Hobbico Superstar 60 or Hobbistar 60 for Newbie
Ron Fisher
I am finally able to enter into this hobby after many years of only
dreaming. I have read a lot and have chosen 2 planes which I like, namely
the HobbiStar 60 (my choice) and the SuperStar 60. My thoughts on the
HobbiStar 60 is that, due to the semi-symmetrical wing and increased
aerobatic capabilities, I would obtain greater pleasure out of the plane in
the long run, although I would expect it to be a more difficult a plane to
learn to fly with for the first time, as opposed to the SuperStar 60 which
is flat bottomed, and has self righting capabilities.
I notice too, that the wing loading is lower on the HobbiStar. I assume that
this would mean higher landing/ stall speeds than on the SuperStar which has
a slightly higher wing load.
The engine I have chosen to accompany the plane is the OS .61FX, only due to
it's higher output over other engines that are available in my country.
Other engine choices are MDS, SC and Magnum.
Now when it comes to the radios, the 2 choices I have for this are the
FUTABA FF6 or the JR XP642. From what I have been reading on this NG, JR
seem to command more of a market in the US. Could a more experienced pilot
in this field help me with the Pro's and Con's of the 2 radios, as I get
lost when they talk about PCM, XPCM, FM etc etc.
The specs for the above planes are as follows:
SuperStar
HobbiStar
Wingspan 69" 71"
Wingarea 888" sq 879" sq.
Wingload 19.5 - 20 19 - 20
Fuselage 56" 54"
All advice will be welcomed.
Thanks guys.
Ron Fisher
South Africa
sjj...@msn.com
This plane is the 60 size version of the old original "Avistar" (not
the new Avistar II). I have one of these 11 year old .40 size Avistar
which is exactally like this .60 size plane they call the HobbiStar!
My .40 size version of this flies wonderfull ! And in many aspects
behaves *much* better than a trainer ! Crank the throws up, and it
is a wonderfull mild aerobatic plane! - I simply can't say enough about
this plane! It has hardwood motor mounts that go into the fuse that
also acts like "crash struts". Landing this thing is just so dosile,
and gentle, that it's hard to believe!. Since mine is 11 years old,
I peeled off the sticky back coating, and Monocoated it in maroon, and
white. I run a .46FX on mine, and love it. I think the .61FX is
a good reliable choice.
If you get this plane, and as it wears, and if you have to recover,
leave off the plastic wing tips - it will speed it up a bit, and
look a little better.
Good luck, and you won't hate yourself for getting this plane !
Steve Joos
sjj...@msn.com
In article <825dk5$8id$1...@ctb-nnrp1.saix.net>,
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Ken
as it is and most likely it will be gone before you will need to get
your next plane. Hopefully by that time you will be able to handle a
different wing. As far as the radio. All the fields I have been everyone
seems to have Futaba. About 70%. Most popular seems to be the 6XA If
you build the Superstar use a heavy duty metal gear bering servo in the
wing. That's how I lost mine. Big plane with lots of load. Came out of a
loop and it just came straight into the ground up to the fire wall.
Servo had stripped.
--
"Only The Good Parts Of Time Fly By" ken"
Visit My RC Web Site http://home.rochester.rr.com/sar/
Losh gl
its a much better engine.As for the radio go with either one but also look at
airtronics.Greg
Dr1Driver
Although the Hobbistar has a symmetrical wing, it's still a good trainer, with
gentle handling and landing characteristics. As you learn, it will be ready to
do more advanced aerobatics for you.
>self righting capabilities.
Self-righting is over-emphasized. For an R/C trainer in a terminal dive to
right itself takes many 100's of feet of altitude. A flat bottom wing tends to
be more stable and will SLOWLY return to level from a shallow bank, climb, or
dive. A symmetrical wing will tend to stay where you put it and control will
be required to level the plane.
>OS .61FX,
Good choice.
>FUTABA FF6 or the JR XP642.
I doubt that JR has a larger market then Futaba. Futaba has been around a LONG
time. I'm not familiar with the Futaba FF, but my personal choice of these two
is Futaba. PCM is not necessary unless you fly in the center of a large city.
Most radios made today are FM, which has better noise rejection than AM. There
are also Ham (amateur) bands available if you have a license.
Dr.1 Driver
"There's a Hun in the sun!"
David Jenkins
Hobbistar fly and it performs great. It is used by the soldiers at Ft
Huachuca to learn on for beginner training in the UAV program. This was the
plane I was first going to buy due to the same reasons you have stated. I
looked at it as plane that would fit between the first plane and the second.
Something that would still be enjoyable to own after getting over the
learning curve. I currently own the Avistar 40 which is also a
semi-semetrical wing and from comments on this news group it seems that it
has allot more potential than just a trainer.
After seeing a very expensive bird flown by a very experienced pilot, bite
the dust, I figured to stay with less expensive quality parts as the crash
is a given. There seems to be a wider selection of 40 size planes than 60's
and since there a bit smaller, they're easier to transport. I'd much rather
own a 1/3 scale plane but not until I get some stick time in.
The OS engine is the most commonly used and is what I purchased. They are
really well built and attractive engines. My 46FX looks so good I find
myself mentally praising the designer/manufacturer. The real asset is their
ability to idle and transition to top end smoothly. I was first apprehensive
about the peeling problem experienced by mainly the 46FX but have come to
believe it is most important to do a leanish break-in so all the moving
parts have a chance to seat correctly. The TT 46 is probably an excellent
choice also but I know I can identify parts for the OS on Towers web site.
The Magnum engine is a good choice also. People that I have observed seem to
start up easy and adjust correctly also.
I chose the Futaba radio because it is the predominant type of radio used
at my RC field. I bought the Futaba 6XA because the people said it was a
good beginner radio for a newbie. I've played with it and read the book and
I still have questions about how I will ever put all it's feature to work.
Be aware that the new Futaba 6XAS is out and is suppose to have 6 model
memory and exponential settings as enhancements.
Just some quick references.
http://www.hobbico.com/airplanes/hcaa2016.html
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&q=1i=LL1054
--
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/_\
-=( o )=-
-==========\_/==========- David Jenkins
/ | \ mailto:dj...@primenet.com
0 0 0 http://www.primenet.com/~djenk
Gary Garland
that the trainer type plane is actually HARDER to fly in some ways - it
doesn't always "go where you point it" and wind can have greater effects.
After my Royal Trainer went bye bye (loved that plane, even though it had no
more than 10 flights :( I bought a great ARF, don't remember the brand,
something like EZ or OK - a japanese company, I believe - it ran me about
$180 rather than the approximate $100 for the Royal Trainer - the EZ was a
Cessna type, looked good, had the thin foam/mylar coating rather than just
monocote, and had a semi-symetrical wing - could do SOME inverted, etc., but
kept its manners gentle. If you have someone to help instruct you (don't
try solo!!!) i'd recommend NOT getting a flat bottomed wing - try for semi
symetrical (clark Y airfoil) and it will take you a long time to outgrow the
plane - i still use mine to shake off the rust - probably have 100 flights
on it, and plenty of tape, bends in the landing gear, etc. - just don't
forget to fiberglass the center section!
Dr1Driver <dr1d...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19991202092406...@ng-cf1.aol.com...
Bruce Cummings Sr.
off. There are no funnies or nasty habits hiding, waiting to bite you.
It is easy to assemble and get ready to fly. The finish seems to last
good. I have one that i have been flying for over a year now, on and
off. I use it mainly as a test bed for radios, servos, new receivers,
etc. There is no way that you would go wrong or be unhappy with that
plane. The Futaba is a good radio. I have both Futaba and JR. I guess
when i buy again, i will go with Futaba.
good luck ... Bruce
On Thu, 2 Dec 1999 11:22:07 +0200, "Ron Fisher"
<r...@steinmueller.co.za> wrote:
>I am finally able to enter into this hobby after many years of only
>dreaming. I have read a lot and have chosen 2 planes which I like, namely
>the HobbiStar 60 (my choice)
Bruce
AMA 633349
Ridge Barnstormers of Lake Wales
Lake Wales, Fl.
Amateur Radio AA2DD
Growing Old is Inevitable;
Growing Up is Optional
Reply to: aa...@ithink.net
mkir...@rochester.rr.com
"Ron Fisher" <r...@steinmueller.co.za> wrote:
> I am finally able to enter into this hobby after many years of only
> dreaming. I have read a lot and have chosen 2 planes which I like,
The self-righting capabilities of most trainers are HIGHLY overrated.
Generally, they don't work at all except in ideal conditions, and then
work so slooooowly that the plane is toothpicks long before it recovers.
Go with the Hobbistar. There will be no noticeable difference in
learning to fly it over the Superstar.
> I notice too, that the wing loading is lower on the HobbiStar. I
> assume that this would mean higher landing/ stall speeds
> than on the SuperStar which has a slightly higher wing load.
Are you sure you don't have that backwards? A HIGHER wing loading means
higher stall and landing speeds. Higher means more weight and/or smaller
wing, both contributing factors to higher stall and landing speeds. At
20 oz/sq. ft., the Hobbistar is still relatively lightly loaded.
> The engine I have chosen to accompany the plane is the OS .61FX, only
> due to it's higher output over other engines that are available in my
> country. Other engine choices are MDS, SC and Magnum.
Okay, if you want unlimited vertical, that's a great engine for this
plane. It's a powerhouse, it's reliable and it's a brick. It may be
perfect for this ARF, though, since they generally come out tail heavy.
The plane was probably designed for a lighter plain bearing engine like
the OS .60FP, and will fly well with that one too.
> Now when it comes to the radios, the 2 choices I have for this are the
> FUTABA FF6 or the JR XP642. From what I have been reading on this NG,
> JR seem to command more of a market in the US. Could a more
> experienced pilot in this field help me with the Pro's and Con's of
> the 2 radios, as I get lost when they talk about PCM, XPCM, FM etc
> etc.
Actually, Futaba is by far the most common in the US. For a four-channel
trainer, either radio will work beautifully. Choosing a radio boils down
to personal preference, or field preference if you lack personal
experience. For a first plane, any brand's basic 4-channel unit will
work just as well as any other. It's box with two sticks that makes the
plane go 'round... People make such a big deal out of a trivial matter.
There really isn't that much to the PCM/FM issue. With the radios you
are looking, at, I don't even think PCM is an option, so don't worry
about it. Here's an oversimplified synopsis:
PCM is basically digital encoding of the transmitter signals. A PCM
receiver can be programmed to move the controls to a set position in
case the transmitter signal is lost. FM is commonly misused to mean PPM,
which is analog encoding of transmitter signals. Both PPM and PCM use FM
(frequency modulation) to send the signals through the air.
Bill McCann
>this would mean higher landing/ stall speeds than on the SuperStar which has
>a slightly higher wing load.
Ron,
Actually if the SuperStar has the higher wing loading, IT would have the higher
stall speed, all else being equal. But its airfoil may in fact give it a lower
one. Who knows? It likely doesnt matter at all though, as any proper trainer
would have good stall behaviour. But if you are just looking for a good sized,
good flying, well built ARF trainer, I suggest giving the Sig LT40 some
consideration...
Bill
Ken
for starting out. Any other is going to make you need some alaka
seltzer.