I just ordered a new toy

[tridim]

http://www.electrifly.com/parkflyers/gpma0050.html

It's been 10 years since I've built myself an RC plane. Electrics seem a bit less of a hassle, so I went that direction this time. It'll be really nice to just throw the plane in the car and drive 2 miles to the park. Prep for gas model flying always seemed to burn half a day. It's a pain.

Total bill.. $300 for the whole package. It's scary that the actual plane only cost $30. Supposedly this plane is a blast to fly.. It's not meant to be pretty, just fun. That's because it's almost all wing. I've also never had a plane with a symmetrical airfoil and no dihedral, so I'm a little scared to fly it. Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually.. and if I crash it, a replacement will only cost $30. :)

And here's the next plane I want..
http://www.liftworx.com/videoclips/seekerflight.html
It's a really beautiful video. The hobby has come a long way in 10 years.

[flamingyouth]

1. That looks like fun!

Takes me back to my childhood. I had a friend who built and flew model planes, and I loved going to the park with him. :)

[Ready4Change]

2. How many servos?

Looks like it has aileron and elevator. Rudder? Throttle?

Just curious. I toy with the idea of getting into RC planes from time to time. Electrics appeal to me, too.

[tridim]

4. Two mini servos plus an electronic speed control for the throttle

So, three channels total. Apparenly the manufacturer did tests and determined that rudder control added nothing to the performance, so they just have ailerons. Big honkin huge ailerons! One builder modified his to add rudder, and he ended up un-modifying it to get rid of the extra weight.

[Ready4Change]

5. It does have a huge vertical stabilizer.

And almost no fusilage sides to counter it, so it's probably fairly stable in yaw. Light weight is crucial for electrics, so that's probably a fair design choice.

I'd love, someday, to do a sailplane-like RC with thin film solar cells on the wings to boost battery life. I just think it'd be fun to tinker with and get working. Cost and technical engineering is a bit beyond be at the moment, though. :(

Have fun!

[tridim]

7. Did you check out that video in my original post?

"Discus" launched sail planes are all the rage now. It eliminates my beef with older sail planes.. The launch. Launching them with other methods just sucks and takes way too much time. I like to fly, not futz around with pre-launch activities, it's apparently the new-skool way.. The older guys at the RC club never seem to be in any hurry to get their planes flying (If you've ever watched them at the field, you'll know exactly what I mean). That always bothered me and kept me away from the hobby.

[Ready4Change]

9. Nice launch method.

Looks like it would be hard on the wing?

Beats the 100 foot rubber band I used to use for 15 seconds of flight from a cheapo 1 servo glider I used to have (and is my only RC flight experience to date.)

However, I did have moments when I flew it along a hillside and whispered it past just feet away. Magical.

[tridim]

10. Well, the new wings are reinforced with a carbon fiber structure

that travels from the wing tip to the fuselage. That's the breakthrough of the discus launch method. There's also a peg on the wing tip to grab on to. Yea, the hi-launch rubber tubing method was horrible, I had a wing snap in half once. No more.

[JHB]

3. So you're buying Iraqi Air Force surplus?

Make sure you don't have the biochem weapons attachment, or Agent Mike may be visiting you.

[JohnnyRingo]

6. I too go in 10 year cycles in the RC plane hobby

Every time I get back in I find the tech advances make it all the better. But that means even though my old one will work fine, I need a new radio just because they're cool.

Electric "park fliers" seem all the thing these days with most people lacking the huge unobstructed flying field needed for the large scale planes.

For myself I like building more than flying, which is a good thing as I usually wreck them pretty quickly after 3-4 months of work.

I still have my Piper Cub (one fifth scale) hanging in the kitchen waiting for me to build something new so I can destroy the old one.

You have me thinking about it now.

[tridim]

8. I dig building too

Flying model building is a DIY personality-type's dream. Honestly that's the only issue I have with this new model. It'll probably only take a day or two to build. That's way too quick. :) I'll never do ARF (Almost ready to fly) though, I think it's a sin.

If I remember correctly, I built a large scale Piper Cub about 15 years ago. I never flew it because I couldn't afford to outfit it with a radio and engine.. Very tough when you're a teenager with no income. I think I'm on my 5th radio now. I gave my last 4 channel to my dad along with a gas powered boat for the lakehouse. I have no idea where all my old 2 channel radios are (from the RC car days).

[displacedtexan]

11. I need your advice. Is this model kit worth buying (for a beginner)?

http://www.hobby-estore.com/electric-rc-plane-twin-wing-c17.html



It's probably the easier (20 minutes assembly), and it's supposed to fly for 15 minutes before the battery dies.

Please check it out if you have time and let me know what you think.

It would be a birthday gift for an adult.

[tridim]

12. Looks fine for a beginner

But it's bordering on the "toy" side of things. There's about a $100 differential between the toys and the real deal. It's like the RC cars at radio shack.. I consider them toys, you can't buy real RC cars there.

I'd go to a good hobby shop and ask for their advice. Honestly I bypassed the whole ready to fly, everything included market.

You might have some luck with the planes here: http://www.hobby-lobby.com/beginners-rc.htm