Getting Started in RC Planes

[Master_Shake]

I currently have about 4 years of nitro and electric rc car experience.
And I want to get into planes!
I want to get the real flight computer simulator(is it any good?) And get a trainer electric with the propellor on the top of the plane so it doesent get broken in landings.

What are some good planes for begginers?
Please help!?!? :confused:

[bigedmustafa]

The RealFlight G3 simulator from Great Planes is quite good for practicing both airplane and helicopter flight. I have heard experienced pilots comment that it's physics model is inadequate for extreme aerobatic/3D flight practice, but is quite good for training flight practice and typical aerobatic flight.

As far as suggesting a plane, it would be helpful if you could answer a few questions:

Do you live in a city or a rural area/small town?

Is there a flying club in your area that you can join?

Do you have a local hobby store near by (if so, what do they
stock/recommend)?

Do you want a starter plane to "try out" r/c flying, or a dedicated trainer
so you can really learn how to fly solo with advanced airplanes?

Have you seen a plane that you like, but you're not sure if you should start
out with it?

Will you have any help learning how to fly, or will you be figuring it out
on your own?

All of these things will affect what shoud be recommended for you. Also, if
you had any kind of budget anticipated, it would be helpful. You can buy a
complete ready-to-fly electric plane for $29.99, or you can spend over $500
buying a ready-to-fly nitro trainer package and field equipment.

[Master_Shake]

i live in a city area, but there are alot of open feild woods, and parks. there is a airplane park with a flying club, but that starts next season. i want something that will fly in fairly winding conditions, and something cool looking.

I would really like to build my own plane and buy everything i need and extras. but i cant find a online store that seels everything i need.

Can you reccomend any hobby stores that seels basically everything i need to get a plane going?
I looked on tower hobbies but is there any other stores?

Thanks.

[ginnz]

ive got a couple scouts.... there completely useless unless you live in a bubble. meaning any wind and there is no control..... spend a couple extra bucks and get a begin air 3-channel plane, or a art tech 3 channel cessna......

the v-tail planes are a pain in the arse.

just my 2 cents.

[JJFlash]

I have a begin-air 4 channel that is easy to learn on and has enough power to get you out of trouble. The plane is very tuff to survive crashes and easy to repair any broken parts. Replace parts are easy to get also.

JJ

[bigedmustafa]

Tower Hobbies is probably the single most comprehensive online hobby store there is. Tower is the retail operation of Great Planes Distributing, who is the exclusive North American distributor for a very wide array of hobby brands.

Horizon Hobby is another major distributor with an online retail operation, but the sheer number of brands and the depth of their online store is less than the Tower Hobby website. Still, either website should allow you to order a plane, radio, and motor along with all of the building tools and flight line equipment you'll need to build and fly it. The vast majority of hobby stores across the U.S. buy the bulk of their inventory from Great Planes and Horizon.

You might also visit Omni Models, Hobby People, and eHobbies for a few different alternatives for you hobby dollar.

Don't underestimate the cost of building your own ARF or airplane kit. I was in a local hobby store a few days ago and a guy spent $75 just on various glues and epoxy listed in the instruction manual for the ARF he was assembling.

Flying is more fun than building. I think you'd be hard pressed to beat the package deals on Ready-to-Fly aircraft packages available from many of the online retailers. Building an aircraft yourself is actually more expensive as well as time consuming.

You have an opportunity to spend the few months remaining before winter flying a ready-to-fly electric parkflyer. If you enjoy it, you can use the winter to put together a more advanced aircraft to fly once you join the R/C club next year.

[Elfi Flyer]

Consider the T-Hawk. You can get the complete package at:

http://www.readytoflyfun.com/thawk3chrtf.html

Comes complete with spares, motor, battery, everything you need to get started in R/C. Most important, the plane will fly in windy conditions and you can beat the heck out of it. Here's mine when it was fairly new. I have 160 flights on it now, some notable modifications, and it has been dorked into the ground a couple of times. Still flies great.

[JJFlash]

Looks like the Begin-Air
http://www.parkflyers.com/

[Slent thndr]

I think the Combat Wing XE2 is a great beginner plane. Built out of EPP foam it can withstand allmost any crash. It can also be upgraded as your skills increase. Put a Brushless in it and it will be screaming at 90 MPH. The stock can reach 50, but as long as you have some Simulator experiance and know the basic oriantation you can get it as a beginner. You can also have them made RTF for you which is nice, but will cost more than building it yourself.

And on the simulators, I would reccomend just loading the freeware FMS simulator and buying a cable for your transmitter (tower sells one i think, or check e-bay), which should cost around $30-$40. Of course the $200 simulator software will be more realistic, but the advanced stuff can't really be learned on a sim anyway. I found the FMS software perfect for me to get the oriantation down, and remove my allmost parinoid fear or crashing, which made me crash even more at first.

Combat Wings:
www.combatwings.com

FMS:
http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index_e.html
(download beta 7, not 8.5)

[Dr_Who77]

if you want one on the top, probly a good firstp lane is the multiplex easyestar.

If your going to be in for sure, don't buy a RTF. Buy a good computer radio. Modelairplanes are not a cheap hobby :) you will learn quickly all of the "garble talk" and will hopfully get hooked (I can certinly tell you that!) but you will probly spend a good $250 on a decent computer radio. Don't go cheap and get a anlog 4 channel radio, because when you need to program something in you will have tobuy a module that goes in the plane that 1.) adds weight to the plane 2.) decreeses planes efficenty 3.) you have zero flexiblity and also you don't get stuff like model memory on a analog radio. It is cheaper to buy a nice computer radio and have it for a long time (they will last a VERY long time) then it is to buy a stinko anlog 4 or 5 channel one, because of all the things you will have to buy for a low $$$ analog one. even though computer radios are more $$$, everything you need is in it and there easyer to deal with, arebetter quality, and you will have ti for a very long time. And you will only have one transmitter with you, not a dozon that you will havet to bring with you to the field.

A wise thing to do would to suscribe to modelairplanes (www.modelairplanenews.com) news and backyard flyer. (www.backyardflyer.com) there cheap. There are also some really good websites taht are free that haves reviews, how-tos etc. etc. some good ones are www.ezonemag.com www.rcpower.com www.liftzone.com www.rcuniverse.com

A good choice of computer radio is the hitec optic 6, fubata 7C or 9C....those are among the best negitive shift radios there are on the market, and are popular and are very reilable. and there in the 250-300 dolor range.

A GWS slow stick is a superb plane, almost veryone has one. it is exstreamly durable, slow, can be modified into almost anyway, and can take a heck of a payload (I know a guy who has his at 40oz AUW!) great AP platform.

Multiplex Easy Star (http://multiplexusa.com/models/ParkFliers/EasyStar.htm)
GWS Slow Stick (http://www.gwsus.com/english/product/airfly/slow%20stick.htm)

Here are some links to get you started out:

www.horizonhobby.com

www.hobby-lobby.com

www.ezonemag.com

www.rcgroups.com

www.hobbyzonesports.com

www.parkzone.com

www.hobbyzone.com

www.smoothair.ca

www.towerhobbies.com

www.hobbico.com

www.rchangout.com

www.rcuniverse.com

www.readytoflyfun.com

www.parkflyers.com

www.modelairplanenews.com

www.rcpower.com

www.liftzone.com

www.greatplanes.com

R/C radio links:

www.hitecrcd.com

www.horizonhobby.com

www.fubatausa.com


Hope this helps :)

[Elfi Flyer]

Master_Shake:

By now, you are probably more confused then ever, at the number of options and choices you have when entering the R/C arena. Most of what you have seen recommended pertains to electric flight. I am a believer of electric flight as BOTH a good entry to R/C as well as the main format for R/C flying.

Consider reducing the info input load to a two decision process:

A.) I want a complete package arrangement for starting out

B.) I want to purchase individual components in preparing my first R/C plane.

Based on that decision, you can better use the recommendations presented in this thread. Dr_Who has a good suggestion - pick up a copy of one of these R/C related publications, such as Model Airplane News, Fly RC, or Backyard Flyer. Yes, there are tons of ads, but they are informative. You have a good point in wanting a "pusher" type trainer. The motor and prop are clear of the nose, and can withstand the absolutely guaranteed dorking into the ground.

If your above choice is A, then go with something such as the T-Hawk at:

www.readytofunfly.com

Hard to beat the value here. Everything you need, and the plane is no lead sled. You can make it really go if you wish to.

If your above choice is B, then look for the foam based planes, some of which can take a heck of a hit and still remain flyable. Check the many websites as provided by Dr_Who. Also, don't shortchange your local hobby shop. You might be fortunate if having a decent shop in your local area. Consider the Multiplex planes, such as the Easy Star. Good solid foam flyer, pusher design. Check it out at: www.multiplexusa.com

Lastly, to really confuse you, Tower Hobbies has a huge selection of R/C planes.....BUT......their selection on electric is somewhat limited. Check out the all time defacto leader in electric R/C supplies: www.hobby-lobby.com

Best of luck, keep in touch. There is a wealth of information out there, and many folks eager to advise, help, confuse (me??). ;)

E-F

[Slent thndr]

It you want an electric trainer plane, get an easy star. Thats what I am reccomending to trainees. I agree with Dr.Who on not getting an RTF as your first plane. Alot of the inexpensive RTF planes out there end up being just rudder and throttle control, and you dont really learn to fly. The Easy Star is a great 2 axis (rudder, elevator, throttle) trainer, and you can fashion ailerons for it later if you want. You can also order it RTF with cheap GWS components and a crap radio.

However, if what you want is a high performance plane that you can also safely learn on, get a combat wing. Even the advanced flyers are wowed by performance, and because of the 100% EPP design they are the most indestructable planes on the market. Nose dive from 100 feet at 50 MPH, no problem. Pick it up and fly again. You can also chose the components and have them build the wing for you if time is an issue. This will cost about $100 more however.

And get a Hitec digital transmitter. The Optic 6 is best value now I believe ($130), and its a very good radio. www.servocity.com is THE place to buy radio equipment.

[Dr_Who77]

yes, hitec is the best place to go for electric aircraft.

and thats $130 for the transmitter. you can buy it with a discount flight pack with it for your first project, just check out the web site :)

[Dr_Who77]

www.readytofunfly.com

Its www.readytoflyfun.com GENIUS, not www.readytofunfly.com :D :D ;) ;) lol jk

[Elfi Flyer]

Its www.readytoflyfun.com GENIUS, not www.readytofunfly.com :D :D ;) ;) lol jk

Hmmmm.......maybe that's why my T-Hawk flies backwards!! :eek: ;)


E-F