Best plane/heli for beginner

[shoshe]

I am 34 years old and have a couple of nitro powered trucks. I am ready to start my new hobby of r/c aircraft. I have never flown anything before and have ordered an Esky simulator to help get me started.
What is the best plane for beginners? My friend bought a j-3 grasshopper and it's okay but it has no ailerons (sp?). What about a helicopter? Should I learn a plane before I learn a heli?

 

[Rolex]

Start with a plane. It's important to learn the basics of a stick radio and the characteristics of flight without giving it a second thought. Next, you can go to a heli. Many movements are the same in a heli once it's airborne and in forward flight. Control at ground level and in hover is an entirely new concept.

You need to get a 6 channel computer radio for a good heli, but the same radio can be used for a 4 channel airplane. You definitely need a 4 channel plane with ailerons, elevator and rudder. If it's rudder and elevator only, it's just a basic park flyer.
Do you plan on electric or nitro? If you're going with nitro, get the Avistar. It's tricycle gear, great flyer, and semi symmetrical wing for basic stunts. One of the best trainer and all around fun planes out there.

 

[shoshe]

sooner or later I plan to go to nitro, but with some of the issues I've had with my t-maxx and my duratrax I am hesitant to send something up into the air that may stall at any point. So that being said I will probably start with an electric.

 

[Rolex]

One thing you will find with nitro planes is that they are NOT prone to stalling.
A car engine works VERY hard on the ground, from grunt starts to high speed to max RPM while freewheeling in the air. A great deal of hard work is expected of it.
Plane engines are well cooled by the propeller, and for the most part, maintain a constant RPM unless you're doing stunts.
After break in, you rarely have to re tune, and the engine will run for years.
The only time you stall is when you run out of fuel, but timing your flights will avoid even that.

 

[godale03]

One thing you will find with nitro planes is that they are NOT prone to stalling.
A car engine works VERY hard on the ground, from grunt starts to high speed to max RPM while freewheeling in the air. A great deal of hard work is expected of it.
Plane engines are well cooled by the propeller, and for the most part, maintain a constant RPM unless you're doing stunts.
After break in, you rarely have to re tune, and the engine will run for years.
The only time you stall is when you run out of fuel, but timing your flights will avoid even that.

Yes... I started in planes years ago, and they are so much easier to tune and keep tuned than an RC car or truck motor.

Even if you do stall the plane in mid air you still have control of the airplane. It is called dead sticking... and even though you don't have motor power, if you have enough altitude you can glide it back down and land without a problem.

 

[SkyMaxx]

On the heli side, electric and bigger is better...that is the only advice I can provide. On helis, your wallet is the big limiting factor. If you get a simulator, that will help, but again it is a simulator and not necessarily a solid replacement for real world experience.

 

[shoshe]

Okay, so I bought my first r/c helicopter!! I was shopping at Target and came across the Air Hogs Reflex, $59.99 retail, and said "what the hell?" So I bought it, my wife is pi**ed who cares, this thing is fun! I really need a good r/c helicopter. I found (on ebay) a Falcon 400, does anybody know anything about this thing?

 

[write2dgray]

The next heli and cheapest trainer to maintain and repair would be the E-Sky HoneyBee FP. Highly recommended as a first single rotor due to it's simplicity.

- David