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Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/19/2012 7:13 PM   
Fxguy


 

Posts: 13
Score: 100
Joined: 10/15/2012
Last Login: 12/3/2012
From: Champaign, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Just about finished with my Midwest Products Aero-Lectric build and even though I haven't flown it, I'm hooked! I loved building this plane! Learning how to build with balsa, cover with monokote, use my futaba skysport receiver and servos..... I'm in heaven! So.... since I'm an extremely wet behind the ears newbie with absolutely no flight experience, I'm in need of a lot of advice! 

First off, I plan on finishing my Aero-Lectric and learning to fly it. Plans for that include saving up to purchase a RealFlight flight simulator and trying to connect with the local club. Unfortunately I'm getting into the hobby at the wrong time of the year and it seems that the club doesn't have any flights planned for the foreseable future. In fact there are no scheduled training flight events until May of next year, so I have a long time to keep myself busy.

I have two other partial kits, a Craft Air Q-Tee and a Butterfly II / Piece of Cake (The box is labled piece-o-cake , but the plans inside are butterfly II). Both of these are partial kits that are missing pieces so I would have to scratch build them both.

So I would like to keep busy until I can go outside and learn to fly and as fun as a simulator is, I really enjoy the building process. But since I am a complete newbie and don't know a Cessna from a DC-10 (Ok, I due know but you get the point), I haven't the slightest idea what to do next. I want to learn more about the hobby, and have already decided I want to build the Q-Tee as a gas powered plane since the Aero-Lectric is, well , electric. I figured that will give me a good feel for whether I prefer gas powered or electric powered.

So how do i go about learning more about the hooby? I mean I want to learn to fly, but since winter approaches it may be a while before I can and I figure I can build some more in the mean time. But how do I learn about / decide which models to pursue and which ones not to? I know I can step up into a model that allows aileron control in addition to rudder and elevator control. I really don't know much about planes or anything so I don't have a particular model in mind to try. I think at one point I would like to try a ducted fan jet, but don't like foam and would prefer balsa.

So what advice does everyone have to help keep me from buying as many models as I can find / affoard? 

Thanks ahead of time ! 

Tim



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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/19/2012 7:34 PM   
Chucksolo69


 

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From: , CA, USA
Status: offline 		My advice is to get an RTF or ARF trainer plane before you put your finished kits up in the air. Find a good instructor and learn to fly. Another question would be: Do you, as a complete newbie with no flight experience, know how to build a kit that is going to actually fly? Do you know what actually makes a plane fly so that you build the kits right?

I'm glad you are having a great time building. I just wouldn't want to see your labors go home in a trash bag the first time out. Since you live in Champaign, Ill you may want to visit Horizon Hobby or Hobbico and look at the great RTF/ARF trainer planes these folks carry.

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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/19/2012 8:40 PM   
blhollo2


 

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From: fuquay varina, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Welcome to the dark side...you will forever be sucked in. Kick your feet up and stay awhile lol

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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/19/2012 9:37 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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From: Hemderson, NV, USA
Status: offline 		Most clubs are active even during the winter, find out when there meetings are. Get to know the people and see if they have an active instructor. My old club had a meeting every month and often had a show and tell. Guys would bring in there builds and show any new ideas or ways of doing things. If the club has an instructor then find out if he uses his own trainer plane of if the club has one. Most of the clubs I have belonged to had a trainer and buddy box to teach new pilots. All the student needed to do was buy a gallon of the fuel the club used in the trainer. I have my own plane and gear to teach with and don't even want the student to buy any equipment until after the solo flights.
If you really want to build your own plane it never hurts to build and own a trainer.
By gas I think you mean glow power?? If so a nice 40 or 60 {I prefer the 60} size trainer is a good winter build. After you have soloed you will have a better idea of what planes you like and would want to build. The selection is too great to point at just one. Right now there is a building trainer being put out by Balsa USA, you may see the add here on RCU. The kit is a trainer plane but cooler looking then most of them. The way it is built teaches you a little bit of several of the different types of construction.
I haven't built one yet but RC Ken is building one now and doing a review on it. I think, from what I have read and seen of this plane it would be my first choice. I teach building also but have been using the SIG 4 Star 60 kit to teach with. Another good build and flying machine.
Pull up Balsa USA and take a look at there new offering.

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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/20/2012 12:37 AM   
Fxguy


 

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From: Champaign, IL, USA
Status: offline
quote:

Do you, as a complete newbie with no flight experience, know how to build a kit that is going to actually fly? Do you know what actually makes a plane fly so that you build the kits right?


Chuck , I understand the advice. The kit that I have built I got out of scratch and dent for $15 so I'm really only out the time and effort spent building, but that that's still a lot! I totally understand and that's one reason why I am on here looking for some advice. I've followed the instructions on the kit as close as possible. I really would like to try it out but I probably won't do so until I can learn to fly. 

Ideally I wish I could find an indor R/C balsa build that would be small enough to learn to fly indoors, but not sure such a thing exists.





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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/20/2012 4:55 AM   
RapTaz



Posts: 20
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From: Artesia, NM, USA
Status: offline 		Guillows makes inexpensive small balsa and tissue kits that are fun to build and fly.  They are typically rubber band powered and are good to learn the basics of flight and building on.  I just Googled and found their website, the kits are availble in our area at Hobby Lobby (a chain of stores) for less than $20.  I did see on Google some sites talking about converting them to RC but did not investigate.  Its been a long time since I built one but from what I remember all you needed was the kit, a hobby knife, a building board, some pins, a bottle of white glue, and optionally some dope (a type of paint for the tissue).  I remember my initial flight was down the hall of our house with a partially wound rubber band LOL.

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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/20/2012 10:40 AM   
Popriv


 

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From: bellingham, MA, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Fxguy

quote:

Do you, as a complete newbie with no flight experience, know how to build a kit that is going to actually fly? Do you know what actually makes a plane fly so that you build the kits right?


Chuck , I understand the advice. The kit that I have built I got out of scratch and dent for $15 so I'm really only out the time and effort spent building, but that that's still a lot! I totally understand and that's one reason why I am on here looking for some advice. I've followed the instructions on the kit as close as possible. I really would like to try it out but I probably won't do so until I can learn to fly. 

Ideally I wish I could find an indor R/C balsa build that would be small enough to learn to fly indoors, but not sure such a thing exists.


Our club has been looking at the swift as a club build for indoor flying. It uses a parkzone brick for control. Very small and lightweight.
Price is a little steep at around $150 ish so we are still evaluating our options.

Steve





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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/20/2012 11:59 AM   
bikerbc


 

Posts: 1109
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From: SorrentoBritish Columbia, CANADA
Status: offline 		I would do as Gray Beard advised... BUSA puts out a kit designed to teach you to build..I would have a look at that..It is not cheap but it may help you learn the building process..If you can find a club to join and can find an instructor he may have a prefered trainer that he would like you to build so you might want to wait for your instructors inputt...Myself I would recomend an Sig LT40 They are great flying trainers....If you get boared you could always build yourself a set of floats for a 40 or 60 size plane...if you stay in the hobby you will probably be wanting to try float flying before long...

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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/20/2012 12:33 PM   
thailazer



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Last Login: 5/25/2013
From: Ampur Mae TaengChiang Mai, THAILAND
Status: offline 		My advice would be to treat the brown Unlimited Plane Supply (UPS) truck driver nicely so he leaves your packages in a nice dry secure place every week when he shows up!

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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/20/2012 6:25 PM   
Gray Beard


 

Posts: 12556
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From: Hemderson, NV, USA
Status: offline 		I met a fellow a couple weeks ago at our local almost secret field that has the smallest Cub I have ever seen that flies as well as a big plane. It's a small electric and even has ailerons. By indoors if you mean your living room I have never seen a plane small enough that would handle well enough, Choppers yes, there are a lot of good indoor choppers. Often less then $30.00 with a controller. The little Cub I mentioned was designed for indoor Gymnasium flight. He just happens to be an outstanding pilot and can handle the little plane even when the breeze kicks up. A couple of us plan on getting more info from him about the plane next time we see him so we can get one too.
In a lot of areas there is indoor flying at the local Gym. I have a small 17 ounce Extra from Aeroworks that would be fine in a gym. Not sure I'm good enough to fly it in that confined space or not? I like to think so but I have never tried it.
If you follow the instructions on any kit there is no reason it wouldn't fly. All kit building involves is following the instructions. You aren't designing the plane, just putting the parts together, no big deal.

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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/20/2012 11:37 PM   
LearningKeith



Posts: 7
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Last Login: 11/20/2012
From: VICVIC, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		Hi Fxguy

I can help and you get a holiday at the same time

We run training courses for teaching students to fly. International visitors to Australia get priced up at Melbourne Airport, transported to our Private RC Flight Training Airfield (cement and grass) and spend 5 days on the Fast Track Course, at the end of this it expected they will be Solo (usually day 4). We allow for 7 nights accommodation at our airfield. The extra day or two are used if we get any bad weather. Bad weather days are spent teaching constructing model aircraft and the theory of flying / flight safety. Upon completion of the course we include return transfers back to Melbourne Airport.

The weather is great this time of year and time spend now gets students in the air on their own very quickly.

We provide the aircraft and transmitters to eliminate the need to transport your own equipment.

All activities are covered by own insurance

We also cater for groups of up to 6 at a time

www.RCFlightTraining.com.au

Cheers Keith


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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/24/2012 6:38 AM   
soready04


 

Posts: 27
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Joined: 5/18/2011
Last Login: 5/25/2013
From: Lamar, SC, USA
Status: offline 		I agree with chuck! I would recommend an Fly zone Sensei. I recently ordered one after all of the great information that I got a few days ago from the great people up here. I too am just like you, buy only with no local clubs in the area.

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RE: Ok, I'm a hooked newbie. - 11/24/2012 8:45 PM   
JeffinTD


 

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From: The Dalles, OR, USA
Status: offline 		I found an old (intended for 2 or 3 chan) butterfly kit, and a piece o cake kit in my garage I didn't know I still had, so I built the butterfly electric. Fun build.

Anyway, a computer simulator (get a good one if you can afford it) is a good way to work on skills when weather is bad.

For a tough trainer, I really like the Apprentice. Tough, parts are available and reasonable, long flight times, and they fly great.

Hooking up with a club, and hopefully someone who can buddy box you, is also good advice.

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