My instructor has told me that I need four pieces of equipment (I am a newbie). He said I need a field charger, a buddy box (I use a Futaba 6 channel EXA computer radio), some sort of contraption that you stick in the ground and it keeps the plane from moving forward when the engine is running, and a timer (twice today we flew the plane - a Sig Kadet LT-40 - at almost full power for the entire flight - we were doing aerobatics - and we ran the tank dry. [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]Once we deadsticked back to the field [sm=thumbup.gif]and the second time we had to put it down at very low speed and deadstick in some tall grass next to the field [sm=thumbdown.gif]- no damage[sm=biggrin.gif]). What brands, models, suppliers, etc. would you recommend? [sm=idea.gif]

As always, thanks everyone for the help.

Michael,
While helpful, all of the items on your list can be done without. But don't worry, they aren't all that expensive. Here's what you need for what you asked about.

1. Field Charger. You can get by without this one, but it is a flying session saver. It will let you recharge your plane and transmitter quickly at the field. So instead of getting 2-3 flights a day, you can recharge and keep flying. Hobbico makes a great one that will recharge just about any battery you have at the field, and it cost $44.99. You can find it at Tower Hobbies here: [link]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCTZ5&P=ML[/link]

2. Buddy box. You can buy this at Tower Hobbies, but I wouldn't waste money on it. Most LHS will rent you a buddy box for the time you are training. Or check with other people at the field and see if any of them will "loan" one to you. A buddy box can be any "plain jane" sky sport 4 channel Futaba radio. The funny thing is that most instructors I know all have the buddy boxes that they use with their students. I have on for every brand of radio out there.

3. Contraption to hold the plane. Tent stake and a piece of rope. $2-$3 at Wal-mart. Simple, cheap, and gets the job done.

4. Timer. Less than $10 at Wal-mart. Look in the cooking section for a digital cooking timer. Cheap and easy to use. Take your plane, stake it down, fill the tank, and run it full throttle on the ground. Time how long it takes you to burn the tank of fuel. Then set the timer for 30 seconds to a minute less when you are flying. This will give you some leeway to get on the ground when the timer goes off.

The field charger is going to be the most expensive on the list, but the rest are pretty cheap.

Hope this helps

Ken

Well . . . your instructor is pretty accurate - but this entire conversation is a classic case of personal opinion...

#1. A "Field Charger'; is not required unless you show up at the field with an uncharged plane or transmitter and you want to fly. OK Pop the hood of your car do a quick charge and away you go. However; if you are a regular flier (A working sort of guy that flies on weekends etc) you charge up the plane the night before and you have NO PROBLEMS - or need for a field charger. IMHO. [8D]

#2 A "Buddy Box"; is an invaluable tool - while learning. Once you have soloed it is a usless item. The local club that you belong to should provide one (that's the way it has been in all the clubs that I ever belonged too). [8D]

#3 "Some Sort of Contraption to restrain the AirCraft ... " Buy a 6-12" Screw driver, stick it into the ground, get 6' of 1/4" nylon rope tie a loop on each end of the rope, put both loops over the screw driver now loop the main length of the rope over the Rudder & Stab - the plane is now secured.

#4 "A Timer"; $3 - 5 at the local hardware store in the kitchen accessories section will buy you a great little digital timer it will count up or down and beep at you most annoyingly when your time has expired. Set it to a time that is less than your fuel load and land shortly after the alarm sounds - this will prevent dead stick landings.

1.) Field Charger: $44.99

Or, a second set of batteries for your plane and radio: $49.98

2.) A buddy cord ($10.99) allows a second radio to serve as a buddy box. No real need to buy a full "dummy" buddy box.

3.) I use a bayonet and six feet of 1/4" cord. The bayonet has an "eye" to tie the line to and I slip a spliced loop on the end over the handle. The splice slides around the empennage when I turn it loose.

4.) Good excuse to buy a Futaba 9C. ;-) Or, a kitchen timer, Casio or Timex watch, or stay three mistakes high and land 'em dead stick.

I use a small digital kitchen timer that I got at Radio Shack 15 years ago. I think you can find them at the grocery store. They are small and you can glue a clothes pin on the back and clip it on your antenna. The cool thing, they count down and then beep. So you don't have to keep looking down at them, the audible alarm allows you to keep your eyes on the plane.

The entire list is optional. You decide if you want that stuff.

Good idea on the clothes pin timer mounting! Think I'll do that myself. [8D]

somegeek

Small suggestion:
When you look for a field charger, try to get one that has both the normal crocodile connections (to connect straight to a 12v battery) but also try to get one cable for it that have a cigarette lighter plug.
I have a Futaba C-2000 charger and it's perfect to hook up the radio + plane to the charger and then plug it into the cigarette lighter outlet inside the car.
This way I charge my stuff while driving to the field and never have to "pop the hood" to access the car 12v battery...Very convinient!