Any RC Airplane Experts?

[huntnphool]

 My son is wanting a RC plane so I'm looking to get him into it for Christmas. With the advent of foam/electric planes out there nowadays, I think it's a great way to get him started.

 What do you recommend for starting out?

[quadrafire]

No advice here, but looks like great fun. Good luck

[jackelope]

Send LndShrk a pm and ask him what he knows. He dabbles in them a little I think.

[stew pidasso]

If you want to pm me I'll give you my father in law's #. He has built and flown models for years. He could fill you in.

[dmv9]

I've built and crashed MANY RC planes and rockets in my day

How old is your son? Do you want to build or just fly?

Plane or helicopter? There's a ton of cool quadcopters out their that you can fly in your house.

Electric or gas?

Where do you plan to fly this? They need a lot of room (a football field is good).

http://www.towerhobbies.com/
http://www.thinkrc.com/

[huntnphool]

 Thanks for the replays guys.

 My son is 13 in Feb. I don't think building one first is the way to go, I'm quite sure there will be several crashes in the learning process so think the electric foam planes, with cheap replaceable wings/parts will be first.

[dmv9]

Then checkout amazon and get an inexpensive electric.

Stick with a simple 2 channel one for now.

https://www.amazon.com/Top-Race-Electric-Infrared-Airplane/dp/B006J285CI/

As he masters (or get's bored), then flip over to a 4 channel airplane.
https://www.amazon.com/Hobbyzone-Sport-Airplane-SAFE-Technology/dp/B00LOC0BSE/

After a few years go for this one!
https://www.amazon.com/Tomcat-Blade-Ducted-RC-Airplane/dp/B01I9F57UA/

[Huntin Hounds]

I just got into this recently and after quite a bit of research I narrowed my search down to 3 planes.
http://www.horizonhobby.com/airplanes/ready-to-fly/champ-s-rtf-hbz5400
 
http://www.horizonhobby.com/product/airplanes/learn-to-fly-on-my-own/ready-to-fly/sport-cub-s-rtf-with-safe-reg%3B-technology-hbz4400

http://www.horizonhobby.com/product/airplanes/are-you-new-to-flying-remote-control-aircraft/ready-to-fly/champ-rtf-hbz4900

I ended up getting the champ s+ and it seems to work fine. I was able to fly it at my local school field without issue. The wind is the biggest problem I found with this small plane. I have only got to fly it once so far and the wind made it kinda tricky. The weather this fall has just sucked but I am hoping to try it again this weekend if the wind quits. I will give an update if I make it out.

[PA BEN]

I've flown R/C for years. I would recommend finding a R/C club in your area. Hook up with an instructor and fly with a buddy box. It's not fun crashing your first plane and he will. This day and age I would go electric and a high wing trainer. All my planes are nitro. Good luck and if you have more questions shoot me a pm, if you still have my phone number call me. Look at RTF airplanes ready to fly.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com

[lokidog]

Had a lot of fun in HS flying airplanes, but haven't done it in years.  As mentioned, high wings usually make better trainers.  I built my first one from scratch... and rebuilt it many times, but that was part of the "fun".

I still have one, Sig Komet that I started to build and have mostly finished. He would be welcome to it, no radio/engine though.  However, it is not a beginner plane. keep it in mind sometime down the line.

[wildweeds]

It's a fun thing to do, when I was about your boys age my dad  thought it would be a good thing to keep us out of trouble. We started with gliders and honestly I thought the best part was the building and repairing . We started with gliders I'm guessing because everything happens in slow motion as far as the controls go.

[Dead-Eye]

Go to the RC Universe website, and you'll be able to find anything you need to know.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/

I'm an RC Airplane expert (almost 40 years of flying). There's a plane/ plane setup for everybody.  Feel free to PM me.

Jim

[PA BEN]

Go to the RC Universe website, and you'll be able to find anything you need to know.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/

I'm an RC Airplane expert (almost 40 years of flying). There's a plane/ plane setup for everybody.  Feel free to PM me.

Jim

[Jeeper]

I started in about 1970 flying .049 U Control planes in a circle on strings. Not just the COX plastic, but built up balsa as well. Started RC in 1980. Been at it on and off ever since. I like to build and fly two stroke stunt and pattern planes. The technology today is overwhelming.

 If I were to start a kid today I would go with an electric ARF. Like a cub. Stable and flat bottom wing, self corrects a bit. Go to small and the wind can ruin your day. A friend of mine has a  Sport Cub From Horizon. Nice! Full package w/ radio for 130$.   http://www.horizonhobby.com/sport-cub-s-rtf-with-safe-reg%3B-technology-hbz4400.  It helps if you have an experienced pilot with a buddy box. Saves a lot of time - and grief. I have been thinking of going electric,  so I can fly in my local park. But the thrill for me is that screaming 14" prop with a tuned pipe going vertical - with a hint of castor oil in the air!!!

[Huntin Hounds]

Disregard my above post. Get him one of these instead!