Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

I am just starting out in the RC world and am very eager to build my very first plane. The question that I have is this...is there any type of "One Stop" location that I can get just slightly more than the basics of Plane Design and Development?

I see Lots of lingo and more posts on design issues, but I do not know how to apply all that I have read in great part due to the fact that I am a total noob.

Any information for this would be a great help...thanks.

TB

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but if my son came to me with the same question, here is what I would say to him...

I am just starting out in the RC world too. I have been building since I was eight (my first chuckie), my first scratch build at 13, my first OD at thirty-mumble.

I am now fifty something, I am just beginning in RC, and quite frankly it scares the ***** out of me.

Don't get yourself in the position of taking on something you won't handle. Try something that is simple, that is comparatively easy, and most important of all that you can learn from without spending megabucks of your parents money on.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

I'm 30 with loads of cash to spend. What I want is a place that has some beginner to intermediate intelligence on custom building. I already have a sight that I am reading that may have all the information that I need, but it would be nice to see other designs so that I could at least have a basic blueprint to work from.

I intend to spend the time in crafting and will make many planes that wont leave the ground.

If anyone has some sites that I could visit or maybe recommend a good book to read on the subject, or even a sight that has a few designs on it .... I would appreciate it lots.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

Errrmmm, just hang on here while I wipe the egg off my face.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

Mwahawhawhawhaw...
Go get em TB.
PS...send some of that cash my way.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

Not trying to be mean, but would still like a few reference sites if anybody has one that they would not mind sharing with me.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

This might help:

http://142.26.194.131/aerodynamics1/

Also another good way to learn is just read all the posts on this forum.

Good luck.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

Thanks......this is what I was looking for.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

A good start may be buying "Basic of R/C Model Aircraft Design" by Andy Lennnon. It's not an expensive book, last time I saw it on amazon.com it was $19.95 or something like that....And yet is a very good book for introduction to the basic concepts of aircraft design and aerodynamics....It's not heavy on math and explains quite well several aspects....Another book that goes further into aerodynamics is "Model Aircraft Aerodynamics" by Martin Simons, but I don't have this book yet, so I can't comment on it....But I heard it's very good also.

Hope this helps,

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

Try Daniel P Raymer's book "Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach ".

The trouble with the above is that you will have to translate a lot of the lingo into R/C scale. Usually this means taking into account Reynolds number and possibly a few other factors. It's also heavy on math (calculus). It also covers a lot of supersonic design issues which you will never run into with a R/C aircraft.

This book covers design from the ground up. It doesn't cover specific structural issues, at least not my edition.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

Hi Thunderblade:

Welcome to the hobby. I think this place may help you also:

http://www.hanleyinnovations.com/

It's more about "pure" aerodynamics, but my position is “More knowledge does not hurt”.

Have good flying,
EK

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

welcome to the maddness Thunderblade![8D]
i could provide you with some plans and tips on building.
you could start by checking out my site,
Carusotech.50megs.com
i have alot of construction pics of some balsa planes. also i am into the SPADs (simple plastic airplane design) Spads are great for their quick assembly and they are very durable for a new pilot. Spadtothebone.com have all the plans you could want for spads.:D
for balsa plans i have downloaded 2 different profile fun fly type planes in acad format and i have designed quite a few planes on my own. if you have autocad or an autocad viewer i could share those plans with you.:eek:
for pure model aerodynamics i would recommend the DJaerotech site has alot of good articles in a Q & A format that i find very interesting, good luck feel free to email me.
[link=http://www.djaerotech.com/dj_askjd/askdesign.html]ask JD[/link]here is the link

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

Wow.....thanks for all of the information links and book ideas. Will be making a trip to Barnes and Nobles on Friday to grab 2 to 5 books on this.

Will be able to visit the sights that you guys listed this weekend also. And, don't ask me how this did not register in my mind, but my brother is into this also and made me aware of the different tyupe of monthly magazines that are out there....so there is at least 2 subscriptions that I will get as well.

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

TB

Just be prepared that Barnes and Nobles may not have ANY RC books (at least I had not so good luck withe book stores in my area - I guess 7 in total). Better bet is your local hobby shop (LHS) or the Internet, like Amazon.com

Have a good flying.

EK

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

I have only 2 major book stores in my area and about 6 to 7 hobby shops. I plan on hitting them all.

Thanks for the heads up on that.



Here is another question....how much of the actual physics of flight that we can read and learn about when it concerns Full Size Aircraft applies to RC Flight?

RE: Beginner here looking for Encyclopedia
 

Honestly? All of it!!! This is especially true about larger scale models, and by "larger scale" I mean planes with wingspan of about 70" or more.

Do you have to LEARN ALL of it? No. But all the concepts about load, center of gravity, torque, drag and so on are fully applicable to the model aviation. Knowledge of the basics of aerodynamics will sure help you in this hobby.

Good luck in your knowledge quest!