Any RC Airplane Experts?

[JohnVH]

Im an expert, little indoor electrics to turbine powered jets.

Finding a local club is a great idea, whats your nearest city?

As for simple teach yourself to fly stuff, thats difficult, how big of a space do you have?  Otherwise what about a quad copter? They make indoor ones with altitude holed and what not now.

Here is a pic of my old 43% 132" wingspan, 42lb, 18HP Yak55sp from when I was sponsored by a few places.

[JohnVH]

Hovering it over water

[JohnVH]

http://www.horizonhobby.com/mini-apprentice-s-rtf-hbz3100

[huntnphool]

 

[lamrith]

Might be worth trying one of the PC trainer programs too.  One of the big challenges with RC is the control reversal when flying toward yourself and even side to side.  The PC trainers let you get thru some of the initial (expensive) trial and error period and let you practice regardless of the weather.  Nothing will replace actual flying, but it can help early on.  Problem is many of them seem to be just as expensive as the cheap trainers people have shared here, but at least you get more than one crash before you have to spend more $


I will check and see if I have one at home still  I used to have a cheap one.  I also used Dave Brown Sim years ago and enjoyed it.

[huntnphool]

 Lots of space in my area, NE Tacoma, but would be interested in getting him to a place with a buddy that could help him.

[predatorpro]

Might be worth trying one of the PC trainer programs too.  One of the big challenges with RC is the control reversal when flying toward yourself and even side to side.  The PC trainers let you get thru some of the initial (expensive) trial and error period and let you practice regardless of the weather.  Nothing will replace actual flying, but it can help early on.  Problem is many of them seem to be just as expensive as the cheap trainers people have shared here, but at least you get more than one crash before you have to spend more $


I will check and see if I have one at home still  I used to have a cheap one.  I also used Dave Brown Sim years ago and enjoyed it.

Was just going to say this! Get him a simulator first before you get him a plane unless you only want him to fly for about 5 seconds and ruin a plane...once he gets good at flying and landing on a simulator it will make a world of difference!

[JohnVH]

Lots of space in my area, NE Tacoma, but would be interested in getting him to a place with a buddy that could help him.

Go to the RAMS field and talk to the guys, tons of RC in that area, club in shelton where I used to fly jets, couple other ones around there too.

I reviewed a plane called a butterfly that was pretty good about self righting.  Alot of clubs have a trainer that will let you learn on with an instructor for free, I think you need to join the club, but its a cheap way to get into it and see if you like it.

Also, a flight sim is fun too, but treat it as a tool, not a toy.

Here is a club finder

http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx

[JohnVH]

Me flying my old BVM FJ-3 Fury with a Jetcat P70 Turbine at a buddies.

[jb101]

GWS Slow Stick.  Probably the cheapest, most gentle handling trainer on the market. ARF, all stick and foam, easy to repair, lots of mods available.  http://store.gwsus.com/shop/airplane/electric/gws-slowstick/

[huntnphool]

Me flying my old BVM FJ-3 Fury with a Jetcat P70 Turbine at a buddies.

 That is crazy!

 Thanks for the links guys.

[lokidog]

Cool video JVH.

Agree, an electric motor would be good for a starter plane, it was always a hassle trying to troubleshoot the gas engines.

It seems with the slower flying electrics learning might be a lot easier than it used to be.

[huntnphool]

Cool video JVH.

Agree, an electric motor would be good for a starter plane, it was always a hassle trying to troubleshoot the gas engines.

It seems with the slower flying electrics learning might be a lot easier than it used to be.

 We were watching a couple guys out in Lakewood fly theirs, the planes were large and seemed to have a really good maximum glide and were not going so fast that my son might panic. Even when coming into land they seemed to float and not want to drop to the ground if power was not perfect.

[lokidog]

Cool video JVH.

Agree, an electric motor would be good for a starter plane, it was always a hassle trying to troubleshoot the gas engines.

It seems with the slower flying electrics learning might be a lot easier than it used to be.

 We were watching a couple guys out in Lakewood fly theirs, the planes were large and seemed to have a really good maximum glide and were not going so fast that my son might panic. Even when coming into land they seemed to float and not want to drop to the ground if power was not perfect.

The high wing trainers are good at floating. The wings generally have a lot of dihedral (the 'V' shape), which helps keep them upright and makes them very stable flyers. I learned to fly by taking over one of my friends' plane after he took off, flew for a bit then let him land.  in the beginning, I usually had someone standing next to me to hand the controls to if needed.  I crashed my plane a lot, and rebuilt it, a lot. I usually flew in areas with no runway, like over my grandfather's alfalfa field. I would hand launch and then try to catch it as it landed. It was a lot of fun.  And now, with the cameras available, oh my, it could be a blast.

[PA BEN]

The crash one of many