RC Plane / Helicoper Thread

[Boatbuoy]

As someone who's just got into this I thought I'd see if there's any other PH Pilots about? There's been a few posts including planes and helicopters (so I'm hoping some of you have something to share) but I've not seen anything dedicated.

I'm on a little foam Cessna trainer at the moment, but I'd like to get to a turbine jet one day, probably via a P-51 Mustang.

So, anyone else out there?

[steviejasp]

Hi, I love it. I've got a few foamies, from a Acrowot, F4, Skyraider to a ME262 and B17. Don't get much time though now.

[hman]

A few years back I flew with my local club, even informally taught a few people to fly using buddy box technique but my love of motorbikes resulted in me dropping rc planes as a hobby, however as the kids are reaching instructable age I will dust off the planes and get them into it.

Plenty of time on the rc sim first though !!!!

My greatest creations were a Goldberg ultimate with a saito 180 running 30% nitro, and a panic biplane with a saito 90twin again running 30%, I do like a nice biplane!

[DIW35]

Taught myself to fly on an Acrowot, found a local club and did the BMFA proficiency certs and also instructed other flyers using a buddy box, got heavily in to competition aerobatics until a big rule change allowed much bigger planes and engines, making it too costly for me to remain competitive, and then pretty much gave it up.

I still have pretty much most of my stuff, though the 35mhz radio gear is a bit long in the tooth now, but I doubt I will take it up again. The only nod to that era of my life is that I do fly a quadcopter these days, but that is from a photography point of view and not just for the fun of flying.

[Boatbuoy]

Ahhh, the quadcopter route. That's how I've come (back) into it. I always wanted to fly as a teenager but my old man was never interested in helping me out and the local club was a bunch of old duffers who weren't in the slightest interested in helping me. So when DJI pitched up with the Phantom I bought one as an easy way into flying and to extend my GoPro activities. Then I got properly into it, got my CAA permit and now run an aerial filming business flying the DJI S1000+

But I soon found the limit of challenge in flying the drones, I don't call it flying, the computer does all of that, it's more like 'operating'. Because I had all of the radio gear from the drone it made buying a foam trainer fairly cheap to progress onto. I'm really enjoying it and have able to grasp the basics quite quickly. I guess the 3D perception experience from drone ops has helped a lot.

[oilydan]

Most of my aircraft have relatively short lifespans.

I started with nitro - (In brackets total flying time before complete destruction)

Cessna (3 seconds)
Pitts Biplane (3 seconds)
Cessna (1-2 hours) Lasted well that one, I learnt properly on a simulator
Spitfire (20 mins)
Chipmunk (20 mins)

Then switched to electric foamies... These last much longer as they don't turn to matchsticks when landing hard

Spitfire
EDF Phantam
EDF Hawk Red Arrow
EDF F15
Microlight
Spitfire
Tiger Moth
Giant (3m span) FPV Plane
Small FPV Plane
EDF Learjet (TurboJet)
Twin Prop Cessna (Grand Cruiser)
T-28 Trojan
Big B-2 Spirit Stealth EDF
EDF F-18 Blue Angel


Next will be something big or unusual;

http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/85123Canadair_CL_84_Dynavert_Tilt_Wing_VTOL_PNF.html

or

http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/56564HobbyKing_Avro_Lancaster_V2_Thumper_MKIII_4_Engine_Bomber_EPO_1320mm_PNF_.html

The great news is my new house has a paddock in which I can mow a runway. The bad news is the 2 electricity lines overhead....

[Zoobeef]

A few of the guys at work have gotten into various types of flying. A dabble in helicopters (bit of a disaster over anything faster than slow figure 8s) quite a few quadcopters, biggest being DJI inspire. Then myself and one other bought a Hobbyzone Delta Ray each.

Our takeoff and landing area at work is the road round the hanger with obviously the hanger on one side and a bank on the other. This make takeoff and landing pretty difficult and has been the reason for alot of the crashes! The turbulent air coming from the roof makes it drop and shuffle around and sometime flip at random. But I think it has rapidly increased our skill!

We are now 4 months in and mine is in much better shape still than his and am able to fly inverted at about head height through the channel which is the take off/landing area.

A few weeks ago though one of the local houses phoned my work and asked if any of the "drones" had cameras on. The boss had a sudden thought that it could be a potential security risk and has banned all "drones". No amount of saying cameras won't be used of the planes aren't the same won't change it
I've not used it since.

[Dgr90]

I have never had enough money spare to buy a 'ready to fly' kit, so normally just transfer my electronics between scratch built foamies once I crash them. Will try and get some pics up.

[AdamIndy]

Used to fly a lot before I had to have the certificates and moved back to England. Got rid of all my kit but looked to get back into it. Local club were not interested unless I was nominated by a certain amount of club members. My uncle is a member but don't see why I should have to have the say so of some bearded tts to make me acceptable.

Flew a bit of indoors with a Kyosho Cessna and a Kyosho extra 300. Dabbled a bit with helicopters but they aren't for me.

I would still love to start again but don't know what other avenue to take rather than have to lick people's arses to enjoy a hobby. Maybe find someone with some land that won't mind me mowing a strip.

[red_slr]

Flown fixed wing, helicopter and multicopter (quads and hex).

Current hanger is limited to a Sky Hero and a HK Go Discover.

Helicopters are defo the most difficult - had 3 and for me repair to flight time is about 20:1....

Had quite a few multis now - the Sky Hero is a beast. Considering a smaller racing quad for next year. I enjoyed my TBS Discovery but sold it to fund the sky hero.

[troc]

I used to build balsa wood and dope gliders as a kid, occasionally with rocket-assisted take off but never really progressed from there with winged craft. I ended up flying Estes model rockets for a while which was bloody good fun - and then I went to uni

I'm seriously tempted to get a quadcopter and start back into things but I'm not sure my wife will permit "another" hobby........ (surely it's just RC stuff and thus the same as my Egress)

[jamieduff1981]

I love(d) it. It's fallen by the wayside a bit as it was a good 40mins to my nearest club site so a flight needed a whole morning really and that's not compatible with being any sort of parent to very young children nor much of a husband for that matter.

I have some land these days and started trimming a runway to use but it takes time to get one good enough in quality for wheeled models.

I've posted photos of some of my balsa models before but foamies are great too, especially because you don't need a huge amount of space if you're responsible with it. I've also been slowly teaching myself to fly collective pitch helicopters using those insanely cheap Trex 450 clones from Hobbyking. Breakages are inevitable though, and I've had a few...

This little Phase 3 EF16 ducted fan 3 channel was probably my favourite foamy ever:






I even let other people fly it!

[Boatbuoy]

Whoooo! Pictures!

I'm really enjoying getting to grips with fixed wing flying. Here's my FMS Skytrainer:



And here's the DJI S1000+ (For a sense of scale, that's a Canon 5D DSLR camera hanging off of it!)



ETA: P.S. It's great that we've got 3 Cerbera owners contributing here.

Edited by Boatbuoy on Monday 19th October 13:27

[steviejasp]

I wonder what it is with Cerbs and toys?

[steviejasp]

My fave and my toyshop

[Le TVR]

Came back to RC modelling after 20 year break and decided that what interested me today was electric flight and scratchbuilding.



1:22 scale Lockheed Starliner



1:8 scale PA-39CR Twin Commanche



1:12 scale TSR2

Also hanging around the workshop are a IPS powered Cessna 180, a Turboporter and a pusher F100.

[benters]

i got into this and have stopped, so have a couple of (elec) tail only gliders and a slow fly airplane which I bought for my dad who never tried it, could have some spare bits and bobs if anyone is interested in buying these things

[hman]

tell me the TSR2 flies!!

[Le TVR]

hman said:

tell me the TSR2 flies!!

Its been 'retired' since last autumn but yes it has flown many times.
Twin 90mm fans on 6S lipos.

[Boosted Cerb]

Boatbuoy said:

ETA: P.S. It's great that we've got 3 Cerbera owners contributing here.

Make that 4 Cerbie owners

Flew planes as a kid but always wanted heli's, were too expensive.

Finally got into heli's last year as lipo batteries have meant theres not really any need for nitro anymore. You can now have a reasonable size electric model. Just in time for first baby to come along!

Fly a trex 550 flybarless, got 54 flights on it this year, self taught on simulator first, pleased with my progress this year, only time I get is 7.30am for 20min before work as 1 year old daughter means no time at weekends.

Flying season pretty much over for me this year, so back on the sim for the winter.

Rich.