big macnever

Hi everyone.

As for the user namein 68 years have never been to a McDonalds

OKnow for the fun part. I am almost ready to pull the trigger. I have selected Great Planes PT60 High Wing Trainerbuild from scratch. Why-because I want something to do when I can't golf. I do know the drawbacks but as a retired cabinetmaker I think I can accomplish the task.

I am thinking of purchasing a Spektum DX6i Radio with simulator program to practice with first as suggested by a friend.I also have a line on an OS.60FP engine from someone on this site-that is reccommended by the plane manufacturer.

Am I on the right track ?

WOW-another forum to spend time on

GarySS

My Feedback: (13)

Welcome and it looks good so far. Highwing trainer - check, moderate, but capable radio - check, simulator to do some preliminary learning - check, OS engine sized well with the trainer - check, plain bearing(not ball bearing) so you don't have to worry about rust - check. Now, join a club.....join AMA......take advantage of real life training with the club's trainer and flight instructor. Enjoy!

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Please allow me Mac to be the first to welcome you to the forum

First off let me say you have made some nice choices in airplanes and even wanting to build a kit (I assume you talking about a kit). Do understand that the build will on average take about twice as long as expected but will not be all that difficult for you.

The OS FP's (all of them) are superb engines. The were formerly the low cost entry level line for OS but were far superior to the later LA's that replaced them. While definitely not powerhouses in their respective classes the are extremely user friendly which makes them ideal. I still operate a few and even have a throttled .40FP serving on one of my controlline airplanes.

I use to love the full page color adds for the OS FP showing one that ended up in the bottom of a frozen river for a year but was finally recovered and blown out fueled up and flown on another airplane.

Can,t tell ya much about Spectrum as I am mostly a Hitec user these days.


John

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Welcome to the addiction.

You have not missed a thing by not going to McDonald's although I have to admit that they do serve good french fries.

You are absolutely on the right track. In the first place, a .60 size plane is much easier to see than a .40 size, so it makes a good platform to learn on. Secondly, the Tower or Great Planes trainer 60 is a really good plane with no bad habits. I learned on one and would still be flying it if I had not dumb thumbed it into oblivion. The DX6i is a fine radio as are any of the radios sold by the big four these days. Hitec, Futaba, Airtronics and JR do not put out inferior products. The only thing about a radio is if you intend to stay in the hobby, buy the absolutely best radio you think you will ever need or you will end up upgrading it soon. This is the only one area in which you go as big as you can and maybe even buy one you don't think you will ever need. You will if you stay with the hobby. As far as the engine is concerned, you could not match a better engine to the plane you have selected. The FP is very reliable, easy to start, a piece of cake to tune and lasts forever. It has a bushed crankshaft rather that bearing supported and uses an air bleed carburetor rather than a two needle carb. They are easy to tune and once dialed in, very seldom require that you even touch the air bleed screw.

After you get your plane together you would do well to find someone who flies and you interact well with. Get on a buddy box with him and you will never look back. Finding someone you interact well with may well be more conducive to success than just getting on the box with the best flier in the area. Being able to communicate together goes a long way in learning to fly.

And lastly and maybe most importantly, this is a hobby. If you aren't having fun at it, it is a waste.

Ken Erickson

Big,

Two excellent replies.

My addition is to go to the local clubs and find out what radios are compatible to those used by the "Instructors" at the club you would choose to join. As John indicated, there is a goodly bit of time available to you, building, before you need to decide on the radio. Also, there is almost always someone at the club who will let you fly his airplane on the dual-control, Buddy-box system. I call us "Evangelists".

John is no spring chicken and I am 72.

Ken Erickson

skylark-flier

Hey NoMac! First, welcome to the sport that's cited 2nd most often in divorces (golf is #1). Great choices in plane, engine & radio - they'll serve you well for quite awhile. The entire Spektrum radio line is very reliable, easy to interact with - and the FP engines, even though they're aging, are some of the best general purpose "sport" engines you'll find anywhere. The PT-60 is a very good plane to learn with, quite forgiving of many minor mistakes that ALL newbys make. And with your woodworking background you'll have no problems at all with building it. Oh, yeah - from the bottom of my heart, thanks for doing it right - - building is definitely at least half the fun of this hobby.

All the replies here are good ones - definitely join AMA, $48/year for us "more experienced" ((read that "senior" {I'm just 65})) folks and worth every cent. If you've got a local club, contact them - both for the good advice you'll get, but even more so, for the help with those first flights.

You've got the modern advantage of simulators - use them until they wear out. When I started (many MANY decades ago) there was NOBODY / NOTHING to help, had to learn it the hard (and more expensive) way.

Seriously, welcome to the brink of insanity. You'll love it!!!!!!

fliers1

Welcome to the hobby. I don't know how far you are from me, but it would be worth it to you if you could come to my area so I can give you some stick time on my trainers. No strings attached. I can have you takeoff, fly very skillfully and land withn an hour or so. Just trying to give back to the hobby/sport.

fliers1

daddyrabbit1234

My Feedback: (14)

Hi Big and welcome, I would suggest going to a club and checking out all the different planes and equipment and maybe even buddy box with an instructor on a trainer before you buy anything. The reason is you may decide you would rather have a different radio or even fly electric. The DX6 is a great transmitter. I have the newer version DX7 and its great.

big macnever

Good morning fellas-many thanks for all the replies. I am north of the 49th ( Ottawa Canada) I did fly contol line many years ago and found out-NO SUDDEN MOVEMENTS I do have a buddy with a Spektrum radio that can assist me and yes I will be joining a club.

We travel to Hilton Head every winter for 2 monthsyou never know.

I'll update my profile-thanks again

brian

fliers1

It would be a 5 hour drive. Do you know if they fly mode 1 or mode 2 in whatever club you might join?

Here is what you might expect in any given club: http://www.rc-float-flying.rchomepag...instructor.htm

fliers1

BobFE

Mac, welcome to the addiction!. I started out 13 years ago when my wife bought me a SIG LT-40 kit for Christmas. I remember the whole time I was building the plane I kept thinking to myself, "this thing will never fly". When my instructor took the plane off the first time, well, words can't describe the feeling I got seeing something that I made with my own two hands go airborne. Look forward to that. I've also found that making repairs to a plane you built yourself is much easier than trying to fix one you just bought. You will crash sometime. There are those who have crashed, those who will crash, and those that will crash again. Don't let that scare you, I've rebuilt one plane from a severe crash and flew it till I crashed it again, and I'm right now rebuilding my LT-40 from a crash last weekend. No big deal for a builder. The planes will be much more personal to you.

One recommendation, start a thread in the "Kit Building Forum" and take pics of your progress. I know I would love to see it, and I'm sure the rest of us would like to as well. Enjoy!

lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

Welcome, it is so refreshing to see a newcomer who follow advice. 

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Mac I quite agree with BobFE Don,t ya know but go ahead right here in this thread, no need to start another thread so go ahead and continue right here with your adventure.

It will be most helpful to many out there who just lurk and never go ahead and post.

John

eddieC

My Feedback: (2)

Great choice of kit and ancillaries. One thing the kit makers don't cover enough is fuel proofing the entire tank area and firewall, using dope or a 50/50 mix of epoxy and alcohol. 

big macnever

Never mind the dovetails---I'll make some fancy "scarf" joints after my first "incident"---that's what the doctor called my heart attack when he realized I was awake Picked up my radio and simulator program today---wifey is off for the weekend--computer all to myself-------we will see !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may need an extra game of golf to relax.

SeaJay

My Feedback: (6)

Welcome, Big Macnever!! I also stick built my first Aircraft, it was a Sig Kadet MKII, I enjoyed building that kit, and I still have that plane, it's not in flyable condition tho. I built it when I was sixteen, and that was about 32 birthdays ago.. One advantage you will have is that you are getting the .60 size trainer, it's going to be easier to fly than a .40 size trainer, so good choice!! I would also like to re iterate what was said previously, try to get the most radio you can afford, because if you go basic, you will soon want to upgrade!! as a very minimum, 6ch Computer radio, as the saying goes, better to have and not need, than need, and not have!!

Anyway, welcome to the addiction of RC.. and always feel free to ask questions, as many here are always willing to help out..

Craig.

big macnever

Hi guys---well everything has finally arrived and my wife said---boys and their toys I built a 6 foot bench that is fairly light that sits on one edge of my pool table and is covered with high density foam--easy to push pins into and one corner has a small cutting board---the other end will hold a small clamp on vice. I also have a 6 foot closet that has been converted with a small workbench and pegboard for all the other misc. stuff that will collect over time. I figured I would make myself as comfortable as possible as I plan some major time down there once the golf season is over.


I did get the simulator package with the radio and have spent a few hours on it. Too be quite honest I am a little disappointed in the ability to actually see the plane once it gets into the air-it seems to disappear pretty quick and I have to figure out where it is and which direction it's going LOL I do find that if I keep it in sight range it is not too bad---maybe it will just take more time--------I have actually landed quite a few times.

Once I figure out how to set up a photo hosting site I will post a few pictures--that's another story.

Thanks for reading,