Tell Me About Radio Controlled (RC) Airplanes

kimberlyanne546

kimberlyanne546

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Kimberly
OK so I was at a park down south and it was an RC plane "runway". Lots of planes to see and it looked kind of awesome.

I don't know anything about this hobby, the rules, the costs, or where to start.

Obviously I do not have too much money to spend but I thought it might be fun to learn how to fly a "beginner" plane.

The ones we saw were all electric, under 5lbs, and under 50mph (per the posted rules). Some did aerobatics, there was a glider, a P-51, and others.

Thanks for your insights.

Kimberly
 
Check out the videos on Youtube. "Banana Hobby" is a good place to start. The Surf Rider is a good beginners plane.
I'm kinda partial to this one:
 
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I believe the current recommendation is to start training on a computer simulator.
 
CT4ME said:
Check out the videos on Youtube. "Banana Hobby" is a good place to start. The Surf Rider is a good beginners plane.
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Banana Hobby sucks. Get the Hobbyzone Super Cub. That thing is indestructible and incredibly easy to fly. Look it up.
 
I've flown RC since I was 14.

The easiest way to learn is to go to a club. The governing body is the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). http://www.modelaircraft.org/

You can find a club on their web site. The gold standard of training is to use a buddy box. The club can help set you up and recommend a training aircraft. I've been flying all electric planes since 2001. I think it makes it easier to learn. With less expensive equipment from China, electric is on par or less than a glow powered model.

Something else is you could start with a glider. You live in one of the best areas for slope gliding in the country.

One last thing. I always advise my pilot friends to downplay that they fly full sized planes. While some things will transfere, most won't. Flying models requires operating the plane with a constantly changing picture. Full size planes have the advantage of a constant sight picture. Because of this, there's a history of pilots trying to fly RC and not being successful.

I do have a friend that flies both GA and models out of HAF. Shoot me a PM if you are interested in contacting him.
 
Do not order from BananaHobby. They are horrible.

Order The HobbyZone Champ, or go pick one up from your local Hobbytown USA. I have several airplanes, including the P-51 you were talking about on FB. That is a nice plane, but not for a beginner.

The UMX Carbon Cub is fantastic too.
 
I flew 40 and 60 size gas stuff when I was about 15. Fast forward 15 years later, getting back into RC, this is what I bought:

http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/umx-carbon-cub-ss-bnf-with-as3x-technology-EFLU1180

It is a great airplane, very nice flying characteristics. I don't know if I would recommend it for a first airplane though. It is a great second airplane though, get the HZ Champ, master that, then move to the P-51 or Carbon Cub.
 
I miss RC, just don't like driving x milles to go fly them when the real airport is closer. Training on a sim like Realflight made it easy to practice and enjoy but I never became competent to fly heli. Airplanes are easy comparatively.
 
I've been flyin the RCs for about 10 yrs now. I fly only electric. I got hooked on the electric ducted fan jets and the WWII planes. I won't say how much money I've thrown at this hobby but it's a bunch.

First thing if you're serious get an AMA membership. It's like $50 and it comes with insurance in case you wack some kid on the head with your plane. Second, get a little tricycle Cessna trainer. I'd recommend Nitroplanes. They have plenty of ready to flys (RTF) where everything is included. I agree with the above statement on Banana Hobby. While their owner is a cool guy, they have absolutely the worst customer service. I've ordered probably 6-7 aircraft from them and if something is missing or broken, good luck trying to get it fixed. Finally, find one of the experienced guys out there to fly it first. They'll hand you the controls while it's airborne and talk you through gentle turns. They're super sensitive. Small inputs and never fly directly at yourself. If you do, turn your body sideways to try and picture yourself inside the cockpit. Oh yeah, you're going to crash, everyone does. Once you realize that, hopefully you won't be too nervous when you're flying your $200 toy around.

Have fun. It's a good relaxer on the weekends to go out to the field and fly with friends. A lot easier and cheaper than "full scale" flying. :)
 
Ive been flying rc for about 20 years. I mostly fly rc helis now but still have some smaller planes and 35% extra 260. I am part of team horizon so if you have any questions or need help i would be glad to help.
 
I have a Hobbyzone Champ. It is maneuverable enough and quiet enough to fly in our front yard. The neighbors don't notice unless they are out walking their dogs or something, then they will stop and watch.

I find it very relaxing at the end of the day to lazily fly the Champ around the yard, shooting takeoffs and landings, and generally messing around...
 
I always used tower hobbies for my supplies or a local hobby store.

I flew R/C for many years and it got really expensive. Stuff always broke, but it was a blast!! I got in to 3D flying and it was really fun as well, don't need a lot of space for it, but my favorite was attaching streamers to planes and cutting them off in some dog fights. .

But if you are handy at the least you can build your own. That is what I started to. Check here http://www.spadtothebone.net/. I could build many airframes for like $50, then I got a nice JR radio with a 10 model memory and 1 radio to power all my different planes.

I suggest you find a club member with a buddy box and get some training because it is way different. How that works is they hold a button on their controller and that allows you to fly. If it starts to get out of hand they let the button go and they have full control. Best way to learn IMO. I actually find R/C flying harder.

Have fun, it is addicting, I think you will find to start will be around $300, radio and engine is the most expensive. Even electrics the speed control and a good outrunner motor will set you back a good bit.
 
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simtech said:
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Have fun, it is addicting, I think you will find to start will be around $300, radio and engine is the most expensive. Even electrics the speed control and a good outrigger motor will set you back a good bit.
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The Hobbyzone Champ is about $90, is ready to fly out of the box, and is easy enough to fly that you don't need a buddy box. A baseball field is plenty of space for your first few flights, and after that, you can operate in a smaller field. My yard is about 70'x70', with trees, wires, a house, etc around the perimeter. The Champ is pretty easy to fly in that space...
 
I need to get my RCs back in the air, and get my giant scale 182 painted and re numbered to match my full scale.
 
I flew some rc planes, helis, and dabbled in fpv and scratch designed/built stuff. Since becoming a parent I have downsized, but I still enjoy the tinkering and social aspects of rc.

* Get a simulator. It will save you tons of time and money. Used is fine; you'll pay fifty cents on the dollar (or less) if you buy off ebay or a forum site.
* Get a cheap ready-to-fly 4-channel electric foam trainer airplane. Not too big, not too small. Around 60" wingspan should do.
* Join AMA and find a local club. Flying in parks with kids and dogs is a liability.
* If the hobby sticks, be prepared to spend on the order of hundreds for each major piece of infrastructure (radio, charger, tools, etc). Helicopters or fpv are harder and cost more.
* Consider parts availability & support when buying. Online shopping is great, but dealing with real people at your local hobby shop and local club can help a lot when you're first starting out.
 
They make your Cessna look reallyreallyreally easy to fly.:D

They make pilots with thousands of hours in 'real' planes look reallyreallyreally bad.:D
 
I have flown models all my life and RC since 1971. It is a great hobby and there are many types of airplanes and helicopters from cheap to ungodly expensive. Being a glutton for punishment I fly Scale and I like the bigger 85" or bigger wingspan. But I really enjoy flying my micro helicopters in the hangar or at home. The Blade MCX from Horizon Hobbies is fun and easy to fly and for $80 ready to fly including transmitter you can figure out if you like it. There are several electric trainers like the Hobbyzone Champ that come with everything for around $100. Don
 
The sim software has helicopter as well as fixed-wing planes on the menu. Once you start playing with the choppers you'll spend so much time learning to hover (and maybe actually make it go somewhere) that you'll forget about any further need to buy or fly any other RC. BTDT.:D

But I had cover in that I just told everybody it was for the grandkids.
 
Skylane81E said:
I need to get my RCs back in the air, and get my giant scale 182 painted and re numbered to match my full scale.
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A while back someone sent us photos of an RC perfectly done to scale of our airplane, including adding the stall fences from the RSTOL.

He's a pro photographer with an incredible memory and something had been bugging him about our airplane after he shot a photo of us in the pattern at APA. He finally dug back far enough in his hard drives to find the RC bird.

None of us have been able to come up with the history or reason for the model. But it's still cool to know it was once out there.
 
Not sure I need the social aspects of a club. I'm just wondering when I buy one where can I legally fly it? Will I have to drive hours or are most open spaces fair game?
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Not sure I need the social aspects of a club. I'm just wondering when I buy one where can I legally fly it? Will I have to drive hours or are most open spaces fair game?
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You can fly them anywhere, except if you join a club.:lol:
 
I fly RC when I'm not flying the real thing.
Like any hobby it can get VERY expensive. But you can start out with a small, inexpensive combo like this:
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/champ_rtf_ultra_micro_528721_prd1.htm

This flies great, and is owned by almost everyone I know.

BTW: It's MUCH harder to fly an RC plane than a real plane.

Our motto: "We build them, we fly them we wreck them."

Find an RC club. It will save you a lot of money in the long run. They will help you avoid expensive mistakes, and they will teach you to fly.

Glenn
 
ClimbnSink said:
You can fly them anywhere, except if you join a club.:lol:
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This is not correct.

The laws are changing for these things. If you live around the DC area they have a no fly zone for rc and its a big area, not just a few blocks around the Capital but miles in all directions around the capital.

Home Land security is trying to do away with all RC's. They do not want us using anything remote controlled.

I was flying a little 6 gram foam airplane from a parking lot and had 7 cop cars come racing in like I was holding a gun to a babies head. I was told stop flying that rc or I was going to jail. So be careful where you fly one of these.

I found its cheaper to fly an experimental HB then it is to fly RC's. If you want something in the 100 cc or bigger range the engines cost close to 1 grand and up. Just to expensive for this stuff, if you ask me. Its cheaper to fly a HB then it is to fly an RC. IMHO.....
 
I was just this morning looking at an rc engine...It cost.....$4900.00 bucks. To me nothing I stand and fly is worth this kind of cash.
 
I agree with the other members. I also have been flying for some time now. Definitely get involved in the AMA. They have some awesome resources.

I got started with an RC Flight Sim. This saved me hundreds of dollars. I could crash all day long and not spend a penny. By the time I felt good with the sim, I bought a plane from Horizon Hobby and was set to go.

Look into the Sim called ClearView. It is inexpensive and very realistic. Good Luck!
 
You guys talking about big expense are going to shy away those who wish to get into the hobby of flying r/c. Just like real flying, you can fly a 152 cheaper than you can rent a PC-12, r/c is no different. There are RTF models that are less than 100 bucks, there are turbine jet models that cost over 10 grand to build.

Kim, you obviously are just starting out, don't know a whole lot about the world of r/c, I would recommend to keep it simple in the beginning. The HZ Champ is less than 100 bucks, it is ready to fly out of the box, is easy to learn on, is easy for others to help you on, and it's a strong, easily repairable model. IMHO that is the only model you should really start out with. There is a huge following on rcuniverse.com and rcgroups.com for the Champ. You can fly it anywhere, I fly all my small parkflyer models at a baseball field. The P-51 you took pictures of, I can fly in a tennis court. These models don't need an r/c field, you don't need to join a club (yet) or spend thousands of dollars. If you come to the east bay I can help you out, we also have a Hobbytown USA that stocks these planes so you can look at them, play with them on the sim, and ask a million questions.

For your second model once you are comfortable with something like the Champ, well that opens a huge amount of options and will be even more fun to discuss.
 
Inverted said:
You guys talking about big expense are going to shy away those who wish to get into the hobby of flying r/c. Just like real flying, you can fly a 152 cheaper than you can rent a PC-12, r/c is no different. There are RTF models that are less than 100 bucks, there are turbine jet models that cost over 10 grand to build.
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This man is so right. Speaking for me. I started flying RC airplanes saying, I will only buy the small stuff and keep it cheap. Today they make some great foam RTF airplanes that are awesome, but speaking for me it was not enough.
Almost like a drug, before I knew it I was wanting more, or the next bigger. I would get that, then I wanted bigger. To the point I needed a trailer to haul it all.
When I found Light Sport Aircraft and seen what it would cost for a used HB, I wanted to kick myself in the head for spending all that money on rc's when I could be in the airplane for the same amount.
Keep them small and its not a problem. But the bigger they are the better they fly.
I like the electric for ease of use. Just plug everything in and go. Only problem the planes do not take quit as much abuse if flying off a grass strip.
Watch the video's on youtube that are electric foam rc planes they either. 1= flying from a paved strip. 2= Hand launching and belly landing them. These bigger airplanes with retractable landing gear do not hold up well to grass fields. Maybe if you mow them like a green on a golf course, but here in the real world.
Even the bi-planes have a hard time on grass the electrics that is. I have 4 of them, the biggest has almost a 60" wing span and it needs at least a gravel road or you flip her every time.
So start small and do not get carried away like most and you can fly rc for a few hundred bucks.
Advice I can not even stick to. Last year at this time I did not own one rc airplane, I sold them all.
Today I have 15.....I have a problem....
 
Hello Kimberly,

It looks like your in the Bay Area so I may have another option you might consider. If you just want to walk to a local park and fly then definitely go the electric park flyer option.

However if you want to fly and maybe learn a bit of something that you can take with you to GA, fly gliders. I have been out of R/C for some time now, but I spent the better part of the 90's and 2000's flying competition R/C sailplanes and competing all over the western states. The competition planes might be a bit of overkill, but you can get a lot of the same fun and learn things about micro weather by flying a DLG (Discus launch Glider). It's small enough to keep in your car or airplane or bring to work because you never know when you might find time to fly. It is a glider so it only requires that the radio equipment is charged and not power packs for electric props. You will learn to fly very precisely and also learn to know where the thermals are by observation of things around you. Sparrows in the air, swirling trees, wind directions different at ends of the field and even feel the wind in the hair of your legs.. You may have to stop shaving your legs to fly DLG and be proficient...:rolleyes2:..
Cheap DLG to try: http://www.soaringusa.com/Apache-HLG.html
Or: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__23138__Versus_Composite_DLG_1500mm_Glider_Kit.html (This requires a fair amount of assembly)

Also since you live in the bay area you could try slope soaring which will also teach you about how terrain affects wind and what types of terrian create turbulence and where lift and sinkholes are. All very transferable to GA. A few places I use to fly slope gliders in the bay area were Fort Funston and off the road heading into Dell Valle lake (livermore area) and Davenport. I am sure there are many more sites if you have a look.

For slope you could learn to fly beating this to death and still not kill it:
http://www.zagi.com/zagi-gliders/zagi-5c-epp-flying-wing-combat-glider

He says he is the original EPP glider manufacturer which is less than true...

Best regards,

Marc
 
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Addicted2climbing said:
Hello Kimberly,

It looks like your in the Bay Area so I may have another option you might consider. If you just want to walk to a local park and fly then definitely go the electric park flyer option.

Marc
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WoW great info. I have been looking for a glider myself. Great info and thanks for sharing this. I know when I lived in Pacific Grove at Half Moon bay they would hand glide right there over the water by the road. It was always a thrill to watch them.

Thanks again for this info
 
I have never understood the purpose of joining a flying club for beginners who are flying small RTF foamies. It is understandable if you are really into the hobby, but the fees are ridiculous if you're just doing it for entertainment. Get a plane, find a big field that isn't near an airport, and go at it.
 
I guess I'm just a curmudgeonly 34 yr. old, but it's a little sad to me that the majority of hobbyists these days have little interest or attention span for building...and are only interested in the ARFs and RTFs. The technology has come a long way, and these pre-built planes are a far cry from what they were 15 years ago, but for me, most of the satisfaction in this hobby came from building, not flying...although flying is fun. I've flown R/C very off an on since I was a kid, and my first plane was a Sig Kadet Senior, which IMO, is THE best trainer ever designed. Built a couple more in college, and then didn't touch anything again until I found this Waco YMF-5 kit made by Dumas a few years ago. It's an old-school build-over-plans stick frame kit, the only difference being that the ribs and formers are laser cut instead of "die crunched". It's a 35" span, and has a flying weight of 7-3/4 ounces...so it floats like a rubber scale plane and can be flown in ridiculously small spaces. Awesome flyer, but it's basically a hangar queen these days. Anyway, just an example of something you can build that's different, and can look and fly better than the pre-built ARF/RTF stuff. And I got a little tired of the flying field scene, where it was mostly about big gas monoplanes hovering and doing 3D. If I didn't have a Pitts, I'd probably spend some time and money on RC again. :)

Regarding the OP's question, I would recommend getting a tricycle trainer package that comes with everything you need to fly - radio, batteries, receiver, etc. Minimal investment to find out if this is a hobby you'd like to continue. Here's one:

http://secure.hobbyzone.com/eflite/trainers/EFL2725.html

4rar1z.jpg
 
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I'm an R/C pilot, to some degree. I have a ParkZone F4U Corsair ($299) a Parkzone Extra 300 ($299?) and a little delta wing that I built from a kit. Very fun.

I remember readint that in Santa Clara county, where I live, it's legal to fly in any park, but they strongly recommend going to the parks where R/C pilots tend to cluster. They're not clubs per se, but there are two parks around here that folks go to. Sunnyvale Baylands and I *think* Rancho San Antonio. Going there in the morning will really help out. My first plane had the controls screwed up, and I didn't know it, so I was smashing into the ground until someone came and fixed it.

Go in the early AM. Even 8kt winds start to get a bit much for some of the smaller foam planes. Early AM on weekends is when you'll find the most folks.

And of course, like most flight-related hobbies, expect mostly men, and expect lots of, "I don't know any other female R/C pilots!" etc. :) But they tend to be very very friendly. :)
 
AMA membership is nice to have, it opens up lots of places to fly that may require such a membership and provides a level of liability insurance incase the plane causes harm to someone/thing. The magazine wasn't half bad either when I was a member.
 
Skylane81E said:
AMA membership is nice to have, it opens up lots of places to fly that may require such a membership and provides a level of liability insurance incase the plane causes harm to someone/thing. The magazine wasn't half bad either when I was a member.
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If you're just getting into it or playing around with it, you really don't need it, IMO. But it is useful to have the insurance, especially if you're going to get into faster/bigger planes.
 
Also, park flyers are great, and how I learned but bigger planes tend to fly better. HOWEVER big planes are more expensive to crash, need more space to fly, and can be difficult to transport. The size of your car is important to keep in mind, and with out a folding back seat anything bigger than a park flyer may not be in the cards.


FWIW a big reason I have the car I do was my RC flying. I got some strange looks when I asked if I could test fit my airplane.
 
joycem137 said:
If you're just getting into it or playing around with it, you really don't need it, IMO. But it is useful to have the insurance, especially if you're going to get into faster/bigger planes.
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Even a park flyer can cause expensive damage if it goes out of control.
 
Skylane81E said:
Also, park flyers are great, and how I learned but bigger planes tend to fly better. HOWEVER big planes are more expensive to crash, need more space to fly, and can be difficult to transport. The size of your car is important to keep in mind, and with out a folding back seat anything bigger than a park flyer may not be in the cards.


FWIW a big reason I have the car I do was my RC flying. I got some strange looks when I asked if I could test fit my airplane.
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I love my foam SuperFly. I've flown that thing at full power into the ground, and its taken little more than a bit of glue to get it back in the air and soaring. Flys like crap, but I love it. :) I even took it to Burning Man and it's none the worse for wear.
 
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Skylane81E said:
Even a park flyer can cause expensive damage if it goes out of control.
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True. I managed to crash an R/C plane out onto the freeway once. I thank my lucky stars that it didn't hit anyone's car.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Not sure I need the social aspects of a club. I'm just wondering when I buy one where can I legally fly it? Will I have to drive hours or are most open spaces fair game?
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Clubs provide free instruction and a place to fly. Other fields can be found by talking to the local hobby shop.
 
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