First let me tell you a little bit about myself. I've been in this hobby for about twenty years. I taught myself to fly sailplanes while living in southern Califonia. It wasn't until I joined a local club hear in New Hampshire that I learned to fly powered airplanes. At present I am the Training Coordinator of the New Hampshire Flying Tigers.

The best advice I can give anyone who wants to take the plunge is to join a local club. Find people in your area with the same interest and ask questions about the type of equipment that is popular in your area. Find out if they have a training program with qualified instructors, you'll also want to join the Acadamy of Model Aeronatics This orginazation will provide you with insurance against any accidents you may have. Get information on local hobby shops and get to know your local hobby shop owner for he usually possesses a wealth of information and knowledge.

What makes a good trainer airplane? Well in my opinion you want a high wing airplane because they are more stable. It should have a flat bottom wing section and a good amount of dihederal. The wingspan of the airplane should be no less than 50", airplanes that are smaller than this are difficult to see at a distance and only hinder the training process. There are a couple of different ways to go you can purchase a kit, or buy what's called an ARC (Almost Ready to Cover) or an ARF (Almost Ready to Fly). ARC'S or ARF'S are the way to go if your in a hurry or don't have the time or desire to build. Todays ARC'S and ARF'S are usually of good quality. I would reccomend that you purchase one constructed with balsa and ply and covered with a shrinkable covering such as Monokote® or Ultracote®. Stay away from plastic, foam, cardboard and stick on covering. If you decide to build from a kit it is a very rewarding experience to see an aircraft you built, fly. The other benifit of a kit is you know exactly how it's constructed and you can make construction changes if you feel the need. See my mini review of the Sig Kadet LT-40 an excellent trainer.

The next decision to be made is which engine to invest in. I learned early that there is no substitute for power. Airplane kits normally have a suggested engine range from the lowest acceptable power to the highest recomended power. I always use the highest recomended power that way you are sure you have enough power and you can always throttle back. There are three types of power available for R/C, electric, glow and gas. Elecric power is coming into it's own but I wouldn't reccomend it because flight time is usually short in the seven minute range. Gas engines are of larger displacement and therfore normally not used on a trainer. That brings us to glow power the most popular type of R/C power. Glow engines can be broken down into two types 2 cycle and 4 cycle of these two the most popular are 2 cycle engines. Two cycle engines are less expensive, have fewer moving parts, are easy to tune but have less torque. Four cycle engines are more expensive, have more moving parts, are a little more difficult to tune, are quieter, and produce more torque alowing the use of larger props. My choice for a first engine would be a two cycle because of simplicity and dependability. While training you need a dependable engine if the engine won't run you won't fly. So do youself a favor and buy the best engine you can afford you'll be glad you did. Later after the trainer is gone you can use the engine in a second or maybe even a third airplane.

Ok now you have your airplane and engine next you need a way to control it. That control comes from the transmitter which sends a signal to the receiver which in turn operates the servos whick operate the control sufaces. Transmitters run the gammit from very basic to very exotic. A basic four channel transmitter is all that is required to operate your average trainer. However if you intend to stay in the sport for any length of time you may want to invest in a transmitter with a few more bells and whistles. Transmitters fall into two catagories standard and computer. Both are available with as few as two chanels or as many as ten. Standard transmitters are available with a number of common options such as dual rates, servo reversing, and end travel adjustment. Computer tranmitters are available with common options and advanced options. One of the best options found on computer transmitters is thier ability to store programs for more than one model so with the purchase of additional receivers you can use the same transmitter with all your aiplanes. I recomend a computer transmitter because what ussually ends up happening is you buy a low end standard transmitter then before you know it you've purchased a second transmitter may be a little better than the first then you purchase a computer transmitter. If you can afford it start with the computer transmitter and save yourself some money.

There are a few support items you will need also. Glo fuel, which is a combination of methanol, oil, and nitromethane, is required to run the engine. A fuel pump is needed to transfer the fuel from its cotainer to the airplanes fuel tank. The fuel pump can be either hand operated or electric (the electric requires a 12v power source). A Glo Starter is also required this gizmo is used to heat the glo plug in the engine so it will start. A few hand tools are always nice to have screwdrivers, allen wrenches, pliers etc... These are only a few of the more necessary items there are a lot of items that will make your life easier at the field but none are required.

These are the major decisions you need to make when you first get started. Advice from your local hobby shop owner and fellow club members can be invaluable. Another good source of information are the news groups on the web but remember that ultimatly the choice is yours don't let anyone talk you into something you don't need or want. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have, if I can, or point you in the right direction. Just e-mail me and I'll help if I can.