need help on getting started
 

:) so i,m 43 and just getting started, what ele or gas power plane should i get, any help.
it look fun but i do not want to get off on the wrong foot pre say. ken

RE: need help on getting started
 

hi and welcome to r/c airplanes ken :),

well there are many different electric or glow planes to look at for starting out. what direction do u have more interest in, electric or glow? there are many good planes on both sides. if you let me know what one you might want to get started in first/like more/have more interest in, your price range, what youd like to do with your airplane (ex: electric gliding, easy flying plane, one that can take a beating, other characteristics, etc..), or anything else. plz let me know :D


David

RE: need help on getting started
 

hey ken the first thing is find a club close by, clubs are a great source of help for the beginner ,for both flying and information help. consider joining the AMA they provide insurance in case of a accident and most clubs require that you have a AMA card. as for what plane to chose I restarted a couple of years ago I am also 43 after 20 yrs off with the NEXTAR trainer its got a reliable engine you can use for other planes and also comes with a simulator although its a basic version you can practice without consequence and it was a "ready to fly" plane RTF , there are allot of differing opinions on plane choice some prefer the LT-40 trainer I liked the idea of a package . the club trainer ( the guy who trains beginners to fly) will have a prefered plane most likely to teach you to fly although if you have one of your own choosing it would probably be fine. lastly you have started in the right place RCU is a great source of info and a great place to start.BTW RCken one of the moderators is from lawton,OK .

RE: need help on getting started
 

If you choose a name brand .40 size trainer, a decent .45 size engine, and a basic 4 channel radio or perhaps a 6 channel computer radio, you'll be off to a good start. I frequently suggest the Tower Trainer, Futaba 4YF, and a .45 from OS, Thunder Tiger, Super Tiger, or other well known company. However, as has been suggested, the best first step is to take a visit to a local club. You can find clubs by asking at your local hobby shop, or the AMA club locator: http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx .

RE: need help on getting started
 

Hey ken4390, I noticed you live in Tecumseh, OK. There is a club just north of your town in Shawnee that you might want to contact:

Contact: GARY WAY
Phone: 405/275-3478
Email: Email
Address: RT 2 BOX 108
MEEKER, OK 74855
Website: WWW.SHAWNEETHUNDERBIRD.COM

Most of the AMA chartered clubs out there would be more than happy to give you specific recommendations on planes, engines, and radios based on which brands enjoy local parts availability as well as what is used by other members who will be able to help you with products they're already familiar with.

Good luck!

RE: need help on getting started
 

hey David thank. what is the diffence with glow and elect. i would think that elect would easy to learn. but change to (glow?) may be the problem
ken

RE: need help on getting started
 

On average the opposite is true. Most beginner electrics are smaller than a beginner glow. this means they are harder to see in the air, can't handle wind very well and are less stable.
The very best approach is to talk to people in an RC club in your area and set up some instrutor time. Most will recommend a 40 size or larger glow engine trainer to learn on.

RE: need help on getting started
 

I have both glow & electric. The glow planes fly much better as a general rule. For learning I would say glow all the way. As others have said there are many .40-.46 size Trainers available & any one of them will do a great job for you while learning to fly. The only thing I enjoy electrics for are the little 3D Foamie planes. One Trainer on the market that is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine, all though I don't own it, I would if I were to buy another Trainer & it is the Thunder Tiger Trainer 40 ARF. It comes with a very reliable (so I've heard) Thunder Tiger .42 Engine for $150. This leaves room for a nice 6Ch computer radio or more if you're so inclined. Here is a link to it for you to have a look.


http://www.thundertiger4u.com/mark-wgp42-p-7325.html

I really think this is a great bargain & one sharp looking Trainer!!

Again you'll want to get with your local club & join the AMA as the others have told you. This plane & a qualified club Instructor should have you flying in short order!;)

RE: need help on getting started
 

hey ken sry about not helping/steering you in one direction,

personally i like electrics more so im biased lol :), but a 40 size trainer in a glow plane would be a great way to get into the hobby. when i first started flying i learned on an electric sailplane and then went to a 40 size glow trainer, the Avistar. The Avistar is a great trainer. there are many other glow trainers out there as well. id stick with a 40 size glow trainer for now and then when you have mastered that you could look at a second plane glow/electric. what many of the other members have mentioned about finding a r/c airplane field and club near your place is a must, plz plz plz dont try to fly it on your own at first. many clubs have members who offer there time to help train new members into the hobby and they are more than willing to help. id contact a club near you and maybe speak to them about what planes they might suggest, if they have a trainer plane you could actually fly on that the club maintains. i know our club here has one that the club owns that members can learn on. that way while u are building/getting yours rdy u could be flying as well :) if ya lived in the twin cities area in MN id help ya out, OK is a ways away from here :D if you decide on this plane let me know, i can tell ya what motor, accessories, youll need. if you go into glow youll need a flightbox, with a battery, glow plug starter, electric/hand crank fuel pump, electric powered torquestarter, and fuel. for fuel id recommend cool power 15%, it leaves no junk [:-]on your engine :D hope this helps!

here are some pics of the Avistar, it would be a good choice for a trainer, lands well, very good flyer, etc...

david

RE: need help on getting started
 

It's a coin toss on whatever direction you want to go "But But But But!!!!!!!" it will cost you about the same to get started in either area. Thing is , don't let the extremely low cost of some electric planes fool you. You may pay $50 for some electric thing but your going to spend a few hundred on everything you need to fly it. Battery chargers, batteries voltmeters, speed controls and the whole kabosh.

Now this is not bad per say, just realize what your doing here. Thing with electrics is you can darn near fly them anywhere without worrying about noise problems or needing improved runways. So that can be a plus. They also make good electric trainer planes. From what I have seen around here all these years, most electric flyers were/are glow flyers first.

I don't fly electric only because of the cost to switch over. Just don't feel like spending it but there are many nice electric planes of all styles.