Wattage cub and Sky Sailer - anyone flown them?

[burdgeb]

Has anyone flown the

Watt-Age J-3 Cub RTF EP w/radio http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/128310.asp

or

Hobbico Sky Sailer http://www.hobbico.com/airplanes/hcaa2000.html

I'm looking at picking up a RTF for a ball field sized area but there are no reviews out on either of these..

Thanks!!

Brady

[2NG]

http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=82418&highlight=cub+400EP
Why get a foam, where you can expand your fun with the real balsa airplane. I think that the Piper Cub 400EP is the best trainer around. Combo airplanes are a waste of money, this hobby and your airplanes are your investment. Investment meaning, that you can sell it, though not for a profitable amount, but the fun, that you gathered from the experience is your moneys worth.

I have flown the Watt-age Cub with ease, and taught others how to fly my Cub, to their surprise it's as easy, as 123, but then again, if you are just starting the hobby.

For starters, and I keep'd emphasizing this. Looks can be deceiving in this hobby. (At times)

The only plane, that I think is close to being a scale and can fly with lot's of fun is the TigerMoth, as a total newbie, or experts, that's just flying for fun is the TM(Do a search:) )
Other's have been flying the Wingo, and the Firebird XL, as to start them off in the hobby.

SkySailer is no way near, resembles an airplane, and the thing won't fly like one.

Watt-age makes good airplane, I should know, for I own most of their products, from screw to an airplane, all Watt-age.

If you wanna get into the real deal and starts you off in this fun hobby. I would suggest 5 good airplanes.

1) TigerMoth.
2) Firebird XL.
3) Wingo.
4) Pico (multiplex) Piper Cub.
5) GWS Piper Cub

There lot's more, that's been proven flyable and fun. For starters.

[burdgeb]

2NG

Looks like a great list but I'm just looking for a little foam to have fun with. $300 investments for a "real" airplane or getting involved with a club are not on the radar scope right now.

I'm looking at the T-Hawk - good postings and good price. I also like the Wattage products so my question about the RTF cub. According to Mike @ Hobby People the RTF cub is a popular airplane and flies fine, but he thinks it's a little too fast. The RTF cub might make a good candidate for a future full 3 channel upgrade for full throttle control.

I also asked about the Sky Sailer as as alternate to fly in the neighboorhood, or perhaps a gym. Wattage has the Voyager but it has on/off motor control vs. the Sky Sailer's Futaba radio w/ proportional throttle. Rogallo (sp) wings are interesting, and though Iv'e never seen one fly I would expect it to perform in a different manner than a traditional aircraft.



Brady

[2NG]

***I'm just looking for a little foam to have fun with. $300 investments***
That's a good sum to start with:)

***getting involved with a club are not on the radar scope right now. ***

That is why Parkflying has become popular these days. From foam to balsa ships parkflyers, glow pilots are moving into electric, because of this. Monthly dues, and basically flying in the same o'l field.

***According to Mike @ Hobby People the RTF cub is a popular airplane and flies fine, but he thinks it's a little too fast.

There are two Watt-age Cub RTF, that, they manufactured. The foam Cub, I am not too familiar with. The Cub 400EP is what I mostly fly.

I have seen their Cub Foamie, and by the looks of it, and the reviews are seemingly not a whole lot, considering that it has been in the market for quite a while, looks more like a Cox Piper Cub RTF, as well.

Mike Greenshield is a good man. I do most of my transactions through Mike and Kyle, at hobby people.

After reading your post, your really considering getting into the hobby, aren't ya?:) This hobby is addictive, for in it's ways, captures our childhood fantasy of flight.
Now that we are grown men and money is at times an issue, that can also be a factor.

Tell ya, What! Go to Ezone magazine.com or type in Ezone, a free site like this one, but there are lots of folks there, that can run you down on the basics and the whole perspectives. In flying and purchasing an airplane, that suites your style.:)

[burdgeb]

Thanks for the info.

I posted on EZONE and got a response from Mike about the RTF Cub and the Sky Sailer - both sound good for what they are. Too bad the Cub doesn't have a proportional throttle.

Mike also said that there are a few new Wattage RTF planes coming, but no details yet. Hopefully they'll be more scale looking and not gooney birds :)


Brady

[2NG]

***I posted on EZONE and got a response from Mike about the RTF Cub and the Sky Sailer - both sound good for what they are. Too bad the Cub doesn't have a proportional throttle. ***

Cool:D

Brady,

I seen guys flown the multiplex Cub before. They look preety good for a 3ch. foam flyer.

[Wings]

HobbyPeople (WattAge products) has one of the best reputations in the business. Excellent, quality stuff and very experienced staff.

If I'm not mistaken, the Sky Sailer is the paraplane (like an ultralight plane), right? It apparently flies fine and can be confined to a tiny area if necessary. The only complaints I hear are that it can't handle wind and the parasail lines sometimes get tangled up. I was impressed by the ads when I first got into the hobby, but $250 was in my book just too high a price for what it was.

Also give a serious look at the Firebird series. Tough, cheap, and pretty good birds. :D

Wings

[burdgeb]

Wings

The Sky Sailer is a Rogallo (sp) wing with a two channel Futaba - one tilts the "wing" left and right and the other is proporational throttle. According to the tower hobby web site the motor is a 380. $89

http://www.gpmd.com/images/hcaa2000.JPG

Firebird has also crossed my mind..

2NG

Tough to pass on a decent Cub for $119.

http://graphics.hobbypeople.net/gallery/128310.jpg

Decisions decisions :)

Brady

[Wings]

Sorry, I was thinking of the Sky Surfer. It was close...

I know nothing at all about the Sky Sailer. Sorry.

The E-Gull is an excellent RTF model, so I imagine the T-Hawk is pretty good as well.

My preference is for proportional throttle control at the expense of a surface control, but on/off throttle can be pulsed to simulate a partial throttle setting. That's why I'd go with a Firebird or an E-Gull myself.

If you're interested in indoor flight, give some really serious thought to a GWS Tiger Moth. It is about as easy to build and fly as anything, and is capable of flying indoors if given a decent space to fly (large gym). Because it is a "real" model (not a complete, RTF "toy" package, as some say), it uses normal R/C equipment and consequently it'll cost you more upfront. However, you'd be buying better-quality stuff that can be transferred to future models...something the RTF packages can't offer (the one exception I know of is the Sky Scooter series, which uses inexpensive Hitec products).

The Tiger Moth runs for about $50 itself. Most guys who already have their transmitters will opt to get the $90 flight pack for it as well, which includes the receiver, ESC, servos, and a battery pack. Since you don't have a Tx, it might be possible for you to get the Hitec 3SS-FM radio w/HS-55 "feather" servos and the Feather receiver and use those instead (you'll still need a GWS ESC rated for at least 2A and preferably 5A, about $25 or so for it). Cost is around $90-$100 for the Hitec radio package. Then you need an inexpensive peak charger (ask around for recommendations, and expect to pay $30-$50 for a worthwhile unit). That puts the cost at about $225 to start. You'll quickly decide you need more batteries, too... And all of a sudden, it hits you: you're seriously getting into this hobby. :D And spending waaaaay too much money! :rolleyes:

If you're interested in the Tiger Moth route, do a search here and at the E-Zone forum for "Tiger Moth" and be prepared for a whopping amount of info!

Good luck getting your first set of wings!

Wings

[AirWarriorBelgy]

if its your first plane there is only one

the gws tiger moth

its light , forgiving, and very flyable for someone who has never flown before
and the only build difficulty is attaching the wing struts to the wing (just takes a little time and patience to get it perfect...about 20 mins to build and some patience for the glue to set)

after that it has probably been the most impressive quick build foam flyer i have put together about 3 hours (with light weight epoxy if u use the gws ca that comes with it...about 2 days to build as the ca is slow curing)

many people have done many upgrades to it when i fly mine i wonder why i have no probs or need to modify and this one i have never, and i mean never crashed or damaged in any way

too easy seargent

that's just my opinion.....i could be wrong

<<<S>>>

[burdgeb]

AirWarriorBelgy

The Tigermoth looks like an excellent plane, saw a video of several flying in the local gym.

Problem here is the boss won't go for a $300 plane (kit, radio, battery, charger, ESC, etc) so that's why I'm looking at RTFs.

I know that it gets cheaper as you use the same TX, perhaps batteries and charger for multiple aircraft, but that little bit of "ecomonics" is fatal :)

Wattage has several new RTFs coming soon, no details yet - a scale or scale-like 3 channel for $150 or less would be great.




Brady

[AirWarriorBelgy]

so i take it you have no equipment at all...not even transmitter

[burdgeb]

That's correct, no TX. That's why I'm looking at the RTFs. T-Hawk was at the top of the list, but there's a ball field across the street. Sky Sailer has the same 380 motor but has been seen flying in a gym.

I have the Wattage Lightning - fun plane I'm just looking for something inexpensive with a little better control. Different is good, too :)


Brady

[pc_pilot]

I just got my new wattage cub on thursday and had my first few flights today. This airplane is a beginner's dream. It is very easy to fly in winds less than 5mph. All you have to do to complete it is to screw the tail in and put the wing on. I would recommend this airplane.

[burdgeb]

pc pilot

Sounds great, how long does the battery last?



Brady

[burdgeb]

FWIW I found this review of the Wattage RTF cub on-line


http://www3.edittrain.com:81/DTR/dtrDetail.asp?articleID=140


Brady

[brucefly]

I bought the wattage Cub j3 rtf. I liked the looks and the price, but I was unable to get it to stop nose diving once I got it. I ended up with a destroyed plane and a lighter wallet. I rebuilt it though, and its back in its box while I learn to fly on the Hobby Lobby Wingo (My first instinct). I think my problem with the the Cub was with either the C.O.G or the fact that the first few test flights resulting in hard nose dives pushed the motor armature against the motor can causing the motor to bind and not produce enough power. Either way, I made my first flight today thanks to my Hobby Lobby Wingo and Real Flight G2 simulator. I'm sure that the J-3 Cub rtf is a great first plane. I just wasnt educated enough on the basics of flight at the time. When I get experience at flying and the basics of flight I'm sure I'll be flying the Cub and probably giving it to my nefew for X-mas this year.

[CK9887]

Im also looking at cheap RTF's. I have no expereince, so i dont want to get soemthing that will nose dive if an adjustment is off or something (like brucefly said). Are there any adjustments on the sky sailer that could cause it to nose dive or crash if they arent set right? If so, what are they?
thanks