Is there such a thing as a beginers bi plane.
Had a look round the shops today, electric all look pants and there dont seem that many ic.
Any makers planes worth looking out for?

Thanks Lee

Not that I know of but could you please translate "pants" and "ic" into American? I don't understand these terms.
Thanks.

I assume that you want to know if there are any bi plane trainers. Plain and simple, no. If anything then a tiger moth. Bi planes are heavy airplanes that will lose altitude VERY quickly when in a deadstick (ie, no more gas in the tank and the engine shuts off). THe only way to land a biplane in such case it to point it toward the ground so it can build up speed and right above the ground, pull up elevator and hope the plane will land. I don't see whats wrong with trainers. I used to be just like you, looking for the coolest planes, and seeing if there was anything for beginners that fit that type. I was into biplanes, then multi engines, and all i had was a traienr, and BOY is it fun. Just get a cheep a trainer and go fly. Nothing beats the smile on your face when you solo. And also, nothing beats the frown on your face when you crash your new bi plane into the ground that isn't any cheaper then 150. Also, on biplanes, due to dual ailerons in some planes, roll rate is VERY fast, and will take alot of time to get used to. Try getting this plane: CHEAP, RELIABLE< Durable, and most important of all, FUN!

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCAS2&P=0

You'll learn to fly in no time, and then you can move up to the good stuff. ITs all just a ladder of experience. If you were to learn how to fly a real plane, you wouldn't start with a Boeing 747, but better yet a CEssna 150. Damn that saying was used so many times here in the beginners forum

First off with the translation, pants equates to crap and ic as in engine powerd flight as oposed to battery

I know it sounds silly, but I was mickey taking people down the hobby shop today for giving the same approach to helis as I am to planks.
People come in, look at the scale helis, wave the magic plastic then get shown reflex on a pc and given a chance to fly. Their faces drop and get shown plastic fantastic indoor helis.

Thanks for the advice and giving the better understanding of the bi plane flying charecteristics

And to translate a bit more, ic = internal combustion.

And I thought I spoke and understood English.

As the author, Bernard Shaw once said, "Americans and British are two peoples separated by a common language". A quote, I believe, from the movie "Patton"

Smoking a fag has has totaly difent meanings in both countries

I strongly recommend going with a basic trainer. Biplanes are a third or forth plane down the line from your first soloed basic trainer (this may not be your first trainer due to attrition). However, I disagree with Samalot, biplanes are no heavier or no lighter than any other plane. They do have more drag and this causes them to loose altitude quickly, when the fan stops turning. There are great basic trainers on the market now-a-days. With a basic trainer and a simulator, you will be flying solo in no time. Although simulators are sort of expensive, you will be money ahead if you put some time in on one

You got that right! So does getting stuffed. Or is that just Australia?

Speaking of which, why is everyone saying bi (one word) plane (one word)? Is the alternative a hetero plane?

daboo sailing,

I think you misunderstood me, when i say heavier. Look at a .46 sized trainer and a .46 sized bi plane. Same engine, half the size. THats what i meant by heavier.

Samolot

So let me get this right, a Bi plane has two wings and is not a male/female plane that dates both girl and boy planes[sm=confused.gif]
so bi planes are not covered in pretty rainbow colors
sorry guys i just could not resist

Samalot, The size compairison of a .46 sized monoplane to a .46 sized biplane does not necessarily mean the biplane will be heavier, and that is what you have stated. There are many aerodynamic factors involved here. However, in simple terms; aerodynamically, biplanes suffer from more drag due to interaction between multiple wings and the increase in induced drag from them! This is why they need larger engines for a given aircraft size and why they need to exchange altitude for airspeed, when the engine quits!

LeeG,
My first Bi-plane is a Waco YMF5 1/6th scale. It's a fun plane to fly. I have it powered now with a Super Tigre 90 2 stroke. I started with a K&B 61 in her. She flew minimally with the 61. I have become accustomed to flying Warbirds and thought I would try a bipe. Yes fellas, I actually have a civilian type aircraft. I hate to admit it, but I do. The first thing I learned is take offs are a little different. I don't allow her tail to come up until I reach flying speed, or she wants to nose over and back flip. That happened twice before I got the hang of it. The rest is a piece of cake. All I have to do to land her is line up on the final approach, slowly cut tht e power and she comes right down to the prettiest 3 point landings I ever saw. I have cast a lingering eye on the new Great Planes PT-17 Stearman ARF Bipe, but I have way too many planes in the almost being finished mode. I need another plane like I need another hole in my head. Besides, it is an ARF. Try a bipe...you'll really enjoy it. Good luck.

"Keep 'Em Flying!"
Flak

I was looking at park flyers, as a cheap way of geting my nerve back after having a crash with my heli.
Got fed up driving to the club after the crash, finding it was too windy to practice hovering and seeing the plank boys having fun.
So I got a trainer. Ready 2 with an irvine 53 straped to the front. Its been test flown by all the instructors down the club, they have had the thing doing loops to show how stable it is.
But after the crash all I see is £ or $ signs in the air waiting to go the same way as my heli. Even though I know that you have more chance of recovering a plank on an engine stall, servo failiure etc
Thats why I was looking at the lecy planes, something slower, less altitude to get used to the sticks and help stop the panic.

to make it worse, I love my modeling. projects waiting to be built over the winter period
Flair mustang 50 size
Flair zero fighter 50 size
Flair Focker Wulf 120 size
Ultimate 40
A 26 invader

At the moment Im like a little kid who has fallen off a bike and hasnt got the balls to brush myself off and get back on and ride again.
And Im looking at every way of geting back on that bike

You've chosen a tough bunch of planes to learn to fly with. Warbirds are notorious for dificult flying and the more scale-like the worse they are. PLEEEEEZE fly a trainer for a while. Get your ability up somewhat near your enthusiasm level.

---& just to help a bit more with the translation: Focker Wulf = Focke Wulf

We can spell the plane name how we want since the allied forces kicked German butt

You can spell anything any way that you want, but if you want someone else to understand what you are trying to say, it helps to spell correctly. You may also insult someone by incorrect spelling. Foker was a Dutch company -- they didn't build any "Wulf" types at all. During WWII, the Dutch were conquered, starved & generally brutallized by the Germans & they don't appreciate anyone suggesting that they contributed to their own downfall by building combat planes for Germany.

Focke Wulf was the German company that built the FW 190 (among other things).

I intend to get my ability level up useing the trainer and reflex. After the trainer I have a cougar 2000 to get plenty more airtime on.
There are a good few scalers down the club, who have owned and flown every kind of war bird.
The club secretary was surprised I had gone for an ultimate 40 instead of something more military like a tiger moth.
All the warbirds were sold by a shop at a show for between half to 2/3 of normal price. The Wulf normaly retails in the uk for £250, that was sold for £150. Which made it a good investment for a winter building kit

That sounds like a reasonable plan.

As far as bipes go the best is still your Ultimate, much better than things like a Moth or WACO if you want aerobatics.

Brittbrat, Ain't it funny how when you correct someones spelling, it can always come back and bite your posterior! Fokker is spelled with two Ks and not Foker as you spelled it! Given I have now corrected you, I have to have misspelled something in this note! Oh well!

This is how the importers spell the planes name, plus the spec on it. And I admit to poor spelling and forgetting to use the spell checker

http://www.flairdirect.com/Detail_pages/FW190.htm

Quickly wipes the sweat of my brow and gets back to bi-planes panicking about correct punctuation

The ultimate does look a stunning kit. Idiot proof instructions. Mine is made by Dave Patric Models.
Its got, IMO the best instructions out the lot with the detail on how to assemble, silly tips like using pins on the hinges to hold them in place whilst using glue.

Touch wood, in the next six months the ultimate will get used. My intentions are to use the ultimate as my main flyer.
It seems to be that the main planks flown down the club are low wing sport and they don't seem to have the character that war birds and and bi's have to me

Lee G. Pinning the aircraft's hinges is not a silly tip! It is a simple and cheap insurance policy against the bond between the hinge and wood they are supposed to be bonded to, failing. I have seen enough CA hinges fail without this simple FIX to know the strong benefits of doing so! Also, Dave Patrick is a world class competitor! Anything he could recommend to you, you should take note of. He knoweth from which he speaketh.

The use of the word "Silly" might mean something differant in "Brittish", if so, I appologize!

Damn I need an American terminology book or you guys need a translator for me
What I was saying was the instructions go to the level where even someone who has never built anything would understand.
All the flair manuals say glue hinge. The ultimate 40 manual takes it that step further by saying glue hinge using pins to position it.
It even goes as far as showing how to do the crimp connections for the tail and giving tips on doubling over the line and putting cyno (ca glue)and heat shrink on after. I meant silly as in simple/basic tips
I took my trainer down the club and asked how to make the tail crimps. If all manuals were that well written, rather than 2 pages of poorly photo copied instructions, building planes and helli's would be a breeze (simple)

Have I dug myself out the hole on this one

I'm also wondering about the dictionary used on this site. If its American English or the Queens English

One more question. I have an engine test rig coming, its made of wood. They recomend fuel proofing it. I had thought about covering it in cyno (ca glue) or is there something better to use?

One of these
http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk...Stand-1178.htm