looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

Hi,
My boyfriend has recently 'almost' built the Easy Sport 40 RC Plane and he is getting anxious to learn how to fly it. I was curious if anyone knew of any good books I could get him for Christmas that would give him general direction on techniques for beginners liike a step-by-step guide etc. If anyone has any suggestions they will be greatly appreciated, along with where to buy. So far I have found a few at Tower Hobbies online i.e. the Model Airplane News series, but am not sure if it is what I am looking for.
Many thanks,

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

Try some of the Harry Higley books. For your situation I would recommend
"Getting Airborne". There are two volumes. Get them both.

Those should be available from Tower as well.

Mike Hammer

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

I suggest you search RCU for a local flying club near you. As a member, they will be able to teach him hands on with a buddy box. The box allows the instructor to take over control of the airplane. So when he gets into trouble (and he will) the instructor can save the plane. Flying is easy, but landing is all about feel. You won't get that out of a book. For your gift, Get him an AMA card & pay for the 1st years membership dues. Believe me he will thank you for it after his first flight with an instructor.
AMA is The Academy of Model Aeronautics
www.modelaircraft.org
If you cant find it on RCU you will find one here.

Flying Irish

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

http://members.aol.com/harryhig/Books2.htm

'Getting Airborne Vol 1' and 'Getting Airborne Vol 2'.

These books are well worth the shekels.

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

I agree with Flying Irish, The books can be wrapped and put under the tree but pointing him in the direction of a club will be infinitly more helpful. The instructers will go over his plane to make sure it's airworthy and to look for anything that can become a problem. They may suggest ways to improve his building skills and when the plane is ready to fly they will not only take him up but show him some helpful tips like how to keep all his fingers when starting the engine etc.

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

Not only do I agree with Irish and feep, but will go a step further and advise that you NOT get him a book on how to fly, as this may give him the feeling that he can learn by himself - and that is most unlikely. A local club that you can find by searching the AMA website http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx is your and his best bet.

Then again, depending on the depth of your pocketbook, you may wish to get him one of the very good flight simulators designed for model airplanes, which will give him a very good starting point so that when he does get to the field with an instructor he will learn and be able to solo that much more quickly. One of the best simulators is the Great Planes Realflight, at http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHXV6&P=ML

Good luck and Merry Christmas to both of you!

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

Please do follow the advice above and find a club with experienced flyers who can help him learn. Successfully flying an airplane by R/C is not a skill one can pick up in a weekend or two. It takes time and practice to develop one's reactions. For instance, the model's left and right are OPPOSITE to your left and right when it is coming toward you. And most people who have not flown (model or full-size) don't realize that it is normal for an airplane to put its nose down when it starts a turn, and this must be compensated for.

With a new airplane, there is no way to be sure which way it will go the first time it takes off - it may pull left, right, up, down, roll over, or some combination. If the control throws are too great the model will be a tiger by the tail, reacting violently to the tiniest movement of the stick. An experienced flyer will have a far better chance to react correctly than someone who has never done it before.

It takes a lot of time and effort to prepare a new model for flight, even an ARF, and it is discouraging in the extreme to have it destroyed only a few seconds after it becomes airborne the first time. When someone tries it on their own, this is almost certain to be the outcome. Most often they leave the hobby never to return and that's a shame because they miss out on a truly wonderful hobby that can provide enormous satisfaction for a lifetime. Some help and guidance from experienced people can make all the difference.

Newcomers usually do not realize that it is NORMAL for a new airplane to require some adjustment and balancing before it really flies right - Just because you spent all that time building it does NOT guarantee that it should fly perfectly the first time!

I hope I'm not worrying you; I just want to give you some idea of what a newcomer is up against trying to do this the first time - people who haven't done it often have unrealistic expectations. It's not brain surgery, it's just that it takes time to develop one's reactions, and incorrect reactions can so easily crash the airplane.

Books can help educate the newcomer and simulators can often be a real help in learning orientation and control response but neither is a substitute for actually doing it with a "real" (not virtual) airplane.

I hope your boyfriend has good success and finds great enjoyment from this hobby.

Tom

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

The saddest part about trying to learn to fly without an instructor is that after the crash the person may be so disappointed and shocked that he/she may give up the hobby. That is sad.

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

I just bought "ULTIMATE RC FLIGHT GUIDE" at the LHS and it's what you might be looking for. It's one of the MAN published books.

http://www.modelaircraft.org should the the link to the AMA website. It has a list of all the AMA sanctioned flying fields somewhere on the site. I vote with the rest of the people here that it'd be a really good present to point your boyfriend toward a club, and the AMA clubs almost always have instructors and usually have buddy box setups all ready to go. I know my field does. (and "buying this present" won't cost a thing which makes it an even better gift)

I've got to admit that I sorta wish y'all lived around here, because any guy with such a smart, understanding girlfriend is lucky, and I like to fly with lucky people.

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

Jeez, the full impact of your question just hit me.

You're into Tower Hobbies, shopping for a modeling gift for your boyfriend!! And you're going to BUY him something to do with model flying!

Hey, if he ever treats you bad...... ;)

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

12 years ago I got into the hobby, built a few planes and tried to teach myself to fly. I crashed every one of them, I got so discouraged I got out of the hobby and sold every thing I had that was model related. 2 years ago I got back into the hobby built a few planes over the winter, this time I joined a club and got some instructions, I also bought a flight simulator and used it for a few months. In the 2 years since I got back into the hobby I haven't lost one plane. Buy him a membership to a flying club it's well worth the investment
RC Stout

RE: looking for an up-to-date informative RC plane flight tip/techniques book
 

Great advice above. There are just too many unexpected things that go wrong trying to solo on your own. Things a newcomer will likely never even think of. Besides, it's better to share the excitement of seeing one's plane successfully fly with others, anyway.