RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Have any idea the skills needed to take a 7 pound vehicle over jumps and though hairpin turns with the track only being 10-12 feet across while maximizing speed the entire time? It takes skill and massive amounts of throttle control. Something more pilots need to learn.

How many of you have taught someone to fly who races R/C cars, trucks or buggys?

I have 50 or so under my belt and every single one of them excelled at airplanes. All solo in 2-5 flights. Most of them by-passed trainers all together. I recomended the Ultra Stick and several of the learned 100% on their Sticks.

One of the racers, bought that exact same Cessna from a LHS, he strapped a OS 50 on the nose and he learned how to fly on that airplane! He raced buggies, if it worked for him, I am sure it will work for others.

Folks, sometimes you have to free your mind and look around. Just becasue that is the way it has always been done, does not mean that is the way it always has to be done.

In fact, some of you airplane guys should go get a car or buggy and go race it, I am sure you will be surprised how well you do. You may be able to win your first race and really make the locals upset.

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

I recommend the Avistar 40 Trainer to my students, due to the fact it has a semi-symetrical wing and flies great. The Tower 40 Trainer is probably OK. I still recommend the flight sim followed by an instructor. This method will have you flying in a very short time. I soloed students after their 4th flight on a buddy box using this method. I would also like to add I learned on a Goldberg Eagle II Kit, then went to a Spitfire. Looking back on it, I believe the Spitfire was the easier of the two to fly. I'll take a tail dragger over tri cycle gear anytime. Good luck.

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

YNOT read what I just said. ( if you have a good instructor to help, learn on what you want to fly).


That was Quick

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

I think after the beating we just gave you, I think any trainer will be fine eh?:D FYI, You take a typical high wing trainer, a Cessna and a Piper Cub. All three are high wing planes and all three have night/day different flying characteristics.

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

I learned to fly on a Tower Trainer with and OS 40 FSR (equivelant of the 40 LA) in it. It's been 10 years, trainer myself and 5 others to fly on it, over 600 flights on it, and it's still going strong. I still take it to the field every month or so to play around with. I think that no matter who the pilot is, or how good they are, they ought to still fly a trainer every now and then. I love putting mine in the air and flying aerobatics with it!!!!

Ken

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Hey Ken, Theres nothing like doing aerobatics in a plane with 90degree dihedral. Keeps you on your toes!

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

So it sounds like the Tower Trainer is a solid airplane to learn on.

I just got back from the air field with my buddy (he owns a bundle of planes) he has a cessna 182. He did the take-off and then gave me the controls. I flew it around for about 5 minutes before I gave him the controls to land it. After this expeirience of flying this cessna for the second time, I am pretty sure I need to start off with a trainer. I seem to be able to fly the airplane OK but take-off and landing look a bit hard.

I will probably buy the trainer along with the cessna. Once I get used to flying the trainer I will put the radio and engine on the cessna.



[link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJM23&P=ML]here[/link] are the specs on some Traxxas servo's that I plan on using in the trainer. Will they do?

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

I love flying around the field inverted in a plane with a lot of dihedral. Or even better, doing an outside loop from inverted!!!! ;)

Ken

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

The specs are quite similar to the Futaba S3001 as far as dimensions and torque so if you already have them they should work fine. If you were in the market for new servos I would suggest the S3001 or equiv by another mfg. I am unfamiliar with the overall quality/reliability of Traxxas servos though. That is for you to know.

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Thanks Bruce,

I have one more question, is everything I need to fly the Tower Trainer included with it? (besides radio and engine)

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

If you get the Tower Trainer RTF ( [link]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCXF4**&P=ML[/link] ) the only thing you will need to fly the plane is fuel, [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFAW2&P=ML]a way to get that fuel into the plane[/link], and a [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJUJ6&P=ML]glow starter[/link]

Ken

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

You'll need some medium fuel tubing to connect to the engine, adhesives and basic assembly tools.
http://www.towerhobbies.com/products...1110manual.pdf
Browse through the manual above and on pg 3 it has a list of items needed. Naturally it lists Tower brands but others will also work. Use correct types of adhesives (epoxy,CA) where called for to get proper strength, bonding and penetration. Don't "cheap out" on your adhesives, they hold your plane together. Not the place to save money if tempted. Go ahead and start reading the manual and get real familiar with it and decide if you have any initial questions. You can always ask more later. Just ask BEFORE the mistake, easier than correcting afterward.[&o]

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

He's planning on the ARF version Ken.

Another item I want to bring to your attention SG16 is this "How-to" http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...?article_id=55
It shows how to install CA hinges properly. Another member recently had serious problems because we assumed he wouldn't have a problem. We failed him, we won't do that this time. You'll be doing this on your plane.

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

My mistake. I had missed that fact.

Ken

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

im kinda late on this topic but i would just like to add. i flew some trainers with an instructor about 10 years ago and then kinda dropped the hobby.for about the past five years ive been doing nitro cars and trucks. so a new hobby store opened up by me and i went in and now my airplane bug is raging in full force . so like anyone who flew a few times 10 years ago would, i deemed my self an rc pilot and bought a p51 mustang and proceded to plow it into the ground not once (repaired) not twice ( repaired) but three times ( now hanging on the wall of shame at the hobby store). ......... i am currently awaiting the arrival of my simulator and have begin to set up with a local club for lessons. not that any of this would apply here but i thought some of you would get a kick out of it

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Well, I'm gonna order the plane and all the accessories tomorrow...I hope... Anything else you guys want to tell me before I go out and fly it for the first time (yes, with an instructor)? Or any advice, or tips on flying?

Thanks

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Pay attention - listen to your instructor and do what your told to do and you'll be surprised how fast you'll solo.

Hogflyer

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

You cover the expenses and I will come to pensacola and teach you how to fly over a weekend and go rip it up Sat night at the track.

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Well its been a while....... but after a little bit of financial trouble I finally built the Tower trainer! I have already flone solo after 5 flights. She flys great, flew at about 30 MPH at first and it cut through the air nice and smooth....[8D]

It's got an O.S. .46 LA on its nose.... (plenty of power, for now)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture034.jpg

Man, she sure does look purdy don't she?!:D

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Congrats on the solo. We'll have to see if RCKen will spring for a solo certificate.:)

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Your wish is my command master!!!!! :D:D:D

Congrats on the solo flight. Don't worry, the silly little smile will disappear in about 3 weeks or so!!! :D

A solo flight is a great accomplishment and that wins you one genuine RCU ATTABOY (Suitable for framing, wrapping fish, or lining trashcans).

Ken

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Congratulations! Now go out and PRACTICE! After 5 flights, you're probably keeping the plane from crashing, which is good from a financial standpoint. Now learn how to FLY. Get plenty of altitude and learn to fly inverted figure 8's. Practice your stall recoverys, spin recovery, dead sticks. See how slow you can make it fly and still keep it in the air (its harder than flying it fast).

Good Luck!

Brad

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Thank you RCken. That certificate makes all warm and fuzzy feeling inside[&:]. I will probably go fly this saturday or sunday. Maybe do some inverted flight......

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

Brad is definitely right about keeping ample altitude BELOW your plane when learning new things. Altitude and time to react (correctly) are your best friends out there.

RE: Hmmmmm, need help
 

I have been trying to keep it as high as possible.. The only downside to flying high is that I can't tell what the plane is doing to a certain extent. It flies great and will fly at 1/3th power no problem. I will most likely advance it to about 3/4th this Saturday.

another question: I was looking at a more advance radio for the flying field (tired of changing crystals) [link=http://www.hitecrcd.com/homepage/product_fs.htm]this[/link] is what I have been looking at (reasonable price). Does anyone have any experience with this radio? If so, how is it? Sorry about all the questions.

(Edit) Hitec doesn't allow direct linking. I am talking about the eclipse radio.