RC Plane modeling

[Pawelk198604]

I'm considering to buy RC plane model, but I'm afraid I'm a little too old for that, because i'm 28 years old, and i might been look like to childish.

But i very like planes thous never before been dealing with plane modeling.

Last quite accidentally walked into the store with models RC plane, and I noticed that they are not as expensive as I thought. I thought that he can buy instead of another computer game.

My mom really liked it because she thinks that I spend at the computer far too much time. I play mainly in BF3, SimCity, and of course KSP

I can not afford to earn the a pilot's license, let alone to buy a real aircraft, and besides I'm afraid I would have trouble moving on aero-medical examinations.

In Poland to get pilot license for small planes you need (Ã…Å¡wiadectwo lotniczo-lekarskie Klasy 2) Areo-medical certification Class 2

I would like to know which RC Model is easier to learn Helicopter or Plane.

I think about buying replica of Fokker Dr.I Red Baron plane it cost 250 Polish Zloty (75 US Dollar)

[SuperFastJellyfish]

Start with a 3 channel plane. There are a lot of good little foam Cubs out there that are an excellent place to start.

Edit: This is the one I learned on:

http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ3900

Inexpensive and is hard to break. The parts are cheap when you do finally break something.

Edit2: The major drawback to a small foam plane is it can only be flown in low to no wind conditions, but beyond that you're good.

Edited May 31, 2013 by SuperFastJellyfish

[Pawelk198604]

Start with a 3 channel plane. There are a lot of good little foam Cubs out there that are an excellent place to start.

Edit: This is the one I learned on:

http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ3900

Inexpensive and is hard to break. The parts are cheap when you do finally break something.

Edit2: The major drawback to a small foam plane is it can only be flown in low to no wind conditions, but beyond that you're good.

Thanks but i have unfortunately limited budget little bit like NASA this day

I don't want to spend more than 250-300 PLN (75- 90 USD)

Which RC Model is better Helicopter or Plane?

[SuperFastJellyfish]

Thanks but i have unfortunately limited budget little bit like NASA this day

I don't want to spend more than 250-300 PLN (75- 90 USD)

Which RC Model is better Helicopter or Plane?

Better? I myself like flying my helicopters more, but if you have no flight experience they can be overwhelming. I'd suggest you start with a small foam plane of the 3 channel variety so you don't have to worry about aileron control. This will allow you to get used to the orientation of flying away from you and flying towards you without flipping over and crashing constantly.

[legoheli]

Hey there, I have flown R/C planes for many years!

I would recommend something with 4 channels, not 3 channels for a starter. Why? Because it's simply annoying to have to learn to add the 4th channel to your controls when you've gotten used to 3 channels. And a 4 channel transmitter is useable for more since it has more channels it can control.

Simply put, the channels you have are 1: Throttle, 2: Pitch, 3: Yaw, and 4: Roll. Roll is NOT included in a 3-channel aircraft (altough it can of course roll slowly due to the forces of the rudder).

Personally, I started out with a Multiplex Minimag, a styrofoam plane that can be repaired with cyanoacrylate (instant glue/super glue/whichever you prefer) no matter the damages to the aircraft, except for a change of propeller. It is not exceptionally fast, but can perform many maneuvers - and upgrade the engine to something a bit more powerful than the standard one and you've got yourself a very fun plane to fly.

If you don't have that much room for flying, then I would instead recommend a helicopter. I myself went for the E-Sky Lama v4, and I can not recommend that helicopter. It is not much fun since it is really made for kids and not for somebody with a genuine interest in flight. It does look neat with a home made Kamov shell, though! Mine was unfortunately lost when I let my nephew fly it, though x)

Instead I would recommend something like the Walkera Dragonfly 4. It is a simple helicopter that should be easy to start up on, but it does not have changing pitch of the blades (known as collective pitch), instead it is controlled by simply throttling. Spare parts are really cheap too.

Also get a training landing gear if you're buying the helicopter. You can make one yourself using piano wire and ping pong balls, it just makes your blades last MUCH longer!

Finally, look up where the nearest R/C club is! There will be helpful people and there will be people willing to sell their equipment to you to below the market price. And since it's a club and you'll be seeing them again, chances they'll trick you are pretty low. I saved a lot of money through that, and I have helped many newcomers by selling them stuff that I didn't need anymore as well.

[Nuke]

there are a lot of those electric fomies out there for under $50. thing is you got to buy all the electrocnics separately. some of them come with motors, others you need to buy motors. i dont think ive seen one that came with the servos. so at bare minimum you need to by this:

plane - $40+

transmitter & receiver - i got a cheap 6 channel chinese made set for about $50

servos (usually just 3) - the plane i had used $3-$5 9gram servos.

speed controller - i think i got a 20 amp unit for $10

battery pack - $10-$20

brushless motors - $20 for a good one, but ive seen em as low as $5.

but i have seen complete ready to fly kits. thing is if you destroy the plane most of the electronics are usually completely salvageable and can be used again. i put my servos, speed controller and motor from my dead plane into a $60 (mostly plastic) heli. but i also had to by a $15 gyro, you dont need it, some of the better pilots just trim their tail rotor as needed. then i slowly upgraded the plastic parts with cnc aluminum parts as they were destroyed in horrific ways. i think i even needed to replace my rotor shaft thanks to blade strikes, and im on my 3rd set of rotors. fixing a plane is more about buying epoxy and new props.

as for which ones easier, idk. seems both of mine were equally good at slamming into the ground. i think i got more flight time out of the heli though, possibly a whole 30 seconds the heli is certainly more fun though. but start with the cheaper fomies and cheap electronics. and easy to fly trainers are a good place to start. there a small single peice edf flying wing which would be a very easy thing to train on. only thing you shouldnt do is skimp on is your radio, since it doesnt fly (except for when you get pissed off cause your plane crashed), and buy an extra receiver just in case you cant get one when the first eventually breaks (ive been through at least 2 myself). by the time you get really good you will have amassed a huge collection of spare and mostly interchangeable parts. its a lot like ksp.

only then do you get into the wood planes, gas engines (prop and even jets), kits that take hundreds of man hours to assemble, pov kits, working landing gear, flaps, stuff like that. im not hardcore enough for all of that. i can hardly afford all the repairs.

Edited May 31, 2013 by Nuke

[softweir]

I would like to know which RC Model is easier to learn Helicopter or Plane.

1st answer: Plane: Some of the latest helicopter models are fairly easy to fly, but they can still go insane on you much more easily than a plane can. You also get more flying time with a plane than with a helicopter and for less money.

2nd answer: Helicopter: They are much cooler than planes!

[Nuke]

you also need to worry about decapitating small animals and children with it. especially children because they tend to walk towards a model helicopter, rather than away from it like animals do.