Hi Everyone, I was thinking of getting in to RC Airplanes. Now can someone tell me what I will be getting into? Also, what is a good base starter plane to get to practice with? I also need help with where to start.

Thanks

contact the ama website and look up local flying fields and clubs. go out to the field and take a look at what is going on. talk to some of the club members and ask about training. there are lists after lists on rcu about different trainer planes and radios. lots of info available here. a good starter plane and related equipment will start around $500.00. get as much help as you can when getting started. it sucks when you put your first plane into the runway... (voice of experience) a good club will have you up in no time. good luck, and kiss all your money good-bye. welcome to the addiction. loren

Read this:

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm]Look here![/link]
[link=http://www.dc-rc.org/bobsmanuals/Bob%20younts%20Principals%20of%20Flight.PDF]Booklet[/link]

Thanks for the help guys.

Depends how fat your wallet is and what you want to buy. I've been in this hobby for about a year now and I still don't think I know much, or have much realitively speaking. Not compared to a lot of these guys.

Radios and planes and what go in them is only part of the expense. Tools, glues, field boxes and various other supplies seem to be an endless need, at least for me, not to mention lessons. I do it slowly and try to buy carefully and look here a lot for advice.

I work 50+ hours a week so it often takes me several months just to build an ARF.

It's definatley worth the time and expense for me. I love this hobby.

i would recomend the hobby zone super cub for your first plane it is an electric plane and comes rtf ready to fly and you dont need to go to a local flying feild you can fly it in a local football feild or decent sized park. you are getting your self into the best hobby you can. it can get expencive at times but it is not to bad but it realy depends on where you want to go with your flying. you dont realy need lessons if you start of with small electrics and then slowley work your way up to 3d electrics and once you have masterd them you should be able to get the hang of almoast anything with a little advice. dont learn on any bulsa planes unles you are taking lesons foam planes are much better to learn on because you can get spare parts for them easily and cheep and they are much cheeper and esier to fix as well. so i will recomend to you the hobby zone super cub rtf it is a great plane and only costs $200 australian. good luck and i hope you get into this hobby.

p.s...... never try and fly in any wind what so ever when you are lurning to fly

Check out the clubs in your area, pick the one you like, become a member of the AMA, visit the flying field, introduce yourself and everything else will take care of itself. You will receive all the help and advice you need.

Super cub is OK, but the T-28 Trojan is a 4 channel w/ailerons. http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=PKZ4400 Your local field should have a instructor buddy box program to get you started. Also the G3 flight sim is a good tool. Have fun and go AMA all the way.

Another good cheep trainer is the Skyraider ARF. It's nitro and is ez to fly. Remember buddy box w/instructor.
http://www.peakmodel.com/index.php?m...roducts_id=284

What will you be getting in to?
Well meeting some of the best people from every walk of life, making some life long friends, having fun with your clothes on, and if you want a lifetime of your toys getting bigger and bigger.
I started with a trainer and lessons, got better over the years, wrecked a lot of planes (and still wreck a few), started competing and going to shows, and now I fly all over the world. That is the short bus explanation, and the picture attached is only a small sample of my toys now, I have a garage full of them.

Think ypou need to decide if you want to electric or not, if you do then I'd second the HobbyZone Super Cub and it's what I learnt on. If you can I'd join a club and get some help but if you can't and want to do it alone I'd also second gettign a foamy rather than Bals but really would invest in a Simulator as it's save you $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$'s just in learning the orientation as much as anything, I only used a cheap ESky FMS version and it made a huge difference !!!!
Good luck !!!!

You really should stick with a traditional trainer, and I would go with glow vs. electric. The electrics are nice and quiet and all, but you get more consistency with glow because the power band is there throughout the flight.. as you drain batteries, they become sluggish which lends to inconsistent flying.

Electrics really require more throttle management, which is something, as a beginner, you really want to learn, but not on the first few flights.. take off, fly, orbit, right and left turns, land it. Once you get through that and solo, then get more into throttle management as required for most electrics.

For a good list of planes to start out with, go to RCKen's listing at the beginning of the Beginners Forum. (see below link).

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm

CGr.

Where to start? I think the answer to that is to ask yourself what type of person are you? Do you like meeting other people or are you a loner? Do like building things and can you wait to see if your work is succesful or do you want to just fly something as soon as possible. Going to several clubs in your area is great advice and a good place to start, sometimes hobby shops help sometimes they just confuse new people. If you want quick results and a small investment of time and money, buy an electric foamy, if your dream is to someday build and fly scale planes, then start by visiting clubs. Good luck and try to have fun.

SOOOOO True.

Each subsequent plane will take a larger bite out of your wallet, but you'll acquire the larger ones spaced out over time to offset this.

WOW thanks for all the help and advice guys. I will hit up my local hobby shop soon and talk to them about training and what not. I have a feeling I am going to love flying planes and maybe switch to Heli's one day. But I hope to get things moving fast. Thanks again for all your help guys. I'll keep everyone updated on my status.

Im still a beginner but, I still have many questions. I fly electrics and have learned a great deal. I was looking at a Nitro powered corsair and listed in the required tools is a battery. I understand why electrics need battries but, what is the purpose of batteries of any kind for a fuel powered plane. Is this the norm or is a battery required for this particular plane.

A battery would be needed to power the receiver and the control servos. All planes with receivers and control servos need batteries. Electric powered planes receivers and servos share their power need with the motor battery

Also a larger external battery is frequently used for an electric starter and to power or recharge the glow ignitor at the field.

I haul a small motorcycle battery to the field in my field box... which permits me to start planes all week long.

Houston is windy most of the time? You might be more successful with a .60 size trainer, less bounce in wind, easier to see and land. Hobbistar for example, doesn't have a flat bottom wing and has less dihedral, so it can resist crosswinds just a little bit better than most others.
I returned to the hobby in 2003 and had to start from scratch again, so I was buying second hand trainers locally, and jumped in with a buddy cord with patient helpful guys at the local field. It was a very economical start and saved myself hours of preparation time. You could locally see the quality of the plane in hand if you can start looking at the local RC club near you, and then you know that it flies with the CG adjusted and engine already broken in, seasoned and tuned, trimmed, etc. This approach to starting out can save you over 50% of the new cost, or even better. Something to consider, depending on your budget. Ordering from Towerhobbies.com is a good choice if you don't mind on the first order, you could spend $500.00 between .60 RTF trainer and a combo flight box (Master Caddy).

Personally, I still enjoy finding second hand planes rather than break open a kit and invest weeks into completing a plane myself. Those days for me are gone now that I have children. Kit built planes last longer than the "ARF" typically, if well built. That's a good rule to follow especially in a trainer that has to be tough holding together on those rough landings. ARF's require a lot of touch up to stay together, so keep that in mind. Simulators are also wise tools to invest in. Just don't rush into a hobby shop and not explore other options available. There is a good thread here on RCU with a lot of hobby shop horror stories revealed from the experiences of those posting them. Not all hobby shops are bad and not all are good either. I drive over 30 miles to find a good one where I live, passing two others to get to it. Hoge in Sebastian is a club member, has decades of experience, and is very friendly. He has the best intentions for all his customers, not just seeking a profit alone. I wouldn't dare waste my time at Hobby Town talking to a salesperson who never flew a plane or touched a radio, or Space Coast Hobbies which is just 5 miles away, due to their horrible service and attitude they show there. How ironic they are selling out. The stories could fill a book on that place, this hobby doesn't need that kind of black eye, if you were to walk into one like that for the very first time! You'll see great resources here and at your local AMA sanctioned club. Find an instructor and follow his advice.

RCU has a marketplace with many reliable and proven sellers of quality trainers and everything else. A good second hand RTF that can still break down its two piece wing and tail set, would resolve the down side of high shipping costs, and makes transporting even easier. Do your homework. Some hobby shops sell on consignment and they might have a good trainer hanging from the ceiling. Buying from a hobby shop shelf is only one of many options, and your available time and money are factors that determine your final decision.

Hope the accumulative suggestions here were helpful and not confusing.

i totaly agree because one decent crash is the cost of a flight simulator and then you can fly on windey days too

I've been in this hobby for almost a year now and have learned a lot from my dad, somethings I found out on my own, and others some very experienced people in the club have given a newbie some advice. As far as what your getting yourself into, after being in the hobby a bit, plenty times I've realized that you need a bit of $. Not only you need $ you need a good start in this hobby. If you find a good club, a good trainer plane (I recommend the Hobbico Nexstar 46. ARF), and a good, experienced instructor, you'll be good to go. By the way the Beginners forum on RCU helps a lot, it has helped me out in mulitple situations. Also if you go to your local Hobby Shop you might get some good advice on where to start. Now, this is my opinion - I recommend that you get a simulator (I'm borrowing a RealFlight G3.5 from a guy in the club) I think that a good simulator will also get you far in this hobby. I've had countless hours on the simulator and I believe it will pay off in the spring when I start training. As far as where to start I would say - First get into a good club, get a membership (I've found out that if you get into a good club their are some great people out their that are more than happy to help you and answer questions). Then get an AMA card. Next comes the trainer plane (I recommend the Hobbico Nexstar .46 ARF). Maybe a simulator. Finally, find a good instructor set up a time and date, get some advice, and work on the simulator. If you do all these things you should be on your way. Good Luck !




-- TakingFlight96

I completely disagree with this statement IF you are flying with an instructor and have an airplane that can handle it.
My first ever training flight was in 15MPH wind and most of my training was done in moderate to high wind.
As a result I am not afraid to fly on windy days, in fact I rather enjoy it.
If you don't learn to fly in the wind you won't get to fly very often.

Yup... One of the best things that can happen to a newbie after their first couple of sessions or so, is to be given flight instructions in windy conditions.

All too often people certify w/o training in winds, only to end up crashing their planes when the wind picks up one later day while they are flying.

Oh man, you're spoiling it for me. I love flying on windy days and I'm the only one there.