RC Kit Database?
 

I've been working on a website dedicated to kits, building, plans, etc. The anchor would be a database of all the kits available. I know RCU has a database, but the one I'm working on would be laid out a bit different with an emphasis on kits and construction.

I'd appreciate some feedback as to whether or not it's something you think might be useful, and any suggestions or comments you might have.

Understand it is all very limited at the moment, but it should give a general idea of where I'm going.

[link]http://www.rcdbase.com[/link]

Thanks!

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

I like it!

Keep going.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

I think it would be very useful. Keep going![8D]

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Very nice indeed! Keep it going. I am just getting into building and need all the tips I can get! :)

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Looks very good - keep it up! I like how you can sort on any column by clicking the title. From the results page, is it possible to keep the column titles "frozen" so you can see them when you scroll down through the list of planes?

eroc

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Yes, I will work on that. It wasn't an issue until I had around 70 records in the database.

Thanks for the input everyone. The tedious input is easier if you know someone may use it.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

in a word "finally". hope you have a large site haha this is going to be a popular place with me as i do not do those awfle arfels,
or elect thingies. my 2 cents did not mean to offend anybody as i know that they are popular.mike

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Ok, the columns should be a little easier to track

Does anyone care about length? Heh, of course you do

But I mean the airplane length. Should it be included?

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Very nice. To me more data is better so adding length would be nice addition.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Nice work pgitta!

You might consider adding a page so visitors can submit kits for you to save you some work. I would set it up so you have to approve the submissions before they are displayed on the page so you don't end up with junk on the page you don't want. That should save you a bunch of typing and I bet all the fine folks who visit RCU would be happy to help you add to the list.

One other item you may want to add to the page is a checkbox or something along those lines to indicate if a kit is out of production.

Looks great so far!

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Very nice start! I will look forward to rechecking your site to see how you are comming along. Should be very usefull if you are able to include the biggest percentage of kits out there, and hopefully even some discontinued ones! Great job, and keep it going!

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

I have not attempted a kit yet, but am contemplating asking Santa for one. I really like your link.
I would be interested in seeing build complexity rating on your site.
Several of the kits that I have researched have been "builders" kits, which I will not be interested in for some time.
I see the same suggestions for possible first timer kits and although this would be my first kit I have been flying ARF's for sometime. I have not been thrilled with the kit selections offered in the large hobby warehouses. On the other hand I am frightened with the possibility of no product support with a kit that now one has ever built.

One of the kits that still sticks in my mind is Great Planes RV-4. I didn't get to fly the one I saw but it was beautiful. It flew very acrobatically, and seemed to slow down very easily and land like a dream.
I have a feeling that between the kids and the wife I wont be able to devote much time to building. Would a kit like the RV-4 be easy to just set down and pickup like on the weekends?

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

I had thought of a build ease rating also, but have decided it's too subjective a element. A person with 10 kits under his belt will rave about how fast it went together, and a first timer will lament the confusing manual.

You can start and stop with the building, but you do need a decent size table to work, and you'll have quite a sprawling mess fairly quickly so it's a pain to have to clean it up after every session. I have a dedicated table set up in my basement that my wife doesn't have to look at every day.

I've never built the [link=http://www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma0180.html]RV-4[/link] but from reading the description, it seems similar in terminology (interlocking, die cut, etc) to the Ryan STA-EP I built last year. If they can be compared, it didn't seem very tough. You're lucky the one you're considering is a Great Planes model, because they offer the RV-4 [link=http://www.greatplanes.com/manuals/gpma0180-manual.pdf]manual[/link] for download. I would get it and read the whole thing. It should give you an idea of what the process will be like.

One last note. While there are a number of benefits to building your own airplane over ARFs, don't bother unless you really love putting things together and seeing the final result. The cheap kit price is enticing , but it will cost you MORE than the same model in ARF! I'm a woodworker anyway, so I love the build, but I really don't do it in the summer.

This is building season in Chicago though. The 10 months of winter.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

RCBOZO,

I would not recommend the RV-4 for your first kit. I have built this one and found that if I had not built other kits before (this was my third) this one it would have been somewhat confusing. I know many have recommended 4* as a very good kit to build and a nice flying plane when done.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

beachflier I appreciate your candor about the RV-4. I did download the manual and it did seem a bit confusing. I am not a rocket scientist. I do however read blue prints almost everyday. I have to stare at most of then for half an hour sometimes before I realize what some of them are, but eventually I come to some understanding of them.

I appreciate the suggestion of the 4* but the thought of another trainer brings tears to my eyes. Long story short I ended up buying two trainers when I started. Wife now has one and my son has the other. I would not get much pleasure out of another trainer and we certainly don't need another one hanging from the rafters. I thought the RV-4 would be fun for a little while and the family could use after I lost interest.

I realize the COST of a kit. I am frustrated with winter already! I enjoy the 6 - 7 hours of ARF building and just want something more to occupy my time this winter besides TV! I was thinking of one other kit:) Paul Swanson's Fat Free Taco .25 size profile. I have been sitting on a nice .25 OS for a couple of years and want to get it mounted to something besides the engine test stand.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Here's a good list of kits. You might want to ask skylane42 if you can use his data for your database. I know a lot of the kits listed are no longer available, but for the ones that are available it would save you a lot of time. Just a suggestion.

http://members.aol.com/skylane42a/price.html

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Hi pgitta

I LIKE IT !!!!!!!! [sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

Keep it going !!!!


Dale

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Thanks propjet,

I intend to include outdated, discontinued, vintage, foreign, whatever I can find anywhere.

Unfortunately, that list is not really detailed as to specs, and I would have to type them in anyway unless he had them already in a table.


125 in! about a million to go!

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Added keyword search.

Any suggestions on what level of filtering you'd like best, let me know.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Great Job pgitta! Keep up the good work! But don't forget about the plans! (LOL) Let me know if I can help you in any way, graphics, etc..

Mike

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Sure! plans!

I was jazzed up to the 50th plane.

Now I'm just a zombie robot data entry cylon with a crick in my aluminum neck.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Yeah, I know what you mean! I've been trying to find the time to re-publish my website. I've got it about 90% overhauled. I'll post a link to your site when I re-publish. Like I said, let me know if I can help.

Mike

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

I'll do that, thanks.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Take a visit to the A.M.A. site and look up a few of the organized special interest clubs. They run a big list of Authorized or accepted designs. You should ealisly be able to steal a few A/C names at these places. Sites like the Vintage Radio Control will also list if the older A/C is still in production today.

Then, you have to go to the more modern web sites and see what they currently have listed, or back ordered. I don't think this a simple chore.

Wm.

RE: RC Kit Database?
 

Rename your home page so that when I save it to my favorites it says "RCdbase" instead of "Page 1".

My first look at it, looks like a useful collection of data.

Thanks!