newbie420

Hi, mark
Well it seems that its too late to try and fly it, i already have completely broken the nose cone off but fixed the whole propeler prop and motor, i was thinking about putting it in the box untill i got used to a more subceptable easy to fly and learn plane. I was looking into the HobbyZone Firebird Freedom Electric RTF with the anti crash technology. Also i was looking into a 4 channel duct fan airplane( most likely the GWS a-10) it seems it is a slow flyer....but is it easy to control? Should it get used to a 3 channel first? Pardon my questions but I would also like to ask your opinion about getting a "realflight" flight simulator?

Bsharp

Hi I saw no reply to your questions, I hope no one minds me jumping in.

The real flight simulator is a awsome tool in helping people this hobby. It will help you learn control functions and directions and not cost hundreds with every crash. Real life is different than real flight though, and experience can help with that. I recommend an instructor if possible. if not try a real simple aircraft. I mentioned the slo-v earlier in this thread. My dad learned to fly by himself with real flight and the slo-v. his 1rst few flights were a little scary, and he did kill the 1rst carbon fuslage, but it was cheap and easy to replace. He flys it so well now, I bought him a GWS INTERMEDIATE Tiger Moth. He now flys that very well. DO NOT try this as your 1rst plane! My point is, the Slo-V survived long enough to teach him to move on. Planes like A-10 WARTHOGS are not beginer aircraft. Your 1rst plane should be ugly, slow, stable, strong, and easy to repair. !rst planes should be boring looking and flying. The fancy, sexy stuff comes later. Get a Simulator and a Slo- V

viper10a

I am looking at buying my first plane and want a small, easy to repair, parkflyer...My Question is -Why are all "beginner planes" only three channel...what is it about ailerons that make them so hard to fly...I have been flying a slinger in Real Flight G3 and I like it alot...would it be a good choice for a first plane.

Bsharp

Sorry, I don't know what a slinger is. My real flight is a older version.

Most trainers made now are three channel to help ease the learning curb. The thought is, you first need to fly RC then after that you will want to upgrade to a higher performance 2nd aircraft that flys with all four channels. I agree mostly. Many experienced pilots can't explain exactly what the rudder and ailerons have to do with each other, or why the rudder banks the aircraft in a turn. When a aircraft is equiped with ailerons the rudder is used to counter act ADVERSE YAW, also called Aileron drag. I don't like to type too much so the skinny is, the aileron that goes down creates more DRAG than the one that goes up. This extra drag pulls (YAWS) that wing back while rolling it in the desired direction (SLIP). Rudder is used to keep the turn coordinated (relative wind striking the airplane straight). too much rudder and you have a SKID, dangerous unless you like spins, and beginers don't do spins, hence no ailerons for beginners, makes things easier. Why the plane banks using rudder only? When the rudder yaws the plane it accelerates the outside wing forcing the relative wind to travel over it faster, thus creating more lift than the inside wing which is de accelerated , less relative wind, less lift. Outside wing up, inside wing down, bank is made. Too much rudder can de accelerate the inside wing so much the wing can stall and snap roll. Bad thing for beginners. Most three channel trainers don't have a big enough rudder to do this, so they are easy to fly with just the rudder, and you still get a nice looking banked turn! Use a model to help visualize this stuff. If anyone wants to learn about relative wind, let me know. Relative wind and wind is some of the most important stuff to understand in flight.

mecevans

Matt Kirsch,

is there a form about making the duskstik with ailerons? i have bought one and wanted to have it a 4 channel so i can have a little more maneuverability with it

djpaul69

Wow, a lot to read there.

Can anyone give a guy from the UK some tips on what from the above (or equivalent) would be readily available in the UK to start with.

I have Futaba 6EX radio gear to got with my irvine trainer to learn powered flight, but my past RC history has been electric and powered cars and boats with a little bungy launched gliding.

I have recently bought a 3 chan fun fly thingy to play about with but obviously I want to get into the thick of things as soon as poss and try some of the foamy type kits out there for some stunts and prop hagning fun.

Regards

Paul

36yr old big kid.

djpaul69

Anyone able to help on the above?

Is this just a US forum or are there any Brits here too?

Barry2

Paul, this is a world-wide forum with at least a few Brits. Most of the planes discussed in this thread are 3-channel trainers. It sounds like you already have a 3-channel airplane, so maybe you need a 4-channel trainer as your next one. You should do a search for that. Something like the E-Starter might suit you.

I don't know what is available in the UK, but you could start by checking your local hobby shop or domestic online retailer to see what they are offering, then come back here and do a search on the options to see if they are good or bad airplanes.

And I guess you could have something shipped from anywhere in the world if you had to.

Some of the more popular foam stunt planes are the Shock Flyers, which I think are coming out of Germany, so that is a bit closer for you than for those of us in the US.

Good luck!

djpaul69

Thanks Barry, that's what I was looking for, i've tried to steer clear of shops as they only tend to stock what they want to stock, not always what i want to buy, so thought i'd get an idea whats good from people that have flown them first, then find where to buy it after.

I could buy online, but i'm not a fan of credit cards and stuff, I do still like to go somewhere with cash in my pocket, even if that means a bit of a journey.

Scrodes

Some of their newer products (IE the freedom) are now 3 channel, so you get Throttle, Rudder, Elevator, which is mixed because it's a v-tail, haven't flown mine yet, but it seemed to be the best choice, was the same price as the RTF Slo-V, but has a few more features (just as ugly though!!! ;-) )

Espresso-Outfitters

Too true in some shops, but not all, at least in my neck of the woods. There is always going to be a factor of these shop owners wanting to stock only items that make the most profits for them, that is a factor involved with paying for the inventory and overhead, the costs to run one are tremendous, but if you are only selling obscure, or inferior wares just to make a buck, patrons will eventually find another suppleir. I have 3 close by, only one took any time out to help me with my RC venture. My quest was just to get a decent set up and start flying, all too often potential RCers are dismayed with the field out of the start up expense only to have something that is incompatable with the mainstream down the road, we feel we've invested x amount of dollars, we expect something that is not an island unto itself.

I also finally got paired up with a quality plane, it's normally flown at 1/4 to 1/2 throttle and have gone even slower then that, I'm amazed it doesn't stall, yet can crank up the power to do some acrobatics, 3rd maiden flight I was doing double loops, hehe. 2 years before, I had the Parkzone J3 cub as my first RC plane, if you go that route, you need to insure you have plenty of space, it just didn't last long with what I had, I did mess with the thrust vector planes as well, but my background is more into building free flight versions, both from kits to scratch so it gave me a good understanding as to how it's going to react. Getting a good bird up in the air in reality is different then the sims entirely due to perspective, so the idea here is that even though you can do inverted knife edge loops cutting the grass on the landing pad at your feet in the sim's, you will be thankful for starting out with a slow, 3 channel bird. What the sims do not duplicate are the flaw's of the design, humidity, temperature, wind "gusts" wind currents, prop size, weight distribution, etc. etc. on down toe Murphy's laws which reign absolutely supream on the field at all times. So, use them as a training tool to get used to the interface, but do not think you are going to be able to just go out in the field and duplicate any form of it "without destroying your plane" without it, "mensa people are ommitted, hehe".

Radio, equipment, etc. the moderator guys covered that, I'm liking the compatibility of the GWS flight pack system, sticking with 6 channel receivers in it, but the idea is that everything is there your ARF will be asking for to complete the plane and have it ready to fly. You may only use 2 servo's when you start, you'll be able to use it for more afterwards on another plane. I have a Futaba 4 channel radio, was 135 including receiver, 2 servo's, and charger. It even has the interface I'll be hooking up to my PC eventually for, GWS makes a very good one as well, the idea here, you want something everybody else is familiar with, this gives the manufacturer reason to stock replacement parts as well as focusing upon compatability. I literally took this 135.00 set up, cut up $3.00 worth of foam, added a motor and battery, hot glued it all together and was out flying, be it not well, at least it was a start, and foam is cheap to crash, the radio, receiver and servo's are your main purchase, those can be switched around into a whole fleet of planes.

This is a photo of my butterfly, it required no trim after it was assembled with no modifications necessary so I didn't have to worry about it doing weird things as I launched it, take note, it's a high wing, large wingspan area plane with plenty of "dihedral", the dihedral is that V, or angle the wings are opposed to each other if you look at them from the front, the more there is, the more stable the plane, thus making it easier to handle, so if you turn to hard, letting off on the controls, the dihedral design will balance the plane to a level flight pattern eventually.

djpaul69

Hi, just popped back for a look, thanks for the reply, a lot of what you said makes sense. And I like your hi wing plane, especially the see through covering showing all the detail, the ribs in the wings and such, very nice.

I'm going to take a trip to a few shops that have been recommended to me, a small trip but not too far, just to see whats on offer.

I reckon i'm gonna end up with a shock flyer or two out of sheer simplicity, and ease of use, then work my way up to more complicated and detailed models as time and money allow.

I have got my first real trainer now (not electric) and have joined a local club so I can start to learn to fly with an instructor, not just having a go by myself in a quite field.

The only shame is the club, although local for me with a choice of two fields to fly from, hasn't got it's own web forums or anything and has not got a lot of members into electric flight.

But membership allows me to fly locally and includes insurance and license so is a must as I won't be limiting myself to only electric flight.

Electric though, for the sheer simplicity, ease of use and lack of noise pollution will be a far more available option to me most of the time.

cool pool

Hi All,
Well, besides gas aircraft I decided to start into electric flight. The aircraft I bought was the E-flite mini funtana 3D. Also got a motor which is the Himax HA2025, Castle Creations Thunderbird 18 brushless controller, a Poly-Quest 11.1 V 1200m AH battery, the Poly Charge 4 by Great Planes and finally a Spektrim DX6 2.4 GHz DSM radio. Just a question, is all of this stuff a good combination to start flying electric ? What do you all think ?
Thanks in advance.
Wayne

Bsharp

Not a beginer plane. This is for experienced pilots only. It is FULLY aerobatic, extremely responsive, and totaly fragile. Great plane for a experienced gas pilot wanting to get into electric, or a intermidiate pilot ready to step into unlimited aerobatic manuevers, but you won't be able to learn to fly with it. Without an instructor, it will be totalled in the first few seconds of its first flight.

Espresso-Outfitters

Go slow new fliers, something that floats along and gives you time to react, you are going to have to wait for perfect flying days, but it is worth it, meanwhile learn how to build and buy effectively, aparently this field biz wise is held and controlled largely by outside of the US...........

llitten

I am a bit stubborn /or hard headed...but here goes.

I am looking for a beginner advanced plane. oxymoron I know.
I have not flown a plane. not really at least, my dad had them when I grew up, and I have flown a friends once or twice, once it was in the air, with distance and room to correct my mistakes.
I like the foam models, quick and easier to handle my mistakes and to repair them.
I would like to be able to taxi them around a field or asphalt area.
park sized flying would be delightful (although I have tons of space here to learn to fly them...corn fields as far as the eye can see)(really really cool to get good enough to fly in a huge gymnasium...a huge one)

so.... I have 8 models I like the stats of.

I am glutton for punishment. I know. but of these...
8 please rank them in order of ease of flight to most difficult to keep in the air.

multiplex space scooter
ultrafly extra 300s
U Can Do 3d ep
Nemesis
Edge 540T 3d
Yak 55
Extra 330 Profile 3d
Hobby Lobby - Spitfire Mk-IX ARF with rudder modification

dugman36

hi people
i got an electrafun xp on the weekend and had my maiden flight today. it was an awsome success. it was my first full real flight with a plane. my old plane( partenavia twin electric rtf) sucked, i never flew for more than 20 sec. it got about 10 meters high then stalls but the electrafun has more than enough power and climbs beautifully. it is also good because it can fly in the wind. im happy, i didnt crash it once. i landed it nicely aswell. this is a good first plane.

JasonRP

llitten,

Even though you listed mostly 3D, aerobatic planes- since you said you are a newbie, I'd still recommend a trainer configuration.. As long as you get a 4 channel one (ailerons, elevator, rudder, throttle) you'll be able to do a lot of aerobatics.. But a trainer will at least allow you to actually fly instead of an immediate crash. Since you have tons of space, I'd also get a big model rather than a small one. Big models are easier to see, and can handle a little bit of wind, unlike the park flyers. Recently I like what I have seen of the Hobbico Superstar EP:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=577

Yes, it's a high-wing trainer, not a 3D Yak.. Yes, it's balsa instead of foam. Yes, it will be a stable flyer.. *BUT* it does have ailerons (well, the aileron versions do!), and I have seen people fly trainers with ailerons and do all the manuevers I'd ever want to do.. It won't do 3D however..

A plane like this would be big enough to taxi a bit on paved surfaces.. If you mod it with the big wheels and upgrade motor, like the guy did in the review, it will take off from grass.

Do you have a sim? I used realflight extensively, and I gotta say it was the best investment I could have made.. I practiced on that big time, and then went to the field with my first RC plane, an Ace Whizard (I built it with only Rudder/Elevator control, high-wing, powered by unthrottled Cox .049), and had successful flights! No instructor, no crashes, etc. I'd personally start with a 4 channel EP trainer if you can, and the bigger the better.

Jason

Bsharp

Llitten
Please send all of your extra money directly to me. You obviously have lots of extra money you don't care about. You also have no regard for aircraft, you may even call it a hatred for things that fly. I will spend the money you give me on fancy 3-D aircraft and fly them for you, and send you pretty pictures if you like. in return you will get the same amount of flight time as if you had the aircraft (ZERO), and you won't have to spend a moment putting the thing together. I will be happy to tell you where to send your next $1000.00 or so.

OR buy a trainer.

Jason had good advise to you, take it. don't be a fool. buy a trainer. The superstar with ailerons does nice rolls and loops, and will perform totaly outside your meger little abilities as it is, you can't handle more than that, just because you think you can, doesn't mean you REALLY can. All you can fly is a trainer, if your lucky, I doubt you can even fly that, considering how little you've listened to other peoples advise. What would let us think you would listen to physics and other little, tiny, seemingly helpful things pertaining to flight. MY WORD BOY WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? DO YOU HAVE A PLATE IN YOUR HEAD OR SOMETHING????????? Ok, maybe I'm over reacting, but you should still really just buy a trainer, it will be fun, I promise.

ZT-inactive

I had great success with my Aerobird Challenger. Very easy to control. I'd definatley stay away from a sport/acrobat for you first. You'll fly it right into the ground.

glf483

for my 2p worth..... i got a Black horse LIberty 182 Trainer with a 72" wingspan and used and AXI 2826/12 motor with it.....and it flies like a dream!! it is extremly stable!!! I would recommend it to anyone!

Tre3

I'm a brand new flyer, I have two planes a Parkzone Stryker (www.parkzone.com) and a Lazer Toyz L-3 (www.lazertoyz.com). The Stryker is a terrible plane for a beginner, I flew it about 5 times and never did more than 3 or 4 laps around the field. Now the L-3 on the other hand is the most amazing thing to me. I have only flown it about 7 times now all together and I'm already doing figure eights, loops, snap rolls and very low flight without crashing. I understand that it will be easier to fly than other planes because it has a rudder, as opposed to ailerons but I never expected RC flight to be this easy!

traxxboy

The stryker is defintialy not a suitable begginer. While me and my dad where builfing a gas trainer I was 8 at the time. My dad got me a firebird xl. I flew it untill we got the gas trainer done. I am kmow thirteen and can fly my gas trainer independetly except ihave to have someone drive me to the "airfield". Now i mainly fly my stryker. i am saving up my money for a pz typhoon. The stryker limits you because it has no rudder. All I am saying is the firebird gave me a good base. I dont know how the new firebirds fly. Does anybody know if the atc realy works.

weathervane

I am new and still learning how to fly. No solo yet. I am learning on a 40 size trainer. I do have a ACE grasshopper that i would like to make into an electric, or maby build a Mini Bell that i have plans to.

Any ideas????
Andrew

vermontflyer

Hello everyone,

As a new flyer (who doesn't even have a plane yet) I have a few questions. I am in the process of trying to pick a plane that is all inclusive (plane , trans, servos,etc) But als one that won't even come close to breaking the bank. The only thing I have flow has been the aero ace (fun, slow, and best of all cheap) belonging to a coworker's son and right off went looking for one. As luck would ave it - none to be found. I know that I could order it on line but I am thinking I would rather pay a bit more and get someting better. I would like some advice on the possiblity of a RTF in the $100 or less range. The reason is that just because I enjoyed buzzing the parking lot at the office I don't know if I will get"the bug". The plane I am looking for would have the following characteristics:

1- slow flyer / easy to learn on
2 not too large
3- all inclusive
4- hard to break/easy to repair
5- $100 or less

I know that the cost limits me here but I want to be careful to not irritate my wife so that if I am reasdy to move on to a bigger toy there won't be any fuss (this method works! at least with my wife)