How do i start?
 

Hi all. I am new in here and in aiplanes too. I had a lot of experience in free flight when i was a little younger:) I have built a bigger airplane too which had a rudder and elevator but never flown it sonce i had not the engine for it

now i want to start again. im in a very small town so there is no body can help me around. i have my radio but nothing else. i want to build a very small slow flyer. i am confident than i can build my own design.

My first question; i was searching for a very small engine with a throttle control. The best choice seemed a cox engine but i could not find any with a throttle. i found another which is called AP 09 engine. it seemed good but i wanted to find a cox. does any bbody know how can i find it??

secondly since i am a begginer i want to make a small and a sloww model (i dont want any electric models) and i am thinking that not to use ailerons. would rudder be enough for me? could i control it as i want to?? note: i dont want any areobatic actions for now.

How do i start?
 

I think the best advice would be to build a powered sailplane. Something along these lines:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXE615&P=0

How do i start?
 

thanks for your reply but i want to build it my self

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The AP 09 is a nice little engine.
If you are looking for a Cox, you may have to look on an auction site like ebay. You would probably be looking for a Cox .15 medallion. Some have throttles, they use a sleeve around the exhaust port to control the engine.

Another great company is NORVEL.
They make great little engines and high quality.
http://www.norvel.com/index.html

Bill

How do i start?
 

yea i like that norvell. they have a 0.61 w/throttle just the one im looking for

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encan,

I read your requiremnts and I've got to ask are really interested y in learning how to fly?


Minnflyer sent you a link to a good plane that could meet your needs and your response was
Does this mean scratch build?

Also your engine size requirement and desire not to use electric really limit the number of models suitable for training..



Your next statement

Makes me think of all the reasons why a small model isn't great for learning and slow is a reletive term. I let a friend who has never flown before try my GWS Tigermoth 2 weekends ago and his comment was wow that little thing sure flys fast. BTW GWS Tigermoth parkflyer top speed in level flight approx 8mph stall speed 3mph he was flying at half throtle setting.

Here's just a suggestion.

If you are going to learn on your own do everything possible to stack the deck in your favor. Don't rule out any option that will help you achieve this goal after you have become a proficient flyer build any plane you want.

How do i start?
 

Encan,

Smaller does not necessarily mean slower, or easier. The wind can make little planes handfulls very quickly. A .40 size might actually be cheaper in the overall because it uses standard size servos and radio equipment instead of specialized little stuff.

It is not coincidence that most trainers are .40 size.

As MinnFlyer suggested, a powered glider is a good place to start. I had one as a second plane 20 years ago and taught myself to fly and land (after vaporizing my first RC plane on the first flight).

If at all possible - seek out an instructor.

How do i start?
 

crashem;
i did not say that small models are not good for training. in fact i am going for a small model. if you have never seen a coz model engine, they are as small as 2 inch maybe smaller and they usually require micro equipment. the reason why i dont want electric airplanes are different. first of al i dont like those battary packs they are extremely heavy, smaller ones are extremely expensive. charging it is another problem by itself. chargers, speed controls, motors... a lot of stuff which has the risk to burn. i had a electric rc car. a lot of problem. after seeing my friends gas powered car i hated mine.

miniflyers link is fine. but it works with a 2 channel radio that means there is no throttle control. i really really want to control the throttle.

How do i start?
 

charlie,

the reason i want a small model is that i dont have much possibilities to find a place to land or take off. i want it to be something like a park flyer.

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thanks a lot aeropal there is even one in cape

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Encan,
I think you misunderstood my answer. Small models are not better for learning on in fact most people believe that Bigger models make better trainers for some of the following reasons

Easier to See
Have a more stable feel
Able to handle wind better

What I was commenting on were your requirements for a model to learn on. They seem to be in conflict.

BTW check Herr Manufacturing they make small models for the norvel line of glow engines.

How do i start?
 

encan,
Were in MO are you?

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im in cape girardeau

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crashem thanks for your opinions and sorry for misunderstanding.

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where can i find these herr planes

How do i start?
 

I have seen the herr aquastar fly and it didn't seem that stable. You would be better off building a gentle lady and putting an .049 engine on it and add a throttle if you want a throttle or the butterfly as suggested and add a throttle. If you landing space is small, those planes will both land in a very short distance, like less than 10 feet on the slide if you leave the gear off. I catch my gentle lady. Smaller planes are generally quicker and your chances of breaking it are so much higher. If you are serious about learning to fly on your own, you would be better off with something like the butterfly or the lady. The life expectancy of a smaller dihedral only plane with no experience is somewhat less than 60 seconds from what I have seen with many who had to try it themselves. They always crash, get frusterated and quit or crash a second or third time and then quit. You would be way ahead to find help. I am sure there is a club close. Look at the ama website and see just how close a club is to you.

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encan,

You have a club near you.

SOUTHEAST MO MODELERS ASSN

District: VI
NUmber: 249
Type: Radio Control

Contact Information:

Contact: SIMMONS ARNOLD R
Phone:
Email: [email protected]
Address: 3427 HOPPER RD
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO 63701-3445
Url:
Has Intro Pilots: N/A

(information copied from AMA site)

I bet they would be glad to help.

How do i start?
 

Ah, nukes beat me to it.

It's amazing how many flying clubs and fields there are, and how hard they can be to find. So a lot of folks think "there's no one out here but me", but.... :)

How do i start?
 

thanks alot nukes. i have another question though. this might be something you couldnt know. i am originally from turkey and studying here and i dont have a car. how these clubs are working. i mean do they usually meet and go to the fields. i mean how could i go to a field.

Like i said this has been a really wierd question.i think i should call them rathgher than posting it here :P

How do i start?
 

My suggestion would be to learn to fly on a plane that you did not design or build. I know that goes against a lot of old school thinking. That is the path I have taken.

You can buy an electric park flyer complete with radio for $100 that has throttle and rudder control. Or, for $150 you can get a three channel plane with rudder/elevator or aileron/elevator.

This way you spend you time learning to fly, not learning to build. You don't have to be concerned about whether the crash was you lousy flying or your lousy building.

I would encourage an electric first. They are cheap and reliable. You can turn the motor on and off and on during flight so you can see how the plane flies without influence of the motor.

Many electrics are foam or rugged plastic, so they can take a real beating. If fly and Aerobird. My first choice after the Aerobird was the Funtec Sky Scooter Pro II. I still think these are excellent first planes.

Resources Aerobird, Sky Scooter Pro

Here is an Internet site that sells the Aerobird. They also have a
link for a video of the plane flying:
http://www.parkflyers.com/html/aerobird.html

Here is a link to a review of the Aerobird:
http://www1.wildhobbies.com/news/de...w&articleid=853

As I said, my alternative plane was the Sky Scooter Pro. It had been about
$260 RTF, but they recently released the Sky Scooter Pro 2 at about $160 RTF so
you might want to give it serious consideration.
http://www.servocity.com/ServoCity/...._airplane.html

If you have a radio already, then you can get the Sky Scooter without the radio and electronics for about $50.

Videos
http://www.hitecrcd.com/Funtec/videos.htm

That is my suggestion. Save your design and build for your second plane, once you learn to fly. Go RTF or ARF to take the build out of the equation until you learn how to fly.

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I would suggest getting ahold of the club and see if anyone there could give you a ride. I am sure someone there would be willing to help you out.

How do i start?
 

encan, i am from cape originally. I know longer live there, but the Cape field is where I started flying RC. The field itself is about 5 or six miles west of Cape. It is a really nice grass field. The yearly dues are ridiculously cheap. Something like $25/year. The folks at the field are more than happy to help out newcomers. Many people drive from cape to the field so someone might be able to help you out. I would recommend you go to the field on a Sat. or Sun. and talk with some of the members. They will know exactly what equipment you will need and will be able to talk you through the process. There are several members who are very good at training. I think this would be more fufilling that buying a "park flyer".
Chris