What would YOU do?
 

Ok. So here I am at 32 years old and just starting this exciting new hobby. My father's a pilot of a 182 and I've been extremely interested in flying. Well, at 32, I realize that I could never afford it so I decided to jump into the next best thing...RC Airplanes.

Actually I had thought about flying RC Planes since I was very young but have never had the money to do it. Now that I have a steady job and a little extra left over after bills I thought I'd start the hobby.

So, after about 4 months of reading, studying, and more reading I decided that I'd order a trainer. I decided on the Tower Hobbies 40. From what I've read it's a pretty good first plane. So, I order the plane, basic field equipment, and some nitro from Tower H.

I received my order in only 2 days!!! It was much faster than I thought it would be and I was so excited I couldn't stand it. But I had other things that I had already committed to so I had to wait to put the plane together on the weekend.

So, a couple Sunday's ago I finally get the time to put the RTF Tower Hobbies 40 together, after charging the needed items from Friday to Sunday. Cool!!!! I figured I would be all ready to break the engine in.

Well, after about 4 hours of trying to get the engine started I knew something wasn't right. I checked the glow plug. Darn!!! It's dead. Good thing I bought the basic field equipment that came with an extra glow plug!!!

I put the new glow plug in and....Dang!!! It STILL won't start. After about another 2 hours and I still can't get the thing to run for more than 5 minutes I give up. I get online and see what I may be missing.

I read the reviews on the Tower Hobbies .46 engine that came ALREADY PREINSTALLED on the plane. Apparently some people have problems with them as they have air leaks in the carb. So I took the carb off and put it back together properly. (Turns out the carb wasn't pushed all the way down into the engine block).

Being as impatient as I am I decide that I will order a new engine (O.S. .46 LA) and once I get the new engine up and running I could send back the Tower .46 to get fixed. and maybe put it in a second plane.

I received the new engine a couple days later and I put the new engine in and....wouldn't you know it, the glow plug is burnt out. What!!!?!?!?!?! Wait a minute, this can't be normal. Maybe I should check the glow starter. Sure enough it won't charge anymore. So, I figure I have a bad glow starter and order another one along with more glow plugs just in case.

That was on Monday. I will get that order tomorrow.

As I was tinkering with the new engine tonight I ended up breaking one of the fuel plugs on the Remote Needle Valve!!!!

GRRRRRRR!

So now I ordered another remote needle valve that, hopefully, will get here on either Friday or Saturday. I will be out of town on Saturday and have to mow the yard and work some on Sunday. I SHOULD (hopefully) have a little bit of time to break in the OS .46 on Sunday evening though.

It's been a VERY VERY aggravating and tedious 2 weeks! I'm down almost $450 (maybe a little more but don't tell my girlfriend [:-]), about 10-15 hours total, and a lot of aggravation!

I'm about to the point that I want to sell this dang plane and just stop this expensive and time consuming hobby. It's just about not worth it.

Shouldn't this be easier?!?!?!!?

What would you do?

RE: What would YOU do?
 

After more than 40 years at this, I still have those days. But when it all come together, nothing beats it.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

I can understand that and, if I continue, I do expect it. But this is my FIRST plane.

It isn't like this all the time is it?

RE: What would YOU do?
 

laklar
Just think some of us have as much in our toys as others have in their real plane. Just look at it this way it could be a lot worse. but there will be day that makes it all worth while.
The best thing is to not get in a big hurry,
check every thing over really well before you try to start the engine ;) set back and enjoy , then check it again then go for it . or find a club get help and enjoy the hobby.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

All of this is EXACTLY why we always tell newbies to get into a club with experienced people. They would have spotted most of this very quickly and would also have had spare starter batteries and starter motors and other "goodies" to make this all MUCH easier.
If you intend to try to fly this on your own go ahead and order another plane right now.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Stick with it...trust me. I had ALL SORTS of problems at first. It seemed like notyhing worked right no matter what. I had good insructors, but their time was scarce....took me nearly a year to solo.

That was 18 months ago and I am now learning rollers, IMAC routines, 3D and advanced aerobatics....trying to anyway.

I am done with glow...gas only now. Trust me, it's worth it.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

I second the "join a club" suggestion. More than likely they would have seen at least one of the problems. And if something does go wrong chances are they'd be happy to give or loan you another glow plug battery etc.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Before you spend any more money or time on the plane, find someone with experience to help. Don't try to start the engine, or anything else, on your own. Starting an engine is pretty easy, if you know the proper steps. You might be able to stumble your way to learning how this is done, but a good instructor can show you how it's done in a simple, and safe manner. If you haven't seen it already, the AMA charter club locator http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx is a good place to find a club and instructor.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Since you asked what would I do .......... I would find someone that has experience and ask for help.
It is so much easier and more fun to have someone that has been there and done that help you get everything going.
I think studying and reading is great, but that can only carry you so far.
If there is a club nearby hopefully the members are friendly and will be willing to help you.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Your frustrations will quickly fade away, laklar. I remember when I bought my first glow trainer a couple of years ago. I was so excited to go flying that anytime the weather let me down or I had a minor problem with my plane, I felt like my head was going to explode!

Once you get familiar with the basic operation of your plane and you get a few successful flights under your belt, you'll be amazed at how simple and reliable a .40-sized glow plane really is. You have to shake out a few of the initial wrinkles, and then your plane will be a reliable source of fun for years to come.

You've had a couple of bad breaks, like a glow ignitor that wouldn't charge, but a lot of your extra expenses are due to your own impatience. You ordered an expensive extra engine for no particular reason, for example.

Tower Hobbies has ridiculously good customer service. Had you simply called them and said your new glow ignitor wasn't heating up your glow plugs, they probably would have simply sent a replacement no questions asked. At worst, you could have shipped it back to them along with a copy of your receipt, and they would have had a new one out to you in 4 or 5 days.

I admire your enthusiasm, but you're the one who is making this an expensive hobby. Making contact with a nearby club or at least an experienced pilot would give you a lot more guidance with getting everything ironed out. If you purchase something from Tower Hobbies and you have trouble with it, you don't have to automatically buy more stuff. Let their customer service folks help you get replacements quickly and easily.

Once you start taking off and landing by yourself, you're going to be so addicted to RC flying that none of this stuff will bother you anymore. You'll look back and laugh at your initial troubles. Flying RC planes isn't difficult, but it's not always intuitive either. That's why it took Homo Sapien more than 100,000 years to invent the .40-sized trainer with 2-stroke glow engine and sport radio. Quit trying to reinvent the wheel yourself, and try to find a fellow RC enthusiast somewhere within 50 miles or so of Chillicothe, MO that will be willing to help you out.

Most RC pilots remember their own trials and tribulations, and they're always happy to help. Heck, that's why were all here on RC Universe spewing out our advice!

While you are continuing your self-study of the sport of RC flying, you should check out the AMA's Sport Aviator website. It is specifically designed for new and budding pilots like ourselves, and is an invaluable reference source:

http://www.masportaviator.com

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Shouldn't this be easier?!?!?!!?

What would you do?

JOIN A CLUB! Get some experienced help!

Dr.1

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Stick with it! You stated that your 32 years old- your old enough now to where hardly anything in life will give you the feeling you get the first time you have a successful flight. My wife was there with me when i had my first successful flight (I taught myself- which I do not recommend) and she didnt know what to think when I was jumping up and down and whooping and hollering. In the 7 years we've been together, she's never seen me that excited and giddy over anything.
Trust me- its worth it. Just get some experienced help and you'll be fine.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Contact this person at the listed club below. Perhaps he can help you out.


WINGS OVER LATHROP
46.58 miles
GERRY HINSHAW
Email Contact 3972 NE BRECKENRIDGE CT
LATHROP MO 64465
Phone: 816-560-2250

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Laklar,
All the advice above is spot on.
To give you an example. I had a newbie arrive at our club some years ago. Filled with excitement, which is normal.
He made contact with another club member who called me over to help out.
When I looked at the model, built from a kit, not ARTF, there were about half a dozen problems with it. Had he tried to fly it a crash would have resulted, no doubt.
However, after 25-30 minutes all the problems had been sorted out and the model flew. The owner even had his first lesson and took the plane home in one piece.
Getting help err helps. :) And its cheeper!! Instructors are normally free.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

The closest club is probably in Lathrop, MO. Maybe one of the members lives close to you.
The club I'm in is a 45 mile drive each way.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

I agree with you all and thank you all for your comments and support.

I had thought about going to that club but I wanted to at least the get engine going and broken in before I bothered anyone about learning to fly.

I have a friend that has been helping me a little bit here and there with some stuff. he's been a great help but we both have busy lives. [:o]

I bought the OS 46 engine because I read about it's reliability. After messing with the Tower Hobbies .46 I figured I needed a little reliability in getting off the ground.

My friend has been flying for quite awhile and I will probably have him help me get off the ground. If he can't help me I will probably at least go to the field listed above and maybe they can at least get me off the ground. :D

Another note about the engine. Even if I don't ever get off the ground I want to do a build this fall/winter. I had a lot of fun tinkering with my plane (replacing engine, moving the antena wire, and charge plug to the outside of the plane). So I thought I could use the other engine now while I have the money. Besides, I do plan on sending the Tower hobbies .46 engine back to them to fix.

I will look more into the flying club.

thank you all.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

laklar,
If you use the club search at the AMA's website, [link]http://modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx[/link] , and expand the search to 75 miles you'll find a whole list of clubs in your general area. KC, St. Jo, Kirksville, and others are in your general area. So you have a good choice of clubs to visit. Later on this summer I'm hoping to visit my mom in Sedelia, if you're still having troubles I'll drive up and help you if I can.

Ken

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Interestingly enough I lived in Sedalia for about 10 years. I worked for a local computer shop "Murlin Computer Inc." I once helped an older gentleman setup Real Flight on his computer. he showed me his garage where he had about 8-10 planes and said that there was a club in Sedalia.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

I know right where that shop is. They let me use a high speed connection to do some server maintenance when I was in Sedalia for my dad's funeral. I know there is a club there in Sedelia too, but I don't have any info on them.

Ken

RE: What would YOU do?
 

I worked there when it was on Thompson Blvd. I think they are now on Erika Ave. I'm not positive though. If you came in about 3-4 years ago it was probably me that you spoke to.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

DONT RUSH

simple as that.

when i got my Yamamoto trainer (about a month ago, lol) i took my time checking it over and made sure the servos and control surfaces were straight, i also got in touch with a local flying club who invited me to come to the field for a day.

i also had trouble starting my engine, it was a MDS .40 and i was trying to flip the prop over with my finger, one of the other guys insisted i used a stick to turn the prop, and im glad i did! when i went to restart the engine after it deadsticked in mid-flight (its still new and was running rich) the prop kicked back and put a rather nice dent in the stick i was using! :O if i had done that with my finger it would have hurt...

moral of the story: seek professional help! theres always someone willing to help out a newb

RE: What would YOU do?
 

This is true for anyone who has ever even CONSIDERED flying these toy airplanes.

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Well, I took everyone's advice. Relaxed, slowed down and contact a Local Flying club.

I have spoken to the local flying club (45 minutes away) and I'm hoping to get out there within a week or two.

I have finally gotten the new OS 46 LA running properly. I was able to taxi it around the house!!! What a blast!!!! I'm so excited and I feel that I actually have a chance to get off the ground someday!!!!!!

RE: What would YOU do?
 

check the batteries in your glow starter

RE: What would YOU do?
 

Charge ALL your batteries, makes for happier flying days. ;)