RE: flying simulater or airplane fist
For most people the way to go is to get the simulator first. Learn to react to the various situations, particularly when the plane is flying toward you. Learn to land the plane when its flying toward you. Try different types of planes and learn to fly them without crashing. Then buy a QUALITY beginner plane, like the HobbyZone Supercub or Multiplex EasyStar. Don't get hooked into buying a great looking plane or a great price deal from the internet, only to end up having a pile of garbage after 10 seconds of your initial flight. However, there are some people who did not use the simulator and had great success at flying and others who do not do well on the simulator, yet can fly in the real world quite well. You really need to know your own skills and capabilities. I learned to fly with beginner planes and no instructor with no problem and did not try a simulator until I had been flying for almost 4 years. I just can't get the hang of flying on the simulator, yet in real flying I'm at the expert level.
Posted on: 10/22/2009 3:08 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9193857

RE: any one know of a good trainer with a 38inch or less span?
Take a look at the MiniSuperCub from HobbyZone and the J3Cub and SuperDecathlon from ParkZone.
Posted on: 9/14/2009 12:28 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9094696

RE: Noob with super club HZ
Todd, Welcome to RC Flying. One of the most important rules for beginners is to fly when there is virtually no wind. This is not merely a suggestion, its considered a rule and for good reason, as you have already discovered. The best time to fly is early in the morning, during the first hour after sunrise. The second best time is late in the day, during the last hour before sunset. These are the times that the wind is at its lowest. Read and study the following: http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18 Good luck and keep us informed of your progress.
Posted on: 9/10/2009 12:34 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9084296

RE: New Parkzone Trojan T-28D PNP/BNF & EZ-XPORT
Lowdrag, I must disagree with you on one thing. I just bought the P-51 "Gunfighter" and since I absolutley refuse to hand launch planes, I added the Cosair's landing gear to the wings and the Typhoon's tail wheel. After the maiden flights yesterday the P-51 is clearly the best of the PZ Warbirds. It flies better than either the T-28 or the Corsair. The take-offs and landings are much better than the Corsair's and are almost as good as the T-28.
Posted on: 9/8/2009 12:32 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9078778

RE: PZ T-28 prop size
Although in general getting a wattmeter is a good idea, in your particular situation you should have no propblem using any of the props you mention. The 10x7 will give you the most torque of the three props mentioned. The 9x7.5 will give you less torque but a shade more speed (you might not be able to notice the difference). The 9x6 will give you less performance, but you should get longer flight times (if you are doing ground take-offs, the take-off will be noticeably longer).
Posted on: 9/8/2009 12:22 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9078762

RE: Landing on a Grass Strip
As Sir Raleigh wrote, use big THIN wheels. The ugly (IMHO) GWS wheels work great on grass. If you have a tail dragger, you might want to try placing the main wheels slightly more forward, which reduces the tendency of the plane to nose over and places more force along the axis of the strut. This transfers more direct force to the wing, but reduces the bending force on the strut, which is the force that rips the landing gear off the plane.
Posted on: 9/8/2009 12:11 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9078733

RE: Looking for a
Get the ParkZone Typhoon PNP: http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ4375
Posted on: 9/3/2009 11:55 AM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9066889

RE: ParkZone Slo-V vs. GWS Slow Stick
To make it simple: If you are looking for an RTF - get the Slow-V If you are looking for an ARF - get the SlowStick
Posted on: 7/31/2009 12:50 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8978998

RE: Airhogs Havoc heli
Without doubt the Havoc heli is a lot of fun. But do yourself a favor and get the E-flite Blade mCx. Although its twice the price of the Havoc, there is absolutely no comparison. Once you try the mCx, you won't want to waste your time on the Havoc and it will sit unused on a shelf. The mCx is by far the best micro heli that you can buy. Don't take my word for it, do a search and then try it for yourself.
Posted on: 7/31/2009 12:44 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8978981

RE: PZ T-28 without landing gear
ParkZone did a great job designing the T-28 and you can fly it equally well with or without landing gear. However, don't knock the landing gear until you tried it. As long as you epoxy the holding plates (the glue that they used at the facory doesn't hold them properly), the landing gear is terrific. This is my fifth year of flying, with dozens of planes, and the gear on the Trojan is as good as it gets for a parkflyer. I've been flying the Trojan nearly every day for the past year with never a problem from the landing gear.
Posted on: 7/31/2009 12:35 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8978960

RE: Lots of sim time, but what kind of first plane?
Sim experience is a strange thing: some people transfer from the sim to real flying with no problems, while others have a very difficult transition. I've seen guys who only had sim experience start with intermediate and even advanced planes with little or no difficulty, but I've also seen guys with lots of sim experience crash a beginner plane. It all depends on the individual and unfortunatley there is no way of knowing for sure which category you fall into. Since you seem very confident in your sim generated skill, I would say go for it and start with a 4 channel plane. I would advise the following for your consideratioin, listed in order of preference: 1) ParkZone T-28 Trojan 2) E-flite Apprentice 3) Multiplex Minimag Before you start flying make sure that you read and MEMORIZE the instructions provided by Ed Anderson: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=355208 Good luck and keep us informed of your flights.
Posted on: 7/31/2009 12:22 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8978922

RE: Deans Connector fit ?
First, spend the extra buck or two and get the real DEANS, not the knock-offs. This eliminates the problem of poor connections. Second, when you connect the DEANS, leave a small gap so that you can get your fingernail into it, helping to pull the connectors apart. Third, do not connect them prior to soldering. Make sure that you properly tin each connector and each wire, then attach the wires to the connectors with minimal heat and no distortion.
Posted on: 7/15/2009 11:58 AM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8935478

RE: What to get?
Canadiver, Regardless of what the manufacturers and/or sales people will tell you, all EDF planes are expert level planes. If for no other reason than the fact that they fly FAST, which means that your reactions must be right on the money each time, or you are going home with a pile of foam. The T-34 Mentor looks like a terrific deal and if you are willing to shell out the additional bucks to replace its electronics and to make it into a brushless/LiPo plane, its not a bad plane to get. However, you can do MUCH better if you get the ParkZone T-28 Trojan. The Trojan will cost you less money because its great right out of the box. Its easier to fly than the Mentor, yet it has MUCH better performance. It can be flown slower when you need to land, and yet its top speed is faster than the modified Mentor, let alone the standard one. It rolls and flies inverted much better than the Mentor as well. There is really no comparison. I hate leaving planes at home if they are in flying condition, so I usually bring my modified Mentor to the field as well as my stock Trojan (as well as a Cessna, the PZ Corsair, PZ Typhoon, etc.). I fly the Mentor first and I can't wait to finish the flight so that I can get the Trojan in the air and really have some fun.
Posted on: 7/15/2009 11:48 AM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8935456

RE: Best mini airplane
Condor, If you are a beginner, a mini plane is not the way to go, unless you want to play around with some AirHogs planes that you can buy at the toy store. However, since you mention flying the Blade MCX, which I agree is a terrific mini heli, rather than flying one of the AirHogs helis, I presume that you intend to learn and do some serious flying. With that in mind, you need to get a good beginner plane such as the HobbyZone SuperCub or the Multiplex EasyStar. Both are excellent planes to start you off. Do a search to get other people's input, but you might want to try more popular sites like Wattflyer.com and RCGroups.com.
Posted on: 7/15/2009 11:30 AM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8935406

RE: First RC plane
Hi Doxiedad, Welcome to R/C flying! Most people will give you recommendations based on their particular experiences, so its a good idea to get multiple inputs and do some searching through the forums. This forum is not as active for electric flight as it used to be several years ago. You might want to check out the beginner forums at Wattflyer.com and RCGroups.com. You will find that the general concensus is that the two best planes to learn to fly with, assuming that you are learning on your own, are the ParkZone SuperCub and the Multiplex EasyStar. They are not underpowered, which is a problem with many so-called "beginner" planes, yet they are very stable, have a low stall speed, are resistant to damage, are easy to repair, and can handle some wind once you get a little experience. (As a beginner you should be flying in zero wind conditions. This usually occurs just after sunrise and just before sunset.) I prefer the SuperCub because it has landing gear, allowing take-offs and controlled landings, looks like a real plane and has readily available parts. If you decide on the SuperCub, get the LP version with the LiPo battery. Just don't use the ACT feature. The Aerobird3 is a very nice plane and if you are dead set against the SuperCub, its not a bad choice. Absolutely stay away from the FireBird Freedom, its a terrible plane. As far as the Firebird Commander, it has outlived its usefullness. The thinking used to be that the less variables, the easier to learn, so 2-channel planes were considered to be the best for a beginner, followed by 3-channel and then 4-channel. However, the 2-channel planes are very restrictive in what you can do, and since the SuperCub and EasyStar are so forgiving, they are actually a lot easier to learn on than the 2-channel planes like the Commander. (By the way, my first plane was a Commander and I flew it for 4 months before moving up to the 3-channel Aerobird. It worked for me, but if I was starting today, I would definitely start with the SuperCub.)
Posted on: 7/2/2009 10:07 AM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8900499

RE: broken wing what to use
Hi Wattmeter, For a broken wing repair, you should include some sort of reinforcement. A carbon fiber rod is best, but you can also use a wooden skewer, a plastic rod, etc. Basically, anything that is light but rigid to keep the wing from flexing at the break.
Posted on: 5/29/2009 7:38 AM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8808260

RE: new piper cub wont fly...HELP??
Hi Swamba, My first question is who in the world told you to get the Exceed Cub? The Exceed is a very poor knock-off of the popular ParkZone J3 Cub. The PZ Cub is by far the best of the planes in this size and category, but in its original set-up it was significantly underpowered. The knock-offs, like the Exceed, tend to be grossly underpowered and a large number of them just cann't get off the ground without some serious modifications. Make sure that your battery is fully charged. Replace the prop with the PZ High Pitch (8.25x5.5) prop (if its still being sold) or get a 9x6 prop that will fit your motor. If changing the prop doesn't help, replace the motor and ESC with an inexpensive brushless set-up. If the brushless motor doesn't get it off the ground, trash the sucker and then buy the PZ version.
Posted on: 5/4/2009 12:46 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8739640

RE: Parkzone J3 Cub reconstruction
Hi Stuart, Welcome to RC flying. You are facing several problems: 1) The ParkZone J3 Cub is considered to be an INTERMADIATE plane. It is not suitable for a beginner. 2) Balsa is not a good material for a beginner plane. Too much time repairing and not enough time flying. You should start with a quality foam plane. 3) The ParkZone electronics in the Cub are proprietary. You cann't mix them with electronics from a different manufacurer. If the ESC is bad, you MUST replace with a PZ unit, or replace ALL of the electronics which defeats your original purpose of using the Cub's components to build your own plane. 4) PZ has switched the Cub and Decathlon to BRUSHLESS and has discuntinued the Slow-V, which were the only three planes that used the same ESC and motor. I doubt if you can get a replacement motor from PZ, although you might still be able to get a replacement ESC/receiver. I suggest that you put the Cub aside and get a quality beginner plane like the HobbyZone SuperCub or the Multiplex Easystar. When you get good at flying one of these, go for a quality aileron trainer, like the ParkZone T-28 Trojan or the Multiplex Minimag. When you have mastered aileron flight, you can consider building your own plane andif the Cub's electronics still seem atractive to you, use them. But I suspect by then you will be far beyond their capabilities. The Cub itself is a nice little intermediate plane. I converted mine to brushless several years before PZ made their change, and I built skiis for mine and it is now my primary "Winter" plane.
Posted on: 4/8/2009 8:53 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8662822

RE: T-Hawk out of business? Little help please..
They've been out of business for several months now.
Posted on: 4/8/2009 8:38 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8662772

RE: i want a cheap reliable electric airplane
The HZ SuperCub is the best beginner plane that you can get. However, if for some reason you don't like it, then consider the Multiplex EasyStar.
Posted on: 3/5/2009 12:24 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8546561

RE: Super Cub Pilot/Looking to try another type of plane any sugestion.
For years the Minmag had been considered the best aileron trainer, until the PZ Trojan came on the scene. The Minimag is a very good plane, as is the GWS E-starter, but the Trojan is better. Just as docile and damage resistant, yet much better performance and replacement parts are far more readily available. Consider getting the PNP version and getting your own radio. If you want to go fairly cheap and don't mind not having the frills that a computer radio gives you, the PZ Corsair's Spectrum is a nice deal.
Posted on: 3/5/2009 12:16 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8546539

RE: Good First Plane?
Hi Nathan, Regarding the four planes that have been listed in this thread, the answers are: -NO!!!!! -YES!!!! -No -No! for the following reasons: 1) Bananahobby Corsair - low wing planes, even planes from quality manufacturers, are very hard to fly. At best they are a third plane. Most of the planes sold by Bananahobby come at a great price, but are not a great deal. The plane that you are looking at is underpowered and will require considerable modification to make it fly well. It might be a fun project for an experienced flyer, but is definitely not for a beginner. 2) HobbyZone SuperCub - best plane for a beginner. 3) ParkZone J3Cub - intended for intermediate flyers. Needs a tail wheel and larger main wheels to make it a decent flyer. Even after the mods, does not fly as nice as the SuperCub right out of the box. 4) FlyZone Cub - severely underpowered. With a decent motor and battery the plane is a nice intermediate plane, in the same league as the ParkZone J3Cub. Not a good choice for a beginner. The SuperCub is simply the best plane that a beginner can get. The Multiplex EasyStar is a close second. The Aerobird2, SloStick and Slow-V are all good planes for a beginner, but each one has some limitations. SkyFly is a cheap plane that is not as good as the others, but is still OK.
Posted on: 2/11/2009 1:27 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8465233

RE: HI i am new here
Hi Deeganj1, I agree with Ted that your first priority is to correct the sticking problem with your control rods. The amount of air that is displaced for each revolution of the prop determines how much power is needed. A plane that has high torque and high speed will require an enormous amount of power, therefore torque and speed are usually compromised. Planes that have high torque (can take off in very little space) usually don't fly fast. Planes that fly fast, like your EDF Raptor, have low torque and require a long take off. You can probably change the blades on your EDF to give your plane more torque, but it will not fly as fast and may not have enough speed to fly at all. J3Cubs are notorious climbers. The usual rule of thumb is to set the plane up that at 50% throttle it will fly level. Increase the throttle, and the plane climbs, even without touching the elevator controls (like a 2-channel plane). Decrease the throttle and the plane decends. On way to control the climbing tendency is to offset the motor so that it not only points to the right, but also is several degrees down from the plane's centerline. Try different amounts of down thrust and find the right setting for your plane.
Posted on: 2/11/2009 12:51 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8465128

RE: HI i am new here
Hi Deeganj1, I agree with Ted that your first priority is to correct the sticking problem with your control rods. The amount of air that is displaced for each revolution of the prop determines how much power is needed. A plane that has high torque and high speed will require an enormous amount of power, therefore torque and speed are usually compromised. Planes that have high torque (can take off in very little space) usually don't fly fast. Planes that fly fast, like your EDF Raptor, have low torque and require a long take off. You can probably change the blades on your EDF to give your plane more torque, but it will not fly as fast and may not have enough speed to fly at all. J3Cubs are notorious climbers. The usual rule of thumb is to set the plane up that at 50% throttle it will fly level. Increase the throttle, and the plane climbs, even without touching the elevator controls (like a 2-channel plane). Decrease the throttle and the plane decends. On way to control the climbing tendency is to offset the motor so that it not only points to the right, but also is several degrees down from the plane's centerline. Try different amounts of down thrust and find the right setting for your plane.
Posted on: 2/11/2009 12:48 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8465122

RE: WINTER FUN! E-Z skis
Terrific!!! You did a great job of coming up with a cheap, easy to make set of skis. Have you tried them out yet?
Posted on: 1/14/2009 12:43 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8357323

RE: Parkzone North American T-28 Trojan
Best use of the 5th channel that I've seen so far is for landing lights. One of the flyers at my field set his Trojan up with lights. The red and green stay on all the time, but the landing lights are controlled by the switch. Looks unbelievable good, particularly when landing at dusk!
Posted on: 12/31/2008 11:59 AM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8302124

RE: Help!!Which plane?
Good luck to you and keep us updated on your flying experience. The Corsair is a very nice plane, just be sure to hav a fairly smooth landing area if you plan to use the wheels. It doesn't land well in any kind of grass or rough terrain. The Mcx is a ton of fun in a micro heli. Its my first heli, after 4 1/2 years of planes, and I love it. Still learning to control the hover so at this time my queen size bed is the entire flying field.
Posted on: 12/17/2008 12:47 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8254998

RE: New to Electric Plane question
Hi Pappywolf, Welcome to the electric side of the hobby! There is some more information that you need to provide before we can make decent recommendations. 1) Foam or wood? 2) RTF, PNP, ARF or kit? 3) Size of flying area 4) Skill level 5) Want to stay with warbird or try something different? 6) budget
Posted on: 12/17/2008 12:40 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8254979

RE: Help!!Which plane?
The Jetstream is probably the worst choice for you. You would need a nice long smooth runway, and lots of room to fly it. It will look really cool, but won't have anywhere near the fun factor of the other four. If your most important feature is speed, get the Stryker. If your most important feature is stunts, get the Typhoon. The Trojan and Corsair fly almost identically. The Corsair looks better but has a tendency to blend into the background if you have a lot of trees behind your landing approach. The Trojan takes off and lands MUCH better than the Corsair. I suggest that you get the Trojan in the PNP version and buy the Corsair radio gear for it. This combo will give you the best bang for your buck.
Posted on: 12/12/2008 1:01 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8238689

RE: HI i am new here
Hi K31pun, The amount of increased air resistance would be so small that you would never notice it. Just make sure that there is as much of an EXIT port as there is an entry port for the air. If you trap it in the plane it won't help cool anything. I presume that you don't have any worries about cold weather flying, so go have fun with your carving knife.
Posted on: 12/2/2008 12:45 PM by Author "Leo L" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8205041