RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Mike,
Please don't worry about asking the questions. That's what we're here for.

I see that you're in Orlando. Mike and I will be down in your neck of the woods in the first of March. We'll be in Lakeland covering [link=http://www.franktiano.com/FljetsFrameset.htm]Frank Tiano's Florida Jets[/link] .

Ken

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Please let me know when you are going to be there, Lakeland really is not all that far away, and I would like to meet you guys and pick your brains and whatnot. My son and I both want to REALLY make this a full time hobby, and a really fun one at that with all the cool stuff eventually after passing this beginner stage. Thanks again, and after we go meet with the group of guys by us tomorrow, I plan on knowing just a little more than I know now and be a little better.

Mike D
Orlando, Florida

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Oh and the other thing I meant to ask is whether or not you guys think that learning on Helicopters might help with learning to fly the planes?

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Mike,
The dates for the event are March 5th-8th. You can find all the info about the event there in the link I posted above. We'd love to get a chance to meet you. Mike and I always love it when we get to meet fellow RCU members at these events.

While helicopters are not any harder, or easier, than planes they do have a bit different set of skills. I wouldn't recommend trying to learn them both at the same time. Learn how to fly one and then go to the other.

Ken

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

I learned to fly helis before I learned to fly planes. With lots of simulator time and a good set of training gear, I managed to teach myself to fly a .50 sized nitro heli. Since you start off hovering a heli low with training gear, it's relatively easy to teach yourself to hover, and then to fly. With an airplane, the hardest parts to learning to fly are the take-off and the landing, and you have to do both on your very 1st flight if you want to have a 2nd flight with your trainer plane! Because of this, you really need the help of an instructor to start with planes, or things can get very expensive and frustrating!

Another thing to consider when first starting out: Helis require more $$$ for equipment (6+ channel computer radio, gyro, high-speed tail servo, high torque cyclic/collective servos, etc.) to get started compared to a trainer plane (4+ channel radio, standard servos). Helis have a steeper learning curve and more of "pucker factor" when you are first starting out. You can't really just relax and fly around like you can with a plane, you are always trying to keep the heli upright and in the air!

After helis, planes came easier for me for the following reasons:
1) I spent several hours on my simulator (originally bought for heli training) flying planes
2) I learned how to set up an RC radio system and tune a nitro engine by flying & setting up my heli

Other than that, planes and helis feel quite different, IMO.

The best thing you can do right now is look up some local airfields (see the AMA website), visit them, and meet up with some of the guys there, especially the instructors if there are any. Then you can pick the field that you feel the most comfortable/welcome at, and get some advice from your future instructor. If you get a trainer plane that he's comfortable with, things will go much smoother. You might even find a flying club with trainer planes available for initial flights (like my club), or a club member with a used trainer plane that you can get cheap!

Best of luck to you! It's a fun and addictive hobby!

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Well, Thank you for all of that information. Definitely going to stick with planes for now. Waiting on my flight simulator to arrive so I can start on that. I'm actually going to the place where a bunch of guys fly at this morning and see what I can pick up. Thanks again for all the information.

Mike D
Orlando, Florida

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

MIKE , learn how to fly as much as you can on the simulator and learn to fly the fastest and hotest plane in the simulator
because when you get out to the feild to fly your trainer your mind set will be able to be flying in front of the plane insted of behind
the plane i have taught a lot of people to fly and being able to keep your mind flying in front of the plane is the trick
the flight simulator is a great tool


Jim

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

I cannot access the website www.gettingairborne.com is there a problem with it or is it now shutdown??

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

The site is up and running. Might be some kind of disconnect between you and the site. Give it another try and see if you can get to it.

Ken

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

I still can't get access. I keep getting the message cannot display web site??? I have a fairly fast connection, but my server goes through the Netherlands. I am in Iraq so that may be the problem??

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Are you playing in the sandbox right now?? I see that you're overseas. I know what's wrong now.

Give me a few minutes.

Ken

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Ok, that should do it now. give it a try and you should be able to get in now.

Ken

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Yes sir I am in the big ole sandbox. This would be a great place to fly a plane lots of open area. I may get shot down LOL. I will give it another try and see what happens
Thanks Ken

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Ken,

It works I was able to gain access to the site and it looks like a well of information.
Thanks for fixing it so I could and Thanks to you and your partner for taking the time to put it all together.
Derrick

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Ken, I can't get into gettingairborne.com either.
Buz

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

You should be able to now

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Thanks Ken, the link works for me now.
Buz

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

oh well thats nice!!!!!!! HOOAH!?!

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

An excellent resource, to be sure. Gave me something I needed to kill some time at work, as well as a bit more prodding to get back into the whole R/C thang.

Well done.

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

The site is down for me as well.

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

www.gettingairborne.com just tried it - working fine.

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

A sincere thank you to both Ken and Mike for taking the time to create the site and for putting together the instructional videos. I bought the whole set of videos and they are truly worth the small sum of money. I have gained a lot of valuable information that will surely help me as I attempt my first kit in the coming weeks. Thanks guys, and I hope you know how much your work and helpful posts on these forums is appreciated.

-Ray

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Thanks guys for this site http://www.gettingairborne.com/index.html. Looks nice and it has helped. This hobby seemed to be overwhelming to me at first. About 4 months ago I could not have imagined myself soloing for the first time as I did last Saturday at the TCRC field in Jordan.But with helpfrom people I have met at the TCRC Field, Hobby Warehouse Mpls, my Instructor-Dave E.,and my co-worker Jon H., I've now come to realize that I just need to take it one step at a time.

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Great work guys. I'll post your site on the board at the airfield. A couple of comments, I would add the Kadet Senior as larger beginner plane its is one that I recommend to many of my students, and the Senior Telemaster as a intermediate plane. As you can tell I'm into bigger trainers. Also with the advancement of electrics you might need to add a section there, but that is another can of worms. Like you guys I've been flying RC for a long time, some times I think too long, I started in 1972. I still have RCM magazines in storage dating back then. I also managed to write a few articles for them, it's nice to see your name in print. Designed, flown, and crashed just about every type and size of airplane out there, including a flying saucer, ducted fans, the old formula and quarter midget racers, pattern, and scale. I've flown mode 2, mode1, and single stick radios. My fleet consists of about 80 airplanes from 1/2A's to 1/3 scale, about 40 of then is immediate flying shape, most of my glow engines are 4 strokers. Made a move into electrics. Keep up the great work.

RE: RC Ken and MinnFlyer have joined forces
 

Is gettingairborne.com still current,like a few others before I can`t get it to load.