E-Flight Apprentice good first plane?
 

So i fly helicopters, i can do flips and rolls, and some fast forward flight, and i am thinking i want to fly planes to, but i dont know what plane to go with first, apprentice, or the super cub.

i really want to go with the apprentice b.c its bigger, and comes with a brushless setup, but i was told i should start with the super cub b.c its slower not as big, and easy to fly, but being a fast learner and i get board easy, i just think i would out grow the cup way to fast

could i learn to fly planes with the apprentice with out to much difficulty, or would i be in over my head

oh yea i do have a sim, and a dx6i and i can fly planes on the sim and land them to.

With your experience level, better to go with a 4 channel plane. Both are great starting planes.

so apprentic would be the a good starter plane for me right?

As a heli pilot you should not have much difficulty with planes. The Apprentice rocks I have flown a friends and can tell you it is very docile.

Here is a great review:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=915223

Mike

I would think so. i like it for the reasons you mentioned, bigger, brushless, ailerons. And it's still easy (Fun!) to fly on windy days. I recently learned the SC can handle some wind, too. The Apprentice was my first plane, and even though I have 2 warbirds (Well, lost 1 recently) and an EDF, I still like going back to the Apprentice for some relaxing flying and good touch and go practice.

With your comment on getting bored though, I would almost wonder if a parkzone T-28 or Corsair would be more your speed. They are good flyers. If you can hover and do basic stunts with a helo, you should do fine with something like that, as long as you remember you can't slow down and hover!

Best thing would be if you knew someone with an Apprentice or other trainer and buddy-boxed. The sim helps, but it's not the real thing.

nice! i was looking at the t-28 but its more then i want to spend on my first plane. I want something more then a never flown pilot would get but at the same time something i can fly with out the pucker feeling if you know what i mean lol.

i think the apprentice is the perfect plane as far as capabilty, and quality. i think if i try it and like it as much as i like flying helies, I will get a jet or something faster then, but for now the apprentice is right up my ally

is the apprentice capable of doing rolls and flips?

Yes - and "flips" are called loops in the airplane biz. :)

Mike

oh yea thanx for the review link rcers :) nice review

Sure. But you should get an experienced RC airplane pilot to help you, or at least perform a checkout flight to get it trimmed out.

TP

You mean like take off and stay low? I don't really know much about planes other then what I know from phoenix, and I'm in NJ and I don't know anyone who flys :/

Do you have access to a RC hobby shop? If so, I'm pretty sure they can find someone to help you with your airplane.

TP

I do, but one is two older ppl that just sell the products, and the other one isn't into planes so I'm stuck to the Internet

If you fly Heli's you will likely not have a difficult time with the apprentice. The tough stuff you have figured out already (Like the backwards controls coming toward yourself) and others.

The heli only pilots in my clubs are fantastically quick teaches on airplanes. I wish I could figure out heli's as quick as they figure out planks. :)

Mike

Just go on your sim and pick a plane similar to the Apprentice. In Realflight 3.5 I used the Electristar, I think. Then pick a flying sight with a runway and some landmarks that help you tell which way your viewpoint is, as the hardest part of the sim, other than no pucker factor, is no peripheral vision. Also, put in some wind and turbulence. Then just fly a racetrack pattern doing touch and goes forever.

When I got my apprentice, the club president took it off for me, I got some stick time in the air then he landed it, once. I went to the sim and did the aforementioned excercise for weeks, then next time I went to the field, I was able to fly myself, takeoff, landing, etc.

With your helo skills should be no prob. Taking off is the easy part. Just setting up the approach and landing I think will be the new thing for you. Have a designated runway area, don't just takeoff without planning where your approach and landing will be.

Oh yeah, on your first flight, get up to a safe altitude and trim it so it flies straight and level without any inputs from you. Then, get it up high and chop the throttle and try to keep it level so you can see how she handles stalling and slow flight. This will help get you a sense of your landing speed. Don't slow down too much, and if you bounce while going slow, either goose the throttle to get back the airspeed you lost in the bounce, or firewall it and go around for another try.

thank you
 

great advice :) i did notice its alot easier to fly the planes on the sim then the helies, and i always wondered if it was the same in real life.

i thin my big problem will be how to programe my Dx6i and what the flap switch does and what values and all use.

i used rchelicopterfun.com and i bought the E-books and they hade all the value setups pictured in the book so it was easy for me to set my dx6i up

Are you kidding!? If you can program a heli, a 4 ch plane is nothing. Servo reversing, control throws at low and high rates. Done. No flaps, no need for the flap switch. Only thing on the Dx6i is I put all my hi-lo rates onto the aileron rate switch.

May I suggest a Multiplex Fun Cub. It has a 55" wing span with flaps, uses a 10 size motor, flies on a 3s 2200 battery and builds very easy. It is docile enough for the novis and performs well in intermediate aerobatics. The large wheels allow use on any unimproved field including the beach.
There is a review on RC groups. I can't post it because I haven't met the 3 min posts.

Enjoy,
Harold

this is post #2, the link will follow in the next post

This is the review :

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1369528

Well, let's see .............. I hate sims, they are 2 dimensional on your FLAT screen and flight is not that way! Also, helicopters and planes are apples and oranges. REALLY! So, a good trainer like the Apprentice, is a good starter, I respectfully say no. Back up a step or two. Don't go to the Champ automatically, but maybe more like the Super Cub. And it can be converted to 4ch easily and quickly/economically also. As a 4ch it is a plane that requires your attention more than other planes! If you can fly the S Cub as a flat wing 4ch, you'll do well with other 4ch. Strange but true!

This is VERY GOOD ADVICE. Planes are the opposite of helicopters in this regard, with the heli you just want to be high enough to get out of ground effect when you learn so when they drop the damage is minimal. With a plane you want to be 2 or 3 "mistakes" high when you are learning. I read, on this forum, that one of the biggest mistakes beginners make is flying too low - my most expensive Apprentice crash was becuase I was trying to figure something out while flying too low.

Find a huge open area and get the feel for the plane with lots of altitude to spare. You've got plenty of battery time to figure it out and practice a couple of approaches before you need to land. Also - it FLOATS big time so you'll want a wide open approach while you learn too. If you have room, you won't have any trouble bringing the trimmed airplane down.

To the above ...... have someone with some skill there to help you trim it. If you are SURE that you need some trim, have them reach over your shoulder and do the trim for you. DO NOT try to look at your radio!

I read a lot about getting the 3" Lite wheels for the Apprentice, are these the wheels everyone is talking about? I currently 2 1/2" on my Super Cub and they work great taking off from the grass. If these aren't the correct ones, which ones are?


http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...0SL#reviewsTab


http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...rodID=DUB250SL


Thanks,
Joe