Radio controlled aircraft newbi
Discussion
Jediworrier said:
Reliable transmitter/ receiver and a cheap epp trainer kit. Put it together yourself you'll know how to put it back together again. Don't be tempted to buy an artf scale warbird.
This.Start smallish and cheap. Buy something for which spares are easily available and cheap, 'cos you'll need them.
Welcome, do it, it's lots of fun.
Some good advice on here already, but I'd like to add the following:
1) Contact your local club(s), some have a communal trainer models available and with a bit of sweet talking they might give you a taster session before you go off spending your own cash.
2) Start with a high wing trainer, the E-Flight apprentice is widely considered a good choice as it has some inbuilt safety features to get you out of trouble, these can be gradually reduced as your experience grows.
3) Don't try to learn on your own, you'll only waste your money and get fed up of repairs!
4) Join the BMFA, £40 a year gives you ample legal protection if you injure/damage a 3rd party.
5) There's a few simulator apps available for iPads/tablets. They aren't as ideal as the PC sims that you can plug a real transmitter in to, but it's another cheap way to start.
Where are you based?
Some good advice on here already, but I'd like to add the following:
1) Contact your local club(s), some have a communal trainer models available and with a bit of sweet talking they might give you a taster session before you go off spending your own cash.
2) Start with a high wing trainer, the E-Flight apprentice is widely considered a good choice as it has some inbuilt safety features to get you out of trouble, these can be gradually reduced as your experience grows.
3) Don't try to learn on your own, you'll only waste your money and get fed up of repairs!
4) Join the BMFA, £40 a year gives you ample legal protection if you injure/damage a 3rd party.
5) There's a few simulator apps available for iPads/tablets. They aren't as ideal as the PC sims that you can plug a real transmitter in to, but it's another cheap way to start.
Where are you based?
I was about to suggest Parkzone for easy to fly warbirds, but having had a quick Google they only sell about 7 models now. They used to do dozens of them!
Anyone know why they've discontinued so many? I've got their Corsair, Spitfire, P47, P51 etc none of which seem to be available anymore?
Better not crash them :-o
Anyone know why they've discontinued so many? I've got their Corsair, Spitfire, P47, P51 etc none of which seem to be available anymore?
Better not crash them :-o
I am a self taught rc pilot...... Been flying park flyers for 10yrs and migrated towards mostly umx (small) planes now for ease of use..... Loving 3d flying
My advice...
Get a decent basic transmitter (spectrum dx6) and a rc flying sim (eBay) and a lead to connect your transmitter and put many hours into practicing - mainly to get your eyes to link to instinctive finger movements relative to aircraft orientation, Then start playing around with wind and weather conditions until its gusty and you can manage to fly reasonably well including landings (if a bit rough)
Practice, practice, practice - it will save you £££
When you can manage a decent flight on a good sim in blustery conditions then you can try a flight outdoors with a high wing trainer type plane and might not trash it too badly first time out.... I would recommend a umx timber with SAFE and as3x enabled (look it up) in dead calm conditions with a huge wide open space and no heroics (loops rolls low passes) or spectators/mates to impress, Once again practice, practice, practice
You will crash but less, and this is the key to maintaining enthusiasm - less crashing.
Modern foam planes crash well and repair easily and thanks to advances in power to weight ratios... a brushless foam plane can still fly reasonably well when mostly made of tape and carbon rod!
Your talking about flying fpv (first person view) - I fly some fpv micros and I do also have the eflite spitfire which I fly fpv. You are a while away from barrel rolling a spit flying fpv.... It ace though.
If your looking to fly a plane bigger than an eflite, parkzone or other micro you need to join a club and get insurance as mentioned above.
My advice...
Get a decent basic transmitter (spectrum dx6) and a rc flying sim (eBay) and a lead to connect your transmitter and put many hours into practicing - mainly to get your eyes to link to instinctive finger movements relative to aircraft orientation, Then start playing around with wind and weather conditions until its gusty and you can manage to fly reasonably well including landings (if a bit rough)
Practice, practice, practice - it will save you £££
When you can manage a decent flight on a good sim in blustery conditions then you can try a flight outdoors with a high wing trainer type plane and might not trash it too badly first time out.... I would recommend a umx timber with SAFE and as3x enabled (look it up) in dead calm conditions with a huge wide open space and no heroics (loops rolls low passes) or spectators/mates to impress, Once again practice, practice, practice
You will crash but less, and this is the key to maintaining enthusiasm - less crashing.
Modern foam planes crash well and repair easily and thanks to advances in power to weight ratios... a brushless foam plane can still fly reasonably well when mostly made of tape and carbon rod!
Your talking about flying fpv (first person view) - I fly some fpv micros and I do also have the eflite spitfire which I fly fpv. You are a while away from barrel rolling a spit flying fpv.... It ace though.
If your looking to fly a plane bigger than an eflite, parkzone or other micro you need to join a club and get insurance as mentioned above.
Stig said:
I was about to suggest Parkzone for easy to fly warbirds, but having had a quick Google they only sell about 7 models now. They used to do dozens of them!
Anyone know why they've discontinued so many? I've got their Corsair, Spitfire, P47, P51 etc none of which seem to be available anymore?
Better not crash them :-o
Parkzone are part of Horizon Hobby, so sell under many different names like Hobby Zone, Elfite, etc.Anyone know why they've discontinued so many? I've got their Corsair, Spitfire, P47, P51 etc none of which seem to be available anymore?
Better not crash them :-o
I think the word "park" has become a dirty word in the hobby in recent years, more so in the US. Such as words park flyer, when people are taking modern high speed electric models and flying them in such locations with too many people about. So I think HH is slowly winding down the ParkZone brand.
crankedup said:
Some really brilliant sensible advise, thank you.
Looking forward to learning.
My recommendation would be look at some micros.Looking forward to learning.
No reason why you can't self teach, you just need to have a basic idea. If you are good with RC cars it helps, such as when the model is coming towards you.
You won't want a warbird first off. Something more stable.
The reason for the micros is simple, you don't need much space to fly them. They are often robust and bits are cheap for them.
Nothing wrong with RTF to ARTF kits to get you going either.
I'm mostly a self taught model RC pilot. I did fly a little when I was young. But got back into the hobby a few years ago.
I bought one of these:
https://www.horizonhobby.com/ready-to-fly/champ-rt...
They fly really nicely and will teach you a lot. Micros like less wind, but this is also good for a beginner.
Not the best vid in the world, but gives you an idea:
https://youtu.be/ZWMl03DUdCI
Stig said:
I was about to suggest Parkzone for easy to fly warbirds, but having had a quick Google they only sell about 7 models now. They used to do dozens of them!
Anyone know why they've discontinued so many? I've got their Corsair, Spitfire, P47, P51 etc none of which seem to be available anymore?
A quick look at Horizon Hobby's accounts should answer that question....Anyone know why they've discontinued so many? I've got their Corsair, Spitfire, P47, P51 etc none of which seem to be available anymore?
I taught myself to fly with a Kyosho Minium. Great piece of kit for the price. Not sure what versions are sold now, but I started with a simple 3 channel model (motor, rudder and elevator) before progressing to one with ailerons.
They are very small and light, so no danger of hurting anyone when you crash. The lightness does make them a bit of a handful in anything more than a gentle breeze though. It can be a bit tricky when the prevailing wind is blowing faster than the plane's top speed. I used to fly from a 2 acre field, so usable in a park or recreation ground. Flying over grass means that the odd crash is unlikely to cause damage to the plane. There were guys who flew these things indoors in a school sports hall.
Slope soaring is another way to learn without spending too much cash on broken models. You need a handy cliff or hill though, with an "on shore" wind to get lift while minimising the risk of losing the model. Foam flying wing glider, almost indestructible. Great way to fly for hours while getting some fresh air and enjoying the scenery.
They are very small and light, so no danger of hurting anyone when you crash. The lightness does make them a bit of a handful in anything more than a gentle breeze though. It can be a bit tricky when the prevailing wind is blowing faster than the plane's top speed. I used to fly from a 2 acre field, so usable in a park or recreation ground. Flying over grass means that the odd crash is unlikely to cause damage to the plane. There were guys who flew these things indoors in a school sports hall.
Slope soaring is another way to learn without spending too much cash on broken models. You need a handy cliff or hill though, with an "on shore" wind to get lift while minimising the risk of losing the model. Foam flying wing glider, almost indestructible. Great way to fly for hours while getting some fresh air and enjoying the scenery.
I think the guys advocating Micros as a trainers are crazy !
1. Smaller is harder to see, and harder see what they "need" in flight.
2. Smaller means twitchier, and faster more unpredictable responses. And yes I have flown SAFE / ASMX planes, and they are nowhere near as stable as a 1.4/1.3 meter trainer.
3. Micro means dead flat calm conditions for learning. This is the UK, that doesn't happen very often. The wind chucks them about like crazy, its no good for a beginner.
4. Micro's often lock you into particular receivers, servos etc. Better to be using generic, cheaper radio gear. Flysky to start off with and then FrSky once you know what you are doing.
If you HAVE to have small, way better off with an epp profile foamy.
As a sensible suggestion, Bixler 3 can be got from hobbyking for just over 100 pounds in the air. Another good one is the Hobby King walrus. I would recommend these over a UMX or Micro a 1000 times over.
1. Smaller is harder to see, and harder see what they "need" in flight.
2. Smaller means twitchier, and faster more unpredictable responses. And yes I have flown SAFE / ASMX planes, and they are nowhere near as stable as a 1.4/1.3 meter trainer.
3. Micro means dead flat calm conditions for learning. This is the UK, that doesn't happen very often. The wind chucks them about like crazy, its no good for a beginner.
4. Micro's often lock you into particular receivers, servos etc. Better to be using generic, cheaper radio gear. Flysky to start off with and then FrSky once you know what you are doing.
If you HAVE to have small, way better off with an epp profile foamy.
As a sensible suggestion, Bixler 3 can be got from hobbyking for just over 100 pounds in the air. Another good one is the Hobby King walrus. I would recommend these over a UMX or Micro a 1000 times over.
the old chestnut.. just some back ground been flying for twenty years fixed wing and helis. A and B certificate to establish some creds.
The best way to learn to fly is a sim. I had an old MS Dos ( truflite) learned to fly fixed and helis on this - Really doing this to train yourself on orientation and muscle memory. Saves loads of money and frustration as you dont have to glue pixels back together. I got my A cert in four weeks from first starting the global motor in my thunder tiger gp40 trainer. Helis - I hovered successfully for two minutes on my first take off in a heli. A cert six weeks later.
I am a complete nightmare with motor skills and dexterity, not some uber RC guy. it was simply the result of doing all my crashes on the sim. Go buy real flight and dont look back.
The micro versus full size debate to me is not a debate. I am now teaching my daughter to fly. She is using all three. Sim to have to some fun try some crazy stuff and make the mistakes. micro ( UMX champ ) to get some airtime without having to go to the field. and my old GP trainer to get proper stick time.
As always different tools for different jobs - but the best ever investment you will ever make is a sim. I fly mine regularly as my flight time is limited now due to family and work. It is good for emergencies, servo failure and getting experience with new types. I built a big Gee Bee racer and the sim time was so useful for landings etc.
Hope this helps, and doesn't come across as patronising. All the guys i have taught who have gone on to really enjoy the hobby and not burn money have all invested in a sim. Those that lost heart and burnt tons of cash generally have been sim resistant.
The best way to learn to fly is a sim. I had an old MS Dos ( truflite) learned to fly fixed and helis on this - Really doing this to train yourself on orientation and muscle memory. Saves loads of money and frustration as you dont have to glue pixels back together. I got my A cert in four weeks from first starting the global motor in my thunder tiger gp40 trainer. Helis - I hovered successfully for two minutes on my first take off in a heli. A cert six weeks later.
I am a complete nightmare with motor skills and dexterity, not some uber RC guy. it was simply the result of doing all my crashes on the sim. Go buy real flight and dont look back.
The micro versus full size debate to me is not a debate. I am now teaching my daughter to fly. She is using all three. Sim to have to some fun try some crazy stuff and make the mistakes. micro ( UMX champ ) to get some airtime without having to go to the field. and my old GP trainer to get proper stick time.
As always different tools for different jobs - but the best ever investment you will ever make is a sim. I fly mine regularly as my flight time is limited now due to family and work. It is good for emergencies, servo failure and getting experience with new types. I built a big Gee Bee racer and the sim time was so useful for landings etc.
Hope this helps, and doesn't come across as patronising. All the guys i have taught who have gone on to really enjoy the hobby and not burn money have all invested in a sim. Those that lost heart and burnt tons of cash generally have been sim resistant.
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