summerwind

i posted here because i haven't flown in over 15 years........up to that time however, i had flown just about everything from pylon racers to giant scale........my recent return to the hobby was after i took a look at Tower hobbies and saw all the new ARF kits, mainly the GP Super Skybolt ARF. needless to say, i have one with an OS .91 surpass II ready to go, but have suddenly gotten cold feet.
my thoughts are to get the Tower Trainer .40 MK II ARF and practice with it for a bit before jumping back into a model such as the SS.

what would you do, and please suggest something else if you think i'm going back too far for training.

oh, i also got the G3.5 simulator for practice, but i don't know if that's enough.

thx
-mike

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

You could buddy box the Super Skybolt and fly it with a buddy who is able to help you get your flying legs back underneath you. You could also go with a more aerobatic plane than a trainer like a Big Stik, Easy Sport, Tiger 2/Tiger 60, or a Four Star before you tackle the Super Skybolt.

Your old flying skills should come back fairly quickly, but caution is a good idea while you're knocking the rust off.

Then again, buying a trainer and donating it to your club's training program when you're done with it might be a nice gesture as well.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Summerwind,
Welcome back to the hobby. If you have Realflight I would use that and buddy box at the field. If you still don't feel comfortable then get a trainer and get some time with that. But you may suprise yourself just how fast the skills come back. It's like riding a bike, you never forget. By being on a buddy box you'll have that safety net of somebody to take over. Or another option is see if there is a club trainer availble. Explain your situation and I bet they would be more than happy to give you a flight or two on it to knock the cobwebs off.

Hope this helps

Ken

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Mike, I returned to flying after a bit longer break than you. It came back to me very, very quickly. I probably would have soloed the first time at the field if it weren't for engine issues. As it was, I only need about 8 flights, with a significant number ending in deadsticks, to prove to myself, and the instructor, that I was ready to be on my own again. If I had bought a trainer, it would have had very little use after the first week or two. While I'm not sure I would have chosen a Skybolt to start over with, in fairly short order, everything will come back to you.

Campgems

Mike, welcome back. I'll second the motion on the Four Star. Go with the 4*60 and use it to break in th 91 surpass. That is a great combo. It you want, you can get an ARF, or it is a realy fast build kit. Personaly, I like the kits. I'm just ready to start building my second one, my first had a really hard landing, spinner first.

The four star was my second and a half plane. I had rebuilt and ended making a stick fuselage to replace my crumpled trainer. I ended up doing my Solo with the 4*. It is just a great flying plane. I made a couple changes, IE tapered aileron vs the flat sheet ones and I also used a different tail wheel mount. This next one is going to have some more mods, mostly cosmetic. Great flying plane, can't wait to get it finished.

Don

Hossfly

Summerwind, with your experience I think bigemustafa hit the nail on the head. Either buddy up with someone on a big bird type for a few rides or just get a Big Stick thing or such and have a toy to keep around for fun-flys.

Half a dozen trips around the circuit and you'll be back in stride.

Go for it!

summerwind

hey thx for all the replies..................my only problem with buddy boxing is that i am a born and bred Mode I flyer................tried to go to Mode II some years back, cost me a new Wankel and an Ugly Stik.........never do that again.
i like the idea of the trainer and then donating it to the club, but the Big Stik and a .46 looks like it'll see much more action, and is still a viable bird for donating purposes.
of course the Stik and engine is double the cost........so i just gotta decide on which Stik (isee the ultra Stik is popular too) and engine.

bruce88123

That's no problem. You should be able to find an instructor who can handle YOUR mode 1 TX and find a buddy box you can set up for mode 1 for a few flights. With your experience you would probably only need it for a weekend at the most.

summerwind

well gee wizz, i guess i'm older than i thought..............since i have a couple of OS 91's i bought for my Skybolts, i may as well get the GP Big Stik 60 size eh?
it'll serve as a test bed for the engines, but i would also like to equip the Stik with some no so expensive servos............looking at the 3003's and the 3004's show the same specs.........does one center better than the other?

and please give your input on the 3001's and the 3010's

summerwind

never mind answering about the servos...........infortunately i have 2 of the 3004's and did a test with a long pointer mount to a servo wheel. the play in these servos keeps them from ever hitting the same spot twice.
i'm going all 9001's for all my birds, even throttle.

kstick

I think Hossfly is right on with his recommendation to get a stick to bring back the old muscle memory. In 2005 I returned after 16 years. I started out with a Super Stick and did three buddy box flights with the club instructor. It came back relatively quickly. Took off and did several touch go's on third flight and then was turned loose.

I also had the club "test pilot" maiden my next couple of planes and hand me the TX in the air as I felt I might be out of practice on reacting correctly fast enough if the new plane flew strangely. Since then I maiden my own (6 so far).

Wayne Miller

Hi Summerwind,

I fly Mode 1 as well. I should let you know that all the new transmitters (of the same make) are set up so the channels are the same whether Mode 1 or Mode 2. That is, JR will work fine with JR, Futaba/Hitec will work fine with Futaba/Hitec. The reason that JR will not work with Futaba/Hitec is because the channels are assigned differently between the manufacturers (on JR channel 1 is throttle, not so on Futaba/Hitec).

This means that if you "buddy box" a Mode 1 to a Mode 2, with the same transmitter brand, they will work fine. As always, the master pilot will have to have his transmitter frequency the same as your receiver, and have his transmitter set up so the control surface direction/distances are the same.

If you want to mix master/buddy transmitter brands, Horizon (or Hangar 9 ??) make a conversion "buddy box" cord that will allow JR as the master and Futaba/Hitec as the slave (buddy). It automatically switches the channels in the cord.

Picking up a Great Planes Big Stick 40 or 60 is a great idea, they are fun planes and fly like the old Jensen's Ugly Stik.

You may also want to look at picking up a flight simulator for your PC as suggested earlier, it helps in practising before you head out to the field, and crashes are much less expensive!

Hope this helps.

Fly4Fun,

Wayne Miller

LuftwaffeOberst

Welcome back!!!! Our club just had a guy return after 30 years, he had to learn all over again... but he quickly got his skills back. He said that this hobby has really advanced through the years. He never heard of ARF's in his day... and some of the engines had the spring starters and most available radios were only 4 channels... and some of those were kits. [sm=lol.gif]



Luftwaffe Oberst
Radio Aero Modelers Club
AMA #856404
Pulaski, NY

summerwind

got my Stik in the air today, and was also my first flight in 15 years.
this thing literally flew out of the box. the only trim i had to give it was 2 clicks of up elevator, and that was it. you could say the it was so perfect, that i'm curious as to why i needed any up trim, but i will gladly live with it.
the plane is a ball to fly..............i powered it with a Tower .75/12x6 TF prop, and flew it at half throttle, which was more than enough power. landing was a 3 pointer.
excellent intermediate plane, and many thx to all those who gave me the advice on getting it.

bruce88123

Great news.