We are rapidly approaching the end of 2007 and everyone is busy with shopping and the details of the holiday festivities. As we come to the end of the year the blog posts will be focusing on review and re-posting some of the earlier entries. This is because I am entering the hospital this week for surgery and it will be several weeks before I will be able to spend time sitting at the computer to write the daily entries. So please bear with me and I will try to keep up with the schedule of posting entries that I have recently established.
For those of you who have just joined us at "talking RC hobbies", let me explain what we are doing here. The main goal of this blog is to promote the advancement of the radio controlled hobbies. I will be covering all the different areas of interest, including radio controlled motorcycles, off-road and track racers, sailboats and power boats, helicopters, and model airplanes. The nature of each of the different radio controlled hobbies is such that it will take several blog entries to cover everything that is needed to get someone started in each particular branch of the hobby. If you don't see anything yet on what you are interested in, please stay with me as I will be covering all areas as soon as possible.
Primarily, what I want to do with this blog is to help introduce more young people and families with children to radio controlled hobbies. Some of the information presented will, I am sure, be "old hat" to some of you that have been in RC modeling for a while, but remember that we all had to start at the beginning. So, In the interest of promoting the continued growth in our hobby, please hang in there and feel free to offer any comments and assistance as we progress. At some point I will be reviewing new products and techniques as they develop. If you know of something that will interest our readers, please don't hesitate to let me know about it and I can set up having you post an entry as a guest. Remember, we all need to work together to keep the hobby growing and expanding into new areas. See you next time.
If you're looking for your first radio controlled model airplane and you want to get started flying very quickly, then maybe a ready-to-fly trainer is right for you. I will briefly introduce two fine RTF trainers. Please note: I am not endorsing either of these two planes, just presenting an overview of what is available.
The Megatech Nitro AirStrike is a ready-to-fly trainer that is designed with the first time flier in mind. With a light wing loading of 18 ounces per square inch, it is an easy plane to fly. It is powered by a Megatech .46 ball-bearing nitro engine already installed. The Airtronics 4-channel radio equipment is also installed. Built from high quality balsa and model aircraft plywood, this model can be ready to take to the air in less than a half hour.
Another RTF trainer manufactured by Hobbico is the NexStar .46. It has all the usual features for the beginning pilot as well as the Futaba AFS Active Flight Stabilizer. And it comes with its own flight simulator so you can practice flying it on your home computer. The OS .46 as well as the 4-channel Futaba radio are already installed. This is also a stable, low speed trainer with gentle handling. It should take you only 30 minutes or less to get this bird assembled.
Again, as I haven't flown either of these models, I am not making any personal recommendations here. But, from reading the reviews and talking with others that have flown these excellent trainers, you would do well to consider one of them for your first trainer. You can check them out at your local hobby store or online. Look at the features of each and ask questions to help you make the best decision.
As I have stated several times before, find an AMA sanctioned club and a qualified trainer to help you get started in this exciting hobby. You will be up and flying sooner and with much more success. See you next time.
Well, it had to happen sooner or later, you had an accident with your favorite radio controlled model airplane. Now what? Do not despair, most of the time even severly damaged model aircraft can be successfully repaired and will fly again.
The first thing to do after crashing the model is to carefully search the wreckage for parts that still look repairable. Pay special attention to the on board radio equipment and disconnect the battery pack and turn off the switch. Also, remember to turn off the transmitter ( prevent the batteies from becoming discharged). If the receiver or battery pack was seperated from the fuselage, make sure you find all the major components. Today's technology has developed a very durable, almost indestructible radio system. It almost always will be serviceable after a crash. Just be sure to check it out thoroughly to make certain that it still works correctly before flying with it again.
Carefully clean all dirt and debris from the engine. It may be necessary to disassemble the engine and clean it thoroughly inside and out. When checking the engine avoid the temptation to flip the prop over and over. Doing so can cause severe damage if dirt and sand has entered the carburetor or exhaust port. It is a good idea to have the crankshaft checked for straightness. Even a slight bend can cause vibration at high rpms. Depending on the nature of the accident it may be advisable to have someone with more experience verify the condition of the engine.
On to checking out the condition of the fuselage, wing, and the tail section. The true extent of the damage to the plane may not be readily visible. You may have to remove some areas of the covering material to examine the internal structure. If the wing looks intact and the covering is not torn, gently twist and slightly flex it to see if you notice any crunching or rattling parts. If you hear something moving around inside, remove the covering and inspect the damage.
After assessing the damage, you can make a judgement call as to whether it is worth rebuilding. The engine cowl and windshield ( if the model has one) can usually be purchased from the model or kit manufacturer. Estimate the amount of balsa and plywood that will be needed to replace the broken parts. You will be able to get a reasonably close estimate as to the cost of the materials required to get it back into original condition. Usually you can salvage the engine, radio, and servos and those items make up the most expensive components of the plane. It will be your call, but you might be suprised how quickly and inexpensively you can get your radio controlled model plane running and flying like the accident never happened. One important tip: when you first build or assemble your model be sure to keep all drawings and manuals just in case an accident happens. See you next time.
In a recent post I mentioned having seen a remote controlled model airplane made from a cardboard box. That was several years ago and more recently when I was at a local flying club's "fun fly", I saw some "SPAD" combat models made from plastic rain gutter down spout material and corregated plastic sign making material. They were pretty cool and right away I started thinking of what type of model I would like to build using the SPAD technique.
SPAD is an acronym for Simple Plastic Airplane Design. The SPAD models I looked at were designed for aerial combat. There have been many styles of radio controlled model aircraft designed around and built with these materials. These different models range all the way from trainers to pattern ships and even 3D aerobatic planes. I haven't yet tried building one of these models, but I am contemplating building a pattern flying aircraft similar to a SIG Cougar. Maybe I can do that yet this winter and spotlight it on this site.
There is even a web site that specializes in SPAD radio controlled model airplanes. I am not sure of the address, but I'm sure you can find it by searching for "SPAD rc airplanes".
Models designed and built this way are usually less expensive and will challenge your creative abilities. If you would like to see my rendition of a SPAD airplane other than a pattern flier, leave me a comment and tell me what you think. Comments are always welcome and I encourage your feedback. See you next time.
What can you do with your radio controlled airplane hobby in the winter? Just because it is cold outside and the ground is covered with snow, doesn't mean that your hobby has to be on hold till summer. This is a great time to start building a new kit or maybe rebuilding after a model airplane accident. Either way there is always something you can do to get ready for the next warm weather flying season. Another option might be to upgrade your flight box or to acquire a new one. It seems like there is never enough room to take along everything that may be needed and you won't want to cut your flying session short just because you need a tool or repair part to get your model back in the air.
Something else that you can do to keep your flying skills sharp is to invest in a radio controlled aircraft flight simulator. Most of the current flight simulator packages give you the option to select a wide variety of models to practice with. Maybe you started in the hobby too late last season to really get fully familiar with your trainer and you could use some practice specifically with the plane you have. Or, you may be wanting to take a step up in your flying experience. If you are thinking of trying a model helicopter, check out one of the excellent simulators that are available. Maybe you want start flying 3D aerobatics or maybe a scale model war bird. They are all available in the R/C model aircraft flight simulators.
Many communities have a variety of indoor radio controlled modeling clubs that have access to a large warehouse or gymnasium where you can participate in racing R/C model cars and trucks or even flying model planes. There are many electric model aircraft that are suitable for indoor flight. Planes, helicopters, and even electric powered 3D aerobatic planes are well-suited to indoor flight. A few days ago, I was watching a video of miniature electric helicopters that are small enough to fly in your home (better check with mom first).
If you are among the hardy, cold weather resistant population, maybe you can find an area where the snow is flat and level enough and get some buddies together and go flying. Another idea is to fly on a frozen lake (be cautious of thin ice spots). If taking off and landing from a snow covered field, you will probably need to buy or build some skis for your model. I have done some winter flying and if the temperature is in the range of 25 to 30 degrees, it can be a lot of fun and it is a good way to break up a long monotonous winter.
You don't have to put your hobby on hold just because of winter. Something else to consider is to join one of the local clubs and participate in some of the winter and spring modeling shows or exhibits. There are many things you can do with radio controlled hobbies to help pass the winter months and prepare to have a more enjoyable summer flying season next year. You've got your hobby rolling now, keep it going and growing through the winter. See you next time.
