand launch.

JetPlaneFlyer

Of course there are many other ways of getting into the hobby other than RTF models.. Some would argue that RTF models arent even the best way.

Steve

hankg

From the mouths of babes...

Regards,

Hankg

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx5Es0bnulM[/media]

Nitro Blast

Please allow me to share some facts about a scenario we have at our field.

A New guy comes in, and folks assist him with an easy star. After a very short training period (easy star was a loaner), he moved to a used Parkzone Trojan that was given to him. (2 planes through his hands he has not had to pay for)

While he was (and still is) learning, he recently got frisky, and bought a nitroplanes jet. He at least understands that he is not ready for it, and leaves it in the box for now. The jet arrived, and just tempts him as it sits in the box all pretty. But he continues to dork in the Trojan. His flying skills are slow to get polished, and IMO he is not making the right decisions yet (when to turn to return to the field, altitude too low when far away, LOOKING AWAY from the plane, etc.) He isnt thinking like a pilot 100% yet.

Nearly every landing (he chooses to go with or without a buddy cord) he does solo without a buddy he dorks in the trojan, busting props, motormounts, and nosegear mounts. Day after day of 'accelerated' learning (I say accelerated because he is thinking he is progressing better than he actually is) the trojan takes a beating to the point where it now needs to be replaced, because he is struggling with it more as it is beat up like you gave it to a prize fighter.

The problem now is he needs more trojan parts (wing, fuse etc) and has all his money sitting in a box with a plane he is A YEAR away from flying (at best IMO). I am at least happy seeing he finally understands he's no place near JET qualified and ready.

Foam airplanes are not a good financial investment. If you want to have 'money in a box on your shelf for a year'... then put some cash in a box. The cash wont go anyplace, and the airplane choice may change once you become jet qualified. Heck, it may even get cheaper or go on sale. The cash will still be worth the value when you go back for it.




I think the Bixler is a fine choice, and when directly compared to the tested and proven Easy Star, it actually shapes up a bit better with ailerons and rudder.
Looks to me like the best beginning $100 RC plane out there today to me.