I think that is a great choice. Good luck and hopefully you have fun.
The Champ is definitely not the looker that the Sbach is, but would probably smash it up. And the the complete Champ kit is cheaper that just the Sbach plane. Was looking at some larger planes, but the micros are just more interesting and will be a better fit for me right now I think.
My dad bought my sister a yellow balsa wood nitro plane kit years and years ago that never got put together. Maybe if I get into this I can snag that up anb put it together
$97.98 shipped to my door for a complete RTF Champ kit. Can not wait! 8)
My first plane was head-first into the deep end with a Rarebear Funfighter.
A similar head-first experience ensued.
Super easy to fix foamies though.
Hope you enjoy the Champ, it’s a great place to start. Plenty of spares and very easy to repair. Get yourself some foam safe glue and you’ll be set.
My bro accidentally crashed my Champ and tore a wing off. Glued it back on in 5 mins and it flies like new. Larger planes you just wouldn’t get away with this.
When you are ready the Sbach will be a very nice upgrade.
Just so you know, Eflite and Parkzone are Hobbyzone companies/brands. So the Champ is quite closely related.
I kind of figured they all were like "house brand" type deals. From the looks of it, the Champ comes with a 4 channel radio too, so if I need to I could get away with not getting a new one until I can afford the one I want. I really wanted something faster and cooler looking, but I guess that's like giving a Lamborghini to a 16 year old.
Looks like it will be here next Tuesday... can not wait
If you are new to flying I think you’ll be amazed at how quickly the Champ can cover the sky in front of you. And how quickly things can go wrong 
Let us know how you get on with your maiden flight.
Want me to have my fiance record the carnage? S)
I will be sure to let you guys know how I make out for the first flight.
I have two 500 mah lipo cells sitting here that I am wondering if I can mod into the Champ for some extended flight time… Horrible aint it. First plane, have not even got it, and already thinking about modding it…
If it’s on it’s way…then go with it. It’s a fine trainer.
It’s light, crashes ‘lightly’ (saving some grief often) BUT it does have some issues, but then EVERYTHING does.
Being light it blows away in ANY wind. You need DEAD CALM conditions. This is critical starting out. This it the main problem in those areas with constant wind.
For your first flight you need LOTS and LOTS of clear space. Any tree within a 1/4 mile will reach out and grab it, guaranteed.
ALL the components are ‘disposable’. It’s a good one trick trainer that is not worth modding and has nothing much worth keeping if you like the sport, but MANY trainers are that way. You can easily spend 2x that amount on a decent transmitter alone. A good kit with stuff worth keeping would set you back about $500. OTOH you WILL trash your first (2nd, 3rd maybe) planes if you don’t get some help/instruction. So, cheap ain’t bad to start since so many people go it alone now. An experienced flier with a buddy box is the best instruction route but you can’t do that with the Champ.
Like this group for lights there are far better places to take this discussion:
There’s way more to learn about RC flying than lights. Staying away from jets until you can fly WELL is one important lesson. You have 2-3 steps (planes 
) to go once you master the Champ. It’s not a cheap sport even if it looks that way to start.
Not to get off-topic but I’m curious if those who happen to have a private pilots license have an easier time starting out with R/C models?
I’m guessing it isn’t an advantage since most of the skills are different but I’ve always been curious. I have a private pilots license (that I no longer use) and I’m not currently thinking about R/C planes but I’m still curious.
I’ve seen people flying them and it looks interesting. I can see that a lighter plane would be harder to fly with wind and I can see that a heavier plane probably does better (successfully) landing on a hard runway rather than trying to land on grass.
I was looking at some bigger models, but dont think they would be good for me right now. We live in a small house (836 square feet) with two kiddos and already too much stuff in it.
Wind could be a problem, but I am not too worried. Spare parts are cheap, and glue is even cheaper 
Im sure I will crash and smash it up, but I got a plan... Low n slow to learn the controls. Do not know anyone that flies RC planes to help out, so I am on my own
Having a good understanding of aerodynamics and the basics of flight does help. When the plane is coming at you the ailerons and rudder are “reversed”, so it takes a while to get used to ingrain this in your reactions (when under pressure).
General feeling is at first being a pilot interferes. The difference between ‘seat of the pants always facing the direction you are flying’ and no feedback + control reversal when flying at yourself is extra disrupting. The little planes fly with similar dynamics but the experience is wholly different.
I helped out 1 pilot. He was worse than some, not as bad as a few, but certainly not a ‘star pupil’. I’ve flown a small plane once. It wasn’t like RC at all.
Yeah, I’m guessing the viewpoint, lack of feedback, and different controls would be a completely different experience. Maybe after one learned to fly R/C it might help but at that point you’ve probably figured it all out anyway 
Pulsar, take some video of your maiden voyage!
Will see what I can do. Can not guarantee that my fiance will be up for it. Maybe I can bribe her with something 
You have gotten some very useful advice here. I crashed my first plastic cardboard plane so much it started to look camouflage with all the repairs. For your first plane I suggest something that will take a beating, because you will crash.
Those balsa wood planes fly into a million pieces when they hit the ground. I seen one kid at a local RC air show, that had worked on a balsa based plane for 6 months. He had a few flying lessons with a my local hobby shop trainer, he thought he was ready to fly his own plane without the trainer. The trainer warned him and tried to help, but the kid refused his help. The kid flew that thing around about a minute and gravity took over. He brought the plane back from off the air field in a box full of kindling. Six months of work shot.
At that same RC air show, there was a guy that had a real replica RC jet plane with a real miniature jet engine. He would do flybys at well over 200mph. That was pretty awesome. I know it had to be tough to fly though. It was moving so fast that by the time it flew by the pilot, it only took a few seconds and he had to make a turn to come back, to keep it from getting out of site.
Find someone that knows how to fly and let them help you. He or she can give you the controls once it’s up in the air, if you start to crash, hand the control over and they can save you some repairs. It was also very helpful for me to set the plane down on the ground and use the controls as though I was flying (not with the engine running). Walking in front of the plane and turning left and right and up and down, then behind the plane. It helped in learning the controls and what they do especially when the plane is coming towards you, left doesn’t go left it goes right if the plane is moving towards you. The RC buggy will come in handy in that regard. Stay with it and don’t give up, you will crash but that’s part of what drives you to become better. Taking off the runway was easy for me but once in the air that’s where my problems began. If you learn what to do in the air first taking off will be a breeze then there’s the landing part 
. Once you have mastered it then move up to something faster and nicer. Just my two cents.
Before reading the other posts, I favor the propeller one. Models have low mach number and low Reynolds number, so they work better in the shape of propeller driven manned aircraft than in the shape of jets. That includes the propulsion unit. Pulse jets, ducted fans, etc. are less efficient than propellers, until close to the speed of sound.
My own airplane passion is for Cox 0.049 cubic inch (0.8 cc) and smaller control line and RC airplanes. After mid 20th century, those engines were perhaps the most precise of all mass produced objects. I am also big on rubber power. Rubber bands were a huge advance in aviation when Alphonse Pénaud introduced them. Former powered experiments had used steam engines that were very hard to make and easily damaged in crashes.
This is the transmitter you want. It’s pretty much awesomeness. Think of it as the SolarForce of transmitters.
I use mine almost daily on my V911, which is also awesome btw.
I also occasionally use it on my Pulse XT 40, which is great, but not the best starter airplane. Balsa doesn’t hold up well to crashes. Styrofoam is what you want. (and electric)
That controller does seem to have a lot of features for under $50. How much are the modules for it?
This thread will be helpful.
The Turnigy 9X is the original version, and comes with a built in module. (This is actually what I have)
The 9XR is an upgraded version, but doesn’t come with a module, because a lot of people use different types, so they figure you’ll just get your own.