FAQ in beginners
 

Do you think there should be a FAQ in beginners forum If no state why not. if yes list top 10 or so FAQs

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

1. Whats the best beginner plane? (I know lots of choices)
2. What radio should I buy? (Lots of choices)
3. Can I possibly learn on my own if I can't find someone to help?
4. What is monocote/covering and how do I use it?
5. What is dope?
6. Electric or glo for 1st plane?
7. Should I but ARF or a kit?

I'm sure there LOTS of other question for a FAQ. Just some I thought of.
Joe

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

While there are not any set answers to any questions that are asked. The many benefit of this board is that you can ask specific questions and have answers that are taylored to your issue. A FAQ cannot be effective as the 71,425 members on this system!

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

[ul][*] Control surface's explained (3 axis) what does what when (What RC is) general referance[*] Concept of a Trainer (not type or brand name) general referance[*] Proper wing attachments (alignments and incedence) general referance[*] Proper engine thrust incedence when mounting, general referance[*] Proper feild checks, radio-aircraft-batteries etc. general referance[*] Fueling gas/glo engines, tube routing/venting/pressure line. general referance[*] Glow engine basics (starting, adjusting, prop selection, maint.)general referance[*] Aircraft Cleaning and inspections during the clean-up (loose motor mounts, bolts, hinges)[*] Using Instructor's in general (what to expect) General run-thru of basics[*] Saftey, around Props and on the flight line, glues and solvents, flying into the sun etc.
[/ul]

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

The only problem is ppl would just be lazy and ask ppl so they can have the perfect.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

Yes.

I only know 4 questions.

1. What is a trainer
2. How to maintain your batteries
3.What do you need
4. How much $$d$o$u$g$h$$ Someone has to dish out of their wallet

DAvid

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

1. i want to get started in rc. what do i need and where can i get it?
2. what will it cost me?
3. what brand? what difference does it make?
4. what are 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines? what are the differences between them?
5. how do you tune an engine?
6. what is "breaking in an engine" and how do i do it?
6. computer radios?
7. what do the numbers (ie .20 .40 .60) that planes are labeled with mean?
8. how do i learn to fly one of these things?
9. what do i have to do to get my plane ready to fly?
10. before i fly, what should i make sure of?

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

I voted yes. But isn't it much more fun to react with people? That is half the fun of this forum. If all the answers were there and had to be looked up, it would be very useful, but not nearly as fun.

Just my opinion,


Wings

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

well, the faq wouldn't get rid of any of that. it would help the newer people narrow down their questions to something more specific rather than the dead-end threads like "what trainer" or "what engine" or "computer radio or no" or even "after run oil or not". i mean, come on. when somebody makes a thread like that everybody has a different opinion as to what trainer you buy, radio, engine etc. all that happens is the newcomer becomes more confused by 50 replies each stating something different.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

What about a link in FAQs to point the way to a question previously asked. Say if some one wants to know "what is the best trainer" they could click on a link pointing them towards a post that has previously discussed that topic.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

those questions usually get over 50 replies. i think they should be there to narrow down the search a bit. let's say, from what's the best trainer to what's the best gas trainer with a 50 inch wingspan that will fit my .46. the faq could say:

your average trainers are .40 size. that means that they are designed for an engine with a displacement of about .40 cubic inches. they are commonly referred to as 40s. 40 size trainers have a wingspan of around 50-55. there are other sizes too; 20s, and 60s and even a couple 120s (1.2 cubic inches) but most are 40 size. they are a good balance between size and cost. they usualy cost between $60 and $100. most trainers are about the same. the cost depends on the brand and the quality of the cuts and materials used. some common characteristics of trainers are high wings, dihedral, (wings have a slightly up angle) low wing loading (a small amount of weight for every square foot of wing surface) and a flat bottom airfoil.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

FAQ's are always good, but they are much harder to write and maintain than most folks think. The problem with writing them is you need to be really balanced on subjects where there may be great controversy. If you say, "All trainers fly about the same," (undoubtedly true) you may raise the ire of thousands of guys that swear by a particular brand. You need to balance being brief with being complete. Even though all trainers fly about the same, it may be that one or another is more appropriate for someone with special needs. Some areas, like durable trainers, are so controversial they are hard to write about in a useful way. You need to be a really good writer, because a lot of typos and grammatical errors tend to take away from the authority of what is supposed to be perfect advice. Lastly, things change faster than you think. You need to be prepared to update the FAQ every month or so. If you've got one person, that's a lot of work, but if you have more, they may not agree on things, and end up re-writing it every month.

So, if you have a very knowledgable person, who is also a good writer, and has the interest in spending a lot of time writing and maintaining the FAQ, and others respect his authority and skills, go for it! Otherwise, I think you'll find the search function, and the voices of thousands of RCU members works almost as well.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

I agree with your post. Not to be argueing, but I can see how a post like Spaceclams could easily start everying one bickering and argueing.

I know it is petty. I have only flow two trainers. My LT-40 and my freinds (It was called an arrow, I think it was from hanger 9). His flew a lot different in my opinion. The LT-40 practically corrects itself immediately. His required you to "fly" it more. His rolls a heck of a lot better.

The wings span on my LT-40 is 70", much larger than his. My dihedral was much more. It was a totally different plane.

I guess they are both about the same compaired to a low wing plane. But that is relative.

My post is not to start an argument, but just to agree with Mike that it must be factual information, not opinion. That is when everyone gets their bowels in an uproar [sm=eek.gif].

Wings

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

i do agree that there are so many opinions that not everybody will agree. however, MOST trainers are alike. not all. the lt-40 is an exception. it is a lot bigger than most others for it's weight. true, some people do have special needs like price or durability. i now one of them. he is blind in one eye and needs all the durability he can get. however, i was being probably too brief because i had to leave for school. however, under the trainer subjet, most are alike and if you state the similarities, but make sure to say that you are not limited to those, because there are exceptions to every rule, i think you will be fine. that's the thing about these. you have to be politically correct.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

I don't think that an FAQ section is necessary because most of the people on this site do not mind answering questions from beginners, even if it is the same question over and over. I think that having people who will take the time to type out an answer to a question that is posted is much friendlier than just clicking on an FAQ link. However, an FAQ section could be useful. It would allow new members who might be embarrassed to ask questions they deem as "stupid" (and I do not think there are any stupid questions) to get an answer without looking like they don't know a lot of info. Just my 2 cents.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

Wings most of the threads are opinions. And a lot turn into arguments not discussions. How could you say space clams reply isn't a fact. There is nothing left there to discuss. what is a trainer, well he nailed it on the head with facts not opinions. If a newbee wanted to know about a particular plane then he has facts on what makes a good trainer. Just the same as the facts not brands on radio function. explain 3 ch 4 ch radio function receiver function battery voltage and type all the way up into programmable radios. Than a newbee can post a particular Question based on facts he already learned

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

Ok,

For sake of discussion (not argument, I'm not frustrated and I hope you're not :)) I understand that you are technically correct. However (just my opinion, please don't be offended), if I knew nothing about rc planes (just like 5 months ago) and read that post I would interpret that most trainers are pretty much the same.

So, being the tightwad I am I may scurry off and buy the cheapest trainer I could find not taking anything else into consideration because from that post I woud come to the conclusion that it doesn't really matter what I choose, they are all pretty much the same.

Then I have my new plane together, I go to a club and I see all these different kind of trainers and I am bummed out because I like the other guys better. Or maybe the other guys is easy to fly. Maybe the other guys flies better, etc... I would then be mad that I didn't do more research and based my decision on the FAQ post. I guess the post would be better if under that it briefly stated some of the characterists of some of the more popular trainers. That way you woud make a choice that you are more comfortable with.

Just my opinion, everybody has one. But I think there is a chance of misleading. Again. I am not aguing, simply telling you my point of view.:D


Wings

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

Wings please re read his post. Any one after reading that would realize that a .40 size trainer with a light wing loading and flat bottom airfoil with substantial amount of dihedral would be a good trainer. come on, You would read that and miss the point entirely without considering these facts and go buy the cheapest plane that claims to be a trainer or would you inquire about wing loading, dihedral, and airfoil first. If someone read that and went out and bought a hog thats heavy with high wing loading and semi symmetrical airfoil and no dihedral well they missed the point entirely. and yes the charateristics of each differant plane comes into this but we are not talking about opinions. just facts as to what makes a good trainer
Hence LIGHT WING LOADING,DIHEDRAL, FLAT BOTTAM AIRFOIL. looks of a plane is an opinion as well as what trainer flys the best. But if you would consider research about what "is" the best trainer you would find that most if not all would fall into the catagory of facts of what "makes" a good trainer. but I do somewhat see your point there would have to be values {numbers} to support that info Heck I dont even Know what would be a light wing loading.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

Come on man,


I told you that was (and is) my opinon. I am not wanting to start an argument. You have your opinion and I respect that.

Wings

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

I think there should definitely be a FAQ. It would answer a lot of questions. BUT this IS a DISCUSSION forum after all. Human interaction via the internet is what RC universe was created for! Im new to this site, but I am an old timer to message boards. There is one thing that has always bothered me and that is folks that gripe because a new person comes in and asks the same question that has been asked a billion times. So what?, like I said most of the fun is talking about it. If you are an old timer and dont want to discuss it just move on. No big deal. I for 1 dont mind answering the same quesiton over and over because I know how much it means to me to get PERSONAL help on something that I am interested in but unfamiliar with.

I vote for FAQ definitely. It would be a great general information tool.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

OK here we go again.
ISN'T THE IDEA OF A FORUM TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH ONE ANOTHER.
I realize many of YOU are tired of explaining engine break in over and over.
Lets look at this scenario.
YOU tell me how to break in the engine.
I LEARN
I tell HIM how to break in an engine.
HE LEARNS!
HE tells another how to break in an engine.
ANOTHER LEARNS!

End product.
I learned from YOU.
HE learned from ME.
ANOTHER learned from HIM.
WE all learned and formed a community of learning and sharing of knowledge.
YOU are not by any means obligated to answer every question that gets asked here and many of us newbies that have learned from YOU will be happy to pass on the knowledge that we learned from YOU, to THEM!

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

I agree Ned,

I voted yes to the FAQ also.

But some people on here feel obligated to answer all the questions, then get aggrivated when this same questions are asked. I agree with you that if you don't want to answer, the don't! Problem solved. I havn't figured out if they are genuinely good hearted and feel burdoned to get to everyone's questions, or if they just feel that the question will never get answered properly if they don't answer it.

Either way, there are many worse problems in the world with a lot more complex solutions. It is simply, don't want to answer, then don't. The world keeps spinning.

Wings,

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

well, a few things to consider. with the exception of the lt-40, almost all .40 size trainers will fly the same because they have the same charectaristics. it's the characteristics that really make it fly the way it does. moreso, on a trainer, it's the wing, and feathers that make it fly the way it does. the fuselage just holds the whole lot together. trainers have the wing on the top, with dihedral, and approximatly the same airfoil. they also have the cheap plank style wing wich gives you better low speed handling. also, given that there is only about a common 4 inch variation in wingspan of most .40 size trainers, the fuselage has to be somewhat perportionate, leaving the feathers to have to do the same thing. so there you have it. a complete breakdown of a trainer. the only real difference between your average .40 size trainers is the covering job. generally, the more you pay, the better made and better looking covering you get. ther e are always exceptions, and they should be mentioned. to be really honest, most of the seasoned guys at my field have told me the same thing. they said it doesn't really matter what trainer you get because they all do the same thing. they are designed for the same purpose. basically, and this ixs the general rule of thumb for things like this. things designed for the same purpose for about the same price, work jsut as well.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

Spaceclam,

Good post. I agree with you 100%. Most "Best Trainer" threads here sooner or later turn it opinion polls with most voting the plane they learned on as the "Best" trainer.

FAQ are a good idea... However I think everyone my be missing something with the search engine on this Forum posting a specific FAQ thread is unneccessary what is needed is for people to know how to use it in a manner that will yield the results they want.
With the amount of info here I would be comfortable betting that answers to almost any question can be answered by knowing how to use the search function correctly... The problem I think most have is trying to determine whose opinion is the "right" one something not easily done when your new to any activitity. This problem is componded by the impersonnal nature of this (forumS) communication medium.

Lets face it, at the field when asking these types of questions, knowing correct person to ask is much easier
A couple of simple examples; Who are you going to ask for for tips on aerobatic flying? The guy that shows up with his extra 300s and proceeds to but on an amazing show or somebody that can barely get their plane around the pattern and back on the ground in one piece.
Or
Building tips the guy that builds plane in so much detail you'd swear somebody shunk the real thing or the guy with a plane built so poorly it should be condemed on its maiden.

RE: FAQ in beginners
 

i think you guys are missing my point though. the reason faqs are good is because "what is the best" or "whihc one" related questions usually get you nowhere. they turn into arguements. the faq won't argue, so as long as you are politically correct and make sure to cover both sodes so as not to make somebody want to put in their opinion and also to let the reader decide what's best, you will be fine. worst case scenario is it will only HELP narrow down the search. see, the problem with those questions is people argue. faqs don't. that's the thing here. we are all humans here and humans argue.