Hello, I am new to this forum and would like a little advice. First off, I am very new to this hobby, but I am not new to airplanes. I am a crew chief in the AF Reserve working on C-130s. I was also active working on RF-4C Phantoms in Texas. I love airplanes and would love to get into this exhilarating hobby. Here is a link to a trainer [link=http://www.fieldshobby.com/planes.html]Hobbico SuperStar 40 Select RTF[/link], please let me know if this will work!!

Again, I am very happy to have found this forum, and hope to make many acquaintances.

welcome! Im new also and luckily found the forum like yourself. It's an excellent resourse. The Superstart 40 will definetly work. Have one myself and it's plenty of plane for my 1st year or more.

Good luck.

That trainer will work fine. Just be sure to find an instructor. Flying R/C is different than full scale. Not just the flying part, but there is also engine tuning, radio set-up, and other numerous tasks that an experienced R/C'ers help will prove invaluable. (and maybe save you a little money) Also, note the other required items that are listed on the link you gave.

i use to watch those c130s and b1s take off everyday while stationed in TX.
watching four after burners from the B1 during take off at sunset is a thing of beauty.
my father worked on the F4s during the vet. war. i guess USAF rans in our family.
i love airplanes.

the superstar is fine. join a club and get an instructor.
a SPAD type or Duraplane would also make a great learing tool.
Not as pretty but they'll survive better

Thank you for the quick responses. sdavied, thanks for the advice on engine tuning, radio set-up, etc. ActionVerb, leftnut, thank you for your advice also.

I used to your on the RF-4C at Bergstrom AFB. Wow, what an experience. I even got a back seat ride my last year there!!! We eventually retired them in 91-92....a shame.

Thank you for your service sir!

This is the greatest RC site in the world- I flew RC for 17 yrs but have learned more in the last 2 yrs from hanging out on this site!

The instructor is the greatest asset/tool you can have- also have you tried a simulator? They help a ton!

Welcome and have fun-
James

James,
Thank you for the kind words. I have not tried a sim, but can you recommend one???

Thanks, and I'm having fun already!

Phantomfixer-

Welcome aboard. You'll get a lot of good advice here. All the advice so far is good. You definitely should hook up with your local club to find someone to help you learn. I would then choose a trainer with the same brand radio that they use. For example, the Superstar RTF comes with a Futaba radio, I think. It will link via buddy cable to other Futabas. Alpha Trainers use JR and require a JR buddy box. You should find out what most people at your club use and choose accordingly.

I spent six years as a JAG at Little Rock. I loved driving by the flightline and seeing 80 C-130s lined up in rows and waking up to the hum of the turboprops in the morning.

-Scott

Here in Peoria, Il. the local ANG also flies C-130's. We are grateful for their service, and yours, and I will note that the Peoria group missed no missions during their stint in UAE about 18 months ago, largely due to the efforts of their fine maintenance folks.

Enjoy your SuperStar, and if you like, try the Great Planes Real Flight simulator, or AeroFly Pro, or the Dave Brown flight sim. There are others I have not tried, and I'm sure they will provide the same good practice. There are things you can learn on the sim which are necessary skills at the field.

Best wishes,
Dave Olson

Welcome phantom, and thanks from me as well for your service to our country. RCU is a great place with a lot of friendly people. And yes, you'll get some terrific advice, all you have to do is weed through all our opinions!

I agree with Scott about finding the club and instructor first, so that you can buy compatible equipment. Pretty much all the trainers out there today are equally matched in quality and the way they fly. And any of the top 4 brands of radio equipment are equally good. (Futaba, Hitec, JR and Airtronics.) The degree to which one brand is used over another seems to vary geographically.

Here's a link to the AMA site. AMA is a national organization that supports RC in the US, and most clubs require AMA membership to join their's. Primarily because AMA membership also buys you two million dollars in liability insurance (over and above any homeowners you may have).

The AMA site also has a "Club Locater" page. Plug in your Zip Code or state and get a listing of the AMA chartered clubs near you. http://www.modelair.org/

As for simulators, there are two real good ones on the market; Great Planes Real FLight G2 (about $200), and AeroFly Pro (about $140), and both are pretty close in realism. Aerofly is a bit better if you eventually want to learn to fly 3D, Real Flight is a bit better in some other areas. (I've had Real Flight for years, but if buying today would go with Aerofly, tough choice though.)

There are free and cheap Sims out there, but if you can spring for the cost, go with one of those two.

Here's a link to Tower Hobbies. Buy as much as you can locally so your hobby shop will still be there when you want them, but for the other stuff, Tower is well known and decent to deal with. http://www.towerhobbies.com/

Anyway, spend some time here and look around. There's more good info than you could read in a month, and ask questions when you don't understand something!
Dennis-

Hi phantomfixer, Follow the link below for a free flight sim that works well called FMS. There are tons of different planes that FMS fans have created for the FMS program. You can also find flight sims for $200.00 and up but the FMS is a great and cheap way to start. It will also work on almost any computer. On the radios, if you have a choice, look at either Airtronics or Futaba. JR buddy boxes require there own battery to work as a buddy box which is a real pain. The other 2 do not! Both work just as well but I like the way the rounded corners of the Futaba looked and feels in my hand so thats what I own. Hope this helps, Fast! I have also added a linkk to a page for some more free FMS planes.[8D]

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index_e.html
http://www.fh-augsburg.de/~gema/fms/site_engl.html

FMS is fine, for a free Sim. But it really won't teach you much other than which way to push the sticks when you're first starting out. Beyond that you need the "physics" written into a good sim like those mentioned.

With FMS you can not set wind speed and direction (there isn't any wind), you can't set wind gusts, or thermals, or a host of other parameters, and the planes just don't fly realistically. (Yes, I had FMS, have Real Flight, and have tried Aerofly Pro and the Dave Brown Sims.)

Just my 2 cents.
Dennis-

Hey DB., have to disagree with you on a few things. I think for starting out, the FMS works fine. Better to spend the money on a good engine and fuel and get in buddy box stick time. As far as comparing to real models goes, I downloaded a Hobbico Brightstar that someone made for the FMS. I found it to be "very" close to the real deal both in the way the plane flew, the way it looked and in the way it took off/landed. No flight sim can give you the same "big sky" look that you get at the field. Also takeoffs and ground steering are ridiculously easy and doesn't relate to trying to steer on a grass runway, even on the G2 sim. No there are no wind gusts in FMS but when newbies are starting out a few gusts isn't going to make a lot difference. They usually have the plane all over the place anywa! After you get lots of stick time and move on to low wing planes with sym. wings, and especially when you get into double taper sym. wings, again wind gusts don't really make a lot of difference. [8D]

Wow! I am honored by all the responses to my questions. I will heed each bit of advice!! I've always known RC hobbyists to be friendly, and you all have comfirmed it. While in Austin, Texas I would go to the local RC club to watch the guys fly. Within 15 minutes they had me on the members side of the fence showing off thier planes. We became so comfortable with one another, that after two weeks one gentleman asked if I wanted to steer his bird in the air. I quickly declined, as I like the way his plane looked...intact!
Same thing happened here in Hamburg, NY. Last weekend I stopped by the [link=http://www.theflyingknights.com/]Flying Knights of Hamburg [/link] airfield. After a few minutes a gentleman asked me into the members area where he proceeded to tell me about the Super Star. What a nice group of guys.
Again, I will heed the advice you all have given.
Thanks.

Phamtomfixer,
If you would like to fly before you buy, come to Lockport, NY and I will be happy to give you an totally free hour of sticktime on my trainer. That is all I do now is give flight instruction for the local hobby shop. I have several trainers always ready to fly and don't worry at all about breaking anything. Please don't wait as we finally are having summer, even though it's fall now.

We will throw in a free heli lesson whether you're interested in helis or not. lol

Take care,
Clarence C. Ragland
http://www.lighthousehobby com (add dot)

Wow Clarence, what a generous offer. I was at your field a few weeks ago watching the guys fly. My good friend is a State Trooper out of the station across the street. Every he's always calling to tell me when someone's out flying. Should I go to Lighthouse Hobby and ask for you?
Ken

Ken,
Joe opens up at 10:30, but you could give me a call anytime. We have a beautiful day today, so lets go flying when you are free. The grass on Day Rd. in Lockport is usually not short enough to fly, but the field at Krull Park in Olcott, NY is always ready. If you like, bring someone with you so they can either watch or fly too.

Take care,
Clarence
http://www.kites.org/rc_instructors

nice to see fellow Herk fixer on here. (retired Crew Chief-RC-130, WC-130,EC-130&slicks plus C-5&KC-135) you'll find lots to learn but plenty fun too.heed the advice about the club &instructor - worth MANY times the price.most of the ARF trainers fly well but there is some hair splitting you can do.ditto for engines.recommend books by Harry Higley(getting airborne etc . also if you can find it Learning to fly RC planes by john Carroll out of print but swaps may have it.(other wise can send you a copy)-not that you can learn to fly from a book but many valuable tips.

A GOOD CREW CHIEF CAN FIX ANYTHING-----WITH A PENCIL.