OK I've never flown a RC plane, so it's gotto be a high wing right? But what if I fully understood the physics of flight due to revision, and spent hours of simulation (LOMAC, not RC simulation)

Although RC simulations cannot be compared to the likes of LOMAC, I'm wondering if I spend enough time using Aerofly whether or not I'll be able to get away with flying a low wing as my 1st plane.

Having looked into RC plane crashes, IMO it would appear that pilot inexperience, wind, battery memory, equipment failure, and incorrect settings seem to be the likely causes of most crashes.

The cause of most crashes is human error. The tendency to blame anything else is human nature.

I have smushed three models beyond repair since 2002. All three were my own stupid fault. (One was a mid-air, but I take 50% of that as neither pilot had a spotter).

A high wing with dihedral will tend to fly level. A low wing will tend to flip on it's back to become a high wing - but then with no or opposite dihedral so it's not even really happy (aka static) then. Low wings are much more maneuverable - so a little error becomes a fatal error very rapidly if you input the wrong command (VERY common when starting out) with no help from the model to self-correct. A model flying at you will seem to be behaving opposite to control input during the first 20 flights or so. Survive them and you're on your way.

Pilot error is the number one cause of crashes. I'd venture to guess at 85% just based on what I've seen and experienced?
A low wing plane will not have the same self correcting habits of a high wing trainer, and a new pilot will make lots of mistakes and need all the help he can get. Can you do it? Probably. If you have good reflexes and a good instructor, and the RIGHT low wing plane, such as a four star, or tiger 2. Is it the best way to do it? Probably not. The high wing box trainer has been around for so long and is still used so often for very good reasons.

The best thing you can do is go to your local field and look for an instructor or someone who might give you a few minutes on a buddy box to see for yourself what the difference is. Even the slowest most forgiving high wing trainer will be all you can stand for the first phase of flight training, and your skills will benefit from the experience and confidence it will build.

I think the reason for recommending a high-wing 'trainer type' of airplane is because they are more 'stable' and are easier to fly for a newby.
For example, with the wings bowing up at the wingtips (dihedral) if you get into a problem the plane will more likely right itself when letting go of the sticks. Low-wing planes are not as forgiving.

Find a club and an instructor and let them decide if you should start with a low-wing. The best way to find out is to fly one - with an instructor.

Also, LO-MAC will help you a little but may hinder you alot too. From within the cockpit you may understand left/right, etc but when you are on the ground it's different. I used to be a flight instructor and it took me longer to learn to fly RC than most.

Also, I think Lomcevak Duck hit on it when he mentioned confidence. If you crash early in your exposure to RC you are more likely to quit the hobby.

Good luck and welcome to RCU!

If a person utilizes a good instructor, a low wing trainer like the 'Hangar 9 P51 PTS' might work for a lot of new pilots.
In the US, many AMA chartered clubs have volunteer instructors so the instruction is free.
You might check the BMFA site (http://www.bmfa.org/) to see if it's the same in the UK.

No matter how "good" you are on any simulator, flying a real model is different.

Our club is repleat with real world pilots, some of whom have flown full sized airliners for many years after coming off of military service.

They all say the same thing, that "RC aircraft are a humbling experience!".

No Lomac is not a good substitute.

Even the best RC Simulator will NOT give you the "memory muscle" needed to extricate yourself from a wind gust that blows a wing over quickly.

The RC sims are great at teaching orientation, but there is no substitute for getting out and flying with a buddy box.

There are too many other variables in the real world...

A first time pilot will not be able to trim his plane out during his first flight...

He may have the plane set up perfectly, as per the directions, only to discover that he is completely unable to control it at takeoff.

You do NOT want to be learning how to trim out an errant plane, WHILE you are beginning to learn how to fly RC craft.

You also need instruction on those things that you'll only pick up while out at the field.

I've seen many people say ( rightly ) here, "If you wish to go it alone, get a plane, build it, then stomp on it, you'll save yourself a lot of time and grief this way with the same end result.".

I don't know how it works in the UK, but here in the states we have a lot of latitude in how we introduce people to flying. If you were at the field where I fly, I would offer to let you have a few minutes in control of my training plane, with the student transmitter setup. I would remain on the master transmitter, prepared to switch control to myself when needed.

Check with a club, if you can find one nearby. You may get the opportunity to evaluate for yourself what you want to fly first.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

You can train with a low wing sport plane, particularly if you fly with an experienced instructor on a buddy box setup. It won't be quite as self-correcting as a high wing plane, but it can be a very managable setup for a primary trainer. Many low wing planes will slow down and land as easily as most high wing trainers.

I would highly recommend the Goldberg Tiger 2 as such a low wing sport plane.

Good luck, and good shopping.

real flight experence isn't the same..yes you can learn on a low wing, that would be up the instructor that you indeed need

From your post it sounds like you have no intention of getting an instructor so all bets are off high or low wing.
Trainers are easier to fly for a novice but far from crash proof. A low wing plane will be much less forgiving.
An instructor will save you time and money.
As far as crash causes? You read alot about mechanical and electrical problems causing a crash, most of these claims are BS. people have a tendency to blame anything other than themselfs and veteran pilots are even worse.
Yes these things have caused crashes but not as often as they are blamed for.

Agree 100%. I maidened a Goldberg Hot Stik and, although I had carefully balanced it laterally and longitudinally and set the control surfaces to null it was badly enough out of trim that I was afraid to try trimming it in flight even at the low rates (which weren't low enough) as I was holding 1/4 aileron at low rate to keep her from rolling badly. Granted, a trainer doesn't have wild throws (unless an instruction manual was not followed - and that NEVER happens) but it can be fatal for a newbie (or oldbie) to release the sticks or look away from the model for a heartbeat. I brought it around (twice -one wave off) and landed it to do my trim follow ups.

Not being able to trim the model is what killed my first attempts at 4-channel powered R/C in the 1980's. No fun cartwheeling and rebuilding a model only to repeat it with a worse off and heavier model from repairs each time.

If you fly with buddy box and instructor you can learn to fly on any type of aircraft.
A sim is no substitute for an instructor, either in full scale or models...

HANGAR 9 PTS P-51 trainer is an excellent low wing trainer. Very stable an very forgiving with all the training aids in place accept for the speed brakes. Remove before flight.
You will want a good instructor to work with for what ever plane you purchase. All that knowledge you learned while researching will quickly go out the window once you get a bird in the air. Thats why its critical to have an instructor until you get your horns wet!

With the Hangar 9 PTS system you get one plane that once the training aids are removed becomes a nice second sports plane. Good luck

My 2 Cents...

RC flying has a lot to do with feel....
As stated above by a lot of members, low wings are pretty responsive to stick movements, as beginners we tend to yank on the controlls a little more than needed due to the lack of feel (experience), do this on most of the low wings, and you will be in a lot of trouble. High wings tend to be more forgiving.....

And also It really does not matter how much you about flight dynamics, your first flight will give you the "butterflies in the stomach" feeling and all that is learned will be forgotten...[8D][8D]

A question not asked: What is it about a low wing that is more desirable than a high wing? Is it looks; all the other kids are doing it; "this means I am an expert"? What is it that drives you to that? Maybe you should understand that.

If it is looks then you need to hynotize yourself out of this or "drink it pretty", because from what I have seen, the neatest looking planes are the most difficult to fly (and most likely to crash), and the ugliest ones fly best.

Regards

Good point. I have had my share of both and thoroughly enjoy both.
I am currently in the process of asking Santa for a Top Flight Stinson Reliant for Christmas. A scale high wing I have been wanting.

you can get away with a low wing provided you get a tame low wing and a flight instructor.
I taught a friend to fly on my 4*.
The 4* is a great flyer, it also has a straight wing chord and untapper wings..such as extra , so dosn't have
that snap tendencies.

I took the model up 2-3 mistake high, trim it and hand him the TX. Of course i gave him tips and hints.
When he gets into trouble or the modle goes behind the flight line or way, way out there.lol i take over.
left the modle at half throttle until he got used to it.

flying is easy landing is hard..most crashes happens when the model hits the ground.lol
i didn't let him land or take off of course. He has to get his own modle for that.lol

it's leaning to make proceedure truns, making a level and straight path over the run way.
Flying faster is actully easier to fly slower, becuase there's less wind over the control surface
or the controls becomes slugish.

lol..you can trun a trainer into a tail dragger , slap aluminum landing gear and wheel pants on it.
cover a cool flame or crazy stripe on it to make it look cool.
that's why you build and not arf.
as a beginer i was flicking the sticks..from playing vedio games...which is a no no in RC.

I had a Goldberg Tiger and have flown a 4*. I wouldn't recomend a Tiger for training. It comes in solid when landing but probably not slow enough for most new flyers when learning how to land. The 4* will slow down to a very slow walk and remain controllable, very trainer like! Its why I don't like it for myself but would lend it self well as a trainer much better than a Tiger. [8D]

If I was starting all over again and know what I know now I wouldn't waste my money on a high wing trainer. The wind has a tendency to push the high wing planes around where it wants to. A low winger goes where you point it.

I'd have me a goldberg tiger 60 with an O.S. 91 FX on it. That planes practically flys itself and will land on a dime. The bigger they are the easier they are to fly.

Good Luck

A brand new airplane (forget about the brand new pilot for a minute or two) has a couple of hurdles to jump its first time out.

The engine has to run dependably.
The rigging has to be properly set.
The trim has to be worked out.

OK now, let's look at you as the person responsible for getting that brand new model through it's adjustment period alive.

Have you ever started an engine? If you haven't, then you've probably not learned how to adjust them to run dependably, much less learned how to break them in without ruining either yourself or them.

Now, since you've admitted to not having flown a model, how are you going to acquire the skill to trim an out of trim model? Sims don't even give you this practice in this.

Every week or so guys comes along here wanting to explain why they won't need the help of an experienced flyer. And not a one of them has understood that the process involves way more than getting the hang of pushing the sticks around. They have no idea what has to be done before they can actually learn how to twiddle the sticks. It's absolute proof how little they understand about the problem. And should be an excellent lesson why they aren't going to be up to the mark teaching themselves.

You've already not noticed enough to kill the airplane 3 times over before you've even begun.
Find a club and go watch them fly. Talk to some of them and find out if there are any flight instructors.

It may sound harsh to say it, but it's true. You don't know where to start, and don't understand the problems.