R/C Planes

HaX

HaX

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Hi there,

Having owned and maintained several different Nitro Powered R/C cars over the years, I've decided that I'd like to move into radio controlled air craft.

I've got up to £200 to spend at the moment, and am quite surprised to see that £150+ will actually get me a reasonable plane.

I'm not too fussed whether the plane is nitro or electric, as I've heard that LiPo batterys actually deliver quite a decent run time.

I've seen a model of a Red Arrows plane which has an internal ducted fan rather than a propellor - details can be found here. Does this look any good and will I need to get trained on how to fly it?

One of my friends purchased an R/C plane from Debenhams for about £40 and can fly it fine, I assume that flying the model I am looking at will require a bit more skill to fly and land?

Cheers

HaX
 
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Forget that red arrow for your first plane. You want a raised wing trainer.
I would buy a electric "Foamie" as they're almost indistructable, make sure you buy a 4 channel, so you learn about all the controls.
 

HaX

HaX

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I was wondering whether the red arrow would be too advanced for me. I assume it would be very difficult to learn to fly the red arrow.

Would this be more appropriate, or should I go a bit more expensive and go for Nitro and get what I assume will be longer run times?
 
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If I was seriously going to invest in a Radio controlled plane I would buy an RC flight sim package such as the one found here. It's a training program that allows you to use the actual controller you use on your plane...you could have hours of trouble free flying before you take your new and expensive model out of its box.
 
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To the op, if you are going to use LiPo batteries make sure you know how to handle them.
They can go up in flames if damaged or incorrectley charged. There have been a few reports of people driving home after a days flying and the batteries have set on fire in the boot.
Do some reading before you use them.

Check out the vid in the link.

www.hyperflight.co.uk/products.asp?code=LS1
 
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We got a foam one, it was awesome.. dive bombing stuff at our dis-used airfield. Should get it out from the garage roof again when we have some good weather.
 
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Yeah it does seem expensive! That's why I'm hoping to get a 'combo deal' with an ARTF plane, so even if I break it - I won't have wasted days of build time... And I can just reuse the RC electronics/engine again on more in the future.
 
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KingAdora said:
Anyone know what sort of fuel goes in these types of engine? 2-stroke perhaps?
http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=932

I assume you need a 'glow plug' to get it started too.

It is called glow fuel, and it is messy, smelly and noisy!

You do need glow plugs, and then a glow starter, plus starter motor (optional). This means that you have to lug all thet stuff down to the flying field. Also I think you may need to join a club to get the liability insurance, so no flying down your local park.

Seriously, start on an electric powered one. Batteries such as Lipo have come a long long way since the early leccy planes. Plus you have none of the hassle of engine problems which = no flying.

Sussex Model Centre is my local hobby shop, they are great guys in there. Give them a ring and they will sort you out with the best option.

Something such as http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=19041 would be a better bet, you never know you may not like flying after all, so not a lot wasted.

All you need to grasp a hold of is orientation, once you have that, you can move onto the fancy flying stuff.

Get a pc sim such as FMS (free) or the better Realflight (demo, not free) to get your basic orientation, but be warned it is a lot different in real life. I can fly helicopters in the sims, in real life I break them in 2 seconds flat.

BTW the £40 planes are prob 2 channel. Does it have 2 props on each wing, coz they work like tank tracks. both on fast = up, left faster = right etc. They are not true RC planes which have 4 channels, yaw, pitch, throttle and roll.
 
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It uses glo-fuel. If you want petrol engine you usually start looking at large scale (smallest petrol is 22cc afaik)

messy, smelly and noisy!

For planes, it's not that bad. Cars are worse as the crud will be plastered on the chassis. As for planes it'll be down the side of the fueslage/wing. Some whitre spirit takes it off.

The problem with battery power is limited flight time, expensive to start up, as you'll need several batteries, and also charge other packs as you're flying. afaik you still need insurance with electric planes.

You don't need a electric starter to start a engine, just use rubberised stick thingy. A well setup engine, with fuel and glo plug on should start in the first few flicks.
 
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^

Yup batteries can be pricey £25 per batt, and I have 4. This means I can get upto an hour of flight time (Gliding about,and minimal power).

I can take it up to a field in a bag, fly come home and charge. I don't have to muck about with fuels and cleaning stuff.

You won't be able to fly the 3d shock flyers on glo-fuel, which IMHO are a complete blast and cheap as chips.
 
Soldato
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I never really considered the electric option, I always assumed it was the 'poor mans' version. (which it still might be, but you've talked it up quite well! :))

Are you saying, Pinter75, that you fly for 15 mins and then change batts? or can you hook them all up for 1hour solid?

Also, I assume I can reuse my transmitter/servos/receiver in a glow-fule plane if I decided to move on?
 
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I fly for 10-15 mins, swap batteries, and go off again. I have 4 so that makes about an hour of fun filled flying.

Indeed, the rc gear is interchangeble between planes. Also if you are going leccy then you can get 4 mini servos for £20 etc... A speed controller for £15-20 a motor for £10, a battery for £20-25 and a plane for £20-30 so it is not all that expensive :) This does not include the TX and RX and stuff like props bla bla bla.

Check the bay for a Futaba 4-5ch transmitter, there are good deals to be had. I have a FF7 super, which is programmable, ace for multimple models and stuff.
 
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Pinter75 said:
I fly for 10-15 mins, swap batteries, and go off again. I have 4 so that makes about an hour of fun filled flying.

Indeed, the rc gear is interchangeble between planes. Also if you are going leccy then you can get 4 mini servos for £20 etc... A speed controller for £15-20 a motor for £10, a battery for £20-25 and a plane for £20-30 so it is not all that expensive :) This does not include the TX and RX and stuff like props bla bla bla.

Check the bay for a Futaba 4-5ch transmitter, there are good deals to be had. I have a FF7 super, which is programmable, ace for multimple models and stuff.


4 landings in 1 hour, sounds like 4x the chance of me smashing it up! :eek: :o
Thanks for the info! :)
 
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KingAdora said:
4 landings in 1 hour, sounds like 4x the chance of me smashing it up! :eek: :o
Thanks for the info! :)

I fly these things, they are Ikarus Shock Flyers. Really easy to fly. They are 100% aerobatic, or you can just buzz them around. They are so light, that landing can be done by coming down low to a near hover and touching down.

DSCN2304.JPG


DSCN2306.JPG


http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=5312

I also fly the Ikarus Edge 500 which is £25
 
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