Conference vmszoo::rc

    Any electric ARF presently available and equipped with landing gear,as
    I believe the Sundance and Malibu are, is going to be a rather dicey
    proposition as a trainer even with an experienced instructor to
    help you. If it absolutely must be an ARF then I'd recommend one
    of the Kyosho electric gliders such as the Stratus 2000. It doesn't
    have landing gear but the lighter wing loading and slower flying
    speed will give you a fighting chance. At any rate, try to find
    an instructor to help you. Good luck.
    
    Terry
    

Topic 387 is titled "Beginner electrics", so you might look there. I seem to 
remember a discussion there about which electrics are good for learning on.

    Ning,
    
    I can tell you up front that all Cox (and similar) ARFs are IMHO not 
    worth the frustration and expense.  Just for starters, when you take
    one of these beauties to the field looking for help, you'll find
    everyone, even the _pros_ shy away from them as they're difficult to
    get sorted out for just reasonable flight and, even then, are just too
    "FLITTY" to be effective trainers.  My advice is to stick with the
    types with the proven good track records as trainers and, frankly, I'd
    steer clear of electric 'til after you've learned to fly...installation, 
    care and maintenance of electrics is a little to fussy to recommend it
    as a good choice for a trainer.  Additionally, flight time is limited
    and the beginner needs to be in the air _learning_, not twiddling his
    thumbs while he charges batteries between flights.  I'd recommend
    learning with a gas engine and then, if the desire is still there to
    try electrics, give it a try.
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    |_|_|        (O>o		|\)____/___|\_____|_/	   Adios amigos, Al
      |     \__(O_\_	        |	  |___/	 o	   (The Desert Rat)

    HI
    I have both this year a MIRAGE 550 electric. At our club I had no
    problemhaving an instructor traine me on it. Although they did not like
    rudder only airplane, once in the air they found that it would fly very
    well and whas very easy to handle. Whithin 5 session with instructor I
    whas able to fly it alone and got my wings with the MIRAGE 550 this
    july.
    
         I found the MIRAGE 550 very easy to fly, it is basicely close to a
    glider but does not have the glide ratio. I've been able to do loopings
    with it quit easily. I don't have a speed control on it but an on-off
    switch controled by one servo and I found it satisfactory. The airplane
    is very easy to build and the CG whas right on with no weight added.
    
           The battery (6 cells 1300 ma) will last 5 to 7 miniutes. I
    usally go up high shut the motor down, glide for a while and then clib
    up again. This way I can strech my flyts to about 10 or 15 minute if
    big thermals are there.
    
           I found that the advantage where:
    
     1) silence
     2) slow speed ( easy to fly and learn on it)
     3) no mess to clean after
     4) no preparation for start up
     5) no big equipment to cary around ( gas, box, etc.)
    
           disadvantage
     1) lack of power ( this would limit me because of the wind speed)
     2) slow recharge ( I carry 3 batteries fully charge before I go to the
    feild. Recharging with the car battery is time consuming)
     3) costly in battery
     4) difficult to know when you reach the end of your battery ( made a
    lot of dead stick landing)
     5) hand trown take off, no from the ground take off usually ( although I did
    succeed once to take off from the ground, drains a lot of juce though)
     6) limited flying time
    
    
    
    
    Although I have now a gas powered airplane, I still fly my electric and
    enjoy it.
    
    I also had a Falcon Jr with 049 engine more difficult to fly and always
    dead stick landing, but fun to.
    
    
    I hope this helps you a little bit
    
    
    Jacques

>But I am more inclined to electric planes for the time being.  Does
>anyone have any experience with or hear anything about COX's ARF electic planes
>(e.g. Sundance, Malibu) ?  How well do they behave as trainers?
>How robust are they?  Are they as bad as Kyosho's planes?

I was in Acton at the soccer field today at lunch time with my Chuperosa.
Met this fellow and his son.  They had a brand new (At Christmas) Cox
Malibu.  Never flown RC before - when I asked them what channel they were
on they had to go back to the car and look at the box!  It was pretty
windy.

I advised them to (1) wait for a day with no wind and (2) get an instructor.

Can you guess the rest?

The father turned it on and did a rather nice hand launch into the brisk
breeze.  It climbed out nicely and it look for a few seconds like they actually
had a chance.  I figured as soon as they turn around and left and right reverse
they are dead meat.  

It was rock and roll all over the sky and eventually he got it up
high enough to get over the trees on the east side of the soccer field.
I was sure they would be in the woods for the rest of the day searching
for it.

But he managed a nice cold dead stall and as it recovered and dived for
the deck the wing folded just 5 or 10 feet before the ground (clear
of the trees).  

Results - wing broke in half, fuselage broke in half, horizontal stab
broke in half.  But they took it pretty well and seemed to know that
epoxy would fix it up.

Based on my observation today - I would recommend the Malibu.  It actually
flew pretty good by itself.  

If they had waited for the wind to stop (which it did as soon
as they left) and if they joined a club (maybe they will yet) then they
could have a lot of fun with this plane.  Besides they are cheap - buy
two!  Go the field and have a contest to see who's plane lasts the
longest.

Oh yah - remember to take the box with you so you can read off
your channel number - just in case somebody cares :-)

Bye          --+--
Kay R. Fisher  |
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I taught myself to fly many years back and it's experiences (getting lucky) like
those that convince you that you CAN do it. Unfotunately they'll never enjoy it 
as much as they could IF they just got an instructor.

BTW: I was out with my Gnome at lunch also. Check the DECRCM lunchtime topic (and 
let us know how you did)