I am new to the RC Airplanes, Ihave been to a few places where they have flown them and now that Iam semi retired I am interested in learning to build and fly my own Plane. I have played with a few of the lower end RC Cars and Motorcyles in the past but Ihave always had a an interest in Planes. Real ones and RC planes. So Plese forgive me now if Iask stupid questions.
I was given a Futaba 6 Channel Receiver and Transmitter with a few servos. Iam no way rich nor am Ipoor but Iwould like to take on the challenge of building my own plane since I have always been good with my hands and have made a lot of DIY things in the past. I did it for over 34 years and Ithink I can make a plane with the help of the people on this fourm.
So Please bear with me,
Techman59

Welcome to RCU Techman! Our resident "Experts" will be happy to help you out!

First, click the link in my signature for lots of good info on getting started

Then, read this article:

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=1196]Kit Building 101[/link]

And don't be afraid to ask whatever might pop into your head!

Have you hooked up with one of the local clubs? There are a few in your area with great flying sites and nice people. They will also be able to give you some guideance.

Thanks Guys,
Mike thank you for the links also. Iplan on checking into a few of the clubs and see what will be the best fit for me and them. I had a Buddy (R.I.P.) who had built a plane out of styrofoam and then covered them with brown paper,He had flown for many years and when he went to the Foam Plane he said that he liked them a little better for beginners because if and when they "Bored a hole" in the ground the loss was much less. Ihad helped him in building it since Ihad a shop and was good at "mixing and matching" materials as he said. So I might look intro going that way?
Ialso have been looking at a few of the Almost ready to fly planes also. That is why Imay want to see a few planes that some of the Club members are using and also get some feedback from them?
Thank you for the Welcome and info.
Techman-59

Buying an ARF (almost ready to fly)may be the best bet for your first airplane while learning to fly. Some ARF trainers can be had for well under $100 (minus the engine and radio gear of course). You won't have a huge invesment in a plane that will likely take a beating. As you are learning to fly then try building a kit or two. Once you have a few under your belt there are things like building from plans, trying your own designs and so on.

There will likely be a few popular trainer airplanes in the club you pick. Most of the flyers will be familiar with them and able to help you get them going.

G'day

Welcome to the world of flying models. Welcome also to retirement. I strongly recommend both.

Now as to a model for you. I was a latecomer to this hobby in that I started learning to fly RC models at the age of 40. If you are older than this, then you will find it is going to take you longer to learn than a 16 year old (who will be doing aerobatics in about 3 months) and that you need an airframe that can help you rather than hinder you.

You also said you want to build something so this is what I recommend to learners who are "more advantaged in years".

Have a look at http://www.sigmfg.com

Look in the Kit section for the trainers and then look at either the Kadet Senior (my favourite) or the Kadet Seniorita.

These were designed as trainers right from the start. They were not, as are many so called trainers, designed as sports models.

They are both large for their engine size, they are light so they will fly slowly and they have the stability that more mature pilots need to help them to fly. As a latecomer to the world of RC planes, you will need time to think. The Kadets will give you this in spades. When they are set up properly, they will recover them selves simply by you letting the controls go. They are easy to take off and land though they do need to take off directly into the wind. For this reason, I use four stroke engines in mine as they are more reliable generally and can pull large props at lower revs. Even my least powerful Kadet Senior (Saito 56 four stroke) can take off accross our strip if the wind direction makes it necessary.

The kits are basically a box of sticks. They come with excellent instructions and excellent plans. A friend recently took one of my plans and built his first ever model plane simply by buying balsa, spruce and ply from the local hobby shop. The plan is that good. It has since flown successfully.

For an engine I would recommend a Saito 56 - 62. They are not cheap but they last for ever and do not need high nitro fuels. 5 to 10% is fine for use in a trainer.

If don't want to build the stick and sheet fuse of the Senior and Seniorita, then the LT-25 and 40 are also excellent trainers which are even easier to build but with higher wing loadings which makes them fly a little faster. Still excellent trainers.

If I can help you, feel free to PM me or ask questions here.

Welcome to the hobby!
I instruct quite a bit and highly recommend the previously recommended reading. These guys are as good as it gets when it comes starting out advise.
The "get an airframe that will help you rather than hinder" is also very good advice.
I would recommend the Sig LT 40 KIT ( since you said you want to build) and an OS 46 fx or ax. A 2 cycle engine is easier to set up and lighter and less expensive. I agree Saitos are really fine engines but maybe not for a first engine.....depends on the budget I guess.
BUT before you spend a dime know who is going to teach you and get there advice also.
It is a great sport for anyone. The friends are unbeatable.
A second option if you arereally into alternative low cost materials is the Spadet (a coroplast version of an LT 40) or the Debonair another coroplast trainer that has a history of being fine flying trainer. Spadtothebone.com has tons of free plans.

I Think Ineed to come clean about my intentions here,
Iam working with some inner city children that do not have the chance to do many things in life. A friend of mine got me hooked up with a group of children that range from 9 to 17 years Thru a Church in a pretty rough area of the City ( Philly ). Ihad grown up in the same area until Iwas placed in a home for kidsandthen Foster care so Ican Identify with them and they also respect me since Iwas once one them ,Lets just say I want to teach these kids to work hard and reach for the moon and that they do not need to keep the "cycle" going. I asked them to come up with some ideas and that we would vote on what idea we would pursue, Well RC Planes won hands down. Ipromised them as long as no one got into trouble and would be willing to work on this Iwould out of my own pocket help with this project. They had found a few planes om "YOUTUBE" (on my own computer)and they had picked out one. I am not looking for hands outs or anything like that. Ijust want to honor my word with them. I way back in the mid 70's played with some Gas powered planes like the Cox Cub that was teather to a simple hand line. I also have played with a bunch of RCcars. Ihad told the children that Idid in fact have a Transmitter and Receiver and a fewServosthat was given to me that we could try. That is why Iwanted to make the plane out of styro foam. These children could never afford to buy a Kit and Ican not afford to buy each one a kit myself. So What I am looking for is advice THATISALL. I swear. I have been looking at some of the kits and links but it reallity these kids could not nor would they spend the money on a kit when that money would be better used with their families.
So Please forgive me on not stating my intentions in the begining. My Kids would freak out if they knew that I was talking about them so please lets not make a fuss about it. Ijust want to keep my word and if we fail well at least we tried and we will continue to work until we get the plane in the air. That is our mission. So once again please forgive me if Ido ask some dumb questions.
Humbly,Techman-59, I am 51 years old by the way