Yeah the cars are fun, but the planes are 10x more fun! I used to be into the cars, but they got really boring. now planes, they never get boring! I have 2, a funtana with a .70 fourstroke swinging a 14x4W prop. it loves to hover. also the walking speed inverted passes at 3' off the deck are cool! i also have a little biplane in the works. that has a .54 fourstroke on the nose. it should be done this weekend. anyone else here like the planes? BTW: i am also a full size airframe and powerplant mechanic, meaning i fix airplanes (hence my screen name here), i just cant get enough of the damn things. work on them all day, then go home and work on some little ones! main reason i got my explorer was so i can bring them all to field, they fit nicely inside. anyone else into rc planes?

sean

I built one a couple years ago. Laid the Monokote, hooked up the servos, put in the engine, everything! I never flew it because I was scared that I would just crash it and waste all the time I had put into it. I guess its more of a waste letting it sit, than watching it crash and burn.

BTW: i am also a full size airframe and powerplant mechanic, meaning i fix airplanes (hence my screen name here),
I went through A&P school and passed all my writtens...........then decided to take another path in life. Definately a fun field to be in, and I definately regret that decision some days.

It reminds me of these videos my flight attendent cousin sent me. Check them out.

http://www.qsl.net/vr2xbp/A340/a340.wmv
http://www.qsl.net/vr2xbp/A340/concorde.wmv

Those vids were freaking awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man i never knew rc planes were that huge

They normally aren't(at least not at my local field). Three foot wingspan is probably average, but I have seen ones where the owner sits on the wingspan, 1/4 scale seaplane was one of my favorite.

I was into the planes but never had one, went to the field every now and then, read about them, but was too young to buy one.

they are definatly i blast!
mmsdrummer: go to www.ama.com and do a search for local clubs in your area. they will have an instructor that will teach you how to fly and your plane will be 90% less likely to crash with an instructor. i am an instructor in my local area now and have 4 students. to bad your in iowa, i would be glad to take you up!

Robb: why didnt you take your orals and practicals? thats all you had left to do. granted they are long, they arnt really that hard. when did you go through it? i think you lose the credits after a year of graduating and you no longer qualify to take the orals and practicals.

sean

I'd heard about ones with small jet engines, but that's incredible! :) Very cool indeed...

For those of you that already have planes are there any that you recommend or don't recommend for a beginner. I've been wanting one of these for a while but haven't dug into it much.

I'm an A&P also. I'm not working right now though. I am getting a degree in aviation management, and have about 1 year left. Hey ifixairplanes, where do you work? a FBO, commercial? I'm into RC planes too. I have 3: a piper cub w/ .26 4-stroke, Cox E-Z Bee w/ .049 :rolleyes:, and a home-made Corroplast thing w/ .60
kenr74, for a beginner, don't get anything that looks real nice or fast, like a P-51 mustang, or any type of fighter or biplane. You should get some kind of trainer, which has a flat-bottom wing that is held on with rubber bands (that helps minimize damage in a crash). Check out Tower Hobbies (http://www.towerhobbies.com/listings/cat-cat-a.html) for some examples. I prefer gas over electric because I don't like to have to recharge batteries. Plus, I think gas is just cooler. It seems more like a real plane. But you do have to buy more stuff, like a starter, gas, and glow plug heater.

a very good website/ forums for RC planes is www.rcuniverse.com . i frequent there alot under the same user name as here. Gonzo, i work for an FBO at pease international tradeport in portsmouth NH. A good begining plane is pretty much one that say's "trainer". like stated above, go to towerhobbies.com and browse around. your best bet is to go to your local hobby shop. they can be very informative and helpful. good luck! its a very fun and rewarding hobby!

sean

I used to fly park flyers a lot when I was working in a hangar. I have a Piper Cub. Not ver glamourous but studry. It's got an electric engine. They are slow flying planes that are a blast. There were six of us that flew and we had dog fights. It was a freaking blast! It needs to be really calm out to fly outside.

I've always been interested in rc aircraft, I used to play with those little gas plane kits that you controlled with a string, and I flew a few cheap electric planes. Although the things I had the most fun with were those little free-flight gas heli's.

I was a student pilot training in a Cessna 172, I logged about 17 hours, but shortly after starting 9/11 then they a halt to general aviation for a few weeks, I lost interest in it quickly, and have yet to return. I may return to it someday, but it's not going to be a career. So getting my private is on the back burner.

Anyways I've be pondering rc aviation as a hobby. What I'm really interested in are rc helis. I heard they were challenging to fly, and the hardest thing to do is hovering, but it's supposed to be rewarding.

I was thinking about getting a cheap helicopter that's supposidly good for learning, it seems like a pretty good little kit for under 600$. Of course my ambitions are nothing compared to the glory of those rc jets. I'm sure they were more expensive than 2 or 3 or so of my explorer...

kenr74: From the experience I have had with them, and from what everyone has told me, a trainer/beginner class airplane is the best. Whether or not you build it yourself is something you need to decide whether or not you think you can handle it. Trainer planes are usually designed to be easier to fly, with self righting wings and such. I've always been told that the Sig Cadet was the best, though there are cheaper planes on the market that are very good also. OS engines are good ones to use also. This is based on REASEARCH that I have done though. I stress that as I do not fly personally, though I have friends who do.

zensius: I always liked the look of a piper.

i fly them. i have for over 6 years. I have always had luck with OS engines. infact, i have always used them until recently, i got a magnum. but those are basically OS clones, they are pretty much the same though. anyone have any questions about them or wanting to get started just PM me. I am sure that with my 6 years expierence of building, setting up, flying, engine tuning, tinkering, and radio programming will be of some help. i currently have 4 students that i am teaching in mjy area now. any of you guys in the NE mass, southern NH area wanna give it a try, gimme a shout. i am always looking for new people to fly with and share the great hobby!

sean

I'll jump in here. I started flying control line airplanes back in the early 70's and advanced to radio control planes in 1978. I have flown all types and sizes except jets. I love them all and probably have built over 200 models so far. I agree, they are a real blast, educational, and really provide a sense of accomplishment. A lot of people don't understand that, for most any model, they are not toys, but real flying aircraft.
I am currently flying the electric park flyer type, but don't let them fool you...I have a couple that can fly rings around the most powerful gas planes. The electric equipment has really improved over the past year and is really amazing. I agree, I prefer the smell, power, and realistic sense of flying the gas birds, but due to our local area having NO hobby shops, absolutely no ground smooth enough to use as a takeoff/landing field, I am pretty much stuck with electrics for the time being. I also have a couple of competition thermal gliders that my son and I take out occasionally.
I also order from Tower Hobbies for most of my items. Been ordering from them since 1979!!! I should own stock!!!
I can't say I fix the real airplanes, but I was an Air Force pilot for 15 years. I have 4,000 hours in B-52s, T-37, T-38, EC-130, and AC-130 gunships. The only reason I don't fly now is I blew out my back and got medically retired. I now teach academics and simulator missions to air force student pilots. It's the next best thing I can do, and I can at least use my experience. My back problems blew my airline chances. I think I actually like this job better anyway. Great pay and I am home everynight....to work on my models and X of course!
Tower has some great package deals for beginners. The equipment is not cheap beginner stuff, but items you can continue with on all your future planes. The suggestions already mentioned are good. Just be sure to get an instructor! Don't let any "real" pilot tell you he can fly it. You need a real RC instructor to teach you. I've had plenty of my fellow air force pilots think they could buy one and go out and fly it since they are a pilot. Wrong. They all crashed! The ones that waited for me to instruct them got many great flights out of their planes.
Enough rambling. Just wanted you to know there is another RC enthusiast out here.
Ken

Don't let any "real" pilot tell you he can fly it. You need a real RC instructor to teach you. I agree on that one. Flying an RC is a lot different than flying the real thing. I too have seen guys who think they can fly an RC because they have their pilots license.

RC planes is a GREAT hobby, you build , you get involved in electronics, engine tuning and once a qualified instructor gets you to the point of solo and landing you will have fun both in the workshop as well as in the air. I have 4 planes and fly every chance I get.

I switch back and forth between nitro cars and planes. In my makeshift hanger, I have a P-51 Mustang with OS .32 w/ tuned pipe, mechanical retracts, a US Aircore trainer, a Hobbico Superstar Select EP (which btw is for sale if anyone is interested), and another type of trainer that slips my mind at the moment.

If anyone is interested, I have a Team Associated RC10 GT nitro with a OS .12 engine and pipe for sale also. I could sell it with or with/out the engine.

RC rules. I am working on a 1/6 scale Cessna 182 by Pica now. It should be done by the end of the month.

RC rules. I am working on a 1/6 scale Cessna 182 by Pica now. It should be done by the end of the month.
WOW! Pica puts out some serious models. How are you finishing your Cessna? What engine? I guess you have to wait until the weather quits freezing over up there to get in some flying time huh? It hardly gets below 70 here during the winter...but is way to windy most of the time anyway. Get a picture up if you can, I'm sure that's a nice model.
Ken
This is one of our gliders. It is "full house" with flaps, ailerons. My record is 2.5 hours. I could not stand it any longer and forced it down. We have some serious heat thermals here!!!

I am going to seal the balsa and then paint it using automotive grade paint w/ clearcoat :D We will see how it turns out. I am also adding nav and landing lights for fun. This is the second really built kit that I have done. I had that lying around from my grandpa who quit the hobby.

I will be using a K&B .60 that I have had for a while and has never been used. I would like to have used a 4-cycle, but I am using what I have. It is warm enough to fly now, LOL.

I am doing it for a school project. I can do that instead of my final exams senior year in High School :cool:

72" wingspan Oh yeah.

It's cool to see some other people interested in R/C. I have been flying since I was 14 and have built many airplanes and two helicopters. My favorite airplane of all time is the Tower Hobbies Uproar 40. The kit is about $45 and the thing is an absolute hoot to fly. My nicer plane is a Goldberg Extra with a YS120 4-stroke, that thing tracks really well. As far as helis go I started with a Raptor 30 and am now flying an Xcell SE99 with a YS 61. The guys at the field enjoy watching me mow the grass (inverted :) ). Check out some of my pics at http://massheli.tripod.com If any of you guys would like some advice on what to buy I am pretty well versed and would like to help.

Jason

Well I used to build them, and crash them, not a poor mans sport, guy down the street has a helicopter, real cool but very noisy, sheriff comes out whenever the copter is out, got a twinge to get back into it a few mos back, friend has this radial engine, but two grand for the engine killed that idea, out where I live near Moffitt field they have a huge area where folks fly RC planes all day, was amazed that people actually build and fly real jets, with actual jet engines, they sound like jets, if I ever get back into it, gotta be jet

I'm hoping to get a R/C airplane this next year so I can join the R/C aircraft club at Embry-Riddle. I've always loved R/C aircraft.

Ive been building & flying (and crashing ) model planes since the 1960s FF rubber & fuel, CL, and RC since 91. All of my planes are electric ranging from my 2 GWS moths and a 23" DR1 thru my custom Slinger to 1/4 scale. I fly my Slinger the most though. RC Groups is my usual RC forum user name there Greg D. Just thought I'd chime in.

Welcome greg. I am also into RC flight both nitro and electric. I currently have for sale on the rc group site the Hobbico Superstar Select EP (RTF)--if anyone is interested. Thought I would add a shameless plug. :)