E-Flite Apprentice S 15E

fliteadmin

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The E-Flite Apprentice S 15E. Equipped with "SAFE" technology. Designed to teach people how to fly, on their own.
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There are 3 flight modes. Beginner, intermediate and advanced.
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One strange quirk is that you have to remove the prop and cowling to attach the front landing gear.
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The 59" span width makes this plane stable in the air, but also more cumbersome to transport.
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In "beginner mode" the Apprentice S 15E helps you with take offs and landings.
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It also self levels during flight and limits the pitch and roll angle.
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"Intermediate mode" lets you do more advanced maneuvers but still limits the pitch and roll angle.
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"Advanced mode" Has no restrictions.
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It's fast enough to catch up to birds.
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Slows down pretty well.
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The Joshes seems to really like it. A plane to grow in. It's fun for both the beginner and advanced pilot.
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Josh pushed the plane to the limits...
 

Mustang7302

Senior Member
Nice episode. Cool flying plane, but it is rather large and pricey. Anything with similar features in a smaller scale?
 

Corsair Addict

Junior Member
Thanks Josh, oh and you too, Josh.

I have been watching you guys for quite some time now. This has been my favourite review you have done. This has made my decision so much easier with what to start with. To see the abuse you put this through and it still functioned flawlessly was what I been waiting to see. Most reviews just reviewed the technology (SAFE) with manufacturer clips of the product. Been waiting for years for something like this to give me the guts to get one in the air. Looking forward to my new hobby. I'm sure it won't take long for me to be addicted. :D
 

Joker 53150

Mmmmmmm, balsa.
Mentor
How about a side-by-side comparison of the Apprentice and the Hobby Zone Super Cub with it's "ACT" technology? Two good-size planes, both with technology to help the new pilots.

This was a very nice review - well done guys!
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
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I wonder if they're going to be offering the "SAFE" system as a stand alone product.
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
I wonder if they're going to be offering the "SAFE" system as a stand alone product.
As it is a DX5 transmitter there would be a BNF version but i do not know if the DX 6 has a 3-position switch .. I assume that they do not want people to get the system without being able to use it as it is intended.

Being kind of big is a big advantage when learning to fly. It is a lot easyer to locate the plane and its orientation. A smaller plane disappears a lot faster in the "space".

Many/all of the SAFE features can be found in separate controller boards. The special with this is that everything is configured and trimmed with a good plane (and a reasonable transmitter).
 
Being kind of big is a big advantage when learning to fly. It is a lot easyer to locate the plane and its orientation. A smaller plane disappears a lot faster in the "space".
Yeah, it makes me wonder how many people end up crashing out of the hobby because they start out with a cheaper micro. I started out with 2 metre gliders... something big is much better when you've got adrenaline fuelled fingers.

This new stabiliser technology looks absolutely awesome though. I'd say I'll pretty much always be a Noob, so it's probably a worthwhile investment for someone like me. They need to add the oh crap button to everything... I'd love one on my car... computer at work... oven... I can't think of any place it wouldn't be useful.
 

aiidanwings

Senior Member
How about a side-by-side comparison of the Apprentice and the Hobby Zone Super Cub with it's "ACT" technology? Two good-size planes, both with technology to help the new pilots.

This was a very nice review - well done guys!

The HZ was my wife's first plane. It was terrible. With the ACT (always crash technology as she called it) it was nearly uncontrollable in all but straight and level flight.

She ripped out the lousy linear servos and receiver board then installed 3.5 gram micro servos and a cheap brushed ESC. After that it was great.

I hope this Apprentice is better than the HZ. I'm kinda skeptical because the HZ also had great reviews...
 
Ever since I saw this review I have been thinking about this plane and the SAFE system. And even though it is a completely over used phrase I really think it will "change the way beginners learn to fly."

I started out with a Hobbyzone Champ and this has proven to be a good plane, very easy to fly but it is almost unflyable for a beginner in any kind of wind due to its light weight. So mine has been confined to calm days of which there are few and far between.
However the new Apprentice S is big enough where wind won't affect it as much, plus it has AS3X as well so that will help.

I am still a rank beginner myself but I want to get one of these in the hope that I can teach others to learn how to fly. My girlfriend, father and another family friend have expressed interest but have been afraid of the steep learning curve that flying has right at the start. This would lessen that to a much more manageable level I think.

Also another issue that this could help with is the newbie sport syndrome. You know, the guy that gets the F22 Raptor or P51 as his very first plane because it looks cool and Cessna styled planes look boring. If you put the SAFE system in it you would have a much better platform that would still give the aggressive looks that some noobs are after but have the Oh Crap switch to save them when it gets out of hand. They would still have much faster landings than a traditional trainer but it could help.

I just purchased a Tactic 650 as my first real radio and I'm kinda regretting that now as I could have used those funds to get this plane instead. Oh well....Time to put in some more OT!
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
The HZ was my wife's first plane. It was terrible. With the ACT (always crash technology as she called it) it was nearly uncontrollable in all but straight and level flight.

She ripped out the lousy linear servos and receiver board then installed 3.5 gram micro servos and a cheap brushed ESC. After that it was great.

I hope this Apprentice is better than the HZ. I'm kinda skeptical because the HZ also had great reviews...

Which HZ cub are you talking about? The Supercub most of us have doesn't use linear servos. Are you talking about the mini cub? I would agree that thing is crap but the big cub earned all it's positive reviews. Oh, and most of us would agree about Always Crash Technology, but the rest of the plane was great. Even with the stock esc/rx brick.
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
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I agree with AK on the HZ SC! GREAT airplane. Taught myself to fly RC with the plane (without ACT). It is a fantastic platform!
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
The cub was actually my second airplane. My first was another hobbyzone, the freedom I think, one of the powered glider types. It had always crash tech, and it lived up to it's name. I learned to do basic flight but I never got as far as I did with the supercub. I really wish they had the super cub when I started, I would have done much better. If they had the apprentice back then, I wouldn't have spent the money on it. 300 is too much for a first plane I think. If they could make it cheaper or put it on the super cub in place of the ACT then they'd have the ultimate first plane. Something you could truly teach yourself to fly yet can afford. Most people just starting aren't willing to commit a bunch of money, they just want to try it out.
 

aiidanwings

Senior Member
Honestly, I can't say which exact cub. I never played with it. The wingspan was around 30 inches, so maybe it was the mini?
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Yeah, that's the mini. It was not a good airplane. It came with a horrible controller too, and you were stuck with 72mhz. I've tried to help people with a couple of those and it just wasn't good. Glad to hear you got some good out of it.
 

edkaz

Junior Member
The HZ was my wife's first plane. It was terrible.....

I hope this Apprentice is better than the HZ. I'm kinda skeptical because the HZ also had great reviews...

The short version...........BUY ONE!!!

Longer version.....
After 2 plus decades of racing RC cars it was time for something different. Planes had always peaked my interest but that extra dimension (model to ground) had kept me away.

Started with a HZ cub with its ACT system and quickly disconnected it. As I worked out orientation,left stick right stick VS throttle and wheel in rc cars, I Had a few (dozen) crashes...... fixed things with glue and flew the cub some more. That was a little over 2 months ago.

Since than I had purchased and flew (and crashed) a PZ T28 and P47.
Walked into hobby store one day and the owner (who was doing a bang up business selling me, and another newbie friend I drug into planes parts) sold me on the Apprentice he just got in stock.

I charged the batteries that night and did the MINIMAL construction......and took it to the field the following morning.

Took off In Beginner mode......perfectly. Flew it around some and than tried to THROW it around.......no go.
No Matter how hard I tried to get the plane out of shape in beginner mode, it kept me flying like as if Ive been Flying for years.

Switched to Int mode while in the air, and like the review video, it woke things up a bit making things a bit more interesting while also retaining the oh crap function. I tried loops, rolls dives......while the system prevented any all out moves, it was possible to get into trouble and out .......almost immediately by yanking on the oh crap switch.

Switched to advanced mode......and the plane really came to life....(sloppy due to my relative inexperience) loops, rolls,inverted flight,dives towards the ground............ALL could be corrected and the plane brought back to level flight QUICKLY.....by yanking on the oh crap switch.


A month or so later......
The plane is no slouch, and CAN move along pretty quickly keeping things interesting.The oh crap switch has DEFINITELY saved the plane several times for me, as I pushed it to learn what NOT to do with it, or any other plane for that matter.

As mentioned above I also bought a p47.....lawndarted and Killed it the first time out. I have since reglued the fuse and replaced the wing and for SAG's pulled trhe Apprentice gyro/oh crap/reciever from it and stuck it in the p47.

Take offs with the P47 and the apprentice Safe system receiver installed turned out to be NON issue....nice level winged take offs with limited elevator movements had the P47 take to the air VERY nicely, while also limiting mid air flight VERY MUCH like it was in the Apprentice while Moving through all 3 modes from Beginner to advanced. In advanced mode there seems to be no limiting, yet the Oh crap switch remains available, and works a charm when getting into trouble.
Landings have become uneventful with the p47 by simply switching to beginner mode on final approach and concentrating on just Throttle. The system keeps the plane nice and level, and decreasing throttle nice and easy has me looking like Ive been flying for years instead of a couple months.

I guess you can call me an impulsive buyer as last week at a local clubs fly in breakfast I bought a nitro powered Hangar 9 P51 to add to my perhaps too quickly growing fleet of planes.

I trust the Apprentice's gyro/Oh crap/receiver SAFE technology so much more than my own "abilities" at this point, that my maiden (kinda "planned" for sometime this week) with the p51 WILL have the Safe receiver from the apprentice installed and activated. Ill be sure to report back as to how and or if THAT works out.

IMPORTANT to note....if anyone plans to use the SAFE receiver from the apprentice in a plane that is NOT the Apprentice, you will have to make sure that ALL servo movements are the SAME as in the apprentice (as far as servo reversing goes) With the stock apprentice 5e radio all servo reversing switches are set to "normal". On the p47, I had to move the servo horn for either the elevator or rudder to push pull from the opposite side of its stock orientation rather than simply reversing the servo via radio. The receiver is "SMART", but the oh crap system thinks its still in the apprentice, and the gyros and oh crap setup only work one way( cant be reversed)............nother words If I simply reversed servo operation via the radio for say the elevator and pulled the Oh crap switch mid air during a dive, it would correct for a "normally set servo"..... and further drive the plane into the ground rather than bringing the nose back up.
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Now that's a good thorough write up. Glad to hear you're having success and enjoying yourself.
 

Joker 53150

Mmmmmmm, balsa.
Mentor
Back to learning on the HZ Super Cub, I've been slowly teaching my dad to fly mine over the past few months as he has time to visit. He's flown a number of times and usually had some "oh crap" moments where the panic switch would have helped. A few weeks ago was his first solo take-off and flight, along with an OK grass landing. Today was a full solo flight with a very good landing on asphalt which I was very impressed with. This was using the stock SC wing without ailerons, and it looks like it's really starting to click.

But after that taste of victory with my plane he decided he needed another one for himself (he has 5 others that he has been collecting and building, but not flying yet). He read some reviews on the Apprentice and surprised me with the news that he was trying to find one but the hobby shops near him were sold out. I called the place near me while we were still out flying and they had one, so we asked them to put it aside for us and we went over and got it for him.

In the next few days we'll meet up again and give it a proper maiden flight, I'm really looking forward to it!
 

skydvejam

Junior Member
Easier way to reverse the servo's.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__17033__turnigy_servo_signal_reverser.html for cheap, other options are y harnesses http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...t-Electronics-6-Standard-Y-Harness-w-Reverser

The short version...........BUY ONE!!!

Longer version.....
After 2 plus decades of racing RC cars it was time for something different. Planes had always peaked my interest but that extra dimension (model to ground) had kept me away.

Started with a HZ cub with its ACT system and quickly disconnected it. As I worked out orientation,left stick right stick VS throttle and wheel in rc cars, I Had a few (dozen) crashes...... fixed things with glue and flew the cub some more. That was a little over 2 months ago.

Since than I had purchased and flew (and crashed) a PZ T28 and P47.
Walked into hobby store one day and the owner (who was doing a bang up business selling me, and another newbie friend I drug into planes parts) sold me on the Apprentice he just got in stock.

I charged the batteries that night and did the MINIMAL construction......and took it to the field the following morning.

Took off In Beginner mode......perfectly. Flew it around some and than tried to THROW it around.......no go.
No Matter how hard I tried to get the plane out of shape in beginner mode, it kept me flying like as if Ive been Flying for years.

Switched to Int mode while in the air, and like the review video, it woke things up a bit making things a bit more interesting while also retaining the oh crap function. I tried loops, rolls dives......while the system prevented any all out moves, it was possible to get into trouble and out .......almost immediately by yanking on the oh crap switch.

Switched to advanced mode......and the plane really came to life....(sloppy due to my relative inexperience) loops, rolls,inverted flight,dives towards the ground............ALL could be corrected and the plane brought back to level flight QUICKLY.....by yanking on the oh crap switch.


A month or so later......
The plane is no slouch, and CAN move along pretty quickly keeping things interesting.The oh crap switch has DEFINITELY saved the plane several times for me, as I pushed it to learn what NOT to do with it, or any other plane for that matter.

As mentioned above I also bought a p47.....lawndarted and Killed it the first time out. I have since reglued the fuse and replaced the wing and for SAG's pulled trhe Apprentice gyro/oh crap/reciever from it and stuck it in the p47.

Take offs with the P47 and the apprentice Safe system receiver installed turned out to be NON issue....nice level winged take offs with limited elevator movements had the P47 take to the air VERY nicely, while also limiting mid air flight VERY MUCH like it was in the Apprentice while Moving through all 3 modes from Beginner to advanced. In advanced mode there seems to be no limiting, yet the Oh crap switch remains available, and works a charm when getting into trouble.
Landings have become uneventful with the p47 by simply switching to beginner mode on final approach and concentrating on just Throttle. The system keeps the plane nice and level, and decreasing throttle nice and easy has me looking like Ive been flying for years instead of a couple months.

I guess you can call me an impulsive buyer as last week at a local clubs fly in breakfast I bought a nitro powered Hangar 9 P51 to add to my perhaps too quickly growing fleet of planes.

I trust the Apprentice's gyro/Oh crap/receiver SAFE technology so much more than my own "abilities" at this point, that my maiden (kinda "planned" for sometime this week) with the p51 WILL have the Safe receiver from the apprentice installed and activated. Ill be sure to report back as to how and or if THAT works out.

IMPORTANT to note....if anyone plans to use the SAFE receiver from the apprentice in a plane that is NOT the Apprentice, you will have to make sure that ALL servo movements are the SAME as in the apprentice (as far as servo reversing goes) With the stock apprentice 5e radio all servo reversing switches are set to "normal". On the p47, I had to move the servo horn for either the elevator or rudder to push pull from the opposite side of its stock orientation rather than simply reversing the servo via radio. The receiver is "SMART", but the oh crap system thinks its still in the apprentice, and the gyros and oh crap setup only work one way( cant be reversed)............nother words If I simply reversed servo operation via the radio for say the elevator and pulled the Oh crap switch mid air during a dive, it would correct for a "normally set servo"..... and further drive the plane into the ground rather than bringing the nose back up.
 
If you know someone who wants to learn RC flight, buy a plane with the SAFE technology. My dad got my brother an Apprentice with the SAFE system and it is amazing. My brother has buddy boxed once with me on my boys Gamma and he has had a simulator for about 9 months. Today he took out his Appretice and flew it right out of the box. He didn't even want a check out flight (maybe because he's my older brother). This video is from his fourth or fifth flight of the day. I flew it an advanced mode and tested out the "Oh Crap" switch, and it's amazing. It didn't matter if I was in diving spin or inverted or whatever attitude, it would immediately return to level controlled flight. SAFE is really neat technology. My only concern is that this type of technology is going to make my club's flying field too crowded.