So I decided without my wife's knowledge to pick up the hobby of rc flying. I can see that there are literally a ton of resources here but I must admit I dont understand a lot of it and there is so much. I just ordered a cesna trainer rtf electric from bananahobby.com and it should get here Monday. As I start navigating this site and reading the articles I am sure it will start to fit but I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction in just one area at the moment. While what I just bought will surely do well enough for some time I would like to plan ahead. So with that in mind what would be a dependable 8 channel radio system for me to choose that won't break the bank.? Thanks for the help

You done already messed up! You gotta get the wife's support to be able to do this long term. I find that the occasional workshop project for her and flowers puts her in the mood to be ok with my taking over the garage with my planes.

As for resources, the beginners' forum on RCU has more than you'd ever want to know. For now, the only advice I'm going to give you is to join a club. You'll get flying instruction, plane inspections, and all kinds of advice from experienced modelers. The cost of membership will pay for itself many times over in the next couple of years.

Echoing what Jester says, join a club. See what radios they use and like. If you get the same kind, you can be instructed via a buddy box.

Oh, and definitely tell the wife. This hobby has a habit of boring a hole in your wallet and consuming a lot of space in the basement...

To be blunt and along the same lines as the other guys have said. You WILL crash if you try and fly without instruction. I've seen it happen and guys get discouraged. I've been doing this 31 years and really enjoy it. Would hate to see you miss out cause of a short cut.

David

The other advice I'll give is to look at how this can really fit into your life. Getting the wife's ok is only part of it, as the ladies in our lives are often the sensible ones who focus on the most important things while we fellas often focus on our toys. So work out your space needs, time needs, budget, and make sure that all fits into your lifestyle or that you can give something up to make it fit. Otherwise you'll wind up being another one of these impetuous guys who gets into the hobby on a whim, winds up with an unhappy wife and frustrated that this flying stuff is a lot harder than it looked, and selling off all your stuff at a big loss 6 months later.

Truer words were never written.
When the wife and I got together, we had a sit down conversation on do's and don'ts. It kind of went like this:

• She) NO storing racks of beer in the frig
• Me) Fine, haven't touched a beer in 3 years
• She) NO going out for drinks with coworkers after work
• Me) No problem, I usually only drink on special occasions anyway
• She) NO strip clubs
• Me) No problem, saw enough of them while in the military. Look but don't touch just doesn't make it worth my time, but now it's my turn.
• ME) I get to keep all of my tools
• She) No problem, as long as you know how to and actually use them
• ME) I get to keep and work on my toys as well as spend money on them as needed
• She) ONCE THE BILLS ARE PAID, THERE'S FOOD IN THE KITCHEN AND THE CARS HAVE FULL GAS TANKS
• ME) I can deal with that, just common sense.

That was 22 years ago. At times she regrets it but she's never broke her word and very rarely tells me no to spending money without a good reason. Don't think I could ask any more than that, especially when she never complained about me buying an engine that cost me $1300 for a gas model I'm building.

My wife and I worked out a "fun budget" about 15 years ago when we started actually having enough money to have a fun budget. It has grown with our income, but always follows bills and saving goals. We spend in such different ways. She doesn't have or want a hobby, but likes nice things. I trickle spend while she saves and wants big items. She buys the occasional outfit or electronic device, spends money on her appearance, gets the furniture she wants, gets the car she wants, gets to pick vacations, etc, and I buy airplane stuff as needed but not to excess. We're both considerate of each other and both postpone purchases when necessities need to come first. It's just basic adult behavior- put hobbies into their proper place and take care of necessities and long-term goals first. I find that just about anybody is ok with someone indulging a bit out of the family bank account when they take a mature attitude about it.

I appreciate the advise...lol I do plan on joining a club. Lucky for me a guy I work with is big into this. He gave me the club info and there is a nice location close to me that they fly. My biggest problem now is that I decided to buy a trainer on line without first speaking with him about it. BIG COSTLY mistake. No I didnt crash. Never even got assembled completely. I bought a cesna 182 trainer from BANANAHOBBY

Im sorry to say. As I learned only after I spent $258. The plane is mostly junk and so is this so called company. Didnt know they were a CHINESE front company selling slave labor cheap junk. The only thing that is usable is the 6ch transmitter. It looks like it will do fine for me starting out. Lesson learned. I should have known better but they got me. Im usually better at catching things like this but this one got me

That is why I prefer to build from kits or plans, depending on what I'm planning on doing. I would have recommended building a Sig trainer, either the Kadet Sr or Seniorita being my first choices. Not so sure I'd trust the radio gear that came with the plane you bought either, considering you have already determined the rest was junk. You might be money ahead looking at a Futaba or Spectrum as they are known to be reliable as well as having been on the market for, in the case of Futaba, several decades. I'm sure many would agree that one place you don't want to skimp on quality is your radio gear. What you need to remember is that once your plane leaves the ground, only your radio will get it back on the ground in one piece and, if that radio is trash, your plane probably will be too.

You don't get much for $258. It's probably worth what you paid and will probably fly fine when trimmed properly and flown from an appropriate runway.

I agree, I would take it to the club field ( after getting your AMA ) and see if somone if not your work buddy to trim it out and give you a lesson with it. Get as much use out of it while you plan your next purchase. When shopping for a radio it's best to see what is in use locally and get something that is buddy box compatible with what most guys are using especially whomever you can commit Tom being your instructor. While selecting an instructior choose wisely and only take direction from him ( to a certain degree ). Listening to several conflicting methods just tend to confuse and get your instructor defensive.

Just went to Tower Hobbies website looking at 6 channel radios and found the following:

• a baseline Futaba 6J computer radio with a receiver is $200
• a telemetry equipped and more capable Futaba 6K with receiver is $250
• a telemetry equipped and comparable Spectrum DX6e with receiver is $250
• a slightly more advanced telemetry equipped DX6 is $260 without a receiver
• a WiFi/USB ready and even more advanced NX6 with receiver is $370

There are other brands out there but my point is if only one name brand radio I found at Tower is less than what you paid for your plane, including the radio, how good can the included radio system be? I paid more for my now discontinued Futaba 4PLS four channel telemetry equipped surface system I use with my boats than you paid for everything as well.
I do honestly hope that your plane and radio work for you but I would also suggest you CONSIDER upgrading your radio gear if you get a second plane.

As long as it range checks ok the radio will be fine for now. I agree with others though; if you're genuinely interested in this hobby, invest in a good radio. The way you can customize the feel of your plane is so helpful with the computerized radios.

Looks like I missed something when I was typing up my last post. I missed the question about 8 channel systems. The $250 Futaba 6K V2 is actually an 8 channel system that you can look at here:
https://www.towerhobbies.com/product.../FUTK6100.html
Spectrum has four 8 channel systems to choose from:

• The $400 NX8 system https://www.towerhobbies.com/product...r/SPM8200.html
• The $350 NX8 with no receiver https://www.towerhobbies.com/product.../SPMR8200.html
• The $330 DX8 with no receiver https://www.towerhobbies.com/product.../SPMR8000.html
• The $290 DX8e with no receiver https://www.towerhobbies.com/product.../SPMR8105.html

As you can see, with all but the most expensive Spectrum, you also have to buy a receiver of which Spectrum only has two 8 channel choices:

• at $80, the AR 8020 https://www.towerhobbies.com/product...PMAR8020T.html
• at $115, the AR 8360 https://www.towerhobbies.com/product...PMAR8360T.html

There are more 6 channel options as well, if you want to go that route. You would also have to get a receiver battery pack unless you are running an electric motor with an ESC that has a battery eliminator circuit to power the receiver and servos. Some of the transmitters I listed above come with rechargeable battery packs, some use AAs, something else you need to look at

Although it never gained the popularity it should have, the Hitec Aurora 9 channel TX is a great performer. I've been flying them for 8 years now. They come up in the RCG classifieds from time to time for $150-$200 with either a 7 channel or 9 channel RX. Some guys hate to buy used electronics and I can certainly understand why but the two I have bought since they discontinued them were in great condition. Hitec does and will continue to service them too.

Well I pulled the trigger on the

Freewing Pandora 4-in-1 Blue 1400mm (55") Wingspan -.

sorry that copy and paste thing went wild. bought this based on 2 major things. first its made by Freewing and as I understand from the forums that company is one of the best. Second was that the plane is literally 4 planes in one. going from tricycle landing gear to tail dragger and from a top wing to bottom wing .. all in one. Seemed like a logical way to go. Then I bought the spektrum nx6. I was considering the idea of a radio for the semi long term. Seemed like this model would do me best with that idea in mind. Got a good price I think at $360 including the receiver. I figure the plane would do me for some time as I learn each aspect of it. Assuming I dont plow it into the ground...lol And I thought the radio would do fine for a few years until I eventually get into the 8 to 12 channel needs.. If ever...

Im sorry the dx6 was $260 not $360

And the wife is onboard with it so Im good.lol

So, when does your plane get to "spread its wings"? Curious minds would love an update

I should be getting the radio today. The plane I think tomorrow. In order to fly the cheap chinese plane I needed an adapter to the battery to go from a deans plug to a t60. I ordered it from a local hobby store but it wont be here till at least Thursday which is like a week and a half wait. I will probably take that plane on its maiden crash this weekend. lol. Im just going to a park with it. With the new plane set up thats a different story. I plan on joining the local club and get the AMA license and then go out with the club and get hooked up with an instructor. Luckily the guy I work with is HUGE into this stuff so He is going to be a big help. The only hard part to swallow is the cost of the license and membership fee. Its a bit steep I think. About $130 every year. Not so much the club membership but the AMA part. Cost of doing business I guess. I do understand why and it is a good idea.

Nice, so has the #1 "Boss Lady" agreed to take pictures/videos yet?

Well I dont know yet. Right now Id say the answer is no. In the dog house..lol. but I should be in the clear by the weekend...lol...

FWIW, club membership is the best investment you can make as a new pilot. The instruction alone will save you at least one airplane, so it will pay for itself that way. Then add in having a proper flying site and people all around to give guidance and answer questions, and you're making money.

You know I see these videos of all these incredible planes flying and some of them crashing destroying what has to be thousands of dollars and endless hours of assembly and I think these guys have to be really really good at this to be at this level. And yet some still crash. Makes me think that no matter what you do or how good you are and how much you know, it still happens. Kind of a real bummer just thinking about it