Salut!

Well I'm a real beginner. My first plane came yesterday as a gift from my wife. Its a Spitfire from VMAR, semi scale. I have no experience with model aircraft, but since my childhood I'm used to planes and flight simulators on PC.
It came already with a motor, brand OS, LA 46.

Now I will need to buy a RC and of course mount the bird... The big deal is that I'm from Brazil and nowadays living in France so I need a radio that works in Brazil. I read something about that the frequency needs to be 72MHz in Brazil. Any suggestions?

I found a lot of complains about VMAR ARF quality in this forum, but I saw that some people are still satisfied with theirs models from this brand. Well that was a gift and with very good intentions so i will keep my Vmar Spit...
I know that I will need an instructor to put this bird on air, and Im afraid that this is not a very good plane to begin... Anyway I think I will try. Do you think is possible to learn with a warbird?


Tx!

Merry Christmas and Happy 2003!

I just started in RC airplanes recently myself. I started with a Hobbico Avistar, which is a trainer type plane, and it wasn't smooth sailing. I have had a couple wrecks, recoverable, but wrecks all the same. I couldn't imagine starting with anything more difficult than a trainer. You might be able to pull it off, who knows. But you probably should start with a trainer. I also have been flying simulators for quite some time, but it just isn't the same as actually flying a model. My recommendation would be to keep the War bird for your second, or possibly 3rd plane. Get yourself a nice trainer to get your feet wet.

Allan

having a scale spitfire I can say this is not a beginners plane. they are fast, touchy, and difficult to get orientation (that oval wing throws you off) but they are fun to fly and look great in the air.

I would find a trainer aircraft and get an instructor to get you started. then move to a sport plane. I wouldnt really touch that till your 3rd or 4th plane, you can assemble it and get it ready as "motivation" though.

I too came to flight sims on the PC and RC cars so I picked up flying pretty quick. if you practice alot and learn quick you can be flying that thing within a year or less.

I dont know about brazilian frequency laws so I cant help you there. but im sure someone can help you out and get you started.

good luck.

Ditto! Thank the person who gave you the gift and say...

"Now I'll buy a trainer and learn to fly before I crash the nice plane you gave me".

I've heard of people moving mountains so any thing is possible,but I would put the plane in a safe place for now then find a club,instructor and see what type of radio's and trainers the other members are using then go from there.

Tx a lot for the nice advices!
I will start to search a good trainer to take with me to Brazil too ...

bye.

Hi again,

What about a good trainer in which I can use this motor OS La 46?? I would prefer something cheap

After a plane is mounted with motor can I remove the motor without damage to the plane and put it in another plane?

Tx again and sry about these very "newbie" questions

See ya!

I have a Hobbico Avistar, and it seemed to work pretty well for me. I think that the Hobbico SuperStar might even be a better choice for your first plane. The difference between the two is in the wing. The Superstar has a flat bottom airfoil which is more forgiving in flight, the Avistar has a semi-symmetrical airfoil, which is a little less forgiving, but a little more areobatic. I would think either of these planes would work. Another guy at our field that was learning at the same time that I was had a Sig Rascal 40. This I believe would be a little harder to learn on just because it is a tail dragger, vs. the tricycle gear on the Hobbico's. I would imagine any .40 size flat bottomed airfoil, high-winged style trainer will work. And yes you would be able to use your engine in the trainer and then move it to something else later.

Allan

A few other good ones to look at would be:

Great Planes PT-40
Sig LT-40
Goldberg Eagle

Are there any good low wing, tail dragger trainers? I have my first model, a Kyosho Bf109e on the way, but have been thinking more and more about getting a trainer first. I'm not interested in aerobatics at all, just warbirds. I can successfully take off, and land constantly the 109 in the simulator.

GigaPower,
All of the advice that I have ever received is to not start out with a warbird. If you have never flown a model before I would recommend one of the trainers that have been suggested above. As far as moving into low wing tail draggers, I think there are a bunch of good choices for your first plane. The Great planes Super Sportster 40is a good choice from what I understand. I myself am just now moving onto a low wing tail dragger. I am putting together a Super Kraft Cap 232 Sport. Mostly I wouldn't suggest going with a Cap for a second plane, but this version of the cap has a sport wing which from what I understand slows the plane down a little and makes it more stable in flight. Everything that I have seen about this plane, people suggest it as a good choice for a second plane. I have also heard mention that the Sig Somethin' Extra is also a good choice for a second plane, as long as you keep the throw rates low for your first couple of flights.

Oh well I have rambled enough. If any of my advice is bad, please, someone jump in and let me know.

Allan

Get a good trainer.
That spitefire will look like it was hit by ME 109!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I should say that I have flown before....about six years ago I had a park flyer that I was pretty good at taking off and landing. I got tired of it but never had the cash to buy something bigger(was still in high school).

I got on the RealFlight G2 simulator and was able to take off and land on my first try with no issues, so I figured I still have it, somewhat

Thanks for the Super Sport link I think I might pick that plane up as a "refresher" plane.

Keep something in mind about the advice we give.

Everyone is different.

Some people can handle something other than a trainer to start out with.
Most can not

Some people can go from a trainer to a warbird, or Super Sportster, or similar plane.
Most can not.

The advice we give here is given based on what we have seen over the years. And while it is true that the advent of simulators has vastly helped many people, they are still no substitute for real stick time.

If you think you are they guy who is the exception to the rule, and won't need much flying time before you are ready for any plane that comes along...
Chances are VERY good that you are not.

I don't mean to be discouraging, if anything I wish many more people would enjoy this hobby/sport. I just want newbies to have their feet on the ground and a good head on their shoulders (not in the clouds), and not expect to be flying aerobatic maneuvers within a week of their first flight.

We see this constantly here. People will ask if something like an UltraSport+ is a good "Second plane" because GP advertises it as one. The answer to that is: Yes, an UltraSport+ is a great second plane for someone who has a great gift for flying radio controlled planes, has tons of solo time on his or her trainer, and can make their trainer do anything they want it to.

There are a few people out there that fall into this category

Very few.

So the odds are, you are not one of them.

Again, I repeat, I do not mean to be discouraging. I am simply stating facts. It is wonderful that you are all excited about entering the hobby. Now calm down, read a few threads about crashes, then read a few threads about how many fingers were lost to spinning propellers this year. While this is a very enjoyable hobby and a very exciting pastime, it is also a very serious, and very dangerous endeavor. Please enter it with those things in mind and you will find that your fellow fliers and RCU members will treat you with the utmost respect.

For the most part, I think I can speak for many when I say that I would rather see someone take three years to learn to fly, but who has respect for the fundamentals of flying, and the rules and regulations of the club/field, than some hot shot rookie who can solo his first time out, or move up to a warbird in only a month or two.

MinnFlyer,

Trust me you advice is great.

I had a great experience my first time out.

I, like most, thought that I was gifted, and that trainer planes were for other people. I built my first plane from a kit. It's a Great Planes .20 size Cub, and it actually came out OK looking. I took it to the local club and asked around for someone to show me how to fly it. A few really great guys came over and "Ooh'd" and "Aah'd" encouragingly. They pointed out a few minor mistakes I had made, told me what a great job I had done, especially for a first kit, and offered to fly it for me. "Heck yea!!" I said. One of the senior instructors showed me the ropes of saftey, fueling, starting, tuning, etc., he explained what we were going to do before he did it, the whole ball of wax. Man, was it great! He took my plane out and made a big deal about how hard it was to take off with a Cub (especially a small one). He did a few ground loops (on purpose I suspect) and finally got it up. IT WAS GLORIOUS!!! My plane was flying!! I was hooked for life. We flew it a few times, and at the end of the day he took me aside and told me that he could probably teach me how to fly with that plane, but if I would just go get a proper trainer I'd be soloing in 1/3 of the time, and be a better pilot because of it. I was already hooked, and he convinced me that getting the trainer was the way to go, so I did. And to think, this guy had never seen me before, I wasn't a member of his club, I was bombarding him with questions, and he spent the better part of his weekend flying day helping out a complete stranger.

What a great hobby, and what an excellent bunch of people.

Frank

Evening gigapower,most of us pass on free advice based on our personal past experiences,some people are super gifted,because a few seem to have done 3D with an Ultimate the first time out.I'm not one of those gifted pilots. Started with a high wing trainer and sometimes an instruction,then went to a mid wing,then a low wing then etc. Even then the earth gods spanked me a few times,they show no mercy,even with over twenty years of playing,the earth gods are waiting. If you think you are ready for something other than what we suggested,then go for it and have fun,next time when some one ask's the same question you'll have an answer for them.

I talked to my instructor today, who happens to be my dads best friend, and he is going to let me use his son's old Hobbico .60 trainer until he and I feel like I am ready to risk my 109 in the air.

Hi gigapower,nice of him,the Hobbico is a good plane you'll get many hours of fun with this plane,glad to see you start this way. Keep us posted,please,thanks.

The difference between RC Sim and real thing? The engine doesn't die on the sim Good luck with the trainer...you're going to have a blast.