R/C explained?
 

Hey,

Iv been reading on this forum quite a lot (im waiting for my plane to be delivered) and i hear stuff about servos and CA and all this stuff, and i dont quite get what they mean and are used for. Can someone explain the basic objects in a R/C Electric airplane? I think a servo is what moves the control surfaces.. But i would like to know what all is needed to get a rc plane to fly, in the way of equipment and stuff.

Thanks,

Fox

RE: R/C explained?
 

Take a look at the beginners section of my web page. There is an article called, "Beginner's Guide to R/C Flight". I am sure that it will help you with a lot of your questions.

RE: R/C explained?
 

lightfoot

Thanks! if read some of it and its already helped.

Fox

RE: R/C explained?
 

You'll also learn a lot just by lurking in these forums for a while. Just search around and read posts and replies. You'll get a lot of great data that way.

RE: R/C explained?
 

Have you got someone up there to help you? If not there are clubs in great falls that can help you. It will save you crashing your new plane right away.

RE: R/C explained?
 

Welcome to the hobby and the board!

The best way to learn a new task is to get with others who are good at it. The best way for you is to find a local club, or hook up with a local flier or two if there is no club... IMO, most RCers would be glad to help you, and your learning will be much quicker than trying to absorb it on your own...

While you may have the time (and money :)) to make all the mistakes that can be made in this hobby, learning from an experienced flier will keep you from making the biggies, allowing you to concentrate on making the small ones :D

Cheers!

Jim

RE: R/C explained?
 

flyboy,

i have a couple people here in town iv already talked to. But all they fly is the big gas planes that have like 6+ foot wingspan, and they dont fly electric (which i bought). And plus the plan i bought is a slow flier, and i have hours upon hours of simulator time. So i think ill be able to do fine iwth my first flight assuming wind or something dont kill the poor plane.

Jim,

i most certainly dont have money to be waisting (i bought $140 plane and im broke down to $6....lovely isant it?) but ill be talking to the local flier people for any tips, and iv learned alot from here.

Fox

RE: R/C explained?
 

Fox ... gassers? They are in a world of their own, its a different ball game there. My advice is not to trust the LHS that fast, talk to club members, ask around and find out the basis for their recommendations.

Since you are a newbie then I say go for a glow plane ... just get a nice trainer (careful about the quality, I find the RCM triner the easiest to handle in terms of building), decent engine (no OS40/46 LA please, it will not really be worth it when you up grade to be better plane) and a decent transmitter (always look medium term and not short term savings).

If you are talking strictly electric then let's say this is what you need:

Transmitter - get one with ELEVON mixing, any good 6 channel will have it
Batteries - either lipoly or NiMH, NiMH got more oooomps but heavy, lipoly is very light (your cell phone batteries)
Charger - get a good one, go for the Triton, its brilliant and will go a long way or you can just use 'pocket chargers'
Servos - you should not use standard ones as they are bigger and heavier, go for GWS stuff if you want economy
ECS - speed controller, you need to be careful, I'd say get a 30A/50A one if you are going to be very serious in EP (electric power) but if you get a brushless motor then its a different ESC altogether
Motor - normal or brushless (brushless more power and more efficient)
Plane - try Hobby Lobby, their planes fly well

RE: R/C explained?
 

FightingFox, come on up to Conrad July 31st. We are having a demo/funfly, and you can come up and meet alot of the area RC addicts. A lot of the Great Falls guys show up, and we have a big grass field to fly off of. Come on up and say 'hi'. I'll be the tall good looking guy flying the purple Cor-Star. [8D]