Flyzone has taken a daring step by introducing the Sensei trainer. The word “trainer” alone made Kurt and Rob pull out the microscope. Is the new Sensei the “next best thing”? Watch and find out!
Summary
The market is packed with so-called trainers. Some truly good for beginners, others just really good at taking a new pilot’s money. By the time we finished assembling and flying the Sensei, our understanding of an affordable, stable 58″ trainer was completely re-written.
They got everything right:
- Tough tricycle landing gear
- Big wheels suitable for grass
- Steerable nose wheel
- Easy, fast assembly/dis-assembly
- Long run-times
- Super stable flight characteristics
- Flat stall breaks
- Practically impossible to tip stall
- Massive fun factor with the drop hatch!
No matter what we put the Sensei through, it came out shining and blowing away our expectations. This is THE trainer to beat! More than ever, watch the video review to fully understand all of the benefits and advantages of the Sensei. Remarkable.
The perfect exponentials:
If you have a radio capable of exponentials (expos), you can dial in these settings alone and fore-go the need for dual rates! This will give you incredibly stable flight with the benefit of instant access to full travel (just in case you get in trouble!).
Alerons: (-15/-15 Futaba and Hitec) (+15 Spektrum and JR)
Elevator: (-40/-40 Futaba and Hitec) (+40 Spektrum and JR)
Rudder: (-25/-25 Futaba and Hitec) (+25 Spektrum and JR)
Hey guys
I just bought a Sensei its on its way to me right now. I am glad you posted this review, it makes me feel better about my decision to purchase this plane. Yes I am a beginner and I wanted a plane that was able to progress to more skilled flying without purchasing another plane(low funds). Keep up the good work. I will let you know how my first flight goes. BTW is the only buddy system on RTF version wireless or can you stil hook a cable?
Thanks Bill
Bill, congrats on ordering the Sensei, it’s a great trainer. The key to successful first flights is to have a BIG open space so you can take your time bringing it down gently. Also, choose a calm day for the most stable flight. As for the Tactic radio system included on the RTF version, yes, it uses a wireless trainer connection only, no cable connections present. It works extremely well as Rob and I have tested it on several planes. Thanks for the kind words!
Well guys, I got it all together. Was not very difficult. Had to drill out those pesky holes on the wings but no big deal. I do have a question maybe you can answer for me. It said to hook the elevator pushrod to the outer hole on the control horn. This makes the elevator look like it is not centered and points a little down. Should I change it? I tried adjusting the trim but I had to adjust it a lot before it looked level. Anyway thanks for your input.
Bill
Bill, Yep, I’d adjust the control rod back at the servo horn until the elevator looks level. Always adjust your control surfaces level before first flight!
Well a week ago I flew my plane for the first time. I went to an airfield and a man there helped me by taking off and landing then handing it over to me. I was really nervous but did ok. He also let me fly his trainer and I was really nervous for that. I only got to fly mine for about 2 min because I only have one battery. BTW how long should the stock battery last? I did order 2 more batteries and a better charger so I can fly longer. I look forward to the next flight!
I hate to keep buggin you. Can the foam on this plane be painted? I would like to accent some other color on the plane to make it unique. Perhaps a spray paint would work well but what would you reccomend. I had another question but cant remember it so I’ll have to get back to you on that.
Tnaks Bill
Bill, I’ve had luck in the past using Testors hobby spray enamel on EPO foam. It takes a while to dry (I’d give it three days to fully cure) but should hold just fine. If possible, test in an inconspicuous place (like under the center of the wing inside the fuselage) before committing to the whole plane. They keep changing the EPO polymers as the product evolves so the Testors spray enamel might not bond or could react.
Hi guys I have a question. I like the sensei but I can get a deal on an apprentice that is rtf. In your opinion which is a better trainer or aircraft? I have been flying the hobbyzone champ and then I went to the flyzone select scale cub. I can fly the select cub pretty well, only thing I don’t like about that plane is that it doesn’t want to slow down. Should I put the cub away and fly the apprentice or sensei first? Thanks guys!
If I had the choice of either the Apprentice or the Sensei for the same money, I’d probably go with the Sensei. Here’s why: Much more rugged landing gear, bigger tires, droop tips reduce tip stalling, more durable empennage, lesser battery requirement (2200 vs 3200mAh) so cheaper to buy more batteries, and last but not least….drop hatch! If you shelf the Cub and practice with the Sensei, it’s still not going to slow the Cub down on landings:) The Sensei will however let you practice different approaches and glide speeds that will help you get more comfortable with the Cub’s flight envelope.
Hey Guys
After watching your review of the Sensei I had to buy it , The plane will be here tomorrow, I just have a few questions, The battery you used when you tested the plane was a flightpower PRO50, and the one that is coming with my order is 2200mha 11.1 3s 20c Battery , is this going to be a big difference in power and CG ? Also field size? I have 7.5 acers mostly pasture, is this enough room? and if I mow a nice long strip of grass really short, will this work? I am new to the hobby and have already made the mistake of buying a plane without reading reviews , the select scale j-3 cub RX-R did not work very well for me as a trainer, I am putting it away before I destroy it.
Thank You
Scott
Hi Scott, The Sensei specs state a 30A ESC, and the battery you have coming is a 20C discharge 2200 mAh. 1C of your battery is 2.2A, multiply that by 20 and the battery you have can deliver 44 amps of continuous power – more than your motor can draw! You shouldn’t notice any reduced power but your pack may get a little warmer than ours if you’re hammering the throttle. Nothing to worry about. We used the PRO50 more for the charge rate (6C) whereas yours is only 1C. The battery placement on the Sensei will balance out perfect. We actually flew with several 2200 mAh 25C packs on test day. Balance was perfect. As for the grass strip, yep, it should work fine if the terrain isn’t too rough and bumpy. Just be sure to mow WIDE as well as long. Newer pilots tend to drift a lot on crosswinds while they get used to using the rudder on landing:) Keep the prop turning on landing to keep the nose high and the mains will absorb the impact very well. The Sensei is so forgiving, you can even dead stick it and stall in to a touch down without problems (provided you’re landing into the wind). Good luck and let us know how it goes!
So just got the sensei and all together it looks as on the elevator underside there is a channel for what maybe carbon rod or something.
What you may be seeing (assuming you’ve got everything hooked up and working) is the antenna tube for FM radio systems. The Sensei is at Rob’s shop so I couldn’t look at it for reference, but I believe they have an antenna tube there for FM radios. I’ll ask him tomorrow and edit if I’m off base… Good luck with your flight!
so when you build or buy a foamie there are channels you create to insert rod this is the kind of channel on the sensei get back to me when you can.
Thanks; Frank
Most of today’s planes still accommodate FM radio systems. FM radios have a long antenna attached to the receiver that you must never cut or modify. To keep the antenna away from the prop, most models either route through the top of the fuselage up to the vertical stabilizer or out the back of the fuselage at the tail. Most manufacturers just add another push rod tube for this purpose, so it can be a little confusing during assembly!
I’m returning to RC after a 30 year absense. Already got a Skyfly Max (based on a previous review) and had a great time relearning on it. With landing gear off works great on our bumpy grass strips.
Three Weeks ago I receved A Sensei RTF and you are entirely right. It is a terrific plane. Careful prealignment of flight surfaces plus already correct CG resulted in rock solid hands off level flying at most power settings. Really, really easy to fly. Hard to beleive the speed range of comfortable flying with this plane.
A few thoughts though: Tthat rudder front wheel servo you mentioned. Not really good enough for our bumpy grass fields. Stripped small nylon pinion gear first time out (admittedly not great landing). Put in a Hitec HS65 metal gear. I do not expect the problem to recur. When first flying it I noticed I tended to land way faster than necessary. It takes a bit to get used to how well this flys slow.
I like the light weight and durability of my Skyfly Max and its grass landing capabilities a lot, but the Sensei truly is an amazing plane and your glowing review is fully justified.
Excellent testimonial…and a good recommendation for rough terrain – replacing the nylon geared nose wheel servo with metal gear.
My new Sensei arrived yesterday, and I took some time from chores to put it together today. I didn’t buy the battery that is made for it, because I already have two good batteries of a similar size and rating that I intend to use. But today, I discover that the battery connector on the Sensei is different from the Deans connector that is on my batteries. So what kind of connector is that on the Sensei, and where might I get them? I want to make an adapter or replace the connectors on my batteries so that I can use them.
Steve S.
Goldendale, WA
Steve, The stock connector you are referring to is called a SuperTigre connector. Very similar to an EC3 type connector without the “D” shape polarity key. They are available through Tower Hobbies.com. You can also find SuperTigre to Deans Ultra adapters at Tower as well: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXXGN6&P=ML – Just be sure to triple check that you’re ordering the right gender for both ends of the adapter. Most people just cut and re-solder on their favorite connector that fits their livery of batteries. We cut off the SuperTigre connector and soldered on a Deans ultra since all our 11.1V 3s LiPo packs have Deans plugs on them. Good luck!
So got to fly my sensei on friday and omg it flew amazingly smooth. Flying the super cub was so difficult flew the cub for atleast 30 batterys and still had problems. Now i have started doing touch and goes am taking off and landing on my own after about 3 batteys not like the super cub. So easy to fly our runway is about 200 yards long and i come in zero throttle for atleast 100 yards it just floats and slow flight wow 1/2 stick after take off doing rolls and loops flys nice, beleive me when i say this is the best trainer i have tried. Buy 1 you will not regret it.
The best Designed RC Airplane model as of yet that I have seen in a long time! Wow! If this model is as good as I have experienced then, I will certainly get the FW-190 as well. This Sensei has been the best model to fly and enjoy true FUN using the Bomb Drop! I do have a thread about all I have experience for those that care to learn more at: RCGroups
Thanks for reading and have FUN!
Carlos
As a newbie pilot, I took this review seriously and purchased the Sensei for my trainer. It went together beautifully and I’m excited about getting it in the air. I put a Spektrum 6210 receiver in the plane and have set my Spektrum DX6i for your recommended expos. To date, I have over 70 hours on the RealFlight flight sim, roughly 10 hours on 2 Sky Rangers, about 6 hours on my Ember 2 and 8 hours+ on my Night Vapor with no major crashes.
I joined the AMA and will look for an instructor locally (30 miles away) at a neighboring RC club. This is such a nice plane and my first big one, I am totally paranoid about wrecking it! How do you guys just go out there and … do it ….fly the thing? Any hints, tips, advice would sure be appreciated.
And fellas ~ your website is awesome! Straightforward honest info about the hobby…thanks!
You’re about to have more fun than you can imagine with the Sensei. Flying a really stable 58″ plane is going to add a completely new dimension to your flying! As for how we do it? Sometimes we don’t!
Crashing is an unfortunate by-product of flying RC aircraft. You can greatly reduce the probability from just plain old inexperience by doing what you’re doing – simulators and micros. The most common pilot error comes from bad judgement: too windy, not enough take-off/landing space, undercharged battery, flying to cutoff, unbalanced model, etc. These are the things that will bite you but they are easily avoided.
Our golden rule before flight is: Flight pack and Tx pack charged, acceptable weather conditions for the size/type of model, model pre-flight complete, range test completed, safe flying site with no spectators, cars, houses etc., control surfaces going in the proper direction, and most critically and often overlooked or forgotten- model properly balanced!!! If we can say “yes” to all these things, we’re ready for a review flight. Everything else is just flight experience. Your success rate should be constantly improving to the point of crashes being the exception, not the rule, if you follow the “golden rules”. Fortunately, the Sensei flies like the simulator trainers on a calm or even breezy (3 mph) day and can handle higher winds like a champ. You’ve got the right platform at your disposal, just make responsible pilot/mechanic decisions and your first flights will be a huge success!
Kurt
What is the best rating of batteries for the longest flight time for the Sensei RTF setup? It comes with 2100mah 20c 11.1v. I also bought 2 new batteries 2200mah 20c 11.1v.
Thanks Bill
Oh and BTW I noticed ya’ll used 50c batteries I think.
Bill, any 20C rate discharge battery would be fine for the Sensei. A 20C constant discharge means a 2100 mAh battery can supply a continuous 42 Amps without overheating. The Sensei’s powerplant only needs a 30A continuous battery for reliable operation. Anything below that will reduce power and cause excessive battery heating. As for the 50C we used, it was gross overkill but it has an 8C charge rate, allowing us to turn it around on the ground a lot faster than our 1C charge rate 20 and 25C batteries. We actually fly the Sensei the most with our 25C, 2100 mAh packs.
If you want to get longer run times, try experimenting with higher mAh capacities, like a 2500mAH 3S 11.1 volt pack. Just be sure to verify the CG balance on the model before flight with anything larger than a 2100 mAh.
Hi Kurt,
I am entry level Pilot in RC Field. I need your suggestion as to which plane should I buy? Should I go for Sensei or should I go for Flyzone Switch?
Please suggest.
Krutarth
Krutarth, I would suggest the Sensei over the Switch. Although the Switch can grow with your skills, the Sensei is a more stable trainer platform overall, and the tricycle landing gear is easier than a tail-dragger for takeoff and landing practice. Good luck!
Dude like the switch is 45″ wing span and the sensei is 58″. I have been learning and greatly appreciating the sensei. Go for the sensei. Ok so it turns from high wing to a low wing, when you are all done learning on the sensei you will go balsa any how.
Thanks Kurt and Spankie,
I have ordered one. Very exicted to learn Art of RC Flying. Although I bought Parkzone T-28 Trojan Ulta Mirco But I will learn first on Sensei before flying Ulta Micros.
Thanks Again
Krutarth
Does the RTF Sensi have a BEC?
Yes, I think it is around 5 Amps? Not exactly sure.
Well, I am another purchaser of the Sensei, based on your review. I have not flown it yet, weather is not good for several more days. I can’t wait. I have built and flown balsa planes 25 years ago, and now back in it. I currently fly the Vapor and Champ. I am getting my flight touch/feeling back.
I do have a couple questions regarding the setting of your recommended expos on my new Spektrum DX6i. I assume I make those adjustments in the “D/R and Expo” function? Currently it is set to “high” rate, and Expo is inhibited (zero). I believe all I do is change what is now “INH%” (zero) for Aile, Elev, & Rudd, to the recommended +15 for Aile, +40 for Elev, and +25 for Rudd. Should I also keep the High setting? Finally, do you recommend I take my first flight with these settings?
Thanks, and I love your website and reviews!!
Jim
Hi Jim, I replied below…
Hi guys,
I bought the Electrifly Fly Lite on your recommendation and I have never been dissapointed so when I wanted to progress into a 4 channel I took your glowing recommendations and just got a Flyzone Sensei. I just put it together and am pleased at what I see. The quality of the plane is great. I had no problem whatsoever in putting it together not even the wings. I do however have a question.? I am using a 72mhz Futaba radio and am wondering if there is an advantage to running the antenna on the top of the plane through the provided hole or should I string it through the bottom or does it matter?……..Great reviews.
Cedarbird – Thanks for the kind words! Typically the top is best for the reason of keeping it our of harms way. As long as you don’t cut, coil, or otherwise modify the antenna (as you probably already know), the signal will get through just fine. I know I have a tendency to do stalls and maneuvers where there is air flowing backwards over the airframe so I always route on top or below with a fastening point at the tail so I don’t get it caught up in the prop. Good Luck!
Hi 2 Brothers
Well I flew my plane again. I took off good and made several trips around the oval. Then I was lining up for landing and went nose first; I believe I throttled down to much during the turn and stalled. UGH. Well I took it well and actually have been working on fixing it with glue and clear packing tape. A new fuselage is 60 bucks but I want to get better before I buy a new one and crash it again. I do need a new propeller though. I was looking at cost and found this one on nitroplanes.com (EMP 10x5E Composite Propellers for Electric Engine). Do you think this will work or do I need to buy the hobbico brand? P.S. I can send you a pick of the damage if you would like.
Thanks for your advice.
Bill
I posted a pic of the damage on your facebook page wall.
Bill,
I’m not familiar with the EMP prop. I would suggest getting the stock prop only because I haven’t tested the EMP. Every prop manufacturer has their own airfoil design, and resulting thrust/RPM efficiency curve. The prop included with the Sensei is matched to the stock motor so it’s a safe bet. There’s no harm in experimenting though, just be ready for a possible performance change. When you’re just learning, reducing flight variables is often the best advice. Once you get your “chops” you can have fun trying different elements without the fear of not being able to compensate if something just doesn’t work well.
Thanks for the advice. By the way… did you catch the pic of my damage on your facebook page?. I have been officially baptised. The foam was not to difficult to dix, If it had been a balsa plane, it would be more repair work .
Bill
I used the EMP prop and it worked great.
Bill
Just flew my new Sensei and it is all it’s cracked up to be. Sorry, I won’t say “cracked up” ever again. Except that during taxiing (smartassing) I bent the nose wheel stem below the coil spring. Reluctant to put pressure on it without knowing how it is connected, I looked to removing the cowling to see how it is built. The ESC and motor are also both under the cowling.
I found out, and it was confirmed by Hobbico, the cowling is not removeable. Even though the manual says, as always, if the motor is running backwards reverse two wires, etc., the motor and leads and ESC are all inside the cowling.
I may try cutting through the aqdhesive that connects the cowling to the fuse, but it will have to be replaced the same way, with glue. Doesn’t make much sense.
But the plane flies just as reviewed. I like it all, except this cowling business.
When I crashed mine, the cowling was damaged pretty bad but I got it off and used foam gue and clear packing tape to repair then used clear packing tape to re attach. The tape can be removed anytime to gain acces to the underneath. Btw I used a screw driver in the hole of the spring of the nose gear to hold it and used pliers to bend into shape worked fine. Towerhobbies sells new nose gear by itself if you want to replace. I posted pics of the damage and repairs on 2bfly facebook page. There is a way to remove the nose gear to make more specific repairs.
Bill
Hi Kurt,
I must be doing something wrong, but I’ll try again. On 9/29 I left a post regarding the suggested Expos for the Sensei. I have since figured out the DR/EXPO function on my DX6i. I still do have a question.
The Sensei manual gives recommended control surface throws. I have adjusted the throws to match their recommendation. My question is should I also then add your recommended expo settings?
Thank you,
Jim
Hi Jim, sorry for the delay. I missed your message somehow. When we setup our tx with expos, we didn’t setup dual rates and instead adjusted for full control throws (as listed in the manual for High Rates). We then applied the exponentials and flew. Hopefully that makes sense. And yes, you’ll have to apply “+” where we indicated “-”. For some reason, Spektrum and JR refer to negative exponentials as positive and vice versa. If you did setup high and low rates, just apply the expos to the high rates (not the low!) and you’ll achieve the same results when flying on high rates. Good luck!
Hi Kurt,
Haven’t maidened yet, weather has been to windy. I have been pleased with how the Sensei looks and went together, however looking at it…..How do you remove the nose to get at the motor and esc without ruining the fuse? It look as if it’s glued in. Seeing as it is a trainer crashes are to be expected and “lawn darting” is very possible. How do I get the nose off?
Yes, this is a common observation. The nose is glued on tight. We have had success removing ours: Use a hobby knife to cut the perpendicular seem between the cowl and fuse. Then, using a piece of 3/4″ wide thin brass hobby stock, bend a 90 degree angle in the last 3/4″. Slide this around the parallel seem to break the contact cement loose and the cowl should come off without damage. We used Bob Smith Industries Insta-Flex+ CA to re-glue the cowl on the fuse. You could also use regular CA (with Accelerator) or 2-part epoxy to re-fasten the cowl.
TIP: If you already have the cowl off, consider replacing the nose gear steering servo with a metal gear servo. Some folks have stripped the nylon nose gear servo on rough or tall grass landings that put a lot of torque on the nose wheel. The servo’s are pretty inexpensive and will save you a lot of potential hassle down the road. Good luck!
Hi Kurt,
I needed to remove the cowling from my Sensei because a hard landing bent the prop adapter and loosened the front landing gear. I tried using the method you describe. I was unable to remove the cowl without also ripping off the motor mount. The problem is that you need to be careful not to cut vertically more than around 1/2 inch. Then put in the brass and run it around the inside. If you cut too deep you’ll damage the motor mount. I was able to reattach the motor mount with thick CA glue and all looks fine now. I’ve just reattached the cowl with tape for now.
I did a lawn dart (not proud about that but it is a part of rc flying). Check out my pic on 2bfly facebook page. I have already fixed damage.
Bill
Thanks for the info, hope I never have to take the nose off “LOL”. One more question: Do you think replacing the spinner with a prop saver adapter would save wear and tear on the motor and mount until I get the hang of this thing, or would that be more appropriate for a tail dragger?
Prop savers are typically for smaller planes with lower RPM motors. On larger airplanes like the Sensei you want a solid connection to the motor for performance and response. Do your best to cut the throttle if you’re going to auger it into the ground and you’ll get the same basic benefits. Power-on blade strikes will most likely damage the shaft/motor/motor mounts. If you smash nose-first into the ground the cowl will probably explode so you’ll be able to get at the other stuff pretty easy:) Micros are good crash trainers, the Sensei is a flight trainer so it’s not going to handle full-stop impacts without some damage. No worries, have a seasoned pilot help you out for your first few flights and you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Good Luck!
what particular servo would you recommend replacing the nose gear servo with? I’ve got to take the nose cowl off on mine…after a tall tree at the end of our flying field reached out and grabbed my Sensi today and it might be good to get it all done at the same time.
Either a Futaba S3153MG (digital) or S3102 metal gear micro (analog) or a Hitec HS65 metal gear micro (analog) should fit. We haven’t replaced ours so you may want to check the servo pocket dimensions before committing to one in particular, but the servos listed above have the right hardware/torque specs.
There have been a couple posts as to how to remove the cowl. I am not sure I fully understand the process. Could someone post a photo or two of what it looks like when apart? It seems you need to be careful to not damage the motor mount when cutting off the cowl. Also, is it possible to reattach the cowl with some rare earth magnets?
Thanks,
I too would like to see a video also. Do you know what they are talking about a 3/’4 winde thin brass hobby stock? I have just order mine and will be crashing it in the near future so want to be ready
At Tower Hobbies on their info page for the Sensei, they include links to the instruction manual and its updates. The last update is a two-page PDF file that clearly shows with big pictures the cowl removal procedure. You can also order a replacement cowl from Tower if you need to. Here’s the link to the Sensei info page over there:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXBADK&P=7
I just finished watching your reviews of both the Switch and the Sensei,both of witch seem to be good planes to keep on hand for a quick fly whenever time permits. I have one question, I live in the Chicago area, so we have typically 8-12mph winds, no calm days, which of the palnes can handle the wind?
Actually, we were just in Chicago this week for iHobby and you misstated your winds….it was gusting to 50MPH! Seriously, the Switch in mid-wing configuration is more symmetrical and would balloon less than the Sensei during gusts, but the Sensei is bigger and heavier, which is always a plus when flying in wind. If your skills are up to the task, the Switch would cut through it better than the Sensei and has a bit higher thrust-to-weight ratio so you would have more positive control through the crosswind transitions. The Switch is not quite as forgiving on landings as the Sensei, but in the air it would have more authority in your situation. Don;t get me wrong, the Switch lands very well but, for a beginner, tail draggers can be a little more fickle as you go from wing to wheel. The Switch has very light weight aluminum main gear that springs nicely but will bend on hard landings. Hope this helps!
I just recived my Sensei yesterday, and I’m a little dissapointed about the “out of box” condition. Everything was bubble wrapped, but both wings in particular seemed to be very “dirty”. I’ve tried a solution of dish detergent and water, mixed in a spray bottle, but the stains are still there. Is there another cleaner that you guys can reccommend, or should I just accept the fact that it’s a Trainer and will probably suffer much worse during it’s lifetime? I haven’t flown it yet, but it went together easy enough thanks to your suggestion about drlling out the wing holes.
Phil,
That’s a bummer about the dirty wings. As for cleaners, most household cleaners will work fine. Windex, ammonia, alcohol, 409, Simple Green, and most non-reactive cleaners are fully compatible with EPO foams. Always test on the inside of the fuse (a couple drops) for at least 20 minutes to rule out any reaction, but you’ll find EPO is fine with non-solvent cleaners. I always start with 90% isopropyl alcohol and go from there. I’m sure Flyzone would take care of you if they’re permanently stained, you could always give them a call if you have no luck with the cleaners. Keep in mind: some of these products could loosen the stickers. Alcohol or Windex are your safest place to start. Good Luck!
If you really want your Sensei to last then, IHMO, the first thing you should do to it before you even maiden it is to switch out the stock motor and stock esc for better quality electronics. I’ve purchased two Sensei’s, both esc have not lasted beyond a few flights, with one going up in smoke…it took the motor with it. The other stock motor got to where it was cutting out after climbing out on take off, forcing me to come back down.
I replaced the motor with an E-Flight Park 480 outrunner motor and an E-Flight esc that had the same rating as the stock. While you have your motor cowl off switching electronics, take the time to reinforce the nose of your aircraft using 8″ bamboo cooking skewers…about four of them, run into the body of the plane from the front to stiffen it up and make it strong enough to withstand a nose dive into the ground. You’ll thank me later if you do this.
The Sensei flies great and that is why I went back and bought a second one, but…again, IMHO, the electonics (motor and esc) are just too cheap and will only cost you your plane if you try to use them right out of the box. Switch them out with good quality electronics and you’re all set for a long lived fun flying machine that will really please you in how beautifully it flies.
Personally, I added 3 gyros to mine and a stand alone 10A bec to power them, the servos and rx. I am hopeing this makes it to where I can get in twice as many flying days next year….as the strong winds shouldn’t keep me grounded nearly as often with the gyros on there counteracting the effects of the strong winds.
Enjoy your Sensei
The stock powerplant should last a lot longer than a few flights. It sounds like you got a bad run of product. Granted, for the price point, they aren’t building it with E-Flite or Rimfire quality components. If anyone else is experiencing this issue, I would recommend contacting Flyzone and have them replace the whole unit. Trainers are supposed to be all about the flying, not the bench work! We have easily over 40 full flights on our Sensei and it’s still going strong, no problems at all. In fact, we’ve loaned it to a local flying club for Cub Scout day and they flew it a couple dozen times nearly non-stop without issue. Your reinforcing recommendations are great though and I would add that if you have the cowl off, replace the nose gear servo with a metal gear servo. The stock one strips pretty easy on rough landings. Thanks for contributing!
Here is a link to the currently 29 page thread of discussion by Sensei owners on rcgroups.com. It will get you up to speed in a hurry and also let you see what problems others have had with their Sensei’s. Oh, yes, with that Park 480 motor, you should probably use a 10×7 prop.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1492017
I have had my Sensei for several months. A few crashes, broken fuse, wing broken off, bent landing gear. All easily repaired with CA, epoxy, and pliers. I have many flights on mine, and it is still going strong and flying as well as the day I bought it.
My plane arrived. Haven’t even flown it yet and what a design flaw. In order to get th the esc or motor you have to cut the front off. Why not design it correctly at first. They will be crashed or as other have noted the servo will fail or a hard landing and the nose gear will need to be worked. Further with this not standard connector on the esc it it hard to cut off and solder another on while in the plane. I hope it works better in the air then my initial impressions.
I found your vids on You Tube when researching the Sensei. They were great and brought me round here. I’ve had great fun reading all the replies. I was going round and round trying to decide between the NextStar mini Rx R, the Switch and the Sensei. With your excellent help and practical advice I’m ordering the Sensei.
My first plane was an Easy Star that I bought on advice from my R/C pilot friend. He buddy boxed me through a couple of flights and still I managed to absolutely destroy that plane on my second solo last week. Good I say because I didn’t like the hand launching or it’s flight characteristics. Even in Real Flight 6 simulator I had trouble flying that plane. High wing trainers in the flight sim though, I can fly like a champ. So I’m hoping for greater satisfaction and better results with the Sensei. I’ll keep you all posted.
Hello – your site is great! Thanks for your review of the Sensei.
I have an issue. There is a screw that goes into the bottom of the fuselage to hold the horizontal and vertical stabilizer onto the body of the airplane. For some reason, the screw seems to be too short, and I can’t get it to make contact with the threads in the fin. Anyone else having this issue or have any recommendations? Thanks!
Upon further inspection, I realized there was some excess glue in and around the recess where the vertical fin meets the horizontal stabilizer. I cleared it out – it took a couple of attempts to get it just right, but eventually it fit snugly enough for the screw to take. Success!
Does the ElectriFly Triton EQ AC/DC Charger charge faster than the stock charger included in the RTF model? Thanks!
Not sure what rate the RTF charger charges at, but keep in mind the stock battery is only rated at 1C charge rate (2.1 Amps), so, from cutoff (about 20%) to full charge the fastest you can safely charge it at (1C/2.1 Amps) is going to take about 50 minutes. Most people stop before cutoff, so you’ll probably average about 40 minutes for a full charge. There’s no way to safely charge this battery any faster. You may consider some other packs with a higher “C” charge rating and a charger capable of higher amperage rates.
I think I need to learn more about RC batteries in general. I appreciate your feedback, thank you.
Really I’m trying to see if it’s worth buying a new charger to replace the one that comes with the RTF version of the Sensei. Judging from the knowledge base, it isn’t worth it – unless it turns out to be shoddy.
Being a AMA qualified flight instructor. I come across a lot of different aircraft that I must checkout prior to training a student. I have had two students purchase the Sensei based on this review. It is a very good training aircraft but with a few caveats that could do with improvement like most foam electrics. Flight wise it tends to want to float which proves a little difficult for some students but is actually a bonus wants mastered.
What I do not like is the front end of the aircraft. It is totally unserviceable for a beginner. Why they designed it this way is beyond belief. The cowl is glued on and virtually not removable without damaging the foam. Once off it is difficult to service the nose gear and removing the firewall for repair requires the nose to be cut off which we have had to do to two of them so far. To change out the ESC requires similar butchering of the nose. The motor is cheap and lacks power. So to resolve these issues we chopped off the nose of both students aircraft and made up 1/4″ ply firewalls which we shoe good into place. We also replaced the nose gear with standard Dubro which are more forgiving. We replaced the motors with 950 KV units swinging a 3 blade 11-7 prop. The cowl was attached with either magnets or rubber bands with pins. The nose weight was completely removed from the cowl. With the above mods the front is now totally field serviceable and makes this plane really great. With the additional FW weight the CG is perfect with no further mods. Now my students love them. It just baffles me why manufacturers do this kind of stuff and for a couple of cents more would have made the almost perfect trainer.
Can you send some pics of the mods you made on the nose. I am curious about that. billpam91@gmail.com
Thanks
Bill
I want to upgrade the esc and motor to have a little more power for more sport flying. since there are no specs on the motor size I dont know what to go up to in size. I will also replace the esc with maybe a 40 amp to allow for more power. Also since I am not familiar with the numbers used in describing a motors spec it would be great if yall would do a video on that if you have not already.
Thanks
Loved the review and as soon as I can firmly esatablish myself at the closes AMA Flying Field as a Member I will be buying my Sensei!!! Thanks for the welth of fantastic info!
Glad we could help and Good Luck!
After 15 years away from RC, purchased the Sensei after researching the web for info and reviews. Kudos to Rob and Kurt for their review, and this thread has proved very helpful… Thanks!!
The Sensei flies GREAT off a short grass field, is very stable and predictable in flight, seems to handle 5-6 kt wind well… On the first two landings, had to do go arounds because it didn’t sink as much as I had planned… Once I moved the base to final turn out farther, the traffic pattern was a joy…
The only downer for the day was a light nosewheel-first touchdown landing that never would have damaged the gear on another airplane, but stripped the servo gear… Now, I get to do the mods to bring the airplane up to where it should have been in the first place…
FWIW, I rate the overall design, style, performance and appeal at an “A”
Gotta rate serviceability at a “D” (not having simple access to the electronics and nose gear is an inexcusable oversight on any airplane, especially a trainer)
If anyine is curious, Tower Hobbies lists the replacement motor as FLZA6174 “Flyzone Brushless Motor 30-22-1350Kv”
First of all I am returning to the hobby after may years, so consider myself as a newbie. I purchased the Sensei RTF through Tower Hobbies in June 2012 partially based on the review of the craft by Two Brothers. There were no problems in getting the kit. Assembly was quite easy due to good instructions. CG checked out within acceptable limits. So far so good. I did do some taxiing to see how it handled. Long story short, got the plane in the air, and commenced to auger it in. I accept that as my fault.
My comment is two fold. One, the lack of repair parts on an indeterminate back order time. Parts were on back order until the end of July, and now that has moved to the end of August. I suspect there will be more delays. Two, the cowl is glued to the fuselage, no real way to remove it without destroying it. They also put about two ounces of weight glued to the front of the cowl, I suspect this along with battery placement contributed to the mass destruction to the front of the aircraft.
Hobbico, parent of Tower and owner of Flyzone, does not have a customer service section to help resolve customer concerns and complaints. Based on answers to questions I asked, I get the feeling they could care less.
I would not recommend this aircraft for a new person in the sport. Repair-ability and support are definite short comings. I feel there are better trainers on the market. The included radio is only compatible with another Tactic radio, so is rather useless as a buddy box unless you have another in your club. I have found no one that uses Tactic.
Hi Brownm3, First off, sorry for your crash! Unfortunately, it happens and the most important thing is to get back up and going again soon. I took your comment to task and reached out to Hobbico to see if they can help get you going again. The problem with stock is that the model has been so popular. Hobbico and all other manufacturers do their best to anticipate stocking estimates upon release and they just simply ran out. The plant over seas is sending a container with a bunch of replacements but that can take a couple months for import clearance and the usual process.
As for support, Art runs the support group over at Hobbico and he’s one of the best guys you’ll ever talk to. The real deal. In fact, you need to call him at: 217-398-3630. Just ask for Art. Hobbico gets returns from dealers of units that are damaged by local carriers more often than you think. That’s just the nature of the beast. Instead of sending them back to the factory or claiming full loss, they actually keep them around for situations like yours: replacement parts. We’ve all gotten so used to using email these days, picking up the phone and talking to a live body can really get your far. Short of complete aircraft loss, Art and the guys will get you back up and running. They even take care of people who completely crash their planes and can’t get parts by offering a new one at a deep discount.
I know lack of parts can be really frustrating. We screen heavily and only focus on covering manufacturer products that have excellent support for that very reason: the hobby experience.
As for your final point, yes, the repairs for the Sensei are not the easiest and we’ve addressed that through the comments and Flyzone/Tower have also published a Tech Notice on repairs here: http://manuals.hobbico.com/flz/flza3010-14-tech2.pdf . Ultimately, we review models for their successful flight experience and also address durability short of really tanking them in the ground. The Sensei is an excellent performing airplane and a great trainer, albeit a little difficult to repair after a heavy nose-in crash. Is it the best? That’s subjective and based on personal preference and importance. Some people just don’t care about support and want the cheapest price. Others look at the whole experience and that’s where we come into play. If all else fails, we’ll do our best to help you out anyway we can.
I encourage you to call Art, and tell him Kurt sent you over from 2 Brothers. In fact, anyone having an issue with any Hobbico product should just pick up the phone and call the Hobby Services support number above. There are some great people working with him over there and they’ll stick with you until the problem is resolved.
Keep me posted and good luck!
I have quite a few students who have been getting this model. The first two had so much issues with serviceability that I now suggest alternatives. The first thing that we do is to chop the entire nose off! We have a template made so that we can make a new firewall with two different plywoods. One is the first firewall that is a 1/4″. The second is a 1/2″ that is epoxied over the first and is slightly undersized around the perimeter. The 1/2 is used to mount the cowl and is required to offset the removal of those idiotic washers for CG. All this gets shoe goo to the foam. We use a dubro mouint replacement for the nose gear to be more robust.
Then we replace that cheap and to small a motor with a 900KV using an X mount to the firewall. Now the model is totally serviceable with a power plant that suits better for both student and pro alike. With the above mods this model comes alive in all aspects of flight. I cannot understand how a manufacturer can make a model that is excellent to fly yet unserviceable and under powered. With changes per suggested this model is fantastic.
Acesimmer,
Thank you for your reply. Some very good information here! I was considering trying to rebuild the aircraft myself, and now I think I feel it can be done!
A couple of questions please;
1) Do you have any photos of the conversion you describe?
2) Do you have a drawing of the template?
3) Did you investigate using the cowl form an E-flight Apprentice in place of the Sensei Cowl? This was my consideration.
4) When you cut the nose off the plane, do you do it aft of the bulkhead/firewall that the nose gear is mounted on? Or does your new firewall go around the current nose gear connection point?
5) Ideas on how to straighten a buckle form the nose to windshield area on one side. Mine points to the right quite a bit.
Thank you for your time. Please feel free to reply here, or send reply offline to brownm3@yahoo.com
Thank you,
Mike
Kurt,
I just got off the phone with Art. My situation is being resolved.
Art just showed me what true customer service is about. My opinion of Hobbico was just elevated immensely. I feel Art went above and beyond what was called for. My hat is off to him!
I thank you for your help. I will keep you and the Sensei thread updated.
Thank you,
Mike
I blew the ESC on my Sensei. All vendors I check are out of stock. What is a good substitute? Can they drive the five servos? Are the servos analog or digital?
Thanks,
Pete
Hi. Any brushless 30A (or larger) speed control with integrated BEC will work just fine on the Sensei.
For example:
You can buy most of these through Tower Hobbies online or at your local hobby shop. Good luck!
Could SENSEI be flown with the rudder only. without using aileron at all?
Not very well. There isn’t enough dihedral on the main wing for effective rudder-only operation. You’d crab heavily until the plane rolled and then you’d be luck to recover it before it hit the ground. With very gentle, very big turns I suppose it could be possible but I wouldn’t recommend trying it!
It’s a couple of years after this review – would you still consider the Sensei, with the release of new aileron trainers in the last couple of years (glasair sportsman, Ares Gamma Pro) as one for strong consideration for a new flyer?
The beauty of flight is that if it flies well 20 years ago, it flies well today. Other new products can certainly impact the overall perception and we’ve seen that a lot with micros, but in the park flyer class the Sensei has great handling and characteristics and that’ll never change. There’s a push towards using platforms with stabilization gyros onboard like the AS3X stuff from Horizon, but the point of a trainer is to learn how to fly and respond to changing conditions so, in our opinion, stay away from stabilized models until you learn how to fly. If you want to add stability to an unstable platform that’s one thing, but running “in the raw” is going to teach you how to really fly. The Sensei, the Apprentice, Ares Gamma, the Super Cub from Hobbyzone…all great trainers.
Hello, could you comment on programming the ailerons to serve as flaprons. Still have aileron function but also one or two position flap? I am using a Turnigy radio with firmware of ER9X. The Turnigy is a FS-TH9x.
Thanks Chan.
Hi Chan, As for using ailerons as flaperons and also using the ailerons as two position flaps (if I understand you correctly), most radios will allow you to assign flaperon function to a multi-position switch. This allows you to adjust the amount of flaperon mixing. Unfortunately, we don’t have that particular radio in the shop so I can’t walk you through the procedure but if you set the flaperon function active on most computer radios, you have several options for switch assignment, mix, etc. You may search the forums like RC Groups or RC Universe for threads covering the programming options on your model. Good luck!