First post...
 

Hi guys...
This is my first one but I'm sure It's not going to be the last one... I'm brand new to the RC with the airplane and I just order myself a kit for an ARF plane... Probably too mutch plane for my first one but... Got it for a good price and it looked good... Got myself a Will Hobby EXTRA 330S,120 size,Wing span:65.55'' Always wanted to build one and I had a hard time to get a complete build for my first one... see picture...

Here are the specs.
FEATURES:

Construction: Balsa and plywood Wings:

Covering: Factory applied premium iron-on,

Radio Compartment: plywood construction

Cowl: Painted fiberglass

Wheel Pants: Painted fiberglass

Canopy: Tinted, single

Landing Gear: Pre-formed aluminum

Building Time: Ready to fly in several hours





INCLUDES

Pre-built and covered wings, fuselage and tail assemblies, pushrods,

pre-bent main landing gear, spring loaded tail wheel assembly,

foam main wheels, foam tail wheel, engine mount, fuel tank,

wood servo trays, decal sheet, hardware

package and photo-illustrated instructions.



REQUIRES:

Engine: 108-160 cu in 2-stroke or 1.20-1.40cu in 4-stroke

Muffler: Supplied with engine

Radio: At least 4 Channel -

Servos: At least 6





SPECS:

Wingspan: 65.55in/1665 mm

Flying Weight: 4900g

Engine Size: 108-140 cu in 2-stroke or 0.90-1.20 cu in 4-stroke

Radio: 4 channels (Not Included)

Servos: 6standard servos (Not Included)

I'm going to join the local club...I'm not that crazy to learn on my own... but what engins do you guys recommend for that bird?
Thanks and talk to you guys and girls later...
Eric

RE: First post...
 

Please tell me you are kidding.....

put that plane aside and get a trainer..... any "sane" instructor would refuse to train a new pilot on an Extra

RE: First post...
 

don't worry about getting your engine quite yet,for the price of the motor for that plane, you can buy yourself a www.towerhobbies.com trainer and actually learn to fly your nice looking plane you have there.there is a huge selection of training type planes for the novice flyer to chose from the tower trainer to the NEXTAR there all good to learn on some even come with basic simulators,there is even the mustang PTS thats do able.
the Extra is such a manuverable plane you will have a really hard time controling it.better to learn the basics first.
the engine alone for a 4st will set you back around 300$+or- depending on the brand.
with a trainer type package you will get your radio as well as a easy to fly plane,easy is a relative term, a smaller engine,consumes less fuel,cheaper props,etc... your club trainer will tell you all of this.

RE: First post...
 

Hi Eric is it?
I agree with the comments above. I,ve been flying over 17 years and trained many people to fly.
And I have an Extra 300.
I can also offer an example of your situation I have experienced before.
A new guy came to my last club with a really nice Flair biplane. Beautifully built from a kit, in the days before ARTF models.
One of the other instructors in the club took him up with the club trainer. Once the new guy had a go he realised himself that his biplane would be too hard to fly. He had the sense to get a trainer. He is now a very good friend of mine and he would be the first person to tell you the same thing we have said.
Save the Extra until you can fly, depending on how often you can get to the field and fly this may not take too long and you can then move on to the Extra.
Nice looking plane by the way.

Best of luck,

Peter.

RC flying can be dangerous to your wealth.

RE: First post...
 

OK Eric, carefully put the Extra back in its box and hide it in a closet. It will stay there for at the very least about 6 months.
Then go out and buy a trainer airplane. Your instructor at the local club can help you select one that BOTH of you will be comfortable with.
You can also check http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm for a list of nice trainer aircraft. Do not let any prior flying experience you may have had influence your judgement in a negative way. You NEED a trainer.

Good luck

RE: First post...
 

Thanks for all the wise word... Don't worry... I know that that plane is way too mutch for me... I will still build it for the fun of say that I did it on my own... But I am looking for a good trainer plane for a good price... I will probably invest in a trainer receiver were I can fly with a buddy... safer on the equipment... What I'm I looking for damage in price for a decent trainer plane ready to fly?
Will still put in some picture on how the construction of the other plane goes...
My original plan was to learn to fly this year and slowly build that plane for next summer as a side project... Still thanks for all the help and can't leave the plane in the closet too nice got to at lease put it on display in the house...lol:D
Eric

RE: First post...
 

OK, as long as you realize your limits.:D

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...=LXCXF4**&P=ML is a reasonable trainer and includes reasonable stuff.

You could put together a better package but we don't know the budget. Better = $, like all else in life.

RE: First post...
 

you think he is nuts you should see our club

one of the imac piloits is teachign someone to fly (i think they were firends first)

what he told the guy to get - a twist .40
a 50cc yak!!!

so those are the planes the guy will learn on a 40 sized 3D and a 50cc IMAC plane... makes you wonder somtimes...

RE: First post...
 

That will make a Darn nice display, I told my instructer I wanted to get into WWiII warbirds, he said thats fine, BUT, you are going to learn on a trainer FIRST !!!
I think I actually get to go up 2morrow ,, YEA HAA !!!!!!!

RE: First post...
 

Welcome to A beautiful hobby.
Good Luck.
I agree with what written above.

WOW, 5 kg = 11 pounds ROCKET!!!

Surly who can fly this magnificent machine can fly a trainer, NOT everybody who can fly a trainer can fly this one.

At the price of an engine and accessories, you can buy an RTF or ARF of a very good trainer like Nextstar or better.

Any aerobatics you can do with this, you did with a trainer.

Who fly EXTRA 330 can train people to fly a trainer.

It doesn’t matter what plane you fly, the best thing is to fly something.

They all look the same high in the sky, and then they come back in one of the most impressive maneuvers, a perfect landing.

One most painful thing to see is a crush; somebody else is as painful as your own.

Alex

RE: First post...
 

I would like to give you something else to think about. We all can sence your excitement and enthusiasm and those are good things to have getting into this hobby but they require experienced guidence to keep you from stepping on you new plane (figuratively). I sudjest to you that you do not even build this one untill you get some experience building a few other ARF's. Such as a Trainer and your first Low Wing Aerobatic trainer. There are some things during the build that you don't know yet and the instructions for trainer planes will detail that while the instructions on these more advanced planes expect you already know.

RE: First post...
 

Erichanel, thats a big complicated big first bird to build if you've never built one before! Personally I'm into electric Park type flyers (easy to build, fly and maintain). The only reason I'm replying to you is that almost anywhere and everywhere nitro planes are not allowed to fly in parks or open spaces that are for public use - its mainly a safety and nuisance thing but its almost always written into local by-laws. I wouldn't like you to fall fowl of the law or worse so I would make inquiries at your LHS where flyers meet etc. Hope you enjoy your nitro thing but we'll gladly accept you into electric flight when the petrol drys up!!:eek:[&o]

RE: First post...
 

Petrol? Who's talking about petrol? Not one drop of petrol (gasoline) in glow fuel. Methanol, oil (synthetic from beans) ,nitro and @ 2% misc other stuff.

RE: First post...
 

I like this thread. Everyone is being very helpful as usual.

I will now add my 2 cents and ruin everything...

I don't know how much you paid for the ARF, but build it and learn from the build. If you have no problem with losing the money, fly it. (I'm guessing about $220 per second)....roughly.

The advice you are getting here is good advice. Once you fly a trainer and become proficient at....FLYING A TRAINER, you will still not be ready, IMHO, for an Extra.

The truth is, once your brain is trained to make the correct inputs, you can probably get any airplane up and down with, at worst some broken gear and a prop. The problems lie in the unknown. When the plane does something you did not expect and you react with an input there are only two ways it can go:

1) Correct input...keep flying. OR....

2) an infinite number of incorrect inputs leading to further corrections and lots of brain-taxing decisions which lead; inevitably, to panic, disorientation and possible loss of not only the plane, but life and property as well.

I am just a beginner too. I fly gasoline-powered Extras now, but I flew every day for over a year in an attempt to train my feeble brain to react with the correct inputs. The day after I soloed, I began shooting litterally thousands of T and G's. This led to Tail draggers, inverted flight, KE's, hovers, rollers etc.... This is WITH the advantage of about 30 minutes of stick-time 6 days a week for a year.....and I still consider myself a BEGINNER.

I have built a few ARF's too. I am really bad at it, but the planes fly and I have fun. Build it, this is not rocket science. There are no tricks, it's just like anything else. You need to practice, get out and DO it. There are dozens of people who will tell you how hard it is...and it IS hard, but you will never improve if you sit and talk with all of the others who wish they could. You will only get better at this with LOTS and LOTS of practice. This goes for both building and flying.

Most of all, enjoy the ride. And don't let the guys who have 30 years of experience and still.....CAN'T FRIGGIN FLY!!, be your teachers. Befriend, hang-out with, fly with and seek advice from the BEST FLYERS YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO COME IN CONTACT WITH. (It's usually the guys that everyone who can't fly considers arrogant and rude....become one of them...they can fly). These are the people who know the most about improving your skill set. They've been there too. Everyone started with a trainer....everyone.

Enjoy!!

RE: First post...
 

Agexpert...Not everyone started with a trainer. One of my students started (against my advice) with a P-51 that lasted about 35 seconds with him at the controls. Even with a buddy box, it happened too fast to save. His SECOND airplane was .....a trainer. If any one wants to try thier first flights with other than a trainer, they can find some one other than me to fly with.

RE: First post...
 

Go with the Nexstar (get rid of all the add ons) and get an instructor.

RE: First post...
 

That's funny, anonymouse. Perhaps I should edit it to read..'everyone learns on a trainer'. I have worked with students on occasion and I can tell you that I respect the patience of a good instructor. I can't do it. It took me MONTHS to solo, and my instructor was very encouraging and helpful....BUT I only got 5 minutes of stick-time a week because he was busy helping others too. I respect you guys...I don't have it in me to teach.

RE: First post...
 

Ooops, sorry, you're right. So why do the guys at local club have "no smoking" signs plastered all over the place? I thought IC meant internal combustion? Its amazing what they can make from beans and stuff - must get some for the car!! Thanks guys!! :)
_____________________________________
After my hernia op, doc will I be able to do barrel roles, Cubans, inverted? Year sure you can! "Thats great doc, I couldn't do them before!!" :D:)

RE: First post...
 

Because they are fascists who want to dictate what you can and can't do. Now I understand if it's an indoor flying site but outside... I will find another club.

EDIT// Oh and for the fascist who reads this and wants to cry second hand smoke causes cancer... I will direct you to the label on your bottle of glow fuel and point out that you are taking in more carcinogens from other sources every day you continue to breath than you will from my cigarette in an outdoor invironment.

RE: First post...
 

Maybe they got tired of the actions of ignorant slobs who seem to think it's ok to throw their cigarette butts on the ground. Or perhaps they've had to deal with one too many brush fires caused by said ignorant slobs...

Oh, and for those smokers who think I'm calling them "ignorant slobs", if you don't engage in the behavior I cited above, it's not you. If you do behave in the above behavior, all I can say is "if the shoe fits..."

RE: First post...
 

Probably not too eager to have you ignite the methanol or nitro with your cigarette or other burning tobacco product. IC does mean internal combustion (or integrated circuit) but ignition in most of the planes if from a glowing source of heat as opposed to a spark.

RE: First post...
 

You guys will be happy... I just got myself a NEW Tower Hobbies ARF 40 with a 6XM TX receiver, Evo .40 ABC motor, and a Flight simulator so I can simulate myself crashing my Extra 300...;)

Can't wait to get it... Will listen to the majority of the group and put my Extra 300 in the closet up to the time I know how to fly... Just contacted my local club and I will take a drive there tomorow if weather permit (been very crapy lately...) to get to know some of the local flyer and some instructor that would be patient enough to teach me...
Keep you guys posted...
Eric

RE: First post...
 

that is great news, you will be spending any extra cash you have in no time.
you will be happy with your trainer there pretty good flyers.