I am brand new to RC airplane flying, and searching the web, was able to locate this web site which I instantly became a member. I figure in the future, and as my addiction gets worse, it will be a good place to get great advice, as well as learn a few things.

Let me start by telling my RC story. When I was younger, about 13 or 14, I remember wanting an rc airplane so bad. My cousin gave me a copy of a Tower catalog, and i kept pondering which plane i was going to buy with my paper route money. Just before my birthday my dad was giving me the option of either the Cox E-Z flyer electric trainer in the local hobby store, which at the time was about 100.00, or the brand new Easton bat for senior league baseball. Of course I made the wrong decision, I chose the bat. I thought that wanting the plane was maybe just a phase in my life that would pass as I got older. Four years of high school came and went, four years of the Marine Corps came and went, and four years of being married had come, along with an 18 month old boy now, and another on the way in December.

In the past, I must have mentioned to my wife that when I was younger, ( I'm now 28) i wanted an rc plane. Well this fathers day, I was surprised with one, a Hobby Zone Firebird Outlaw which cost her 50.00. Getting the plane, I felt like I was 13 again. MY wife said that the hobby store person, who she said "was really into this rc plane stuff" said that if I have never flown before, this would be a good very first plane. She said she went in there with the intention of buying me an expensive one, but the shop owner said I would ony destroy it.

The first thing I did was read the instructions, and throw in the included dvd. The people on the dvd were flying this thing like pros. Off the ground take offs, touch and goes, perfect landings. I followed all the instructions, charged the battery, and threw it in the back of the minivan en route to the cookout, in case I got a chance to fly it sometime today before I had to go to work in the afternoon.

Well the wind was blowing about 15-20mph, a little stronger and faster that the recommended 5mph or less for flying the plane as the instructions stated, but what did they know, they only built the plane. On the way home from the cookout, I was getting impatient, so I had my wife make a pit stop behind one of the local elementary schools. I just had to fly the plane. I gingerly put the wing on, the battery in, and tested the two engines. All systems go, so I thought. After first trying an off the groud take off from the basketball court ashphalt, ( like the people on the dvd ) and watching the plane just speed to the edge of the court and somersault onto the grass, i opted to hand launch.

I held the firebird outlaw in my right hand, gave it full throtte, and watched as both motors purred, just begging to be airborne. Then I tossed it, right into the wind, just like the dvd told me to. Then it happened, the outlaw began to rise into the air. It was actually flying, I couldn't believe it, I had my radio controlled airplane, and it was actually flying. It was flying hard and fast, and began to turn left a bit, or actually a lot. Hey, but I could steer it. So I moved the stick all the way to the right expecting to see the outlaw bank a precision right turn. Only it didn't turn right. The plane continued turning left, picked up speed and flew behind me, and right into the brick wall of the elementary school.

There the Firebird Outlaw laid in the grass, with one propellor off, and the battery hanging out of the fuselage. I killed it, so I thought. But no, its a tough plane. I quickly put it back together, and like a moron, attempted to fly it again. I hand launch it again right into the gusting 20 mph wind. This time it turned right, right into a fence. Well it was time for me to get ready for work anyway, so we packed it up and went home. On the ride home I glanced over the instruction booklet again, wondering where I went wrong. ( It only say about 10 times that flying in too strong a wind, is the biggest cause of injuries, crashes, and damaged planes ).

The next time I went out, I broke the bar that goes through the fuselage and connects the two motors, from a nose dive straight into the ground. Again its a tough plane, so I lined up the broken stick that connects the two motors, dumped a bunch of super glue in the fuselage, and low and behold it worked. Since those first two devastating flights, I have taken the repaired Outlaw out on many a calm morning and flown it like a pro, turning with ease, and actually landing it well. One morning I ran into a guy with a gas powered plane at my local flying spot, ( a couple of soccer fields ). Seeing him fly his plane only fueled my addiction to this new hobby even more.

I hope you found this absolutely true story at least somewhat amusing, but here is the questions if someone would take the time to answer. Again, I have absolutely no experience flying rc planes other than what you have read, nor do I know anyone else who flies them, or have anyone guiding me as I progress in the sport/hobby. ( The place I fly at, ( the soccer field ) I have never seen anyone else fly there except that one person I ran into that one morning, it is not a local club or anything ). Here is my plan though. I have recently ordered a Cox E-Z flyer electra cub. Its a 2 channel, with what I believe has an elevation control, and I think is steered with the rudder. I wanted to get a plane with one propeller, and rudder control. After getting comfortable with that one, my plan is to get a Hobbico Superstar Select 40. It seems like the most fit for me as it comes pretty much RTF. I am very bewildered with all the talk of servos, channels, glow starters, fuel lines, breaking in engines and so forth. I am hoping that with little or no outside guidance, the instructions with the plane with explain everything.

The main question is, what kind of succes can I expect going about it all alone. ( I may be able to contact the gentlemen I met with the gas powered plane as he is in the same line of work as me, if he is willing to take some time with me to show me a few things ). Any advice would be much appreciated.

Nice story, probably make a good movie some day

Follow aeropal's suggestion and get a simulator!!!! Preferably one that comes with it's own radio (like Real Flight G2 -- http://www.realflight.com/) ... much cheaper than buying a full radio required for most of the sims.

Consider carefully what you want from the hobby, how far you want to take it AND how much money you're willing to spend. Learn to fly using the sim and then decide what type of R/C plane (or heli ) you want to START with. Choose a radio, NOT based on what you'll be doing NOW, but in a couple of years (depending on budget). You'll be tempted to start out with smaller equipment, but believe me when I tell you that you will outgrow it QUICKLY.

Oh, btw, don't wait another second, just go and DO IT!!!!

--Hammer

P.S. Don't forget to thank your WIFE!

Thanks for replying. What exactly is a "simulator." Is it a computer program that requires you to already own a 4 channel radio or something like that. How much does it cost. Again, excuse my lack of knowledge, as I am "brand" new to the hobby.

A SIMULATOR is a special software that runs on your PC and get's "steering input" from a transmitter or something that is pretty close in function. The aircraft on the screen reacts to your steering input as much as your real aircraft would do with the blessing effect that crashes happen as well but they cost no money and effort to repair.

The idea of a simulator is to react on what you see and train these reactions. At a later stage - once training shows success, you are only guessing what might happen so you are reacting very early. There are several simulator on the market and the link mentioned by AEROPAL gives you a very good idea of what is available on the market. Some simulators are already offering a dummy transmitter that works just like the real one except for the HighFrequency transmitting etc. Others use the buddy socket of your radio if there is any, others may use a joystick, mouse of keyboard for input. Whatever you do (... and your budget/wife allows) please keep in mind that your chances of actually controlling a real model aircraft using a mouse, a joystick or the keyboard is pretty small. You should go for a real transmitter or a dummy transmitter that trains the movments you will use afterwards on your flying field.

Cheers - wolfgang