After a short hiatus, I am getting back into RC air! Wow, how a couple (3 or 4) years changes everything! When I stopped, 2.4gHz radios were just coming out, but only had the range for park flyers!

So now onto my questions. I have just purchased a Superstar ARF trainer to replace my old one that the wings folded in-flight. It is about halfway assembled. I am planning on using the "guts" out of the one that crashed. That means my OS LA40 engine, 72mhz receiver with the Futaba Skysport 4 channel transmitter, and the Futaba servos. I will be testing all the servos for proper function. My question is about the batteries for the receiver and transmitter. I guess that I bought the original setup back in 2002-2003 timeframe. The batteries haven't been charged for over a year. Should I try and charge them and use them ( I have an expanded scale voltmeter ), find someone that has the equipment to cycle them, or just replace them? I also have a Futaba 6EXA and batteries for 4 other planes. These probably haven't been charged for at least two years.

I got a new AMA membership, but haven't joined up with a club yet. The last club I flew with was the RAMS, but with their dues being $100/yr, I will have to think about that. We are lucky in this area that we have a city park just for hobbies (called Hobby Park) that has a paved runway for planes. I may start out there, as that it where I learned to fly in the first place.

Now, just to stop the inevitable comments, yes I will have an instructor with me, I will let them maiden the plane and get it trimmed, and have them help me until the dust is knocked back off.

Oh, and we just hired a new guy at work. He heard me and another guy talking about rc airplanes and is very interested. He has already gone by and talked to the guys at his LHS. I gave him the standard advice of not buying anything until he talks to the guy that will be teaching him to make sure the radio is compatible for buddy box. I didn't learn by buddy box, but I don't hold that against anyone

Thanks for reading! I can't wait to fly again, to get the adrenaline going and the knees knocking!!!