RC planes

ukprometheus

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anyone into RC planes, im looking for suggestions as a good starting point :)

maybe a park flier to start with :D
 
Yep, been into planes for over 20 years. I spending most of my time with helicopters recently but I still have a couple of fixed wing.

What sort of things are you interested in and what sort of budget are you looking at - just trying to guage whether you want to spend <£100 for something to chuck around the park or a few hundred on something more capable.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
i want summin cheap i can start with to see if i like it. i already have a thunder tiger raptor 50 sitting on my wardrobe gathering dust that i whimped out on :D

i was thinking summin like a parkzone cub electric, summin i can get bits for easy if a crash it
 
I fly RC planes, but only started 3 years ago.

Where are you going to fly, and will you have anyone to teach you?
It's easiest if you can find an experienced flier (probably through a local club) who can teach you using a buddy box (dual controls). If you follow this route, take the advice of your instructor - he'll know what works best at the club flying site. The club might even have a trainer model that you can try before you buy your own.

If you want to go it alone, electric is definitely the way to go. PZ Cub is a good starter plane, but you'll still crash - a lot.
I taught myself using a Kyosho Minium Cessna. These are tiny models, but proper RC planes, not toys. You get everything in the box that you need, for around £80.
Being small and light (around 25g), you can learn to fly one on a football pitch sized field. Fly over grass, and it won't break when you crash. They don't like wind much over 5mph, though.
 
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i do have someone to teach me :thumbsup:
i am thinking a flying club in eastbourne but i want see if i like it before i go all in :D
which is why i am thinking a park flier to start with
 
Have you done any flying - see you have a Raptor 50 (me too) - so do you have a simulator?

The trouble with 'kind on beginners' park fliers is that they are very stable and light but will get boring very quickly if you have any aptitude.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
i have been driving cars for years so i am a natual on the grounds so adding some additional dimentions to the controls should not be to hard :D
 
Difficult to know what to suggest without being able to guage your ability.

The trouble with something tame like an electric cub, if that it is very draggy (flies slow), has a big dihedral (stable), just has rudder\elevator (so it's difficyult to put in a dangerous situation).

This is all great for a child or an absolute beginner because it flies slowly, naturally wants to fly level. But if you have aptitude you will soon find it very boring and feel that it just wallows in the sky and is pretty non-responsive.

I assume you have a transmitter already (given the Raptor 50). If so it might be worth spend a few hours on a simulator first. You can get a free one called FMS

FMS Homepage

you will need an interface like this one

FMS Simulator USB Interface Cable on eBay (end time 04-Feb-10 10:17:32 GMT)

It doesn't have the most realistic physics but it will teach you stick co-ordination and aircraft orientation and realistically after a few hours on it you will be beyond the entry level cub stage - and you can start of with something more interesting.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
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yeah i got a Hitec Eclipse 7 brand new never been used :D that should do the job
 
i have been driving cars for years so i am a natual on the grounds so adding some additional dimentions to the controls should not be to hard :D

You'd be surprised how much that extra dimension changes things. I, too, had plenty of RC car experience before learning to fly. Was still a steep learning curve!

A small beginners plane can be totally transformed by fitting a bigger motor and speedo for around £30. My brother's got a 3 channel Multiplex Cub, fitted with a 200w motor and 3s LiPos. It'll go vertical, no problem.

You could even get a 3ch plane (throttle, rudder, elevator) and convert it to 4ch (adding ailerons) when you get bored. The Multiplex Minimag can be flown as 3ch or 4ch. With a 150 watt motor, it'll be capable of flying most aerobatic moves, even some 3D moves.

I'd still recommend a Kyosho Minium Cessna for learning solo. When you've mastered it, sell it on eBay. Removing the fear of crashing makes learning a lot easier.
 
You'd be surprised how much that extra dimension changes things. I, too, had plenty of RC car experience before learning to fly. Was still a steep learning curve!

A small beginners plane can be totally transformed by fitting a bigger motor and speedo for around £30. My brother's got a 3 channel Multiplex Cub, fitted with a 200w motor and 3s LiPos. It'll go vertical, no problem.

You could even get a 3ch plane (throttle, rudder, elevator) and convert it to 4ch (adding ailerons) when you get bored. The Multiplex Minimag can be flown as 3ch or 4ch. With a 150 watt motor, it'll be capable of flying most aerobatic moves, even some 3D moves.

I'd still recommend a Kyosho Minium Cessna for learning solo. When you've mastered it, sell it on eBay. Removing the fear of crashing makes learning a lot easier.

the main thing that concirns me about the Kyosho Minium is the size, its not gonna do so well even in the slightest breeze.
i like the idea of the Multiplex Minimag i can start at 3ch and upgrade as i go along, its a fair bit bigger and an overwing so should be very stable :D
now who gonna shoot me down with them comments :rotfl:
 
The Kyosho will easily handle 5mph winds. I've flown mine in up to 10mph. Sometimes, the wind is blowing so hard (sudden gust) that the plane flies backwards - still under control, as it's airspeed that matters, not ground speed.

It's undoubtedly easier to learn to fly in calm conditions, but that's the same with most small (less than 1m span) electric planes.

If you've got a big field (at least 2 acres), the Minimag will be ideal.

If you plan on flying anything that weighs more than a couple of ounces in a public place, make sure you've got some insurance. Some household policies will cover you, otherwise join the BMFA. A plane that weighs 600g, like the Minimag, can hurt someone if you hit them.
 
I'm into heli's and they are great fun but can be expensive if you move to the larger types.
Have a peep here for a local club
British Model Flying Association - the body responsible for model flying in the UK

These are great starting points for anyone wishing to try their hand at rc stuff.

I started of with a little mcx around the house, then a sim which was connected to my Fubata 12FG then built up a trex 500 with custom stuff and the new Align motor.
The Phoenix sim is very good.
Also find a local shop, they can provide lots of info and help.
If you think that maybe Heli's are the way there are several forums in the UK and I would recommend Helifreak which is US based.
Helifreak is huge and lots of info including vids to get you going.
Down side is you need a private area really as they are not toys and if you have a problem or make a mistake you can hurt someone badly.
I'm just waiting for the new Rave 90 env to come out:thumbsup:
 

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