Most durable Foam plane

[chipnkim]

Any Thoughts! what plane takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. thinking I,ll need some thing easy to fix and wont break the bank.

[cyclops2]

12" Balsa hand tossed glider.

Keep 2 in the car.

[flydiver]

Originally Posted by cyclops2

12" Balsa hand tossed glider.
Keep 2 in the car.

Probably true!
OTOH you might try a Multiplex Easy Star. Harder to break a pusher configuration, easy to fly, easy to repair.

The best scenario is find a buddy that knows how to fly and get help. Saves loads of grief+money, is more fun, and improves the outcome.

[prof_fate]

What size?

BIgger means more weight and that translates to harder, um, landings.

I have a hobbyzone champ, a wee little thing that weighs 1.5 oz ready to fly - I guess if you power dove into the ground it would be an issue, but it's pretty durable. A wing runs about $12 if you manage to break that (the only thing I've seen anyone break - and they're nearly trying to do it).

[Turner]

The Hobby Zone Super Cub is durable, easy to fix, and replacement parts are readily available. Multiplex Fun Cub is another good one.

[kenchiroalpha]

Hi
Mini Super cub

Plane 004 by inuyasha50, on Flickr

Plane 008 by inuyasha50, on Flickr

Plane 005 by inuyasha50, on Flickr
Mine is going on 3 years old and has had many mishaps
Still looks and flies wonderfully
And a plus is shes wonderful for a novice but still fun for us more experienced pilots
Take care
Yours Hank

[Voltron]

Originally Posted by chipnkim

Any Thoughts! what plane takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. thinking I,ll need some thing easy to fix and wont break the bank.

I've been hearing and reading good things about these planes. I'm thinking about getting an Albatros to teach my youngest Grandson to fly.

http://www.crashtesthobby.com/

[AEAJR]

EPP flying wing, like a Zagi. Almost indestructible, but not the easiest to fly.

[Voltron]

Originally Posted by AEAJR

EPP flying wing, like a Zagi. Almost indestructible, but not the easiest to fly.

Yes, the Zagi is another excellent choice for durability. I didn't mention it because its not really something I would recommend to a beginner.

[WingingIt74]

I'll put my $0.02 in, The HZ Super Cub is really durable. It's very customizable, as I've added ailerons, stiffened up the wing and put in 450 with a 3s2200 lipo. I originally built it as a trainer for my son, but after I flew it, It became my favorite.

Handy building tips:
http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forum...read.php?t=385

Here is mine, aka, $uper Cub
http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forum...ead.php?t=1711

[dahawk]

I agree on the HZ Super Cub LP. Also, the PZ T-28. I've banged them both up and they are true survivors of pilot error. They keep coming back for more !

Have a good one !

Hawk

[AEAJR]

HobbyZone Super Cub is about the best first plane for a self trainer that you will find.

If you like to ride thermals then I would recommend the Parkzone Radian.

If you want a first slope soaring glider, then I would recommend the Multiplex Easy Glider

And there are a lot of others, but these are the ones I recommend.

[dkrhardy]

I also agree with the HZ SC! Mine has a flat wing and ailerons also. It can be easily made into a 4 ch trainer, then you won't NEED to buy a new plane to learn ailerons. I have other planes that don't get flown near as much as the SC gets flown. And they are bigger and "better". I have a 450 and I'm tempted to re-motor it, got the ESC and a rcvr laying here.

[Old Fart]

What's the flying experience level of the OP?

[chipnkim]

Greenhorn

[chipnkim]

I'm also having Trouble with Nitroplanes.com their tech is Impossible to deal with. Is this how they are all the time?

[Don Sims]

Yep....

[Old Fart]

Originally Posted by chipnkim

Greenhorn

I'll have to side with Ed then on the EZ Star. No prop in front to break, no gear to hang up, just heave it and fly. Also has the BIG advantage of getting the plane a few mistakes high, trimmed out and hey - it's a glider. Let your transmitter dangle for a second or two by the neck strap, wipe the sweat off your hands and go back to flying

Very well documented brushless motor and aileron mods, the same for other upgrades.

Cub would be a close second IMHO

As far as INDESTRUCTABLE, build any EPP wing per Chris Kliques method, and have at it

[earthsciteach]

The most durable plane is the one that doesn't crash. But if like me, you don't live in that universe, here are a couple that can take an extreme amount of abuse and still come back for more:
+1 for the HZ Super Cub
Anything like the Sky Surfer/Bixler, Wild Hawk, Multiplex and on and on...
+1 for the HZ Mini Cub
Don't leave out the HZ Champ! We've beat the living crap out of these things at my school. They just keep going!

Buy packaging tape and Gorilla Glue by the case. They have magical restorative powers.

[Rockin Robbins]

I'm going with Voltron with reservations on the CrashTestHobby Albatross. This plane flies as well as a Slow Stick, slow, controlled, wonderfully stable, but is made of almost indestructable EPP, like the Zagi. It would last much longer than an Easy Star, Bixler, Champ, anything else on the market, while delivering superior flying characteristics. Actually these things retain the very slow flying characteristics of a Slow Stick (superior to the Champ or Super Cub) while unlike the competition being EXCELLENT in windy conditions. This is not a recommendation that a brand newbie learn in the wind. It is only saying that a 10 mph wind is nothing to this plane, while it is a hurricane to a Champ and a gale to a Super Cub.

What's the reservation? Lee is only making them in a kit. Yes, he has nearly foolproof video instructions on You Tube, but imagine if this plane were available in an RTF. Doesn't look like it's going to happen. I knocked on the door hard and persuasively and Lee just doesn't see what he has and what its true potential is. Either that or he's not interested in being the #1 learner plane, because that's what he would have in about a month if he just did the last 15% or so to make an RTF version and get a full parts inventory available. It's possible he just doesn't want to grow that big...

But if you have help or have building experience, the Albatross is by far the most durable, easiest to fly learner plane in the business. That's saying a lot.

See for yourself: this thing is most impressive! Some crash testing for you.

YouTube Video

[cyclops2]

I have had EXCELLENT service from them with problems. Their fault & my fault. Always got prompt & O K service.

I got the right experienced person. Obviously.

If ANY Customer Person gives you a hard time......HANG UP. Rember their voice. If they answer again keep hanging up until you get a GOOD technician.
Works everytime for me.

[Voltron]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

I'm going with Voltron with reservations on the CrashTestHobby Albatross. This plane flies as well as a Slow Stick, slow, controlled, wonderfully stable, but is made of almost indestructable EPP, like the Zagi. It would last much longer than an Easy Star, Bixler, Champ, anything else on the market, while delivering superior flying characteristics. Actually these things retain the very slow flying characteristics of a Slow Stick (superior to the Champ or Super Cub) while unlike the competition being EXCELLENT in windy conditions. This is not a recommendation that a brand newbie learn in the wind. It is only saying that a 10 mph wind is nothing to this plane, while it is a hurricane to a Champ and a gale to a Super Cub.

What's the reservation? Lee is only making them in a kit. Yes, he has nearly foolproof video instructions on You Tube, but imagine if this plane were available in an RTF. Doesn't look like it's going to happen. I knocked on the door hard and persuasively and Lee just doesn't see what he has and what its true potential is. Either that or he's not interested in being the #1 learner plane, because that's what he would have in about a month if he just did the last 15% or so to make an RTF version and get a full parts inventory available. It's possible he just doesn't want to grow that big...

But if you have help or have building experience, the Albatross is by far the most durable, easiest to fly learner plane in the business. That's saying a lot.

See for yourself: this thing is most impressive! Some crash testing for you.

YouTube Video

I have mixed feelings about RTF planes. They make some really nice ones nowdays but buying an RTF plane for your first plane doesn't really prepare you to repair or maintain it. When I started out flying 20 years ago, RTF planes were non-existant and ARF planes weren't all that good. I built my first plane with only some help from an experienced person with the monokote. Building it myself helped me know how to fix it when needed.

[dahawk]

Originally Posted by Voltron

I have mixed feelings about RTF planes. They make some really nice ones nowdays but buying an RTF plane for your first plane doesn't really prepare you to repair or maintain it. When I started out flying 20 years ago, RTF planes were non-existant and ARF planes weren't all that good. I built my first plane with only some help from an experienced person with the monokote. Building it myself helped me know how to fix it when needed.

I agree with Voltron. After being away from the hobby for 30 years, I re-started with a couple of RTF's( The HZ SC and the AF Cessna 182). It quickly dawned on me that I was collecting cheap TX's and RX's I really didn't want to grow with so I bit the bullet and bought a TX and standardized on Futaba from there. The third plane was a PNP (PZ-T-28). Still have fun repairing and modding-out these birds.

All that got me to the field and flying quickly. But from there, I got smitten on the pusher profile parkjets and have been building these foamies ever since. You truly do get to know your plane better and seeing it actually fly after the build is a nice reward, well, sometimes heartbreaking. Now I'm starting to learn how to do RC on the cheap and still make it interesting. Wish I had the money to plop down on a nice E-Flight or Hangar 9. Great stuff.

When you auger one into the ground you're out $300-$500. On the other hand, I have just as much fun augering my $30-$40 parkjets that I can make from Dollar Tree foam and find parkjet flying has made me better RC pilot.

Best,

Hawk

[Murocflyer]

Originally Posted by chipnkim

Any Thoughts! what plane takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. thinking I,ll need some thing easy to fix and wont break the bank.

SuperFly.

http://www.superflyrc.com/

Not for the beginner pilot though.

Frank

[AEAJR]

OK, guys, you have my attention with the http://www.crashtesthobby.com/ Albatross shown in the video. Looking at the web site, the 36" Pelican. They look very cool and could be excellent first planes.

Have you guys actually flown these or are we all commenting on a video?

I have a project coming up that might involve working with middle school aged kids and these might fit the bill.