Apprentice vs Super Cub S vs Spacewalker 1st plane

[eeflyer]

Hi all,
I have been playing with the simulator for a while and I am itching to get my first plane. It is still cold outside in northern Indiana so it will be indoor or bear the cold. I like the Spacewalker because it is a slow flyer and easily flown indoor ( gym ) but I suspect it will not handle the outdoor wind once it warms up. The Super Cub S looks like a good compromise but is it too big for a noob to fly in a gym? The Apprentice looks like a great outdoor trainer but cannot fly inddors, correct me if I am wrong on any of this. Or am I missing a better option? I already have a DX5e transmitter so I need something that will bind to that.

Thoughts or recommendation?

Thanks,
Ernie

 

[Capt_Beavis]

I have been in the hobby about 7 month. I have had a Champ, Duet, UMX Radian, Delta Ray and Sport Cub S.

For my tastes, the Apprentice is too expensive and large for a first plane. I have no first hand knowledge of the spacewalker but I have seen videos of it flying outside.

If you need something to fly indoors I would suggest the Duet. It is a great trainer that gets little press and comes with its own controller for $60. This is what I learned to fly on. Once you know what you are doing it will handle a little wind too.

The sport cub will work with the DX6 with a little programming that is documented in the manual. Mine has had transmitter problems but it flies great in beginner mode when it is working right. The hobby shop guy that helped me debug it loved flying it once the problems were worked out.

The delta ray is a great outdoor plane. it is between UMX and park-flyer in size and can handler a good breeze. it will also bind with your DX6 with the right programming. It is $150 for a BNF but only $180 with a DX4e. it may be worthwhile to get the RTF to have a second transmitter you can buddy box.

 

[KRAR]

The apprentice is awesome, but couldn't fly it in a gym. the new sport ub micro you could fly indoors, I wouldnt fly it out doors if there was wind.

 

[FAI-F1D]

How much wind do you have? I ask because I picked up a used Vapor a while back and have flown the daylights out of that thing, mostly outdoors, but we tend to have really calm conditions on summer evenings here in the South. With practice you can learn to fly it in surprisingly strong winds.

I recommend it as a trainer simply because it can be flown virtually anywhere and it's practically indestructible. It also flies nice and slow. I've taught a lot of folks to fly with it. I don't have a buddy box and have never needed one with the Vapor. Flight times are in the 10 minute range with the supplied battery. With a 150 mah Lipo, it'll fly almost 20 minutes. Bring two of the stock batteries to the field, and you'll have the spare charged by the time the one you're using runs out.

Also take a look at the UMX Radian. I've flown one of those a little, and it's one sweet airplane. Flies nice and slow, but can pick up good speed when you want it. It's devoid of bad habits and handles wind better than any other light model I've seen.

 

[AkimboGlueGuns]

The sport cub and the duet will both make pretty decent first airplanes. Both will take a decent amount of wind, but nothing like the apprentice will handle. The space walker I've heard good things about, but primarily as an indoor sport plane. Just about any of the planes you have selected will be good first planes, but each will have their draw backs.

 

[eeflyer]

Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions.

A friend of mine just got a Spacewalker so I am going to check that out first.