knight1

I am New to R/C planes but familiar to U-control planes back when I was 8-15, My girlfreinds kids wanted to go fly model rockets and I thought back to when i was a kid and remembered how much I loved airplanes and loved to fly them with my dad. I would love to share this experiance with them. I figured I needed to start somewhere. So I bought a P51D mustang RTF, Hopefully this will be a good trainer for me, and I'll get them a smaller slow flyer. My goal is to eventually try a 1/3 scale pitts special-(I love stunt flying and tricks) and the gracefullness of the pitts.
but for now learn, and be learned. So if any of you have any ideas or tips, and expecially safety tips besides stay away from the prop I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks,
Mark
Connecticut

cruzomatic

My Feedback: (17)

WoW,,a P51 as a trainer. Is what you purchased electric or glow? That's a lot of plane to start out with.

Crashem

Here are a couple of tips.

1. A P-51D is NOT a good trainer!!!!!!!1

2. They best way to learn is with an instructor at a club flying field.

3. Never Fly directly at yourself..

knight1,

Last tip I'm assuming you're buying small electrics as opposed to glow powered planes. Look at the Slow Stick, Pico Stick and Tigermoth by GWS They are good flyers and inexpensive.

Use the search function here and at ezonemag.com to learn more about what qualifies as a "good" trainer plane. everybody has their favorite but they all share similar design and performance characteristics.

Good luck hope you enjoy the hobby

knight1

The p51 is electric, it looks to be pretty solid too. Once I'm familiar with it I'll get my hands on the glow

Dougboiler91

My Feedback: (23)

Hi Mark:

I'm a 35 year old kid. Been flying these RC planes nearly 15 years now. My background is similar to yours growing up with U-control and all. Currently I'm into 1/4 scale gas and larger. Extras, Giles, Caps etc. I'm also my club instructor and teach this passion to new people like yourself.

I had a P-51 line control as a kid. I also had an ME 109 glow about 13 years ago, but had been flying R/C for a couple years, and had the trainer mastered. To date, I still have the ME 109. This was my first taildragger. They are tricky to fly. I crashed mine several times learning, but repaired it along the way. Keep in mind this was my 4th airplane, not my first.

If I read your thread correctly you mentioned that you bought a P-51 to learn on. I always take pride in trying to give good sound advice to people, and have to say that a P-51 will be difficult to learn on. In fact it probably won't survive the first week or even the first flight. These planes are what we call Hot. You need a trainer of some sort with a good hearty 40 sized engine. I recommend you check out a local club, see what they are using and revisit the local hobby shop.

The most important thing is to get a good instructor to show you the ropes. I use the buddy system. It's saved more airplanes than you can shake a stick at. Too many people go out by themselves, crash, get frustrated and throw in the towel before you experience the true joy of R/C.

Good Luck!

Doug

cruzomatic

My Feedback: (17)

Mark,

I've seen the GWS P51 fly for about 10 seconds due to it quickly crashing. Now, not saying the same is going to happen to you but, it was this guy who loved the Mustang so much, he insisted on that being his first r/c plane. Those planes must be flown with power at all times and tend to tip stall if slow down too much. I'm with Crashem, a Tiger Moth is a great lazy floater style plane as well as the Pico Stick. This hobby is expensive and can get even much more expensive within minutes, so just be careful.

As far as the safety tips, yes, stay clear away from the prop and don't fly over yourself or any others. Be safe and good luck,

Oh and yes, ask for some help if you can.

Good luck and welcome to R/C.

knight1

I really appreciate the advise I'm getting. Good to know theres help out there, The plane was ordered last week, so needless to say I'm still waiting for it, but I'm not stuck with just that to fly. I could get a smaller one, which I think I will do. As far as clubs, well there little too far away from me, the closest I think is across the state. Would love to see others though, that would be cool.
I tried doing a search but to no avail.

Thanks again
Mark

knight1

With the P51 electric I really didn't realize that it would be really difficult to fly, being that its small and electric, but thats why I should've asked questions first.

Crashem

Small planes can be more difficult to fly.

Teaching yourself to fly can be done but is usually more expensive and time consuming.

If you post your location here I'm sure someone will be able to direct you to help that is closer.

Did you go to a hobby store usually they can help you get in touch with a club.

One last thing parkflyers and glow powered planes are much different in terms of performance. Learning how to fly the planes I mentioned does NOT mean that you will be skilled enough to fly glow powered planes. I would suggest seeking help BEFORE attempting the transition.

jucava

This is a link for a club locator:

http://modelaircraft.org/templates/a...7BCF3ED400F4B9

or go to:
http://modelaircraft.org

knight1

Not sure if it will help, but I'm sure it wont hurt either. I put a order in for real flight g2. any tips on that, besides it not being acutually hands on?

RCaeroguy

My Feedback: (4)

Real Flight is a great place to start but is no substitution for real hands on flying with a qualified instructor. I really think you should look into a .40 sized trainer. My club really likes the Hobbico Avistar ARF with a .46 sized engine, specifically the Magnum XLS-46A, as the preferred trainer aircraft.

mdmrider

please take everbodys advice and get a big trainer and learn to control it first. i have a p51 electric and its a handfull !

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

knight1,

First, welcome to RCU and RC flight! Lots of great people involved in the hobby, most are all too willing to give advice!

There are a number of clubs in CT., so I'd be surprised if there isn't one fairly close to you. Use the AMA site listed above to search for one close.

You can start with small electrics, but the ultimate start-up cost is often more expensive than the cost of a glow trainer and support equipment. And if you're planning on glow eventually anyway....

Crashem also has a valid point. The difference in flight characteristics between small electric park flyers and 40 size glow is substantial. Learning on a park flyer will give you a head start, but will not prepare you to just go fly glow.

Just my opinion.
Dennis-

knight1

Thanks for the AMA addy, wow didn't think there were this many clubs in CT. I found one close to me I'll be getting in touch with them this week, I'll see what they have to offer. Anyone run Dynajets anymore or did they outlaw them?

Arrow>>-->

One sugestion. Before you put your gear in the P-51 you should look at getting a GWS Slow Stick. It is a much better plane to begin on. And for $35.00 if you crash it you not out much, plus it is much more forgiving. Start out with the Slow Stick and once you have it mastered just move your gear to the P-51. It should work in either plane depending on which batteries you get. You may also want to take a look at the parkflyer forum on Ezone. Many P-51 threads on there.

cainebean

I second the slow stick. I taught myself how to fly that plane. You really need to get someone to trim and set your COG though. If you get one and want a good list of mods, let me know. A few of them make a whole lot of difference.

cainebean

RobStagis

Igrin* Knight - if you're at your LHS, ask them to see their Sig catalog. I don't know if it's still in there, but they used to have (for years and years) an article about the guy who pops in, lays down lots of money for a fancy-dancy radio and a P51 - against all advice to the contrary. The guy returns like a month later, a little embarassed, and says the Mustang returned to its native form (balsa splinters) and now he'd like to buy a trainer

Where are you in CT? Anybody who used to fly C/L is OK by me. They still sell Dynajets, I think - at least they show them occasionally in speed contests - but always surrounded by people holding their ears

Which P51 was it? GWS? If you've already got all the stuff on order, I'd take the P51 kit box, open it, admire it, then slide it onto a high shelf. Another $30 (or so) will get you the GWS Stik family, or a low-end Crazy Max, or something like that. The advice above is good

You've never seen ANYTHING so fast and uncontrollable and scary as that first plane you're gonna launch without an instructor . No matter what it is, including a Pico Stick. Remember that any glow trainer out there will loop, roll, fly inverted, knife-edge, you name it.......

And this is more fun that any human being has a right to expect. The level of concentration effectively rules out any thoughts of outside problems Totally absorbing....

knight1

RobStagis-
The P-51 is made by Megatech, the base characteristics are Speed 400 motor driven ball-bearing gear-reduction drive Super tuff PolyStress Nylolene fuselage True airfoil wing with bi-level construction and reflex Stall resistant tips which give excellent slow flight characteristics.
But like any good beginer, I'm open to any kind of help. I've also been looking around for the above post's glow trainers that were mentioned to me as well.
Heh, I know this subject has been brung up a lot before, but throughout a lot of reading from other posts, I saw that there was a lot of preferences made to both rudder and or aileron flying, would I be correct on telling the instructer that I want to learn both or is that something I will learn on my own?
Thanks,
Mark
ps RobStagis, Im from New Haven County, CT

RobStagis

Ah - I'm up in Plainville. Next week? Vacationing at Hammonasett Beach.....

Um - assuming you're flying a plane that has both ailerons and rudder, you can fly effectively, at first, with ailerons and elevator only...well, throttle too. Just get it up there and fly around. Burn holes in the sky. Once you've relaxed the grip on your radio you can wiggle the other sticks around and see what happens.

Lemme see. I learned, at the same time, on both a Goldberg Electra (electric Gentle Lady variant) and a Goldberg Eagle 2...then an old Sig Kadet MKII.....then finally settled on the Balsa USA Stik 40 Plus. I don't know if you're aware of this (stop me if I'm telling you something you already know) but on a rudder/elevator plane, most guys will put the rudder on the 'aileron' channel. That is, if you're flying Mode II, the right stick does the flying and the left stick is relegated to throttle-only. This allows you to swap planes off and not have to worry (too much) about which stick to wiggle.

Personally, I learned like most other new guys. I had a trainer. The instructor would take off and hand me the radio (no buddy boxes then). I would fly circles. Then I would fly level circles. (A good instructor will have you doing circles both ways - don't geet in the single-direction habit - it's hard to break). I'd hand him the radio and he'd land.

Notice I didn't say anything about rudder or elevator! Just fly circles - then ovals - then ovals at the same altitude (*grin*)...then an oval that puts you in the landing pattern, but 100 feet up...then 50 feet up.....lower, lower.....LIMBO!!!

I used rudder only on the ground until I had soloed and was flying as much as I possibly could. Then I started feeding rudder. Watch the plane, etc... Don't worry about it and don't overthink it. Just fly a lot! The baby electrics don't give you the choice of rudder or aileron - you've got rudder and dihedral. You're just point and shoot, y'know?

Just learn to get it off the ground and back down in the same number of pieces aligned the same way. Then worry.

Rob

Crashem

Here is the scoop. on most 4ch planes the ailerons are used to turn the plane. Its a good idea to learn cooridanted turns or to mix in rudder.

On 3ch planes the model is turned by either the ailerons or rudder

Your instuctor should teach you how to do both without being asked IF your plane is capable (i.e. NOT rudder or aileron only)

RobStagis

Actually, I guess I kind of regressed in the learning stages. Years ago, it was standard practice to learn on a rudder/elevator plane, then 'advance' to a 'full-house job' (terminology at the time) with ailerons, rudder, elevator and throttle. I didn't start that way! I DID learn before the park flyers got here, so I learned on a .40-size 4-channel plane. (*blush* actually, a series of 3 planes).

That's a good way to go. Nothing wrong with that advice from anyone. You have a plane that'll do anything you ask of it, in general, is big enough to see and capable enough to fly in most conditions. You learn about coordinated flight, engine handling, etc...

I said I regressed. That's cuz at the same time that I was learning on the 4-channel trainer, I was learning on my Electra which is a 2-meter polyhedral glider - rudder/elevator/on-off throttle only. I also built, later on, an old-timer from plans that was rudder-only. They're maneuverable enough for fun flying, a little more relaxing than a 4-channel plane, and simpler.

(In the meantime, I built and flew a couple 1/2A aileron/elevator models - no throttle, either)

For the first couple outings, you (and the instructor) will be content if you don't crash. After a couple of flights, though, he should be pointing out ways to improve your flying. A coordinated turn is much nicer and more graceful than aileron-only. Once you can keep it in the air, you'll be amazed how much stuff you can do wrong to a plane. And you'll start noticing subtleties that aren't obvious at first.

It's all fun

knight1

Heh, I'm gonna have to bring my vid camera and tape this first rc flight of mine. This aught to be good.

Like I was saying in the begining, I started with u/c as a kid but wanted more of a free control of the plane but my dad was hooked on u/c, he said he felt the plane more, but I never had money to buy an r/c myself. Then as time went on I got invovled in other activities, but always went to the local airshows.

But now back to the passion I should have never left.

lol, its a shame some of the this you dont realize till your older.

Now I told my dad I was getting back into planes R/C that is,
and he told me if I wanted his plane engines and all the equiptment. Not sure what he's gotten over the years but knowing him, it's a lot.
He didn't have to ask me twice

But I'm really glad ppl on here dont look down on newbies to the hobby like some clubs or gatherings.
It make it more enjoyable and fun.

But thats about it for my little backround on the hobby.

RobStagis

Oooooooooooo - You've got old U/C stuff? I told ya I regressed. I started with rubber free-flight (I was probably your age now). 3 kids, house, crap pay - and those kits are $10-20, give you a couple weeks of building fun then weeks of crashing fun

My wife, bless her blond soul, bought me a Goldberg Electra one Christmas, thinking it was a large electric free-flight. Heh - Christmas money and me: off to the hobby shop!!! That first kit-build (this was WAY before good ARF's), was a ball...no more teensy 1/16 balsa sticks, dope and tissue....nah - I'm on the kitchen counter with a 6.5' wing, her clothing iron and some clear Monokote...

After a dozen planes or so, I got the itch to try U/C. I built a Goldberg Whizard. Remember - NEVER bring your wife on a maiden flight of any kind. I had nobody to ask for help (this was also before easy Web access). The lines seemed kinda long "but if Goldberg says so, it must be OK". She held while I started. I run to the handle - "OK!! Let 'er go!". half-lap to take off, another half-lap with loose lines and me screaming,"Run away!! Run away!" It hit the pavement so hard it broke the cylinder off the trusty Cox.049.

*sigh* Being a diehard, I hied myself back to the LHS and bought a Fox .35 and Ringmaster. Taught myself to fly at the local Little League field, flying alone with a launching stooge of my own design. One thing led to another, and I've still got that Fox on a battle-scarred Sig Skyray and 4 Plastic Funtastics o- 2 1/2A and 2 .15's. If your dad wants to get back into U/C, these are the way to go. Absolutely indestructible flying wings made of foam and Coroplast. My boy, at 12, was looping on his 4th flight. (The fact that he was upwind in spite of my advice is neither here nor there - he can run fast). The 1/2A's are parts-drawer engines and the other two are a Fox .15 and an ancient McCoy .19 Redhead, both gotten off Ebay for like $15 total. I don't collect - I fly 'em.

The best advice you'll get is to go easy - start with a trainer and an instructor. Alternatively, start with a wee electric plane, no instructor, and be prepared to repair and spend more money. They're fear-inspiring when in the air.

When you're flying, you've got tunnel-vision. Remind me to tell you about float-flying one time. I was on my runabout, flying my Balsa USA Stik 40 off floats - fly flyf fly fly fly what fun - time to land, and I look around.....I had attracted a crowd of a dozen other boats or so - politely and evenly spaced for the cloest 1/4 mile in all directions.....I mean, I'm on a lake!!! I can land anywhere, right? *sigh* Yeesh.....

TallDude.

My Feedback: (2)

As others have said, I'd keep the P51 and get a High winged trainer and a instructor to learn with. There are a lot of good trainers out there (Tower Trainer 40/60, Sig Katet LT-40, and many electrics)