benji106
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 11:54 AM |
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rc plane
I have wanted an rc plane for some time now, i have a simulator for the pc and am fairly competant with it although i have never flown one in real
life.
can anyone reccomend a good starter plane. it has to be easy to fly, fairly durable but would like one capable of aerobatics. im thinking starting
with a leccy one is probably a good idea?
i can nick the 6 channel control my dad has for his coptor, but one that comes with everything you need would be preferable, considering it will be
my first i am looking to spend around £100 or less.
cheers in advance
Ben
-Everything in excess-
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liam.mccaffrey
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 12:16 PM |
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very wise, the question i should have aske before buying my rubish rc copter
Build Blog
Build Photo Album
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benji106
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 12:19 PM |
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actually your post and its responses where the very reason i decided to ask, I was just about to make an impulse purchase cheers!
-Everything in excess-
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liam.mccaffrey
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 12:26 PM |
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i did a bit of research afterwards and my copter isn't that bad with a few (fairly cheapish) mods.
one thread on a helicopter forum was quite funny, the guy had a breakdown of parts he had spent money on and it came to about 65 quid, he said he
hopes his wife doesn't see the forum or he'll be for the high jump.
he should be glad that his hobby isn't building cars, the "secret" bills come to a lot more than £65
sorry for the hijack
Build Blog
Build Photo Album
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keith2lp
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 12:29 PM |
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RC PLANE
Hi
A good start is the Multiplex Easy Star, it is made of elapor (foam) and it bounces very well. If you do break it just stick it back together with
super glue and you are flying within 10 minutes. You can pick up the plane for £40 which includes the motor, prop etc or I have seen the full package
of plane, radio batterys etc for £150.
They can be upgraded when you get bored with more powerful motor battery combinations.
I have one with a brushless outrunner motor and 11.1 volt lipo battery and it is quite a lively performer.
Keith
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macnab
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 12:33 PM |
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Hi, me again.
The Ripmax Trainer 40 has been a favorite at the clubs for years. Very light and strong, easy to see and is often sold as a package deal with starter,
pump etc. Only mod I'd do is make it a tail dragger but that's not essential. Stay away from any planes that have plastic hollow wings
they aren't strong enough and I've seen plenty fold. I would not recommend buying second hand as most trainers have been through the wars
and it’s easy to hide things on planes. Fly only on buddy lead at first till you are flying yourself 95% of the time. Smart move using the sim at
least you had the sense to do that, many don't. You should progress very quickly now. Good Luck!
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andrew-theasby
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 12:47 PM |
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If you want to get into it seriously, join a club, and get some insurance and theyll have plenty of people wholl let you have a go. A good traitional
style model is a juior 60, its traditional built up construction and will teach you how to fly the basics in no time, an aerobatic model is much less
stable and generally faster so harder for a beginer to fly. Electric models are ok, because you wont have any noise complaints, but if you join a
club, their site should be far enough away from people for egines not to bother them. The drawback with electric is anything other than a basic
setup (fine for a beginer) costs a fortune, and the batteries tend to a lot of damage if you have a hard landing. If you still want an electric
model and dont have time to build one, a multiplex twin star is a great choice. Think you could do one of them for less than £100 if you can use
your dads transmiter. Als hobbies is a really good mail order place. Id really recommed joining your local club though if you dont want to crash
it, its very differrent to the simulators. Ps what ever you choose, a high winged model will be most stable. Hope this helps
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benji106
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 01:00 PM |
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thanks for the replies, I would like to join a club, but have some time restraints at the moment, I live out in the stix so noise isnt too much of a
concern, lots of fields about, ill look into the planes you have suggested,
I would love a nitro one, but they are more expensive, dont want to stuff £250 worth of kit on my first try.
are they harder to fly? have had nitro cars and my dads heli is nitro so have all the stuff like glow plugs and starters
-Everything in excess-
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andrew-theasby
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 01:16 PM |
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Engine powered planes imo are much better, they smell and sound right for starters. Theyre sometimes tricky to set up the carbs, but your dad will
probably know how to do that, and they cover the model in 2 stroke oil and youll want to give it up on a cold day when youve got nitro freezing your
hands and it wont start, but its all part of the fun! Theyre probably a bit easier to fly in general due to lighter wing loadings and higher power
to weight, but every models different so you cant really say that theyre easier. How about a powered glider?? Nice and slow, easy to fly, cheap
engine, and youd probably have less chance of smashing one of them than a .40 sized trainer if you have no one to teach/budybox you. Just a
suggestion
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BenB
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 02:02 PM |
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I'd go for a glow powered trainer type plane. They'll do loops, rolls (of a barrely sort due to the dihedral). You do need to make sure
the engine is reliable though (one advantage of leccy). My HiBoy (old trainer, not sure if they even make it anymore) had an OS35FP- loved the plane,
hated the engine. Kept on clonking out after about 5-10 minutes. Ran perfectly on the ground, insulated the tank in case it was foaming etc etc but
still kept on happening. Luckily my instructor was the badgers and could get a plane down from anywhere in the sky without apparent problems.
Electric planes tend to be heavier, so bigger crashes.
Junior 60 is an old free flight type plane. They're good in that they fly themselves (to an extent!), though the mindset needs to be different,
you need to plan ahead and due to the amount of dihedral use a fair bit of rudder to get them to turn.
A powered glider is not a bad idea at all if you're learning on your own. They're pretty slow and gentle even when powered (unless you go
silly with the power), the only downside is it limits when you can fly- gliders get effected more than other planes by turbulance. Then again, when
you're learning wind of any speed *can* be a problem.
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macnab
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 02:12 PM |
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I would really try to dissuade you from trying to fly in fields; I started (long time ago) like that and wiped out plane after plane. There's
been some really good advice posted on this but I think this most important point is ‘Don’t go it alone’.
I know it looks easy, even seems easy on the computer but in real life things are much faster and much more dangerous. Being hit by a 40-size plane at
60mph can do some serious damage. So please join a club, even if it’s just for the start. I Know guys who travel 40 miles just to get some training
and they get it.
Other people are often afraid to look the novice at a club full of pros and so go it alone scared to be shown up. This is NOT what clubs are like, we
love new people joining and jump at the chance to train, and I do this often myself.
The only exception and there is one, are the very light little foam planes of which 'Pico Cub' is one. These are very small indeed with
3-channels i.e. up/down left/right & throttle. Their really meant to be flown in large parks even in sports halls. Although these have never
appealed to me, since I have out grown that kind of thing, you could learn to fly by yourself with one of these but only on calm days. Over the long
run it’s a more expensive way to learn since their not the cheapest planes and you'll soon want a plane with a real engine..!
In most cases there is no problem flying parkflys in the park so to speak, so long as it’s not crowded and you use some common sense. Just bring some
glue to stick the wings back together!! Hope this ramble has been of some help…
[Edited on 14/12/06 by macnab]
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benji106
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 02:19 PM |
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i will try and get to a club, i have a friend who flys gliders and has loads so i will get him to help me out, can anyone recomend a club in the
dorset area?
what do you think of this?trainer
-Everything in excess-
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andrew-theasby
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 02:33 PM |
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May help, but you can still hit the deck or a tree with it right side up and it must be quite slow to react otherwise you wouldnt be able to roll or
pich it to turn? May help, but it wont be 100% i wouldnt think. Most common problem is disorientation, which it wont be able to do anything about
if you roll it the wrong direction into the ground! Sorry dont know any clubs neear you, but i think theres a list on the bmfa website
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macnab
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 02:53 PM |
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little plane looks ok seems to be up to the job. Best to launch from hand (throw forward, not up) Let the battery run down for landing rather than
cutting the power. Softer landing that way. One trick to make an DC motor last longer is to run it submerged in clean water (a glass for example) till
the black carbon stops coming out the vents, then pull it out and run it till it heats up and drys off. Don't now why the works but it does. Not
recommend for motors over 12v.
Full of usefull tips! thats what you get when you join a club...!
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macspeedy
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 03:07 PM |
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in the spirit of locosting build one of these
http://www.ornithopter.org/video/takahashi.wmv
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mackei23b
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 03:13 PM |
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Hi
I learnt to fly with a MASCOT check out: http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=2&cat=trainers
Cheers
Ian
P.S. here is a pic of what I fly now......
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macnab
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 03:17 PM |
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good isn't it. I have a lot of respect for the folk who make these things work, it ain't easy. There's a r/c one of the web,
can't remember the name was around £130 I think. Went like stink and easier to fly.
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macnab
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 posted on 14/12/06 at 03:20 PM |
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nice heli
Looks like concept running gear? what is it 60 size?
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02GF74
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 04:38 PM |
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the locost way is to make a paper glider and super glue flies by their legs to the wings if you want powered flight.
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meany
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 09:07 PM |
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1. find a local club in you area.
try the "bmfa" for this.
2, ask them what they are using, they will probably have a club trainer.
3. a good alrounder, is one of chris foss's "wot 4" range.
or a kyosho/ripmax trainer is a good one.
i am selling up my rc stuff....if you need anything, ill see what i have, i know my eldest is selling his Kyosho trainer and kit.
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907
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| posted on 14/12/06 at 09:30 PM |
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I started with a 3 channel Super 60 and then moved on to a 4 channel Hi Boy.
It was orange squares and green circles. Known in the Colchester club as "Peas and Carrots".
I prefer engines to electric, as planes are like motor bikes; power gets you out of trouble (as well as into it).
Paul G
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mackei23b
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| posted on 15/12/06 at 10:41 AM |
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Well spotted, it's a concept 32VR, more info at : http://www.pdmfa.fsnet.co.uk/Sale_Heli.htm
quote:
Originally posted by macnab
nice heli
Looks like concept running gear? what is it 60 size?
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macnab
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| posted on 15/12/06 at 10:54 AM |
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You know I might just buy that off you, that is if it's yours off course...
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macnab
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| posted on 15/12/06 at 12:41 PM |
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Ian, you have U2U.
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steve m
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| posted on 15/12/06 at 02:07 PM |
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Best R/C plane ive had was a Prangster,
you can crash it, burn it, do whatever and still fly it, the only downside is that it is the fugliest ucker ive ever seen, I learnt loads with it, but
the transfering my new knowlegde to my spits/p47/p51, i obviously didnot leard enough !!
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