HORIZON HOBBY APPRENTICE S 15E RTF
Chad Boudreau [email protected]
A beginner aircraft that provides pilots room to grow
Approximately a year ago I stood in a field with a model aviation instructor. He toggled a switch on his transmitter, turned to me and said, "Chad, it's all yours." Tethered to his transmitter was my transmitter in a typical buddy-box setup. I was a pilot in training, and for the first time I was in control of an airborne basic trainer.
I learned two things that afternoon: I discovered that I really enjoyed flying, and I learned to never fly without sunglasses!
After a few sessions with my instructor, I conducted my first solo takeoff and landing. Although I was feeling confident in my flying ability, I wasn't confident enough to invest much money or time into the hobby. If I was going to buy an aircraft, I figured it would be easier to tell my wife that I destroyed a $50 airplane instead of a $300 model.
During the next couple of years my aviation fleet included only a small foamie and a couple of micro helicopters. I never again flew at the flying field, resolving to be a reclusive pilot who only flew in the house or backyard.
Perhaps it is poetic justice that I am writing a review of the Horizon Hobby E-flite Apprentice S 15e. The flying experience I described was with its predecessor, the original Apprentice. Although the high-winged original Apprentice is an excellent trainer, I did not feel confident enough to take steps to further improve my piloting skills.
When the Apprentice S 15e showed up on the market, because I had some experience with the original Apprentice, I felt an instant comfort level. Because I hadn't flown for a while, I had lost some of my training. The Apprentice S was touted among hobbyists as "practically able to fly itself," so I decided to make a second, more serious attempt to pick up the hobby.
A key feature of the Apprentice S is its integrated Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope (SAFE) technology. This makes RC flight remarkably easy. A sophisticated combination of sensors and software enables the aircraft to understand its position so it can correct itself and improve stability. Coupled with AS3X stabilization, E-flite described this airplane as "the most intelligent RC airplane ever." As a beginner I simply had to flip a switch and allow the SAFE technology to compensate for my lack of skill.
Assembly
The packaging was nice. The Apprentice S is a true RTF model — everything is included in the box:
- DX5e transmitter
- Installed servos and brushless motor
- 3S LiPo battery
- Charger
I expected to find a standard AC charger that could plug into an outlet. Instead, the included charger requires a DC source (a car battery). This slightly complicated the setup, but I assume E-flite included the DC charger to keep the package price affordable.
A second minor quirk during assembly was that I had to remove decals and the cowl to install the nose wheel. I wasn't keen on stripping decals from a new, unmolested aircraft, but I sucked it up and completed the task. When installing the nose wheel, be sure the wheel post is completely inserted — I accidentally installed the wheel incorrectly the first time and had to remove the decals and cowl again.
Despite a few minor hiccups, assembly was a breeze. I suggest using magnetic-tipped screwdrivers for the smaller screws. The manual is easy to navigate, and in less than an hour the Apprentice S was ready.
Activating SAFE Technology
There is no special setup required to activate SAFE in the Apprentice S — SAFE is integrated with preinstalled sensors. Any DX5e or above transmitter provides three SAFE settings: beginner, intermediate, and expert.
- Beginner mode fully activates SAFE.
- Intermediate mode keeps SAFE active at a reduced level.
- Expert mode turns SAFE completely off.
Throughout all modes, AS3X remains active.
A feature I quickly grew to love is the panic switch. When in a dangerous situation, the panic button repositions the Apprentice S into an upright, stable flying attitude. The reaction time between toggling the panic switch and the airplane recovering is merely a second or two — amazingly quick.
Preparing for Flight
The Apprentice S offers revolutionary flight-stability technology, but E-flite strongly suggests that a beginner pilot still fly with an experienced pilot or instructor. Yes, the Apprentice S practically takes off, flies, and lands itself, but there are still many safety procedures, flying techniques, and maintenance tips that should be learned with an experienced pilot.
I stress the importance of an instructor because of safety concerns. A new pilot may not know to always activate the transmitter before powering on the aircraft, and if a new pilot sustains an injury, having a second person on-site is invaluable.
The goal of SAFE technology is to groom pilots to become skilled enough to fly independently. Flying should be more than just pointing an aircraft in the right direction — beginner pilots should work toward becoming less dependent on SAFE. The best way to learn proper flight and recovery techniques is with the aid of a seasoned pilot or instructor.
Maiden Flight
I returned to the same field where I'd flown the Apprentice S's predecessor. This time I had SAFE technology and an instructor in tow. The skies were clear, but wind gusts exceeded 10 mph.
When I set the aircraft idle on the windy runway ready for takeoff, the Apprentice S sporadically began adjusting its ailerons as if trying to correct itself. There is an on/off switch on the left side of the fuselage; I made the mistake of turning on the switch while moving the airplane in the wind. Before activating that switch, the airplane must be still for SAFE technology to properly initialize.
I shut down the Apprentice S and turned it on while the airplane was still. SAFE initialized correctly and the model was ready for takeoff. Despite flying in 10+ mph winds, the 59-inch wingspan aircraft performed beautifully.
Flying in beginner mode, the Apprentice S climbed into the sky. E-flite makes it clear that the Apprentice S is not an autopiloted aircraft — a better analogy is that the Apprentice S felt like my instructor taking over the controls and helping me get into a level position at a safe altitude.
Unlike my smaller foamie and micro helicopters, the aircraft’s size is a huge benefit for inexperienced pilots. It made it easy to determine direction and orientation, and it built my confidence knowing I was again soloing a larger aircraft.
I flew the Apprentice S into a gentle, beautiful first turn. Without SAFE, pulling the stick too far could cause inversion, a steep nosedive, or a spin. But no matter how far I pulled the stick left or right in beginner mode, the airplane only made graceful, level banks.
Short of crashing into a tree or other obstacle, in beginner SAFE mode it would be difficult to crash the Apprentice S. The airplane stayed consistently level and flew at a nice, steady pace. Even in a downward descent, the nose never dramatically dipped — it would be a challenge to lawn-dart the Apprentice S.
After a few turns, I stepped up to intermediate SAFE mode. I instantly found the Apprentice S more responsive. Intermediate SAFE, coupled with AS3X, allowed higher bank angles with the automatic self-leveling feature relaxed. Although more responsive, I was still protected from dangerous flight conditions — the airplane remained rock-solid.
For landing I returned to beginner SAFE mode to see if the aircraft could really land itself. My instructor helped me line up the approach. As I came in, I retarded the throttle and pulled up on the nose. A combination of too much throttle, an upward nose, full SAFE, and a strong wind caused me to overshoot the first few attempts. Each time I recovered by climbing to a safe altitude, circling, and trying again.
After a few failed attempts, I decided to let SAFE do the work. I aligned with the runway, nearly killed the throttle, and touched nothing else. The Apprentice S came in for a great landing.
Additional Flights
I logged quite a few flights over a couple of weeks and was enjoying the hobby. In full beginner SAFE mode the Apprentice S took off and landed nicely. Before long I found myself consistently using intermediate and then expert mode.
E-flite did a terrific job balancing the three SAFE modes. After a few flights most pilots will naturally find beginner mode limiting and will intuitively graduate to the next setting.
I admit panic mode saved me a few times. My goal was to rely less on SAFE and eventually learn to correct "dumb-thumbs" without technology's aid. It took discipline to resist the panic button and correct errors manually.
One time when I engaged panic mode, I heard a noise on landing and found a rubber band had snapped off. Panic mode is extremely quick to correct position; the likely cause of the broken band was wear, not the sudden maneuvering from panic mode.
Note: the expert-mode switch and the panic switch are close to each other. On a few occasions I accidentally switched to expert mode (killing SAFE) instead of hitting panic. That resulted in a couple of hard landings. Luckily the Apprentice S is built with Z-foam and can take a good beating. New pilots should spend time learning to operate the transmitter by feel.
Growing with the Apprentice S
The Apprentice S can grow with you. This high-wing trainer is not a dedicated aerobatic aircraft, but it can perform loops, rolls, and inverted flight. E-flite also offers floats that convert the Apprentice S into a seaplane for a different flying experience.
The Apprentice S revolutionizes the instructor-and-buddy-box approach to training new pilots. It arms a beginner with the tools to become an intermediate and, eventually, an expert pilot.
If your club wants to teach new pilots, the Apprentice S would make a great club trainer. If you are debating purchasing an Apprentice S to teach yourself to fly, this is a no-brainer: find a model aviation instructor, get your hands on the Apprentice S, head to a flying field, and before you know it you'll be in expert mode.
—Chad Boudreau [email protected]
MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR
E-flite / Horizon Hobby (800) 338-4639 www.e-fliterc.com
SOURCES
Spektrum (800) 338-4639 www.spektrumrc.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
