How many of us are also RC pilots?
 

Hi all,. .I've been a keen RC pilot for many years, and always look out for places throughout the world, on layovers, to go and just spend some time and chat about a common interest.. .Unfortunately, this means that I cannot be at home, RC flying at my local club.. .Also, I've found that many professional pilots also have an interest in this hobby.. .I've also taught a few, and they are by far the most difficult to teach - all those pre-conceived ideas to get past!. .It's great fun - I'm just interested how many others are keen RC flyers?. .Cheers.

Flight Detent. .I used to be a regular RC flyer - sport, aerobatic, slope soaring etc - and before that did some parachuting, paragliding and a little hang-gliding. I think most aviation enthusiasts have more than one area of interest and virtually every full-size pilot I have ever met has been into free-flight or RC models at some stage. With job, family and flying the real thing nowadays I never seem to have time for either building or flying RC anymore. I still have all the gear though, in the loft, and I have no doubt I will return to flying RC models again one day.

One day when I have time and money I would like to try some RC flying.. . . .Kermie

And there was I thinking we were off on some kind of religious tangent!!! Doh! <img src="redface.gif" border="0">

Hey, . . I'm not a pilot (yet! Gimmie 5 months!) but i've been into R/C flying for about... 3 years now, currently 17. I fly in North Wales if anyone is near by it's the "Delyn Model Flying Club". Great place, great people, lots of GREAT aviation fun <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> . .. .Ian

Hi Detent. .. .Glad to see the thread. I’m in the process of teaching myself RC flying and find it very satisfying (and difficult). Very much at the beginner stage. Started with a bungee launched Windstar, got fed up with the launching method, which was very constrained by wind direction, as my strip was very narrow. Went to a Winstar EP so could now cope with any wind direction, graduated to the sand at low tide, then added wheels to teach myself decent landings and touch and goes. Feel nearly ready to have a go at building an EP vintage type Junior 60. Control all so much harder than when sitting in the thing though.. .. .50 years ago I used IC for free flight but am now totally sold on the quiet clean simple switch on and go of electrics. !

Just noticed this thread.. .I am also a RC modeller, large and small glider, IC power, and recently started dabbling with electric.. .. .Now that I can no longer fly full size I get a lot of satisfaction from hurling a model round the skies doing many of the manoeuvres that were forbidden or those I was unable to do. Particularly those involving lots of negative G.. .. .John, you certainly chose the hard way if you are teaching yourself. Its much easier with an instructor using a buddy box, and less destructive. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> . .As you are probably finding out it is relatively easy if the model is going away, but its a different story when it is coming towards you. Good luck. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

G'days Tigers,. .Great to see I'm not the only one. Modelling was a great intro to full size but as fishbed said before, the real thing seems to take up more time than I ever thought it would years ago.....hence, bring on small electric stuff!!. .Bought a small electric chopper that fits nicely in the suitcase to fly around those motel rooms on over nights, gotta mind the chair legs though! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> . .Good onya John for teaching yourself, a bit o a challenge but all the more rewarding when you get there. Hope the self teaching isn't being to hard on the hip pocket. . .While I'm here, has anyone ever dabbled in electric ducted fan?

Hi Chaps. .. .As for teaching yourself I reckon any licensed pilot should be able to do it IF they first get a PC R/C simulation and stick at that (40 hours ish for me) and get to the point where they never move the ailerons the wrong way, before trying it with a real model. I did not care if I crashed the sim for any reason other than a reverse input as I figured I would take more care with a real model. . .. .I have always been a big one for talking to myself when flying real aeroplanes and I continued thus with the model. So I looked at it flying and issued continuous voice commands - as if it was a free flight model and I was wishing it to do something - “Go left, go left, go left” etc which I had no trouble getting correct regardless of which way it was flying. I found no trouble making my hands follow my voice commands so far as the sense of input was concerned.. .. .I eventually wrote off my first model (glider) after a year or so when I thought it was my side of an obstruction (a neighbours house) and was gobsmacked when it flew downwind at about 30 kts straight into the roof. Tremendous bang and then a bin liner job. But in many ways I felt it to be an honourable end compared to rolling the wrong way on finals!. .. .Regards

Yes, me R/C too!. .. .Not had time to use them for some years now but with teenaged son showing an interest I may be obliged to dust them off soon.... .. .Got a glider (Breguet Fauvette, semi scale, V-tail, v.fast slope soarer, whistles as it goes by).. .. .Also a 25 yr old fibreglass fuselage trainer, unfortunately no wing now available since the missus allowed a table top to fall against it <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" /> , I must repair it one day.. .. .With regard to the laterally inverted controls with the aircraft coming towards the "pilot", the best way to learn is to learn to drive a R/C car first, same problem, but brakes and slower crashes make it less expensive and seldom terminal.. .. .Also have 3 control liners (2 unfinished including one made from remains of the trainer's squashed wing). The oldest one, a small flying wing, is almost 30 years old and still flyable.. . . . <small>[ 09 March 2002, 22:29: Message edited by: ShyTorque ]</small>

Hi,. .. .I've been flying R/C planes for 3yrs now. I think I have logged over hundreds of hours.. .. .But I still have difficulty in landing. The approach is considered good by others but the flaring always cocked up.. .. .By the way, have never crashed before.... .. .Cheers,. .Herman <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="cool.gif" />

Hermie. .. .You mention trouble with the flare, feel like going into a little more detail? To late, too early, balooning, what sort of aircraft and undercarriage etc? The reason I ask is that the flare is the only thing I have actually found easier with R/C models than with real aircraft and would be interested to chat about the detail.. .. .Regards

One of the major problems was acquiring the skill level to fly demo's in public and, therefore, HAVING to fly circuits in front of oneself - (the mental reversal on base leg). I found the best lead-in technique was to fly figure of eights initially so that the base leg was always away from you and maintained the orientation. Once happy with that, I started to fly level circuits with the base leg towards me (and, yes, JF, TALKING the whole thing through) and then, as it became less of a strain, taking the descent on final. Eventually, it became ALMOST second nature, but I cannot believe I would ever have reached the standard of the demo at Sandown Park, some years back, of an IMMACULATE, continuous, rolling circle....... now that was real hand-eye co-ordination. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

Hermie, over the years I have noticed a number of flyers having trouble in the flare because they have too much elevator movement for that stage of the flight. . .. .Lots is fine for aeros and spinning etc, but a real pain at that delicate stage just prior to touchdown. . .. .If your transmitter has a rates switch try a lower elevator setting for circuit work.. .. .Also if you have the facility, try feeding in some elevator exponential so there is initially a greater stick movement for a given amount of elevator while in the circuit.. . . . <small>[ 12 March 2002, 23:41: Message edited by: henry crun ]</small>

Just found this thread, great, must keep it going.. .i've been into RC for about 20 years now.. .For landings exponential is a good idea about -30 is usualy ok. Been flying gliders a lot, living down near the Purbecks, but best of all I have a flying site outside my back door where I can fly electric any time, well when there is nobody playing rugby or cricket.

I had a fling ( pardon the pun ) with R/C helicopters some years back, before I got into the real things.. .. .I got hooked up by accident with a guy who sold an R/C simulator - both f/w and r/w - and spent loads of time on that while putting the kit together.. .. .When I came to fly my newly built helicopter for the first time, with training wheels and all, I managed a decent hover, and the people I was with didn't even bother to tell me I was doing it downwind.. .. .However, once I'd proved to myself I could hover a helicopter, I soon lost interest. Ah well.

Never had the patience for r/c flying. I was more into rocketry and managed to build myself an r/c launch pad from an old r/c Mini Cooper with which I originally intended to wreak havoc on the neighbourhood. Wire-control is for wimps. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

Got a half built yellow aircraft 1/9 scale f16c ducted fan, been building it for about ten years now,got all the kit, scale U/C, ten channel R/C.. .Truth to tell it was a bit to complex a project for a relative beginer, even if I ever finish the ****** ,it cost so much I will be afraid to fly it.

I started in aviation with R/C, but had to stop when I began to fly real gliders and then Aircrafts.. .I really enjoyed my times at building, flying, and sometimes crashing my toys !. .. .I was very lucky to have one of the Finest teacher in the world : Cristophe Paysant-Leroux, who has won all the world class competitions; including Tournament Of Champions in Las Vegas last year.. .. .I still have my Remote control somewhere, and when richer times will come ....I'll put some stuff in the skies !. . . . <small>[ 18 March 2002, 17:17: Message edited by: PorcoRosso ]</small>

Don’t bother to read this unless you are interested in electric power models.. .. .Had an interesting one today, flying from a bit of dry sand at low tide on the south coast. 10 kts from the sea. Planned to do a few circuits. On first overshoot when just out over the sea power faded away. Nearly managed it back to the sand. Big splash in about 6 in of water. Model OK, controls OK but no donk. Another bl**dy speed controller I thought. Wrong. Speed controller OK. Motor brushes corroded and not free to slide in under wear. Extra item of WD40 to same now added to after flight service. Bad stuff sea water. (Which reminds me that the USMC used to spray fresh water hoses into the intakes of their jets after you landed on and before you shut down.)

Hi fellow RC flyers,. .Absolutely great to see so many other RC flyers around, and I'm sure that there are many, many more not yet aware of this thread.. .As I said in my initial post, I've taught many people to fly RC, and I've found that the easiest way to 1/ Roll the right way - the first time, on approach. (The alternative is disaster!)---- Just imagine, when the wing dips, that the aileron control stick of the radio is a support, and just push it that way to support the downgoing wing, you will find that it is very quick to get used to, as it has to be, and works very well!. .. .and 2/ The flair I teach is, I think, also very easy - just fly down the extended centreline on approach - and just that takes some doing! - and just before you cross the threshhold, aiming for a roundout at about one metre, ease all the power off, and continue to fly it level at about one metre, assuming no drift, it will just quietly settle as the airspeed decreases, with the nose coming nicely up as you attempt tp hold level, but you will, of course, not allow it to stall!. .If you are to fast, you will simply not decend, and will have to try again with another approach!. .. .I currently fly a Cherrokee with a piped .46, and a Cap 231 EX with a piped .61, both about 63 inches span, I'm limited by the size of my transport, a Nissan ET hatch, great runaround car!. .. .I'm a member of an RC club on the north side of Brisbane, near the Sunshine coast, just near where I live.. .. .I'm also building, when I get the chance, a 74 inch 'Stick', with a modified 31cc brushcutter 2-stroke for power, I love the Sticks, they are so good for aerobatics.. .I'm going to fit both flaps and airbrakes, and probably a 'flying tail' as well, to make it more capable.. .Keep on talking guys,. .I'm very interested, as are others.. .Cheers. .. .Hey Ian, I'm ocassionally over there in Wales, Swansea area, and also in the Manchester area, I'll email you later, to much traffic right now.

Hi all. A couple of weeks ago i was walking past a Model shop in Brighton when i saw, in the window, a rather nice, big, Pegasus 40. Impressed, i walked into the store and asked about it. The bloke behind the counter told me i would need an engine/r.c etc as it was just the plane on its own for £99. I managed to get a deal from him, £300 for everything. . .. .Great i thought, i will be flying this weekend..!! Not so. It took me about 4 days to build (Almost Ready To Fly..!! Yea right.!!) and when it was built, i decided to call the local flying club for tips where to fly etc. . .The lad on the phone was very helpful, told me everything i need to know. This includes i can't fly where i want to except in designated areas and i have to be a member of a club for insurance purposes. The next meeting of the local club is on the 6th of April and i am working lates that evening so i may not be able to make it until next month. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" /> . .. .Oh well, at least i have got all the gear, have had for a few weeks now but i dont know when i will be a ble to fly the thing. I tried to start the engine up in the garden a few days ago but to no avail. I cant even have the pleasure of hearing at least some of the 300 quid i spent..!. .. .All i really want to do is have someone to look at it as its the first time i have done this model building and i just know there are a few things that i have done wrong. So, here's hoping to see some of you maybe in the future if your in the south of England. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

Red L, unless one of the guys on this forum lives close to you my advice would be to ask the local club for the address of a nearby member.. .. .I'm sure that they would be more than willing to help out of hours and away from specific club activities to see you start on the right footing.. .. .Take their advice re sites to fly and insurance.. .. .If you start using your gear within about 5 kms of any regular flying site you could shoot someone down by clashing with their frequency. . .. .Insurance is very important, club cover through the national body is essential to guard against 3rd party claims.. .A model weighing several pounds can do a lot of damage if it hits something/someone doing 50 to 60 mph.. .. .Above all, please try to curb any impatience and seek help through the local club. . .RC model flying is not as easy as it might appear and you last thing you want is to turn your model into a heap of balsa and ply fit only for a bin bag.

Very important advice to beginners - I think!. .. .It's really great to see all these people starting in the internal combustion (i/c) powered. .Radio Controlled model aircraft hobby, but not limited to only those, electric powered and gliding are also included!. .. .I think it's very important not to try and build and fly your 'dream' aircraft right away, that is, start with an aircraft that is reasonably easy to build, probably 'almost ready to fly', of the conventional training type, ie, a Cessna 172 type configeration, (about 60in span, tricycle undercarriage, high wing - with a little dihedral and probably a flat bottom (semi-symetrical), including a steerable nosewheel, powered by a reasonable quality .46ci 2-stroke motor). .Always buy the best quality radio equipment you can afford - it will last a long time.. .. .I see many guys turning up at my club, with a model that is totally inappropriate for learning to fly with, I must find a way of telling them "you must walk before you can run".. .These P-51s, Extra-300s, ChristenEagles and such are great aircraft to fly, when you have sufficient expertise to fly them, please start out with a good trainer aircraft, it's much cheaper and very much quicker to learn.. .. .The radio receiver pack and the engine can be transfered to your next choice of airframe, after you are solo, and that's a great feeling!. .. .Should cost you around US$300 to get started, maybe a little more in the UK.. .Go for it!. .Cheers

Hi Fishbed,. .Hope you do get back to flying soon, what part of the earth are you from, sounds like the UK to me,. .(It was that reference to the 'loft'!) - just wanted to mention, something handy to know if you are going to 'park' your RC equipment for some time, . .1/ Inhibit your i/c engines with a little auto transmission fluid, all thru, saves damage from corrosion, especially in wet/humid climates.. .And especially with 4-stroke engines!. .2/ Physically disconnect your battery, in both your receiver pack AND your transmitter, and store seperately, the dreaded 'black wire' corrosion will get you otherwise, and it is very damaging, with battery disconnected, no problem!. .. .I've been around this hobby for a long time, if anybody has any questions about starting.. .I'm a mode-2 flyer ie. throttle on the left!. .Cheers

Flight Detent, I'm sure you have no intention of renewing the old discussion of mode 2 versus . .mode 1. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> . .. .I feel the subject is best left alone and new flyers left to start on whatever mode they are taught on.. .. .It's a pity the RC manufacturers did not decide on a standard mode right at the beginning and stick with it.

Been doing R/C for long time now, almost 20 years.. .. .My three kids are shown here with me:. .. .<a href="http://www.dynamicflight.com/dl/marcsthree.gif" target="_blank">http://www.dynamicflight.com/dl/marcsthree.gif</a>. .. .Started out with the heli, had a trainer for a period of time, then sold it to get a better radio, got back into planes with the Lear (OS 46 w/ultrathrust muffler, & retracts: a screamer!), and recently rebuilt the Tsunami that you see here.. .. .My Lear is almost 5.5 years old, and I'm either going to recover this summer, or build another one, which I plan on making lighter, having split flaps and full lighting (now that I'm a more experienced builder than when the first one was made). Have not decided yet.. .. .I love flying all of them ... A turbine may be in order too, but that costs! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />. . . . <small>[ 27 March 2002, 19:58: Message edited by: RW-1 ]</small>

Dear John Farley,. .. .I have been flying electric powered gliders for quite a while now. If you are interested in flying electric as well, I believe it's a good idea to check out some Internet Pages like <a href="http://www.graupner.de" target="_blank">www.graupner.de</a> or <a href="http://www.robbe.de" target="_blank">www.robbe.de</a> These are sites of a few German manufacturers, which offer a wide range of products. There are many more and some are totally specialised in electric flying, offering even so called brushless-motors. Sometimes it's worth while spending some hours on the net to gather information. But I can assure you, flying RC is great. . .. .Unfortunately the last 3 years I couldn't fly RC, because I was travelling here and I can tell you, I miss that a lot. Also the social aspect, normally I used to fly with my friends and we always had great fun together. It sometimes amazed me, because there I could see, that people from all age (16 - 70) have a common interest and totally enthusiastic about their hobby. And I belive that is fantastic.. .. .By the way... Are there some RC pilots out there who live like me in Kuala Lumpur? On my last trip back home I brought my controller along and I am keen on buying and assembling a model. That would be perfect day for me: to fly in the morning a Real One and then in the afternoon a model among friends. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

Just found the thread. I started flying RC in '89 with a 60" wing span 40 powered trainer. It has survived a few HARD landings, including one inverted. It was a case of short final, at about 2 meters when it dropped a wing and I got the aileron mixed up. Instant roll and nose in just short of the threshold.. .. .I'm in the middle of rebuilding it for the third time. This time it's a re model as well, longer nose, steerable nose wheel rather than fixed, and a new wing. I have been playing with different wing profiles, and decided to try my own design.. .. .I also have a small slopie, about 45" span, 3 channel. It's balsa sheet over foam which makes it very strong but still light.. .. .Unfortunately I haven't flown for a few years due to business being a 24 x 7 time killer. I must get back into it, and build something a bit more aerobatic. Always liked the Cap series.. .. .One last comment BRL, join the local club, it will save you heaps of time, pain, frustration, and money. It's good fun too.

Back again tyga's. Great to see this thread keep going. Have a project on the table at the moment, Electric Scale 747SP. Going to try and use the micro ducted fan jets from GWS with 3 channels but have worked out that the airframe weight of the model has to be limited to 300 grams!!! (Without engines, batteries, gear etc) Thinking of building it out of foam. Anyone have any ideas? Also wondered if anyone has had much to do with the micro light scene in regard to battery weights and running electric engines in series/ parallel etc.

Burger Thing. .. .Thanks. Good tip I will check out those sites. .. .Regards. .. .John

Hey John,. .. .those two pages came to my mind, but there are many more. I just checked out some, but unfortunately most of them are in German, like <a href="http://www.elektroflug.de" target="_blank">www.elektroflug.de</a> or <a href="http://www.rcsegelflug.de" target="_blank">www.rcsegelflug.de</a> ...

Those interested in RC flying!
 

Hi again,
Just came back to check on the "RC Flyers" post, and it's gone!
I thought there were quite a number of interested post replies, and planned on checking and replying reasonably often, as it continued on - any more comments in this area?
Cheers

Flight Detent

I don't thinks its gone, just that you may have looked at the default setting of last 5 days. Stick that up to 10 and bingo

Regards

BOAC has been playing with his new train set!

Well BOAC, tell us all about it.

:)

Henry - I'd have to kill you first...........
Oh all right - mods can 'split' and 'merge' topics to tidy up fora.

Used to be an R/C "pilot" in my young days before affording to fly full size. Must say it was rewarding and kept me busy (unlike the youth of today!). However studies and drinking got in the way so I havn't flown R/C for about 10 years, I think I'll dust them down when/if I retire!!

Well, this has all made me think about how I'd like to start again. Was very keen (especially liked making them) till I got seriously into Yak flying in '95, also a divorce and hence losing the (garage) workshop killed it.

Now I'm not doing the display stuff anymore, can't afford to fly as much - interest in RC definitely re awakening.

Great thread!!

I bought a RC Helicopter last week. Thunder Tiger Raptor. Holy Cow! What have I done... Flew only airplanes before and now this... Haven't done my first solo on it but for sure it's going to be interesting... :eek: :D