Good starter plane?

[eryq]

Hello, I live very close to the Bay Port Aero Club in La Porte, TX. I have gone over there a few times, and once someone was flying a jet. He said it wasn't his fastest plane, but he liked it. I think I'd like to get one like it.

Can anyone give a total noob some pointers for a first plane? I don't want to sink much money into it at first.

Thanks!

Eric

[JET FX]

Wow I just noticed your thread... no one replied yet eh?:wow:
hope you have not been waiting. Anyway if you still are interested theres a few ways to go really. I have been flying R/C since late 70's and D/F jets since early 80's, turbines since late 90's so for what its worth heres my
2 c worth.

I always ask a few simple questions re- first jet selection choices when anyone asks my opinion....

1. What are your flying field conditions? grass or sealed strip and size?
2. What are your interests? scale or sport jet?
3. What level of R/C flying experience do you have?

Based on your answers to these questions and along with your projected budget limitations the ideal choices will become more self evident.
Theres quite a few quality products out there to choose from both turbine engine and jet kit wise, So without knowing your requirments fully I would not be able to suggest the 'best/ideal' options of course for you....
That being said the engines I have seen and used and have been most impressed by with in reguard to the manufacturing quality, performance and ease of use, low 'long time' $ service costs and what I use or would recommend without any hesitiation- AMT, Wren and Jet Central (Artes)
I personally prefer. As a newby please definetely avoid Jet Joe turbines their cheap and nasty in my opinion and most other people with experience will say as well!. Most other turbine brands are also fine performers, just not necessarily my personal first choice for a variety of reasons.

Kits choices- well thats a loaded question and depending on building experience and again of course budget... some very nice scale and sport jets are available from BVM, Yellow Aircraft, Fei Bao, Avonds, Aviation Design, TamJets and others. Do a web search on these suggested brands and then do some research on them on the many R/C jet forums is my best advice. Feel free to ask any further questions right here also and I will try and assist you further best I can.

Cheers- Marty

[seadog]

Hi Marty,
I am also a newbe to R/C - very limited flying time. The place that I would fly is on a hard packed desert floor ( many folks fly their planes there). The area is very large, a mile or two in diameter. My interests are towards warbirds. I would like to get RTF or ARF models. Any help (websites, etc) would greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Stu Hopper

[JET FX]

Hi Stu, Best advice I could give a first time flyer would be to consider a good R/C flight sim before investing to much $$$. MRC REFLEX XTR is the one I have and use for practice and mucking around with various set up flight options. These are great as you can plug in your transmitter that you will use for your 'real' model and become familier with how it works, dont get one that has the elchepo transmitter supplied as it will not give realistic feed back or ideal control setup on what you will use for real model flying .....graphics are photo realistic also and you can play around with models of trainers, warbirds, helecopters and even turbine jets. The sim is a great tool to learn orientation and expected control input feedback and save you learning curve repair bills 'at least in theory'
OK then as far as websites to checkout for models and products do a web search for following-

Great Planes
Tower Hobbies
BVM Jets (at least for dreaming)
O.S. engines

These are good starting points, there are many more though also checkout
RC Universe forums its one of the more popular global R/C web forums and full of all sorts of educational advice- pros v cons for many products. Lots of info on warbirds, jets, trainers, flight sims, engine radio gear etc etc....

hope this helps,

Cheers- Marty