Choosing My 2nd RC Airplane
Preparing for and selecting your 2nd RC Airplane represents a rite of passage, a transition from flying a plane that is designed to teach you the basics of responsible RC flight, to choosing a plane that will allow you to push the envelope and master the art of RC flight. While I don't think you ever actually outgrow the need to review the basics and improve your skills, there comes a time in every new pilot's life when he or she is ready to take the next important step...
When are you ready to progress to a more advanced plane?
Any or all of the following may signal you are ready for the next step...
- Flying your trainer is no longer a challenge. It seems too easy and you are doing all the maneuvers and areobatics your plane is capable of, routinely.
- To really experience the "thrill" and challenge of flying, you have to resort to selecting another plane on your flight simulator.
- You find yourself spending more and more of your time at the field, admiring other peoples planes.
- You find that you can fly many of the more advanced planes on the simulator and land them without crashing. The same planes you used to crash shortly after taking off (the simulator saves you money again.. grin).
Choosing Your 2nd Plane
What is the best plane to choose for your 2nd plane? Well it really depends on what your objective is. Why are you flying? As I've mentioned before, the world of RC aircraft is vast. There are so many directions you can take this hobby. For me, I'm interested in any or all of the following..
- Building and customizing planes.
- Ariel Photography for personal and commercial purposes.
- Mastering RC Flight
(aerobatics, precision 3D flight etc). - The fun and friendship of the hobby.
- Attending and participating in RC Aircraft events.
My Current Top 3 2nd Plane Choices
If you have followed my story thus far, you will know that as of today, October 26th 2009, I currently own an E-flite Apprentice. It is a high, dihedral wing trainer. It flys stable, smooth and consistent. It does what you tell it to do, dependably and smoothly, every time. It's flying personality can be described as "smooth and calm". Ideal for beginning pilots.
I've been flying some of the low wing planes on the simulator and the way I would describe them is "twitchy". What this means is the slightest change in control stick results in a very FAST and often dramatic change in the planes flight pattern. Things happen very fast in comparrison to the training planes which seem to give you more of a "smooth transition". The more advanced plannes don't roll.. the SPIN... FAST! There is less room for error because everything happens much faster and more dramaticaly.
So after much deliberation, here are the three contenders for my 2nd plane. Click on any image below to be taken to a page with a short video of that particular plane doing it's thing.
Possibility
#1 The Reactor Bipe
Possibility #2 The Yak
Possibility #3 The Edge 540T
Possibility #2 The Yak
Possibility #3 The Edge 540T
So there you have it.
Decisions, decisions, decisions. And what a wonderful decision to have
to make.
Apparently if you put RC planes into three categories, namely, beginning, intermediate and advanced, these planes shown above come under the advanced label. Mike said that these planes would probably be very stressful for me to fly at this point (taking much of the fun out of the hobby) and I would probably wreck them a couple times before finally figuring them out. He said in so many words that if you evolve responsibly, you will not only have much more fun but you will save $$ by reducing your crash quota.
Well, I trust Mikes opinion since he has been flying since he was a young child. The problem was the plane he recommend previously, I frankly didn't like and I told him so. He just smiled and said, "fine, lets see if we can find you something you will like".and HE DID! In fact it was one of the planes on my wish list anyway. It's a Bi-Plane but Mike says he has flown it and while it will do 3D and Areobatics, it can still be smooth and gentle when called upon and will land more slowly than the ones shown above. He assured me that when I master flying with this Bi-Plane, I will be ready for one of the planes above. He then grinned and said if I wanted, we could equip it with a souped up motor that would give me another 24 mph out of it or so. I asked how fast would that make the plane and he said about 110 mph. He said my EFlight Apprentice does about 40mph most likely. That's 3 times the speed. So, here are the updated pics of what will be my 2nd RC Bi-Plane.
2nd RC Plane Update
Well, never let it be said I don't take advice from the experts. I took my photos (above) to Skyshark RC Aircraft Shop and Mike, who not only selected and sold me my E-Flight Apprentice but has been an awesome source of education and assistance from the beginning, just started laughing and called me "ambitious" in so many words. He told me that while he would sell me one of those planes if I insisted, he stongly advised me against it as my 2nd plane.Apparently if you put RC planes into three categories, namely, beginning, intermediate and advanced, these planes shown above come under the advanced label. Mike said that these planes would probably be very stressful for me to fly at this point (taking much of the fun out of the hobby) and I would probably wreck them a couple times before finally figuring them out. He said in so many words that if you evolve responsibly, you will not only have much more fun but you will save $$ by reducing your crash quota.
Well, I trust Mikes opinion since he has been flying since he was a young child. The problem was the plane he recommend previously, I frankly didn't like and I told him so. He just smiled and said, "fine, lets see if we can find you something you will like".and HE DID! In fact it was one of the planes on my wish list anyway. It's a Bi-Plane but Mike says he has flown it and while it will do 3D and Areobatics, it can still be smooth and gentle when called upon and will land more slowly than the ones shown above. He assured me that when I master flying with this Bi-Plane, I will be ready for one of the planes above. He then grinned and said if I wanted, we could equip it with a souped up motor that would give me another 24 mph out of it or so. I asked how fast would that make the plane and he said about 110 mph. He said my EFlight Apprentice does about 40mph most likely. That's 3 times the speed. So, here are the updated pics of what will be my 2nd RC Bi-Plane.