Advice on Hobbico Nexstar RTF
10-28-2016, 02:18 PM
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Advice on Hobbico Nexstar RTF
Hi , Just getting back into the hobby after many years and was thinking about picking up the nexstar rtf , Have seen some great and not so great reviews , Would greatly appreciate anyone's opinion who's actually owned this ... thanks Carl
10-28-2016, 03:35 PM
#2
I have a nitro one and it was used for training new pilots and now is a ski plane for winter.
They are still a good flying plane; either the nitro or electric version but there are now better planes out there to learn on.
It's a balsa plane so any mishap could be bad news but as a balsa plane it flies well.
The self-righting system was disconnected on all of these planes that we flew because it never worked well. It actually made the plane harder to control in some cases.
If you get one disconnect that system and the plane will serve you well.
If you are looking at other planes too, consider the Eflite Apprentice 15. It is a foam electric and it is a great flying plane plus it has the SAFE system that will self-right the plane in an emergency and it really works well.
Good luck !
They are still a good flying plane; either the nitro or electric version but there are now better planes out there to learn on.
It's a balsa plane so any mishap could be bad news but as a balsa plane it flies well.
The self-righting system was disconnected on all of these planes that we flew because it never worked well. It actually made the plane harder to control in some cases.
If you get one disconnect that system and the plane will serve you well.
If you are looking at other planes too, consider the Eflite Apprentice 15. It is a foam electric and it is a great flying plane plus it has the SAFE system that will self-right the plane in an emergency and it really works well.
Good luck !
10-28-2016, 04:47 PM
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I agree with Brian . I had a Nexstar and it served me well for quite a long while . But it did fly best after all the stuff was removed from the wings and the self righting system disconnected . If you want a fair sized balsa plane a LT40 would be a better bet .
10-28-2016, 08:05 PM
#4
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IMO, you will be better off with a standard trainer with no electronic gadgets. The trainer design was developed to self correct aerodynamically anyway, so paying extra for the Nexstar's self correcting gyro doesn't make sense. Get a good balsa trainer (LT-40, Avistar Elite, etc) and work with an instructor to get your flying skills in order. The Nexstar is a perfectly good plane though. If you get the ARF version and put a quality glow engine and radio with it, you'll do fine.
10-29-2016, 05:01 AM
#6
Poor training system. Doesn't fly well at all. I used to dread them coming to the field when I was instructing primary instruction. The predecessor Avistar was a far better trainer and flying platform. If you don't fly, you don't know it doesn't fly well. And, they are never RTF!!! Always takes at least an hour or more at the field. I had one student show up still in the box and thought he could fly it right then and there! IMHO........junk. Radio and engine are good.
10-29-2016, 05:58 AM
#8
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The Avistar Elite is the best, IMO. As for Nexstars being not good, I disagree. Setup and trimming are major factors in having a plane fly properly, and a Nexstar that is set up and trimmed properly will serve just fine as a primary trainer. The Avistar is better in the wind and way better when a beginning pilot is ready to learn some basic aerobatics though. I definitely prefer it at the windy field where I fly and have done training before.
10-29-2016, 07:44 PM
#11
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I'm going to start a new thread for a related conversation- what are the most desirable characteristics for trainers? It's a discussion that hasn't happened in a while on the beginner's forum, and is certainly apropos for this group.
10-30-2016, 06:41 AM
#13
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You will love the Avistar Elite. I wouldn't bother with the flaps initially. If the option isn't there to not hook them up, just glue in a block with a rigid push rod to hold them in place. Of course, if you have the servos go ahead and set them up, but there is no reason to assign a radio function to deploy them.
10-30-2016, 05:43 PM
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Good choice, I have that plane, and it flies great, handles the wind well, and can fly inverted at half throttle with no problems. I find the flaps very helpful, and would recommend setting them up, not because you should use them immidiately, but they are fun to mess around with later on. They do help with landings on calm days aswell.
As far as the nexstar, I have that aswell, and I find it to fly quite well. It certianly is not as good in the wind, less aerobatic in high rates, and will barely fly inverted at full throttle with nearly full down, other than that it flies great, and o fcourse when you just start, those things don't matter to you anyways. I did win it though, and would not buy it, only because of all the stuff that comes with it which is useless, and it only increases the price.
As far as the nexstar, I have that aswell, and I find it to fly quite well. It certianly is not as good in the wind, less aerobatic in high rates, and will barely fly inverted at full throttle with nearly full down, other than that it flies great, and o fcourse when you just start, those things don't matter to you anyways. I did win it though, and would not buy it, only because of all the stuff that comes with it which is useless, and it only increases the price.
10-31-2016, 04:23 AM
#15
Carl! I think you will be very happy with the Avistar as your first plane. Hobbico makes a nice kit, but more instructors need to complain to Hobbico about the Nexstar. The new Avistar I haven't flown, due to no longer doing primary training. The original Avistar had a smaller diameter fuselage. All beginners want a trainer that looks like a Cessna or a real plane. Thus the reason the Nexstar has been successful for Hobbico. Remember for them, it is all about the $$$. Several years ago when I was doing primary training, my frustration and lack of patience with the Nexstar actually made me quit primary training. I hate to say this, but I even let a student, who wasn't listening to me anyway, total his Nexstar, just to get him and the plane out of my hair. Yes! I know it was terrible, but one of my other student's knew my frustration with it, and we both laughed our ***** off over it. That was the day I gave up primary training. Hobbico! If you read this, come up with something else or discontinue the Nexstar.
If you click on it ,it will open up correctly .................
11-26-2016, 03:39 PM
#22
No, open the pic and then click on it again to enlarge it. The pc will correct the image and straighten it out.
He must have posted it with a mobile device. This site has an issue with pics posted that way and that is the result ...inverted or sideways postings.
He must have posted it with a mobile device. This site has an issue with pics posted that way and that is the result ...inverted or sideways postings.
11-27-2016, 11:24 AM
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Cool. A self correcting picture of a self correcting plane. I have a Tower Trainer not that I need one but just because I like to cruise around the sky and not have to constantly correct a models flight path. It will fly from as far away as I can see it to as far away as I dare and unless it is gusty I almost never have to touch the controls.
I sure hope you aren't a doctor in your working life.
I hate to say this, but I even let a student, who wasn't listening to me anyway, total his Nexstar, just to get him and the plane out of my hair. Yes! I know it was terrible, but one of my other student's knew my frustration with it, and we both laughed our ***** off over it. That was the day I gave up primary training. Hobbico! If you read this, come up with something else or discontinue the Nexstar.
12-06-2016, 04:24 PM
#25
LOL>>>>>No a Retired Jet Capt.
Carl! I am sure you will like it. Have you found an Instructor or a Club? If so, did you get to fly it? Hope so with good results! IF you haven't flown it make sure you correctly break in the engine. I know there are people that say the engines don't need it. But, if you take the time to do it, it might save your plane from an unwanted dead stick. Go to your field and look directions, and imagine that you have a dead stick 50 feet in the air. The plane won't make it back to the runway, so, where are you landing? That will make you break in the engine on the ground. May save the plane and a pair of underwear......lol. Fly with what you break in the engine. I used to like Cool Power or Wild Cat, but not sure if they are around now. 15% is good enough, and never go backwards or lower in Nitro %. You can go up, but not down. Don't set too high of rates for the controls. Less is better, more is trouble. Same on the nose gear steering. For take off, you only need about 10 degrees left and right. But, may not be enough for turning on the runway. So, set it to a higher degree of 15-20 degrees left and right on the nose wheel and increase the rudder/nose wheel expo up to 50%. These may have to be tweaked to make your plane fly the best for you. And, if you don't like your instructor, change. It is not uncommon to do this, due to personalities, etc. And, hopefully, you won't get an Instructor on his last nerve of teaching with a product he despises.
Carl! I am sure you will like it. Have you found an Instructor or a Club? If so, did you get to fly it? Hope so with good results! IF you haven't flown it make sure you correctly break in the engine. I know there are people that say the engines don't need it. But, if you take the time to do it, it might save your plane from an unwanted dead stick. Go to your field and look directions, and imagine that you have a dead stick 50 feet in the air. The plane won't make it back to the runway, so, where are you landing? That will make you break in the engine on the ground. May save the plane and a pair of underwear......lol. Fly with what you break in the engine. I used to like Cool Power or Wild Cat, but not sure if they are around now. 15% is good enough, and never go backwards or lower in Nitro %. You can go up, but not down. Don't set too high of rates for the controls. Less is better, more is trouble. Same on the nose gear steering. For take off, you only need about 10 degrees left and right. But, may not be enough for turning on the runway. So, set it to a higher degree of 15-20 degrees left and right on the nose wheel and increase the rudder/nose wheel expo up to 50%. These may have to be tweaked to make your plane fly the best for you. And, if you don't like your instructor, change. It is not uncommon to do this, due to personalities, etc. And, hopefully, you won't get an Instructor on his last nerve of teaching with a product he despises.
