bmario

Hi everyone

I wanted to buy a Art Tech Wing Dragon 4, 4Ch RTF airplane as my first rc plane since I am just starting to learn flying. After reading forums on beginners first plane I came to know that the Art Tech Wing Dragon 3 Channel is a good choice for a beginner because it does not have aileron and therefore very much easier for a beginner to fly. But what if I buy the Wing Dragon 4 and lock (with tape perhaps) and disable its aileron control so it can't be used, will this make it similar to the Wing Dragon 3 CH in ease of flying and performance? Then later on, when I am ready, I can unlock and enable the aileron controll to get the full capabilities of a Wing Dragon 4 4 Channel plane with aileron. By starting with Wing Dragon 4, I do not have to buy another plane when I am ready to fly a plane with an aileron. Is it possible to lock and disable the ailron of the Wing Dragon 4? If so, will the performance and ease of use be the same as the Wing Dragon 3 channel rc plane? If it does work, then I save by buying only one plane instead of two - one w/o aileron to start with and then another one later w/aileron. Then I can use the amount saved to upgrade the Wing Dragon 4 w/brush motor to a brushless one.

Any help and suggestions is higly appreciated
Thanks

bmario

Andrewmc

Our club does not agree with the principle of learning with three channels first and then moving up to 4 later. All of our students learn on 4 channel planes i.e. with ailerons.

This is just a point of view and it may or may not take longer to learn this way, but I would go ahead and get the wing dragon 4 and not even worry about taping the ailerons and learn to fly that way.

When I was learning my instructor taught me to do Immelmann turns before take offs and landings and in that way tried to keep the learning process varied and interesting.

Do get an instructor to help you though, especially until you get a feel for stick movement vs. control surface effect.

Either way good luck and have fun

jrcaster

I agree, get the 4 channel plane and go at it. It is not easier to learn rudder only.

And no you cannot lockout the ailerons on the 4 chanel wing. It does not have the self correcting abilities of the 3 channel wing.

hogflyer

Being one who learned to fly on 3-channel, and who currently flies 2 and 3-channel, there is nothing wrong with learning on it if that's what you choose to do. The jump from 3 to 4 channel is not that much, more of learning to use your left stick to steer on the ground with 4-channel vs. using the right stick to steer on the ground with a 3-channel.

That being said, you're better off getting a 4-channel plane to start with. DO NOT disable the ailerons on a 4-channel plane to mimic a 3-channel unless you want to get into trouble really fast. I doubt the cost difference is that much between a 3 and 4 channel, and when you get a radio it'll most likely be 4 channels or more which will have 4 servos in it, so just get the 4-channel.

Hogflyer

AirWizard

My Feedback: (3)

I learned on the wing dragon....good plane. Get a better tx and receiver

bmario

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I surely will get a Wing Dragon 4. I Will be alone when I start flying it as there are no clubs here to join to and there is no one around here flying an R/C plane or R/C helicopter for that matter.

bmario

Fourakers

Does the wing dragon four come with a simulator? if it does then is it a good one? i don't want to be wasting money on a plane that is no good
Thanks Nick

chevypower1930

I started with 3 channel... Parkzone Slo-V.

I then moved up to a Hobbico Nexstar and joined a club, had 1 little training session with a veteran flyer at my field and soloed the next day and never looked back!

th1bill

Whoa, slow down there old paint! I've been grounded for the past 23 years and now in a wheelchair I'm getting back into this game to teach youngsters to fly. You newq pilots, do not go fly your Wing Dragon/Begin-Air 4 channels, or 3 for that matter without going to nitroplanes.com and pick up one of the two, very inexpensive, RC Simulators they sell there. I caught the 6 channel on sale for $13.00 and with UPS it cost me $25.06.

Mine came without software but that is easily fixed. For Linux systems there is the free crrcsim and for windoze users there is FMSsim 2.0 Alpha 8.5. Running Ubuntu/Linux, I run both programs. For the FMS I downloaded the free Oracle Virtual Box and installed Win XP. The Begin-AQir is found on Gary Gunners web site, linked from the FMS site, also run by my German friend and on his web site, presented in both German and English you can find the Begin-Air, many fighter, bomber and other models as well as other airfields and links to even more.

You can smack the Begin-Air over and over without loosing a single dime... until you get it right.

Then and I scream just like the DI I used to be, only then, find some freak like myself to go to a small field with knee high or just lower grass. Inspect your aircraft very slowly and then turn on the radios. Forget the Motor but check every other moving part for movement and direction orientation. Your Wing Dragon od Begin-Air has a built in 0.078 degree of negative angle and you will be correct, balance being correct, with perfectly flat Elevator when compared to the Horizontal Stabelizer. For the dead stick tests you are preparing to complete, the Rudder can also be dead neutral.

Make certain the aircraft is fully prepared for flight, this is super critical. Get your old fossil to run two steps and to launch your airplane with a flat running launch over the tall grass. This launch is to see where your aircraft wants to go. If it pulls up and stalls, without you touching the controls, give the Elevator Trim Tab (that strange and useless little slide switch beside the Right Stick) 2 clicks forward. Do the reverse trim for a dive. After the first adjustment, use one click at a time.

Now, you are better off but still in trouble. By this time the old pilot is ready to tie you to the tail of his kite but he will calm down and stop spitting ten penny nails when the ship is finally trimmed r in trim. At this point you have noted the aircraft is twisting to the left or to the right. Let's say it's twisting left, give the bottom rightt Trim tab one click to the right and retest. When you have a nice smooth glide into the tops of the grass and the old fossil is pouring fountains of sweat and gasping for his last breath, you are almost ready for you maiden flight.

Now go to the local field or to a nice size park. If you have the room for a take off set the ship on the ground and turn your transmitter on. Now move the sticks and after you notice the surfaces do not move, pick the ship up and plug the battery in. If you have not velcroed the battery in place, go home!

Now that the battery will not move and ruin your Center of Gravity, make sure the CG is 1/4 to 1/3 of the wing from the leading edge. When you get back to the field or park give the lower left trim tab 2 clicks to the left for motor torque. Your first three flights should be no more than twelve inches off the ground. Get it into the air with full throttle and kill the motor and land. Now, God bless and happy landings from an old, one of the very first, Killer Spade. If I can help, look up the 229th AHB home page at Yahoo Groups and post a message to Killer Spade 806 CE, 1969.

Bill Taylor
Killer Spade 806 CE
1969

th1bill

bmario,
When you have flown the Wing Dragon Sportster or the 4 for a bit and you get a critical eye you'll notice the wings flexing a good bit and there are a couple of good ways to cover this problem. The easy wing fix will be first here.

Purchase a roll of 2 inch, fiber reinforced packing Tape and to make the wing some what stiffer, run a piece the length of each wing placing the center of the LE in the center of the wing. In addition to a small strengthening factor, this adds damage resistance when stricking small obstacles on take off and landing. Then run a strip on both top and bottom, as close to the thickest part of the wing, from tip to root. You will now have spar strength to prevent most wing failures due to Snap Rolls, Split S's as well as inside and outside loops.

Now use a cheeper but lighter 2 inch clear packing tape to protect your wing tips from Runway Rash. Next protect the rear control surfaces by running a half inch to three quarter reinforced tape from tip to tip on the Horizontal Stabelizer and a strip along the leading edge will prevent dings. A strip of clear on thde bottom outside tips of the Stabelizer is a good idea for this area also.

I will be doing this to mine until I can pull all of my material together for a more lasting and stronger fix. Before you fly thye modified aircraft go to the high grass again and make sure it's still in trim. The most balast you will need is a quarter ounce of Play Dough inside the nose, pressed into the tip.

My permanent fix will involve thin by thin Carbon Fiber strips, One in the leading edge and one contineous strip from the Root to the Tip of each wing on the top and the bottom of each wing. I will also, likely, epoxy the two wings together. Researching, I have found that there is a Foam Friendly CA Glue that I will use to hold the Carbon Fiber Strips in place. The Carbon Fiber Strips can be found on line for less than $1.50 each. After they are glued in place and cured, sand the ends to fit the wing tip shape.

Again, happy landings.

jetmech05

learn to fly the way you intemd to fly...if you want 4 channels later learn on 4 channels now.....I had an ol glider pilot for a student once...he never had ailerons or throttle...he was a difficult student because he had to unlearn his glider ways....get an instructor...that is the best and quickest way to learn...Good Luck