Anybody here have R/C Airplanes?

[mikester]

I think the easiest training system to suggest to you is right here:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXEXK2**&P=0

It comes with the entire plane which needs minimal assembly.

It's a great trainer and a good plane too. The engine included in the comb is one of the best in its class for power and reliability. The radio is a very good Futaba 4 channel radio. The best part is it comes with a paired down version of the simulator (realflight). It is paired down in that it only has the trainer itself as an airplane choice.

There are other options of course but that's a full on setup there. All of the hardware in the airplane is reusable in your next airplane (you know - that mustang you want).

Those planes you're seeing on ebay are "toy" grade at best. Those little electrics are that quality where nothing in them can be reused easily. So you'll spend $100 or $200 on them but not be able to take that money and use it in the next plane if you find you like it.

That's why I suggest you go to your local club and check them out. Go to a club meeting - RC airplane clubs are a lot like Porsche clubs really (the good and bad). Go check out the field on a saturday morning to see it in person too, that is always fun.

Enjoy!

[MichiganMat]

This is crazy.

I can't believe how much I have in common with the people on this board! I have a 2 planes that I built in highschool, a GreatPlanes trainer, and a GreatPlanes fun-class. Both are .40s.

Right on Pelicans!

[efhughes3]

I built a Goldberg Eagle back in 87 or so. Flew it in the AZ desert until a Saguaro Cactus jumped in front of it. I was bummed after the amount of work I put into building it. That was also fun.

Then, I build a large scale airplane in 2003. It has a large gas engine, and one "Dumb Servo" that sits in the seat and controls the stick, pedals and throttle simultaneously. Much easier to fly as you have the proper viewpoint as opposed to standing on the ground facing your plane, and using opposite maneuvering tactics.

[CarreraDan]

Adam,
I have been flying on and off for seven years now, more off lately. The best advice I can give you is that after you find a local club see if they have a club trainer that they do demo flights with. I have had many students over the years give up on flying after 2-3 weeks because they were not signed off yet--they never realized how difficult it would be to do. It is much harder than it looks to fly something that you are not sitting in and usually it takes over a month to get your brain trained to react correctly to what the plane is doing. If you do get into RC planes please do not try to fly without an instructor before you get signed off as a pilot, I killed my first plane that way and so have many students in our club--yes we have rules about this but during the week no one is around to enforce them.

RC planes are a great hobby that is very rewarding and challenging. Try to have fun and don't rush the learning process, go at the pace you are comfortable with. Also, try to fly with different instructors, we all teach differently and one might have a better way to connect with you. Attached is a picture of the last plane I built (number 7 since my first trainer).

[Nathans_Dad]

Ok now you did it. People starting posting pics of their planes...

Here's mine:

First my Somethin Extra 40 knock around/burn holes in the sky plane:



And my latest creation, a Goldberg Super Chipmunk, has yet to fly:

[cstreit]

No pictures of my planes right now... but here's a partial list

1. Great planes Ultimate BiPlane with 4-stroke .60 motor
2. Scale Extra 300 with OS .46 pumper
3. Great Planes Supersport - my favorite. OS46
4. 1/4 scale piper cub with US Engines 25cc gas motor (big, slow, boring)
5. Ultrasport with .60 hi revver, tuned pipe, retractable landing gear

..and a couple of scratch builts...

[mikester]

I have an ultra sport 60 as well with an OS 60 SF and retracts, just cracked it up a bit though. In for repairs and due for recovering. Man I wish they still made that kit.

My Somethin' Extra fresh off the building board. I traded it for a Funtana though which I then sold.



This is my little wattage Vector EDF, power is an eflite brushless 370 inrunner with a 3 cell 1500mah lipo. It's fastish but not too fast, I'm going to build another a little better.



Right now I'm working on a Sig Kougar mk II that I'll power with a Magnum 46 and install retracts on.

[Nathans_Dad]

The Somethin Extra is a nice flying airplane. Tends to float on the landing though, a lot like the Sig 4 Star I used to have until it met mother earth at high speed...

[mikester]

It was a fun build but just too much like a fun fly plane to me. Flew well though, no doubt. I know why so many folks love 'em. I had a 4 Star as well but traded it for the Venus you see in my first picture. The fellow needed the 4Star more than I did so I took him up on the offer. The venus has turned out to be my favorite plane but I will have to get another 4Star eventually.

Right now I'm making due with what I have.

[mikester]

...and here's my Matrix, Magnum 91 4stroke up front pulling a 15x4 prop.



Just test flew a buddy's new Somethin Extra today - nice plane.

[Nathans_Dad]

Ooooo, that pattern ship is pretty. very very nice. Bet it looks great in a nice blue sky.

[mikester]

It's supposed to be a pattern/3D hybrid. I fly it as more of a 3D ship though and with the magnum 91 4stroke it'll hover at about a 1/3 throttle.

[cstreit]

I love the look and the flight characteristics of my Extra300...

However the damn thing can tip stall at the slightest provocation. Used to leave me on edge all the time... Drop the air speed a little too much on landing and the damn thing would practically fall out of the sy sideways. Typical behavoir of these planes, but damn tough to correct at 20 feet off the tarmac...

[Tim Hancock]

Here are some poor shots of some of whats left of my collection.

daughter's Airmadilla trainer, Goldberg extra 300 super tiger 90, Great Plains F14 tomcat retracts OS 60


Old Sterling control line P-51 but built as RC w/ Webra 32 (very small, very fast, very nasty little cuss!), old fun fly squadron (left and right ones are competition planes of my own design weighing in at around 2lbs)


1/3 scale Giles 200 that an old friend recently traded me for some work I did on one of his full scale planes. Don't know if I will ever get it in the air, but it looks cool hanging in the hangar!


full scale 1 servo type (scratch built minimax)


my present full scale 1 servo type project