SushiSeeker

Do you keep your gear engines, servos and receivers in your less frequently flown planes?

I guess the answer is different for everyone and depends on many factors. I have 5 airplanes that are flyable, 2 in the pipeline. As I build more planes, my plan is to install new motors and radio gear rather than disassemble a less used plane. This cuts my setup time to zero compared with the time/effort of swapping gear back and forth. I’ll probably never pull a servo out. This seems reasonable given the fact that time is my most valuable commodity and I only have half a dozen planes ready to fly.

What about some of you that have been active in the hobby for many more years, and have many more planes? At what point if ever do you start reusing your gear in other planes?

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I retire planes all the time. If I haven't flown a plane for awhile I will pull out the engine and radio gear from the plane to use in another plane. There is absolutely no way I could afford to simply buy new gear for every airframe that I own, and it doesn't make any sense to me to keep gear in a plane that I'm not currently flying. If later on I decide I want to fly that plane again I simply reinstall the gear and start flying the plane again. Of course the choice is yours as to how you want to manage your planes and money, but you'll find that you might be able to afford new gear for all your planes but as you get further into the hobby you may find that to no longer be true as you get more and more planes.

Hope this helps

Ken

ChuckW

If a plane doesn't get flown for more than a couple months, I usually yank the engine, receiver and servos for something else. If I decide to fly it down the road, it doesn't take much to put everything back.

SushiSeeker

How many planes do you own, Ken?

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Sheez, ask me a question that's easy to answer. Currently ready to fly?? 8 or 9. But everything including planes that have the gear out of them or needing repair?? Maybe 20 or so. Don't even get me started on the planes in a state of being built or kits waiting in line!!!!

Ken

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

it depends on the plane some I like to keep loaded up, and ready to go to the field at any time, others are slated for demolition, they get no air time but I am not ready to decomission them since there in good shape just not used that much.

most of the switching is engines, if I can aford to leave the radios and servos in a plane then thats what I do, avoids any adjustments etc...that go along with pulling gear.

with my buisy schedule if I have the time to toss airplane in the car and sneak down to the field for a little session then having the plane or planes ready is convienent,now that daylight savings is over and it gets dark at 7:30 flying after work is a real possability.

pdm52956

My Feedback: (1)

I don't know, I can't imagine having planes that I don't fly. Now I don't have but 5 planes, but they are all flight ready and if one doesn't make it to the field one weekend, it just might make it the next. I do have another plane that was given to me a couple weeks ago, and it needs work before it's ready to take a trip to the field but when it does, it will have it's own gear as well. Just my opinion but I can't see myself having an airframe without any gear unless I'm going to get rid of it.

Minnreefer

In an ideal world I would love to have most of my planes flight ready, but right now I figured that I would need at least 40 servos, plus 8-10 batteries and 8 RX and a few more engines. But all of those planes are different type of planes, I would not need to have 2 trainers flight ready, heck I am trying to figure if I want to pull the stuff from my ttrainer, or keep it ready for my 6 year old (I am hoping to teach him this year with a Kadet senior)

Jon

R/C Skyjumper

Have to do what ever the finances dictate at the time - right now its swap out the radio gear and speed cnntrols as needed so far all have motors fuel and electric- so not to bad and can change any in a week 10 dif planes and 4 to have ready all time , Don't think thats to bad
Got RC cars to keep up also 3 cars one radio , and all works out, 4 batteries for them so can run all day with charger

MetallicaJunkie

i think i will start doing that, atleast when it comes to servos and radio gear

jimmyjames213

My Feedback: (2)

the rx is really easy to move around, i have rx's in all the planes i fly a lot, in the ones i fly (still a lot) but not as much as the others i switch 2 rx's between 5-6 planes
i buy most of my servo's (for the sports planes) from hobbycity so for 100 bucks i can get like 20 of them, enough to last me a while. also someone gave me like 10 servos so im set for a while.
engines i love, so i have just as many planes as i do engines (thanks to hobbypeoples sale )
but for a while i was swapping engines between planes on a regular basis
electric motors i just swap around, takes 2 seconds since all my electrics are gws planes w/ the stick mount.
batteries are so cheap (all-battery.com) for 7 bucks a pop for a 2000mah 6v batt its not worth it to switch between planes.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah, I have limited space so I have to watch what I build and what I fly. So, I keep my inventory low. I have three in boxes that are somewhat started in the build phase, and several electric projects that are probably only an hour or less away from flying. I also swap out components to use on newer project planes, however, once stripped down, I either give them away or try to sell the more "valuable" ones.

CGr.

opjose

I like to keep all of my planes loaded up and ready to go.

If the planes are not ready to go, then I have far less of an inclination to use them, and they will collect dust.

Even my old trainer is fully equipped and ready in case someone needs a lesson.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Well, Opjose, I am pretty much the same, but my inventory is limited because of the space. So, I can tend to keep everything ship-shape.. except for my Excelleron 90.. I accidentally broke the rudder the other day... need to fix it.

CGr

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

I have rooms full of planes, but I transfer stuff after a crash, or hard landing, except fuel tanks,, put a used on in my tower trainer and pop it went a couple weeks of heat and baby powder and I thought it would be ok...one tough dead stick and it was in pieces, miss that plane...double check any servos....Rog

Minnreefer

I assuem that you have had good luck with their servos, are these the servos that you are talking about? [link=http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=3743&Product_Name=HXT_6.9kg_/_39.2g_/_.16sec_Twin_bearing_servo]hobby city servo[/link]

Jon

skyraider71

I model on a very tight budget, have limited storage space, and a small transport vehicle.
I have a couple of "keepers", and I rotate a plane or two out of my hanger annually. If I
want something new, something else has to go. I simply can't keep everything. I sold two
planes at a recent swap-meet, I sold them stripped so I have engines and servos for the next
two builds.

jimmyjames213

My Feedback: (2)

those are them
i also have a few of the metal digitals servos and the mini's (use on throttle the 9g ones) which are doing just as well.
so far ive burnt out more futaba/hitec servos than the hxt's (havnt had one fry on me yet...knock on wood )
the only thing ive noticed is some dont center as well as others (overshoot on centering, then return to center), this isnt a huge deal and i just use those on planes i dont fly as much, or use them on throttle. ive never noticed it in the air (unless im trying to do pattern then it can be a little anoying). of the 25 ive bought i think only 1 had this problem.
for regular sports flying i wouldnt use anything else, the amount of power they have is amazing, i switched from a regular 40 oz servo's in the rudder to the hxt's and i can knife edge so much farther than before.

Minnreefer

Thanks, I will probably get those sometime in the near future.

SushiSeeker

That's where I am right now as time is my most valuable commodity. How many planes do you have flight ready?

heavy metal thunder

I have too many planes to really keep track of. Most of the planes I have were purchased used, nearly all with servos and motors. I just add my receiver and battery and fly. I usually keep my airplanes ready to fly except the flight battery. I usually take it out of planes I don't fly too often and keep them in my ready to fly planes. I notice when I don't use the batteries on a regular basis they tend to go bad.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

thats part of the reason i have been installing Voltwatch devices in my planes to watch the charge levels on the batterys, if I charge one up and a few days later the voltage has dropped I know there is something wrong, and I check the battery.
right now I have 5 planes ready to go,also 2 on my bench, one in the process of repair, and one scratch build in process.
I have a couple ARF's I want to get going, those will probably get a engine from one of my active planes,I got a couple of good deals on servos as well so no need to swap out the radio equipment.
the only new ARF thats going to be fully geared up is my ESM FW190A8 this one is going to get some air time this summer, its gas powered, and will have all new parts.

Korps

Talking about reusing gear. I'm switching one of my rx between two planes. To those others who also does - do you just use cable ties everytime, cut them when taking out and then tie them again on installation etc. or is there an easier way? The "satelite" connection thingy on the ghz rx I sorted out - I glued velcro onto the back and velcro onto the fuse of both planes and then it's easy to swop out. But for the rx unit itself?

opjose

If you can still sleep in your own house, then there is still room for another plane!

At least that's what I'm trying to convince the "significant other" of... so far, no sell.

opjose

Flight ready

1 composite gasser
4 balsa gassers
8 glow planes ranging from a .40 through 1.80's
4 .40-.50 sized electrics
4 fiberglass / balsa smaller electrics ( e.g. Reactor EP, Lancair EP ).
2 large fiberglass / balsa EDF's
5 foamy EDF's

About a dozen awaiting construction...

I have not purchased a new plane this year, so my "addiction" is certainly under control... really it is!