I am new into this hobby and have just recently gotten a Hangar 9 Alpha RTF and I am looking at starting to fly it but what is needed in the field to get it all together? Any info on what a good field box consists of and maybe the prices too would be great. Thanks Alot! [&:]

12v battery
power pannel
Glow ignitor
electric starter
Fuel pump
Wrench to change glow plug

I think that pretty much covers the essentials

Go to tower hobbies on the net, its a good place to order from and has about the same prices of your local hobby shop to get an idea of the costs.

Ok cool thats great. Here is a stupid question but I have got to start some place. What does the power pannel and glow ignitor actually do. The rest is self explanitory but just a question. Also any recomendations? I am allways looking for help and info on this hobby.
Thanks Again!

The power panel just makes it convenient for your electrical components to connect to the battery. You hook the power panel to the 12v battery. Your fuel pump plugs into it with an on/off and direction switch. It has a place for your starter to plug in and it has a current meter/regulator for your glow ignitor.

Your glow ignitor is what you clip on to the glow plug of your engine when starting it.

i would also put in screw drivers, paper towels and a window cleaner for cleanup, extra glow plugs, and a voltomiter.

Plus spare props, spare fuel tubing, stopwatch/timer, electric screwdriver, spare screws/bolts, packaging tape

Just getting in to the hobby myself and I have found that this particular question is loaded with different possible answers. The real answer is dependent on how much money you want to spend, how much stuff you're willing to lug around and how much convenience you wish to have. When I started putting together field equipment I went off of a required equipment list that was shown. This was a bare bones, no fancy list with basically your fuel, a hand fuel pump, tubing to deliver the fuel, some low cost hardware to setup a fuel can with your pump and tubing, a 4-way wrench, a chicken stick and a 1.5V battery with a glow starter clip-on (assuming this was the intended setup). This all totalled less than $50. After doing some further research on what's available and coming to the realization that A) I like creature comforts and B) I don't really have a budget I have to adhere to (at least to the point where I don't have to penny pinch) that I could do a little bit better. So, in conclusion I'm still not yet off the ground but have spent an additional $150 on field gear and my current wish list over at Tower Hobbies has another $300 or so worth on it so far. These totals don't account for $200 for the flight sim. I'm also investigating other things so the price I'm sure will be going up.

The only thing you need is:
12v battery
Glow ignitor
electric starter
Fuel pump

i would reccomend a little more than that. my field box consists of a battery storage compartment, my wrench, power panel, clip on glow starter, emergency power-panel powered clip on glow ignitor, my fuel, my battery, and a bunch of stickers that say different stuff. i then in addition bring my tool box. this is my own personal field set which includes tools, (a full set of screw drivers, hex wrenches, socket set, box end wrenches, pliers, locking pliers etc) some spare parts, spare props, engine parts that i do not currently have installed, servos stuff (extensions, horns, screws, mounting hardware) control stuff (horns, pull-pull cable, crimps, pushrods, flexible pushrods, clevises both metal and nylon, bolts, nuts, locking nuts) bug spray, thread locker, several spinners, matches, solder, and a partridge in a pair tree. i can do anything but an engine or structural repair at the field, quickly and easily. that way i dont have to drive home for everything

Actually, all I had was glow ignitor, starter and fuel pump. I didnt' even have a battery! Used jumper cables running for my car.

There is a difference between what you NEED and what is convenient.

hey Cole, I have an alpha trainer I just got into the air the other day and all I had was a mechanical fuel pump, a glow igniter, and a cardboard box to carry towwls, window cleaner, extra props,(two blade 10x7) and extra rubber bands. I start it by hand very easily so there is no need for an electric starter for me. I also have a couple of screwdrivers to make sure everything is tight before flight time.

ONE MORE THING!!!!!!!!

The first flight on the alpha, the side pinstripes came off and wrapped around the elevator and almost took down the plane!!! if I may make a suggestion....... be sure you ether superglue the stripes or take them off like I did. You might want to glue most all of the overlapping monocoat to be sure it dosent come off during flight.

I think the alpha is a fine, fine plane to learn on.

good luck!!!

Joe

superglue wil craze the covering. just take a sealing iron and tack it down and it wont come up anymore. most people who start it by hand usually change their minds after several hours in surgery.