Next steps?

[MNFinn]

Hello all,

I'm a RC newbe. I've been flying a Volantex Sport Cub 500, but I'm looking to get more into the hobby, I'm getting to the point where I can take off, fly, and land OK, minus the fact that I'm landing on grass most of the time, so I don't get a good roll, more of a flop when the plane touches down. I've been flying it in "intermediate" mode, so I'm still really new. Currently I'm just wanting to stay with planes that are 600mm or less wingspan due to constraints on where I can fly. Rather than getting another RTF plane, I'm thinking of getting a BNF and actually buying a radio so I can use the same radio with more than one plane. Could I get some input on a good next plane and a good beginner radio to look at?

Thanks!

[xviper]

Don't know what your budget is like or how quickly you will advance through this hobby, but if money were an issue, look at the Spektrum DX6e. It's a budget TX with a few more advanced features. If you've got a bit more in the piggy bank, look at the NX6. If you think you're going grow leaps and bounds, look at the NX8.
As for the next plane, take a look at some of the "trainer" planes at Horizon Hobby that have "Safe Select". As you get good at one of those, you can take it off SAFE and then as you get even better, you can take it off AS3X to give you more of a challenge for the plane after that.

[MNFinn]

Don't know what your budget is like or how quickly you will advance through this hobby, but if money were an issue, look at the Spektrum DX6e. It's a budget TX with a few more advanced features. If you've got a bit more in the piggy bank, look at the NX6. If you think you're going grow leaps and bounds, look at the NX8.
As for the next plane, take a look at some of the "trainer" planes at Horizon Hobby that have "Safe Select". As you get good at one of those, you can take it off SAFE and then as you get even better, you can take it off AS3X to give you more of a challenge for the plane after that.

thanks for the reply!

I guess I should have said budget lol. Looking at like a max of $250 for radio and similar for another plane. I don't think I'll be advancing. It's more just something I can do with my kid for fun. I'll be looking at trainers just trying to stay from RTF so I'm not getting a new radio each time I look at getting a plane.

[xviper]

In that case, the DX6e and those "trainer" planes at Horizon. They come in a range of prices. Buy a BNF. Just make sure the plane will bind to the DX6e.

[Jake Bullit]

Have a look at the Radiomaster TX16s. It's a bit of a learning curve, but it's multiprotocol , so will work with many receivers including Spectrum, and is a very capable radio that's gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

[Jake Bullit]

Plane wise something like the Durafly Tundra would be a good choice.

[MNFinn]

Have a look at the Radiomaster TX16s. It's a bit of a learning curve, but it's multiprotocol , so will work with many receivers including Spectrum, and is a very capable radio that's gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

Thanks for the info on multiprotocol radios, didn't think of that. I'll have to look into that some more

Plane wise something like the Durafly Tundra would be a good choice.

I was actually looking at that one online. Just a bit bigger than what I have now, Also looking at the E-Flite Timber, since it's a bit smaller, 700mm wingspan versus the 1200mm for the tundra. I'm flying in an area around the size of a football field and a half roughly, so I'm not sure if the tundra is too big

[Evan D]

You'll get all sorts of answers to your questions and sometimes it's hard to really grasp what is good or bad for you from the answers. I'll start with the Open Source radios like Radio master, FRsky etc. To many there is a difficult learning curve to them. But if you don't need a complicated set up a OS radio can be a good choice as they are typically a good value for the hardware. As noted a multi protocol radio could be a good thing. The downside is if you do have a more complicated set up. For some just setting up dual rates, servo travel, and servo direction can take a while to do. For others it may be quick and sometimes it helps to copy a model and do some quick adjustments. I have a friend that has been flying decades and he likes his Radio Master but I feel sorry for him when I see him trying to get a mix set up or some other programing done that on a radio with more standardized programming (whether that is Spektrum, Futaba, or what ever, Even some hobby king clone radios use Spektrum's DSMX and their type of programming) could be done in seconds. Many times he has said he can set up a plane in 5 minutes and he leaves after hours with it still not working.

Spektrum, EFlite, FMS and a lot of the items sold by Horizon are a good value (and possibly better quality than some other brands or sources) and have things like PNP, BNF, Smart ESC and receiver etc. But they are their own eco system and may not play with other systems. For example you may get a BNF airplane with a receiver already in it that if you bought a Spektrum radio you could down load the complete set up from Horizon and be going fully ready in literally seconds. Many of the new transmitters like the NX even come preloaded with many of the planes Horizon sells. But if you get another brand transmitter it may not work with the installed receiver or, if the plane has it, the smart ESC or it's functionality or features may be limited. It is a really steep learning curve to figure out what work with what and what will have what features or functionality. Thing like AS3x (a type of gyro), SAFE (a recovery or flying aide), forward programing, telemetry and other things may or may not work. If you stay in the HH eco system you can get a really neat set of features and functions. It sounds like you are already exposed to some of this.

Even something like batteries can be an issue. Different connectors and Smart batteries are some things that can really frustrate you if you meet an unexpected incompatability.

My suggestion is that if you do decide on a particular radio, airplane, protocol, battery, charger, etc you ask here or in other forums if what you are thinking of doing will work together or if there will be incompatability issues or a lack of features working or something.

[MNFinn]

You'll get all sorts of answers to your questions and sometimes it's hard to really grasp what is good or bad for you from the answers. I'll start with the Open Source radios like Radio master, FRsky etc. To many there is a difficult learning curve to them. But if you don't need a complicated set up a OS radio can be a good choice as they are typically a good value for the hardware. As noted a multi protocol radio could be a good thing. The downside is if you do have a more complicated set up. For some just setting up dual rates, servo travel, and servo direction can take a while to do. For others it may be quick and sometimes it helps to copy a model and do some quick adjustments. I have a friend that has been flying decades and he likes his Radio Master but I feel sorry for him when I see him trying to get a mix set up or some other programing done that on a radio with more standardized programming (whether that is Spektrum, Futaba, or what ever, Even some hobby king clone radios use Spektrum's DSMX and their type of programming) could be done in seconds. Many times he has said he can set up a plane in 5 minutes and he leaves after hours with it still not working.

Spektrum, EFlite, FMS and a lot of the items sold by Horizon are a good value (and possibly better quality than some other brands or sources) and have things like PNP, BNF, Smart ESC and receiver etc. But they are their own eco system and may not play with other systems. For example you may get a BNF airplane with a receiver already in it that if you bought a Spektrum radio you could down load the complete set up from Horizon and be going fully ready in literally seconds. Many of the new transmitters like the NX even come preloaded with many of the planes Horizon sells. But if you get another brand transmitter it may not work with the installed receiver or, if the plane has it, the smart ESC or it's functionality or features may be limited. It is a really steep learning curve to figure out what work with what and what will have what features or functionality. Thing like AS3x (a type of gyro), SAFE (a recovery or flying aide), forward programing, telemetry and other things may or may not work. If you stay in the HH eco system you can get a really neat set of features and functions. It sounds like you are already exposed to some of this.

Even something like batteries can be an issue. Different connectors and Smart batteries are some things that can really frustrate you if you meet an unexpected incompatability.

My suggestion is that if you do decide on a particular radio, airplane, protocol, battery, charger, etc you ask here or in other forums if what you are thinking of doing will work together or if there will be incompatability issues or a lack of features working or something.

Thank you for a good detailed answer. I was originally looking at HH for the first plane I got and ended up with the Volantex largely because I had an amazon giftcard that covered all of it. Right now, the 3-4 planes that interest me the most are all on Horizon Hobby, so staying in that ecosystem seems like a good idea. I'm looking at their E-Flite Timber and maybe later the E-Flite A10, since they are a little smaller planes and pairing them with like a Spektrum Dx6e radio.

[Evan D]

Like I said there’s lots of choices, not easy ones…

I’ll add that I am not a fan of HH in general. I don’t like their marketing and I’ve dealt with them as a hobby shop worker. Additionally they tend to discontinue things quickly. But there are a lot of good things about them too, especially for beginners who want a lot of tech that works well.

I use their radios, older discontinued ones. They have awesome support even for discontinued radios. I also don’t use any of the smart stuff, AS3X or safe as I’m very old school. I left all that out because I didn’t want to detract from what, for you, would be a great source of hobby stuff. Oh, and just about every hobby shop uses the HH distribution system and sells their products.

[MNFinn]

Like I said there’s lots of choices, not easy ones…

I’ll add that I am not a fan of HH in general. I don’t like their marketing and I’ve dealt with them as a hobby shop worker. Additionally they tend to discontinue things quickly. But there are a lot of good things about them too, especially for beginners who want a lot of tech that works well.

I use their radios, older discontinued ones. They have awesome support even for discontinued radios. I also don’t use any of the smart stuff, AS3X or safe as I’m very old school. I left all that out because I didn’t want to detract from what, for you, would be a great source of hobby stuff. Oh, and just about every hobby shop uses the HH distribution system and sells their products.

Thank you for that info on HH. And, I'm planning to move on from needing SMART and AS3X as soon as I get comfortable. Using it as training wheels until I get my coordination down a little better. I'm probably going to go with them this time, but you gave me a lot of good info to think about if I go further into the hobby.

[MNFinn]

Little update. Got my EFlite UMX Turbo Timber, DX6e and batteries today and gave into the temptation to fly it. One nose dive when I had SMART turned off and one rough landing that ripped off the front landing gear made for an interesting time. Once I got the controller figured out and was able to slow things down flying with more flaps, things got easier. Going to take a while to get proficient with it, but it's sure looking like fun

[xviper]

Little update. Got my EFlite UMX Turbo Timber, DX6e and batteries today and gave into the temptation to fly it. One nose dive when I had SMART turned off and one rough landing that ripped off the front landing gear made for an interesting time. Once I got the controller figured out and was able to slow things down flying with more flaps, things got easier. Going to take a while to get proficient with it, but it's sure looking like fun

"Smart" is a term Spektrum uses to describe some of the features that this tech can do, such as telemetry, communications between RX and TX via "ghost" channels, etc. I think what you are trying to refer to is "Safe" and "AS3X". "Safe select" allows you the ability to choose which one you want to fly with. Safe has the bank, pitch angle limiter and also the ability to self level when you let go of the sticks. AS3X is the "gyro" portion of this tech, which helps external influences such as cross winds and the like. When doing a maiden with planes equipped with such devices, it is usually best to fly it in AS3X until it gets trimmed. This would involve some "manual" flying until the plane can be flown "hands off" (ie, trimmed). Trimming requires that you do a 4 count after you've clicked the trim tabs so the RX can register that trim change. Once you get the AIL and ELE (and to a lesser extent, rudder) trimmed, then you can throw the switch to SAFE and in that fashion, going in and out of SAFE will not cause any adverse roll or pitch. Using SAFE before it's trimmed can be a risky proposition as the plane can go a bit "crazy" when you take it out of SAFE.

[MNFinn]

"Smart" is a term Spektrum uses to describe some of the features that this tech can do, such as telemetry, communications between RX and TX via "ghost" channels, etc. I think what you are trying to refer to is "Safe" and "AS3X". "Safe select" allows you the ability to choose which one you want to fly with. Safe has the bank, pitch angle limiter and also the ability to self level when you let go of the sticks. AS3X is the "gyro" portion of this tech, which helps external influences such as cross winds and the like. When doing a maiden with planes equipped with such devices, it is usually best to fly it in AS3X until it gets trimmed. This would involve some "manual" flying until the plane can be flown "hands off" (ie, trimmed). Trimming requires that you do a 4 count after you've clicked the trim tabs so the RX can register that trim change. Once you get the AIL and ELE (and to a lesser extent, rudder) trimmed, then you can throw the switch to SAFE and in that fashion, going in and out of SAFE will not cause any adverse roll or pitch. Using SAFE before it's trimmed can be a risky proposition as the plane can go a bit "crazy" when you take it out of SAFE.

Yes. SAFE, not smart. Brain fart on my part. Thanks for the info on trimming. I'll have to make sure I do that nest time I go out.

[xviper]

Yes. SAFE, not smart. Brain fart on my part. Thanks for the info on trimming. I'll have to make sure I do that nest time I go out.

As I've found at my own flying field, sometimes it very helpful to have an experienced flyer do the first trimming flight for you or you can have someone who knows what to do with the trim tabs stand next to you and do the trim tabs for you as you direct them to. That is to say if you are not yet comfortable moving your hand so far from the stick to manipulate the trim tab yourself. I've done the "stand next to" trick and worked the tabs for the pilot.

[MNFinn]

As I've found at my own flying field, sometimes it very helpful to have an experienced flyer do the first trimming flight for you or you can have someone who knows what to do with the trim tabs stand next to you and do the trim tabs for you as you direct them to. That is to say if you are not yet comfortable moving your hand so far from the stick to manipulate the trim tab yourself. I've done the "stand next to" trick and worked the tabs for the pilot.

Taking your advice. I'm meeting with the president of the local club tomorrow, who happens to be a RC instructor pilot to get some time flying with someone who's experienced. Figure have him trim or help with trimming my plane. I've taken some damage to it already and don't want to keep spending time fixing it, if I can learn how to fly it properly instead.