Go Back  RCU Forums > RC Airplanes > Beginners
Reload this Page >

Need advice- new to planes

Notices
Beginners Beginners in RC start here for help.

Need advice- new to planes

Old 04-01-2020, 12:20 PM
  #1  
Redcatmcd
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 8
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Need advice- new to planes

Good day everyone,
ive had RC cars, truggy's and buggies for almost 22 years. I have been wanting to get into RC planes. Now i live in Ocala Fl with lots of open areas i have the space to. However i am lost a i keep reading conflicting info. Planes arent like cars and want to get started right.
i was looking into the hobbyzone carbon cub s+ because of the size. The safe thing seems nice but i dont want that really. So here are my questions
what plane do you recomend?
If i got this sport cub, what prop and motor do you recommend upgrading it to. At least a better prop to extend battery life?
what radio system would you recomend for the BNF version of this plane.

Thank you
Michael
Old 04-01-2020, 06:11 PM
  #2  
52larry52
My Feedback: (1)
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Ocala, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

The Hobbyzone Carbon Cub S+ is a good choice. After you have learned how to fly you can turn off the "safe thing" as you called it. No upgrade is needed to this airplane. Fly it just as it comes. It has plenty of power, the supplied prop is correct, and the landing gear/tires (main gear) are also just fine with the oversize tundra tires allowing easy takeoffs from any cut grass runway. The optional flaps are not needed to fly but gives you an "upgrade" to play with after you have learned to fly. I have the previous version of this plane (the red and white one) and enjoy it. The newer current yellow and silver version has better main gear tires and different colors, but is otherwise the same plane. There are lots of RC flying clubs in the Ocala area. Join one, get instructions and they will have you flying in short order.

Last edited by 52larry52; 04-02-2020 at 02:36 PM.
Old 04-01-2020, 06:30 PM
  #3  
52larry52
My Feedback: (1)
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Ocala, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Redcatmcd, Oh, and I forgot to mention that the stock supplied 1300 mAh battery is also more than enough, no up grade required here but you should buy a extra battery so you can have one battery charging while you are flying the other. Mine was a bind and fly version as I already had a Spektrum DX7, so I know nothing about the TX that comes with the ready to fly version. If you're on a budget you might consider the ready to fly version with the TX as it is only $50 more. Not fancy but I bet it flys it. Good luck.
Old 04-02-2020, 03:04 AM
  #4  
Redcatmcd
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 8
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thank you, just ordered it .
Can i get a better esc that handles more amps so i can have longer flight times? If so o saw a talon 60a would this work in this cub? Or what do you recommend?
thank you
Old 04-02-2020, 04:10 AM
  #5  
BarracudaHockey
My Feedback: (11)
 
BarracudaHockey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 26,959
Received 343 Likes on 274 Posts
Default

Great group, if they are open (many are not right now) go see them
https://www.ocalaflyingmodelclub.com/
Old 04-02-2020, 07:01 AM
  #6  
init4fun
 
init4fun's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4,354
Received 49 Likes on 43 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Redcatmcd
Thank you, just ordered it .
Can i get a better esc that handles more amps so i can have longer flight times? If so o saw a talon 60a would this work in this cub? Or what do you recommend?
thank you
Truthfully , and I say this with no ill intent towards you whatsoever , I recommend two things ;

#1 , Get with that club Andy suggested to you ,

And ,

#2 , Forget all about any ideas you have of modifying anything at least till you've learned to fly it just as it comes out of the box !

The guys at Horizon who design/manufacture these things are pretty well educated on what it takes to make a good RC trainer airplane and right now in your case , in the Pilot/Plane link , the airplane in question isn't the weak part of the link , your lack of flying skills are . Again , this is NOT a dig at you , not a single person ever was born with the knowledge of how to fly an RC airplane , we all had to learn just as you will have to put the time in yourself to master the required skills , and doing so with an unmodified model plane that flies just as it should , should be your #1 priority .

PS , as to your thoughts of how to increase the flight times , I'll tell you this ; The only practical way to increase the flight time is to increase the battery's capacity , in other words a bigger battery . BUT ! , alas , a bigger battery that holds more of those precious electrons that keep your model in the air is also a HEAVIER battery , and adding any additional weight to a well designed RC trainer airplane will ruin it's docile flight characteristics . All other things being equal , making it heavier will require it to fly faster to stay in the air , and faster is the last thing a new pilot needs
The following users liked this post:
bingo field (04-12-2020)
Old 04-02-2020, 12:40 PM
  #7  
tedsander
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: White Bear lake, MN
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 68 Likes on 64 Posts
Default

init4fun gives perfect advice. Getting really down and dirty with motors, esc's and props MIGHT get you 15 seconds in the air longer. As long as you fly exactly the same way every time. A bigger capacity battery will do it, at the penalty he describes. Put you extra money into having 3-4 batteries, and a charger that can handle doing at least 2 at a time. Remember to take some downtime between flights to let the motor cool. Batteries also, whether just done from a flight, or potentially just off the charger. No extreme time needed, but running it again as quickly as you can is not good. Let touch be your guide. Slightly warm is OK, any more and let it cool.

The very best thing to improve flight times? Manage your throttle. Fly slower, and you can go longer. Frequently a surprising amount longer.
The following users liked this post:
bingo field (04-12-2020)
Old 04-02-2020, 02:29 PM
  #8  
52larry52
My Feedback: (1)
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Ocala, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Redcatmcd, Ditto to what was said by BarracudaHockey, init4fun, and tedsander. All sound advice, I urge you to take advantage of their wisdom. Unlike many electric planes of the past (10 to 15 years ago) this airplane is just fine as it is supplied, you don't have to "fix" it, it's not broken. It's really a well done aircraft, please just learn to fly it as is, you won't be sorry. Check on the AMA site to find clubs in the Ocala area to find the ones close to you.
Old 04-02-2020, 04:30 PM
  #9  
Redcatmcd
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 8
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by init4fun
Truthfully , and I say this with no ill intent towards you whatsoever , I recommend two things ;

#1 , Get with that club Andy suggested to you ,

And ,

#2 , Forget all about any ideas you have of modifying anything at least till you've learned to fly it just as it comes out of the box !

The guys at Horizon who design/manufacture these things are pretty well educated on what it takes to make a good RC trainer airplane and right now in your case , in the Pilot/Plane link , the airplane in question isn't the weak part of the link , your lack of flying skills are . Again , this is NOT a dig at you , not a single person ever was born with the knowledge of how to fly an RC airplane , we all had to learn just as you will have to put the time in yourself to master the required skills , and doing so with an unmodified model plane that flies just as it should , should be your #1 priority .

PS , as to your thoughts of how to increase the flight times , I'll tell you this ; The only practical way to increase the flight time is to increase the battery's capacity , in other words a bigger battery . BUT ! , alas , a bigger battery that holds more of those precious electrons that keep your model in the air is also a HEAVIER battery , and adding any additional weight to a well designed RC trainer airplane will ruin it's docile flight characteristics . All other things being equal , making it heavier will require it to fly faster to stay in the air , and faster is the last thing a new pilot needs
No offense taken, i greatly appreciate the advice and it will be taken to heart. Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond and ill chime back in, in a few months after i have some hours under the wings.
Old 04-02-2020, 05:20 PM
  #10  
init4fun
 
init4fun's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4,354
Received 49 Likes on 43 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Redcatmcd
No offense taken, i greatly appreciate the advice and it will be taken to heart. Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond and ill chime back in, in a few months after i have some hours under the wings.
For real , I'll bet your gonna love it , especially when you've flown long enough that the movements become second nature . Instead of the simple left and right turning axis of land based RC models your adding in the dimension of up and down , I know it sounds cliche but it's "A whole other world" of awesome once you master it . The great thing for you is that your RC car experience will help you with one thing , people brand new to any type of RC usually have a bit of a time building the reflexes to accommodate for the fact that the left and right turns become opposite when the model is headed toward or away from you , you've already mastered with the RC car the mentality of always picturing yourself in the Driver's (now Pilot's ) seat to counteract this so your already one step ahead .

Now , I don't know if your planning the self taught way , but if at all possible starting out with a club and instructor , even if you eventually end up flying with no club affiliation once you've learned , will save you some frustration and likely at least one or two trainer planes . There are a few common mistakes that almost all new flyers make that the instructor can educate you away from making , I learned way back (1960s) before there were such things as RC plane instructors and I ruined my obligatory share of trainer planes in my self education , something that you don't have to do now if you decide to use an instructor .

I knew after patching up the second plane for the third time that I just about had it mastered , and didn't crash too much more after that
Old 04-02-2020, 06:13 PM
  #11  
tedsander
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: White Bear lake, MN
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 68 Likes on 64 Posts
Default

Yep, I'm about of "that certain age" as init4fun. I think it was 4 planes for me before I got a real landing, and could do it again. Took a year or more between each one, between finances and the time it took to build from a kit. Instructor on a buddy box these days makes it SO much better.

Impossible to give a complete answer in this format, but take the time to read up on batteries/ESC's/Motors/Props. I'm helping a returning flyer through that curve, and as a couple of old fuel engine guys, we're learning a lot. You had the assumption that going bigger in one component might give a big boost in flight time.
Suffice it to say, with a given motor, there is a moderate range of propellers that will work with it. Just like gears in the car, they can provide more power, or more speed. The amps they cause the motor to draw can vary to some extent. This is where you'll see a modest change in flight times (those "seconds" I mentioned). It might be a bit more time, or a bit less So it is a balance of the three factors. The ESC then needs to be sized to be able to provide the amps needed. Going bigger here does nothing, except maybe allowing it to run a bit cooler. The battery too needs to be able to dump its power fast enough to feed the system. That is the "C" rating you hear about. Higher means it can supply it faster. But anything above what is needed is also not used, and therefore wasted $$ and weight (higher "C" means heavier). Volts are well, the volts. I'll skip the electrical theory, and here just advise that they should be what is specified. Going more very quickly gets you into "burn out your components" territory, without some very careful planning. Which leaves the amp hour rating of the battery - how big the fuel tank is. As noted, the bigger the tank, the more weight. After you get the plane, and can assess the space available for a battery, you might be able to upsize it a little. Maybe go from a 1300mah pack to a 1550mah pack. If you got 7 minutes with the original, the slightly bigger might go 8 or 8 1/2 min.(19% longer, since the capacity is 19% more). The weight may go from 4 oz to 5 oz. Doesn't sound like much, but it could make a noticeable change in the flying. And would likely cause a bit of a shift in the balance of the plane, that may or may not be able to be overcome. Depending on which way the weight shifted, it could cause a change in how easy it is to control the plane. Hence the advice to stick with what is supplied to start. You just don't need to deal with all the variables while learning. Once past that point, then it can be time to try changes.


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.