Where can I go to learn the "basics" of R/C Airplanes? Things like a schematic of the plane and it's associated parts, what to be careful of when handling your plane...basically the do's and dont's that a beginner like me needs to know.

Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

Thank You

You're here. What's your poison?

Visit our beginners section.
We have a lot of technical information for you to review.

Join a club, build a trainer (they come with plans) and learn with from the instructors in the club. You will make some new friends, learn a ton and have a lot of fun doing it.

You've surely come to the right place. We're all R/C plane freaks here. Also, go to a hobby shop in your area and ask lots 'n lots of questions. You should be pointed in the right direction. Best of luck and welcome to RCU.

The AMA has dozens of books on how to begin. Try as search on thier site for "basic"

http://modelaircraft.org/templates/a...deptname=Books

Tom

Yea!
Go to yer LHS!!!

My LHS is especially nice (They explained stuff to me for like 4 hours and did not get mad when I told them my parents will think about buying me one)

They were rewarded by their patience when I bought EVERYTHING from them.
(Good Customer Service = Someone Buys Something from Your Place)

Most hobby shops know this outstandingly obvious principle, so u can basically count on them telling you lots of stuff.

This place is acutally The Best Place for the most knowledge, but (no dis respect to anyone) it takes a while before people start replying (like 10 mins) which actually is not a lot of time.

Thanks for the tips and info guys. I cant wait to start flying.

Hey Hazmat,
What up with your nickname?? It hit home with me, Im an oil refinery guy!
Hey guy, go build you a trainer like a kadet (senior) several companies make similar versions with dihedral ( sloped upward towards each wingtip from the fuselage). Bigger is easier to see and fly, no more expensive when it comes to trainers. Follow the directions to the TEE. Dont skip, but read the instructions over a few times to get a clear picture of the direction you are being taken. Know what to expect while building by reading your plans. Dont glue ANYTHING till it tells you to or you may glue yourself into a corner. Use good glue CA and use plenty. Also If I had it to do over again I would get the Almost ready to fly version of the Kadet. It has ailerons and the kit does not. You need to save yourself a step and get a plane with ailerons. The arf in more expensive BUT it comes with almost everything you need to complete the plane. You buy a unbuilt kit you have to buy it separate and it comes out about the same.

Important basic things for building your plane
Balance
Symmetry
Strength
Tight joints
No shortcuts!
A good sharp xacto knife
plenty of pushpins
A good FLAT board to build on that will take pushpins (hollow core door, or something to that effect not plywood or dense woods) A big flat surface makes things SO much easier.
Find out about warps and bows and other twists in the wings, after/while you build you have to identify them and get them straightened out but its easy! Your control surfaces (wings, ailerons, rudder, elevator need to be straight with no bends, twists etc...


For you
patience
preparation
read the instructions
read the instructions
read the instructions


For flight
Join the AMA (required $58 year including a magazine subscription and insurance)
Find a local club and you will INSTANTLY make flying buddies, RC guys seem to pride themselves in helping each other

Join a club, and there will be no shortage of guys who will overwhelm you with help and advice. I went to two clubs and they called ME, inviting to help me learn to fly. I will eventually join both.
They will get you on a buddy box(a separate transmitter, you fly on with cord plugged into the trainers box. You screw up he takes it from you gets you straight and pushes a button that gives it right back to you. The only way to go!) If not that then get a simulator program, but I would not recommend anything less than a the buddy box.

Hey BigNed,
Thanks for all the GREAT info. It'll come in handy, because I am absolutely new to this hobby. I have a driver that's been flying for about 20 years, and he'll be my instructor (yes, definitely w/buddy box), but I want to be patient and learn all that I can from the get go.

As for the name...you're right, it did hit home with you. My Dad and I own a hazmat vacuum tank truck company that specializes in the oil and gas field industry. If it's hazmat, we haul it for the oil and gas field.

Again, thanks so much for the info BigNed.