OT - RC airplanes

[cjensen]

I know there has to be some RCer's here...PK, I know you just built one...

A couple guys here at work have pique'd my interest in RC's. I just bought a transmitter, and one of the guys has an "easy to fly" DC-3 with electric motors on it for me to learn with that I'll be buying. It's small, probably 40" wingspan or so.

My goal, if I like it, is to buy one of the RV-4's or 6's in RC and take it to fly in's that I drive to.

So, PK or anyone else dabbling in RC's?

[RV7Factory]

I was thinking of getting one of these, but who am I kidding, I don't have time.

[captain_john]

Chad, I think that is a WONDERFUL idea!

You are getting WAY TOO FAR ahead of me!

This should slow you down while I am messing around with looking at hangars.

CJ

[cjensen]

Chad, I think that is a WONDERFUL idea!

You are getting WAY TOO FAR ahead of me!

This should slow you down while I am messing around with looking at hangars.

CJ

I figured you'd like that! I already have plans to go to an RC airshow on June 9th!

[rv8or]

Hey Chad--

Take a look at this:

www.zagi.com/

The wings are what I fly. All electric, practically indestructable, relatively inexpensive, and a really impressive performer for the cost.

Haven"t touched mine in a year...where do you guys get the time???

Joe

[papakeith]

What did you get for a transmitter?

I've been itching to get a Spectrum DX7. 2.4ghz.

If you are just learning I second the flying wing suggestion. I had a combat wing. 50mph straight into the ground. pick it up, throw it into the air. Very resistant to damage.

Once I got the basic controls down I progressed to a 182 foam model. The Ultrafly Cessna. Great model. Very forgiving with the trainer wing. Not so crash resistant.

Now then, with that said, I'll give you the same advice that someone here gave me when I started flying the rc helicopters:

Don't Do IT!!!

It completely distracted me from the build.

Was it fun? Sure it was, still is Since then I've crashed my .30 sized heli and have reverted back to the little honeybee.

[aparchment]

Hey Chad:

I have been building and flying RC for 20 years. It's what led me to consider building an airplane. My primary two areas of interest to date have been aerobatics and jets.

When I got to the point where I was flying 1/3 scale planes with 10 foot wingspans and jets that do 200 mph, I figured it's time to build one I can fit in.

There are some nice electric planes that you can learn on, but they aren't any cheaper than the "gas" planes. Lithium polymer batteries are pricey as are the chargers you need for them. You will need at least two batteries or plan on waiting 15-20 minutes between flights for your pack to charge.

I would recommend a 4 channel (ailerons, elevators, rudder and throttle), .40 to .60 size high wing trainer powered by a nitromethane 2 stroke engine, nosewheel configuration. Take a look on rcuniverse.com in the for sale section for good deals.

Find someone to teach you on a "buddy box" setup that allows them to take control from a separate radio of you get into trouble. Start out learning maneuvers in the air. Fly circles one way, then the other to get used to controlling the plane as it is headed toward you and away from you. Move on to figure eights then climbing and descending maneuvers. Finally you can start working on the traffic pattern and takeoffs and landings.

You should be able to master basic flight in one season if you practice every weekend.

Once you master basic flight you can move on to aerobatics and higher performance planes.

I could go on, but it's probably better to just say get in touch if you want more info.

Antony

[painless]

I have built/flown RC for close to 25 years. I was designing a model of a 6A when I realized that I sould just build a real one!

I still plan to build the 6A model, and power it with a Saito 300T 4-cycle engine I have new in the box.

Regarding model helicopters. When they first started gaining popularity there was an unwritten rule. You had to have two of them. One you were trying to fly, and another one that you were repairing.....from trying to fly it!

[cjensen]

What did you get for a transmitter?

I've been itching to get a Spectrum DX7. 2.4ghz.

I bought a used Futaba FP-T7UAP 7 channel PCM1024. I've been reading about the 2.4ghz transmitters coming out, but I don't want to spend a lot on this if I end up not liking it. I got the used Futaba off Ebay for $76!

If you are just learning I second the flying wing suggestion. I had a combat wing. 50mph straight into the ground. pick it up, throw it into the air. Very resistant to damage.

Once I got the basic controls down I progressed to a 182 foam model. The Ultrafly Cessna. Great model. Very forgiving with the trainer wing. Not so crash resistant.

Now then, with that said, I'll give you the same advice that someone here gave me when I started flying the rc helicopters:

Don't Do IT!!!

It completely distracted me from the build.

Was it fun? Sure it was, still is Since then I've crashed my .30 sized heli and have reverted back to the little honeybee.

I have a good friend who is an RC instructor here in town, and will show me the ropes with a buddy-box. I'm hoping to get a first flight in this weekend!

...and NO helicopters for me! Too many moving parts!

[cjensen]

Hey Chad:
<snip>
I would recommend a 4 channel (ailerons, elevators, rudder and throttle), .40 to .60 size high wing trainer powered by a nitromethane 2 stroke engine, nosewheel configuration. Take a look on rcuniverse.com in the for sale section for good deals.

Find someone to teach you on a "buddy box" setup that allows them to take control from a separate radio of you get into trouble. Start out learning maneuvers in the air. Fly circles one way, then the other to get used to controlling the plane as it is headed toward you and away from you. Move on to figure eights then climbing and descending maneuvers. Finally you can start working on the traffic pattern and takeoffs and landings.

You should be able to master basic flight in one season if you practice every weekend.

Once you master basic flight you can move on to aerobatics and higher performance planes.

I could go on, but it's probably better to just say get in touch if you want more info.

Antony

Thanks for the tips Antony!! I'll be flying with an instructor to teach me the manuevers you're talking about. I'm also gonna go to an RC airshow on June 9th to watch the pros!

EDIT: Oh, and I want to learn a taildragger first...the way I SHOULD'VE done it in full size airplanes...

[Womack2005]

Chad,

When I was in colledge I flew RC for years. Big fun it is. My son still have a super sportster with a Futaba radio.

Jeff, I'm gonna be flyin tomorrow - you gonna be around?

[1:1_Scale]

Chad, I can't believe you bought a 7 channel for your first radio! Go big or go home, huh? I guess the price was more than right though, so I can't say I blame ya! I hear full scale pilots are the hardest to train to fly R/C, so I hope your buddy has lots of patience

I've been flying R/C for over 20 years, but have mostly been out of the loop when it comes to the different kinds of planes. There was a guy that showed up at the new field I've been flying at that was getting ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) wood trainers for under $30, but I don't know where from I think the idea of learning on something that's easy to repair (like a foamie) would be a good move since they generally take less time to repair that a built up wood plane.

[papakeith]

another thing I would suggest is to get a simulator for the computer. Even if the graphics aren't the best it will help you with orientations.

FMS is a freeware sim.
but for 30$ you can get Clearview Flight Sim.

Clearview is slanted toward learning helicopters, but the planes aren't too bad for 30$

[cjensen]

Chad, I can't believe you bought a 7 channel for your first radio! Go big or go home, huh? I guess the price was more than right though, so I can't say I blame ya! I hear full scale pilots are the hardest to train to fly R/C, so I hope your buddy has lots of patience

I've been flying R/C for over 20 years, but have mostly been out of the loop when it comes to the different kinds of planes. There was a guy that showed up at the new field I've been flying at that was getting ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) wood trainers for under $30, but I don't know where from I think the idea of learning on something that's easy to repair (like a foamie) would be a good move since they generally take less time to repair that a built up wood plane.

Yeah, the price was right, and if I like it, I'll already have capability to use some more features without upgrading the radio.

I've heard the same thing about teaching RC's to pilots...he is good at it, so I *should* be fine...

The DC-3 that I am getting is foam and cheap. No big loss if I crash it beyond repair...which I fully expect to do.

[cjensen]

another thing I would suggest is to get a simulator for the computer. Even if the graphics aren't the best it will help you with orientations.

FMS is a freeware sim.
but for 30$ you can get Clearview Flight Sim.

Clearview is slanted toward learning helicopters, but the planes aren't too bad for 30$

Thanks for the links Keith! I'll get the FMS downloaded tonight at home. My friend Rich has three sims, and I'll get some time on his this weekend.

[Spike]

I started with RC. Did that for quite a few years and decided it was time for the real thing.

[painless]

Will:

No joy on tomorrow. Have to work and then leave for Madison at around 5:00. Oldest daughter is graduating from UW with a nursing degree this weekend.

This is just the tip of the iceburg tho....My next few weekends are shot due to moving kids out of dorms, moving kids into apartments.....graduating daughter number 3 from highschool....graduation party for number three...moving daughter number one to St. Louis.......

This is what happens when you have 4 kids and they grow up. Wouldn't trade it for anything tho....

[Brantel]

Before I was married, I spent every spare moment either building RC planes or at the field flying. At one time I had 8 airplanes and 4 helicopters.

I was hooked on 1/3 scale planes and .60 size choppers. Something about a twin cylinder engine swinging a 28" prop pulling a 25+ lb airplane vertical while torque rolling that turned me on. That and hovering 3" off the pavement inverted with the heli....

It was fun while it lasted but that hobby can cost as much or more than real airplanes if you keep building, flying, crashing, building, flying, crashing and don't forget the new stuff you must by every year because some company came out with that gotta have it item that obsoleted your "old" stuff.

After all, we can't be satisfied with the small, cheap, foam, low and slow stuff can we?

But really, some of that small foam stuff is very very difficult to fly! Even experienced pro's can have problems flying some of that stuff. Some of it is so poorly designed that it will hardly fly! Just because it is advertised as a "TRAINER", don't believe the hype. If it does not look like a good aerodynamic design, it most likely is not. Some of that stuff has a high wing loading and or it is so light that a 5mph breeze will trash it.

I recommend at least a .40 size high wing trainer for beginners. They are not pretty, but they will fly and do a good job. The ARF's these days are amazing for the price, I would not build one for what you can get an ARF for these days. The foam stuff is garbage if you tumble it on takeoff or landing, at least with a built up ARF, you have a chance of repairing minor damage.

Good luck!

[Womack2005]

Jeff,

Right on - sounds like a fun kind of busy though. We gotta get together one of these days...

[aparchment]

A taildragger for your first plane. It will be a challenge, but not impossible. Remember to bring spare props to the field.

FYI, the 7UAP is a good radio -- very capable. I owned one for many years. Many had a problem with the transmitter frequency module attachment pins not being soldered properly. You might want to open yours up and take a look. Remember to always range check too. A runaway model is a dangerous object.

Brantel -- I know what you mean about having fun with the big rigs. I still have an Aeroworks 35% Edge 540 in the garage with a DA100. It's an unlimited vertical machine. I haven't flown it in a year, but maybe I will break it out this year for some unlimited knife edge fun.

Here you go:
Company web site: http://www.aero-works.net/store/detail.aspx?ID=93
My Mom and I at the flying field:


If any of you guys are interested I host a three day model jet rally in Maine at the Sanford Airport the weekend after Labor Day. It's pretty well attended. I usually have 40-50 pilots and 80+ planes. There's nothing like the sound of a model turbine engine spooling up . . . except maybe a model turboprop!

Antony