Im sure its possible but is it likely for a plane to go out of range of your remote and not beable to control it anymore? I am afraid that I might fly it a little to far and I wouldn't beable to turn it back around and it'd just fly off.

Yeah it is possible but don't be afraid!
Just make sure you can see your plane and you can see what you are doing with the plane. If you have an FM transmitter you can get a big big range. But even i with my AM transmitter and my t-hawk can control it when it is a little bit "too far" away too see it.

CU

don't forget that the installation of your radio has a big effect on range also!, try to keep the antenna as far from metal components as possible and avoid metal coming into contact with each other. If you have your stuff install right, you will definately have good range, out of sight range.

Chris

the question asked at every display, the answer. if you can see it you can fly it

For the typical major brand radios, the statement that "if you can see it you can control it" is correct. However, many of the parkflyers do have a limited range and I've seen many of them go out of control yet be quite visible. Whether or not you use FM or AM, the range is the same and determined solely by the receiver sensitivity assuming the same power out from the transmitter.

My old Boss picked up a R/C boat, The dang thing couldnt go more than 30' before you lost control!

oh yes Cartman built a Correx combat delta compleatly wrong, but hid a Hi-tec feather RX inside, 200' later and it was out of range and heading for the cliffs, only a big bush and 2" saved it from the rocks below.
I've got a GWS indoor RX in my Wattage Sabre and i'm very consious not to stray too far

Every plane I have ever seen that was out of range turned out to be low battery condition in either the trans. or the receiver.

Not likely that it will get out of range, but it can. One possibility of this occuring would be an inexperienced glider pilot getting too far downwind and not being able to get back to the flying field.

NIK, I have a T-Hawk also, I haven't had as much luck with mine as you had with yours. Stay away from hi-voltage lines, they will cause major interference, currently my t-hawk is down, waiting for 2 new servos after it tailspinned into the ground from radio interference.

OK thanks. I also have another question that dosent really have to do with this post, but if your about to try and land a trainer what are some common crashes? And how much are they to fix?
Thanks.

two most common... come in too slow, stall and break anything from wing to snapping the fuz, depends on height
come in too fast, if a tail dragger it'll nose over and you might bust the tail.
The "must do if your a newbie with a trainer" come in too hard, bend the nose wheel slightly then it'll never take off again and prop strike on every bump

how much would those repairs cost on a trainer?

Well if you do get your plane too far out, here's a guide how to bring it back......

In order to steer an R/C plane toward the pilot, the stick is moved in the direction the plane is headed. If the plane is drifting to the right, then the stick is moved to the right of the transmitter. If the plane is drifting to the left of the pilot, then the stick is moved to the left on the transmitter. This process serves to turn the plane towards the pilot at all times, and can be used bring the plane back to the field from a long distance, as well as, to steer it on the ground when taxiing back to the pits. This process works regardless of whether the plane ,d is going away from the pilot or heading towards him. At some time during the course of instruction the student should be made to experiment with this action to verify it and have confidence in using it.

The technique “STICK IN THE DIRECTION ITS GOING” is essential in bringing an airplane back to the field in the event it has drifted out so far that its wings cannot be discerned, its shape is not distinguishable, or it has become a ‘dot’ in the sky. In this case, the pilot must fly the ‘dot’. If the ‘dot’ (of and airplane) is moving to the right, then the stick is moved to the right and vice versus for the left direction. The ‘dot’ can be made to go up or down and turn to eventually return the craft to the field. The instructor should have the student pilot practice this control and become familiar with it. It can prevent an airplane from flying away and losing it.

“STICK IN THE DIRECTION ITS GOING” !!! CAUTION - all movements while flying the ‘dot’ should be very slight, otherwise, a tight turn will cause it to spiral in. Just a touch and watch for the response.

Hope you find it helpful...............

Range:

The only range problems I had were with a GWS pico receiver in the Tiger Moth. The plane suddenly dropped out of the sky from about 100' feet up and maybe about 500 feet away.

There was plenty of power left in all the batteries.

Luckily there was no damage to the plane as it went through some bushes on the way down.

I had to replace the receiver, apparantly the crystal driver circuit is very sensitive and may have been killed by the crash. Funnily enough, the new receiver, although it was the same type, had an aerial twice as long....


Bad Landings...

Someone at my field is just starting to do landings, and on two occasions now he's had to go home early because he's ripped his nose gear off.....

On my Sturdy Birdy my instuctor broke two of my props on consecutive flights on landing, he couldn't flare the plane properly and get the nose up, until I told him the elevator was on low rates....

repairs cost anything from a few turns with a screw driver, to a few drops of CA, to a bit of expoxy, to a bit of balsa, to a few hours work, to a new wing/fuz, to a windscreen for your mates car lol
you cant put a price on a crash untill it's flying again, i know most people quote an avgerage Heli crash with little dammage is about 85 quid +
take a look at www.philsrcworld.fsnet.co.uk/mycrashes.htm to see mine

The question that always come to my mind is: Why do people want to fly so far away? I like to see my airplane, not just some dot in the sky.

and learners are addicted to flying really high and right over head.
only time i stretch my eyes is when flying fast ones that need big smooth circuits or high dives

Beginners will freeze up and let the plane get too far away. When I teach I constantly remind them to keep it close. When you fly a "DOT" (not fun) the above advice is pretty good. Sometimes I fly my Old Timers into the clouds, I just throttle back with a touch of rudder and let it circle down.

thing's to remember from now on.
when it's coming at you move the stick to the low wing to level the plane.
the approach is the key to good landing's
first to remember is have the right altitude and line up coming in
thread the key hole.avoid sudden direction Chang's and slow pull up's and stalle's. if it's out of the key hole go around again.be-for it is to late to make adjustments's.
and crash's are expensive.and a morale downer.
happy flying
Rich AKA crash141
Galveston TX