I am the newest newbie to the sport and am in need of dyer help. I purchase a Hangar 9 Xtra Easy 2 rtf and am having problems. This thing is like trying to fly a drunken sailor. This plane is unpredictable at best. Haven't had it for 2 weeks and already had to order a new fuselage for it. The first flight lasted about 5 seconds. It got about 5 feet off of the ground, it banked hard left and nose dived straight into the ground. After some gluing and some other repairs, tried it again. The second flight lasted alittle longer, but had the same outcome. About thirty feet off of the ground, it started circling left. I tried to compensate with power down and right rudder but didn't respond. Went into a nosedive and....well, you now the rest. Yep, CRASH!!! I've adjusted the sub-trim and travel in the radio and everything seems to be in proper working order.I really want to learn the sport because I love flying but I hate blowing money, so you can understand my frustration. I bought my son a Firebird 2 and can fly and land in almost perfectly. I just cant figure it out. Am I missing something or is this plane to advanced for me? Should I consider getting electric? Are they easier to fly than nitro? If someone could shed some light on this problem, I would be greatly appreciative. Thanks

Find a club or get an intructor, it will be cheaper to learn to fly.

hello,
if you are just learning to fly the best advise i can give is GET AN INSTRUCTER and join AMA and a club. if you dont at least find someone who can trim out your plane for you on the first few flights because it souinds like you need some trimming done and a newbie just cant do it very easy without experience with flying. i have been flying for a year and a half and still have someone else there to help me trim my planes.SO PLEASE FOR YOUR SAFETY AND OTHERS GET HELP FROM AN INSTRUCTER AND JOIN AMA AND A CLUB .

BASSMAN

Barn, it sounds like you need to seek out a local club and get some help. With glow powered planes things happen much faster than with the Firebird. With the help of an instructor you will probably solo in short order and save lots of $$$ in repair/replacement part. Besides you will make lots of new friends.

WOW you guys are fast! LOL

The best thing to do is GET AN INTRUCTOR!!!!!!!!!!! Also the Firebird Series is not a true trainor series. You would fly a Firebird XL almost completely differently than the Hanger 9 extra easy. Again the best advice when learned to fly true (in my opinion) R/C airplanes is to get an instructor

Like the guys said, find someone to help you.

Your biggest problem here is that on something like the Firebird, the rudder is all you have.

On the glow trainers, you have rudder and ailerons and elevator. When the wing dips, you use ailerons to keep the wings level and do most of your turning. Rudder is used a lot less.

Controling altitude and pitch is also very different, and you'll have to learn the relationships between the elevator and throttle and their effects on altitude and attitude.

Don't feel bad or discouraged. Your experience is actually typical for guys trying to fly glow trainers on their own. They usually don't last long that way.

It might also be worth your while to check out a simulator like the freely downloadable FMS or Real Flight or one of the others.

Oh, and the Extra Easy is one of the best flying trainers out there.

Thank you all for your quick response but the problem I'm having is the closest club is about an hour away(I've looked). My kids and my job really doesn't give me a lot of time to do much. Is there a plane out there that would help a guy in the dilemma I'm in?

barn,
i also have to drive almost an hour to get to my flying field but its worth it for the instructor, comradery and all the info you learn while there.and also worth not crashing a plane

as far as the kids are concerned i have 2 1 is 6 and the other 9 and i take them with me and have now got them interested in flying as well. and there are also other members who bring there kids and they play together.



bassman

Since you started on a slow speed electric 2 channel, going to an electric three channel like an Aerobird or a Sky Scooter Pro II might be an easier transition for you, especially if you are going to try and do this on your own.

If you join a club and get an instructor, then you should be able to learn to fly that glo plane.

Barnz,
Everything you described is exactly what the plane is going to, and is supposed to do. The left turning tendency is caused by the engine's torque, and others will add, prop wash and "P" factor, but let's not worry about it.

The remedy is adding right aileron once it's in the air. On the ground right rudder will help the plane track straight, in the air you need ailerons.

Ailerons control "roll" (self explanatory), rudder controls "yaw" (swinging the nose side to side), elevator controls "pitch" (pushing the nose up and down).

As Bassman mentioned; trimming the plane is a necessity, and one you'll have a hard time doing if you're struggling to keep it in the air.

An hour's drive to the field, at least until the plane's trimmed, and you learn to fly, is a small price to pay.

I would also suggest that you reconsider flying a glow powered plane anywhere other than a "club" field. The dangers are incredibly high if flying in a park or anywhere else the public can go. If you have at least ten private acres, maybe. Just remember that one of these can fly for miles if you lose control.

They have also, on a few occasions, killed people when they were hit by one.

Is there a plane that will help you learn more easily? Well, a simulator will help some, and as was just mentioned, a 3 channel electric may help (4 channel would be better), but all in all, nothing else you do will prepare you for the first few glow flights, because there's nothing that's really like it.

Good luck, and welcome to RCU and RC flying!
Dennis-

Go to the ama web site and do a search for contacts and clubs. Is Tinly close? It turned up on mine.

Thank you all for your help and quick response. I found a club w/ instructor only about 30 minutes away and its really cheap also(bonus). I'm going to learn how to fly this glow plane if it kills me. Thanx to all.

Barnz316