I'm a member of Rocket City Radio Controllers in Huntsville, Al. Several of us began about the same time and experienced all of the same questions many new people have to the hobby. One day we decided to put the questions and answers in an article to help those who would come after us. I wrote this with help from others. Maybe this will help you if you are new and have the same kind of questions.

It was written with our club and field in mind, so just apply the concepts to your field and club. Click on the thread below and it will take you to the article. There is also a PDF version available so you can print the article for reading later.

PS- the info is really good for anyone regardless of experience. It never hurts to review the basics. Keep this in mind. There is always a difference of opinions on various subjects. The idea is to at least be thinking about the basics and then to develop good habits around them. Apply your club rules and decisions based on your environment. Have fun.

http://www.rocketcityrc.com/rcrc_rookie_tips.html

Thanks. I down loaded and saved the file for future reading. I'll be starting to learn how to fly in the spring after I put my trainer together.

Larry

Very good article, Roger. Thanks for posting the link.

Thanks, guys. Hope others will take the time read this. It's a long article, but good read for someone just getting started. I remember when we were just getting started. I hadn't learned about parson clips until I had almost lost a 1/4 scale airplane when the aileron connection to the Rx. started wearing a bit and the friction that holds the connectors together began to wear out. I was flying around, and then all of a sudden the airplane took what looked like a Rx hit. I got her down quickly. As I was taking the wing off to inspect inside the aileron wire to the RX. just came apart from the other connector without any friction hold them together. One of the guys at our club then gave me a Parsons clip, and thats how I learned about them. This 1.00 item could have cost me a 1000.00 airplane. There are so many little things that can make such a big difference in having a good vs a bad experience in our hobby. Unfortunately you can't learn it all in just a few visits to the field. It's a life learning experience. I know I'm still learning. This is the kind of information in the article that will help those of you who are considering or just getting into the hobby.

Roger - I still don't know what a Parson's clip is. Maybe a picture on the web page would help? I mean I have an idea what it is and what it does, but a picture would tell the story.

I just linked that page from this page on my site. I will probably link it from other pages later. I can think of at least two other pages on my site where the link would be appropriate. A lot of "experienced" flyers would do well to read and head that article - especially the parts about safety and being prepared.

http://www.airfieldmodels.com/inform...ips/flying.htm

Here is a page from TH that shows the pictures of what they look like.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXDT86&P=7

You snap them over your connectors to keep them from coming apart. Some people use electrical tape or waxed dental floss. All three work well. Parson Clips are just a bit faster to apply and they cost more. You can get them for most connector wires, Futaba, Jr, Hitec etc. The benefit of using these on the aileron connection is that they easily allow you to separate the connection after flying so you don't have to cut dental floss or remove tape. Shoot, when I was new I didn't use anything. If you think about it, this is the one connection that gets the most wear because we are constantly installing the wing and removing it each time we go to the field. Over a short period of time the friction that holds the connectors together wears from installing and removing and the connection will easily just come apart, as it did on my Giles. Luckily it was just loose, and I got her down without a mishap, but could have been a total loss. When you consider the cost, it's a minor thing that can make a big difference. I now use them on all my connectors when assembling.

Thanks for using this information on your site. Thats what it's for. Hope it will helps those that can use the info. A good bit of time and thought was put into the article. Not perfect, but hopefully it will at least provoke thought and questions for people to discuss with the more experineced people at the field.

Thanks Roger,

I'm now doing research and alot of reading before I buy my first plane. I already know a field and have friends in the hobby. You're article is great and brought to light many things I have not yet read about or heard. I'm going to print it out and save it for sure!

Mark

Very well written Roger! Congrats....

Jerry

Thanks Jerry and all those who have sent me PM's as well.

For those new or interested in our hobby who may have not checked out the article yet, here is just one of the topics that may spark your interest to read the article.

http://www.rocketcityrc.com/rcrc_rookie_tips.html