New to the forum, with questions

[chabd]

Hi All,

I'm brand new, been here a couple of days, but just browsing. I have some questions, I know I may be in the wrong place, but I'm getting old.;-)

I want to get into RC flying and I'm looking for advice.

My principle interest is WW2 and I want to fly some WW2 single engine types, eventually flying the Spitfire. I'm American now but was a Brit for 50 years first. :-)

My plan is

A Pioneer 620 RTF on it's way from Hobby Zone, I've read it's a good starter plane. I'm going to fly it to see if, a) I like flying RC, b) I can actually fly RC.
If I can, to me, the natural choice next would be an 1100/1200 T-28, I do like the look of them.
Then once I'm competent with the T-28, move up to a wide U/C plane, like a Hurricane, P-47, P-51. Once happy with it, or them(if I just buy the lot) move to the Spit.

Last question (for now), are there any compatibility issues, between hardware, i.e. transmitters/receivers/ESC's/servos etc, or can they be mixed and matched without any problems.

Thank you in advance.

[f4u ausie]

Im not as good as most on here.. nobody has he.ped yet,, so here we go... manditory is compatible receiver to transmitter.. futaba to futaba,, spectrum to spectrum , etc some other receivers ( lemon) will work with spectum.. motion also sells a rebranded receiver, that suits spectrum,.... others can chime in .. thik u will find all other stuff,, esc servos r multifit,, so to speek... but if u buy e flight u will need to use spectrum,, for there reverse thrust,, there is more to it but thasts the basics.... ask when u buy..

[Evan D]

The best trainer in my opinion is the Apprentice. Not the smaller one, the regular one. After that the T-28 is a good choice but I have to say both the 1200 and 1600 Flight Line Spitfires are quite easy to fly and you may be able to go directly there with some help from an instructor.

In general radio and receiver have to have a matching protocol. Not as simple as Futaba to Futaba as there are (I think) three different Futaba protocols. Same for other brands. Plus there are companies that make compatible receivers, example Orange, sold by Hobby King makes Futaba protocol receivers that are much cheaper and for the most part as good if not better. I use Spektrum and they have DSM2 (older) and DSMX (newer). The Spektrum transmitters (or other transmitters using their protocol) can work with Spektrum receivers (there is a very wide range of number of channels and if they have telemetry, stabilization or self leveling (SAFE). Also Orange, Lemon, Redcon and others make Spektrum compatible receivers. I mostly use Orange receivers as they are usually $20-30 versus much more for similar name brand plus I get better range from Orange. This will be a very heated topic as many will have their opinion about radios and protocols. This is mine.

Welcome!

[chabd]

Thank you f4u ausie and Evan for your info. I did see the apprentice, but passed it by, my tailwheel snobbery probably helped there, I'll get one if the pioneer doesn't work for me.

I'm looking for local clubs instructors to help, but a guy at work said he'd help, he's been flying for 10 years ish. He's not an instructor, but has been flying a while now, he and I will see how I improve to see if it's reasonable to make the jump straight to the warbirds. I'll look up the companies you both mentioned for transmitters/ receivers etc, I'm leaning toward Spektrum, but need more research. Thanks again for your time, I'm going to keep a close eye on the forum, to keep up with all the news.

Roger

[Gilatrout]

Finding a club is important. They can not only train you but provide help with decisions and details such as gas vs electric, charging batteries and best practices, transmitter programming etc.

Your first big decision might be transmitter. The rtf ones tend to be very limited. We all have our personal preferences and for many it is like Mac va pc. In truth the best choice probably has more to do with what is preferred by those in your club. The reason is when you need help there will be someone to help. It can also be helpful at local swap meets where you can pick up compatible upgrades and used receivers at a discount. Next is don’t get the lower end model transmitter. The reason is most outgrow it pretty quickly. Get one with at least 8 channels. Again talk to club members and you might find someone has a good used one

Your plane growth plan looks quite reasonable. However there is one thing I’ve found over the years it is if you see a particular model you crave, get it even if you’re not ready to fly it. Most manufacturers will discontinue a plane after a few years. Eflite\Horizon is particularly notorious for discontinuing planes. There are certain types like Mustangs and Corsairs which will always be available. A spitfire generally falls into this category. But consider this, I cannot think of any major distributor that sells a Hurricane or Mosquito for some time now despite that you would expect them to be popular. Planes go in and out of fashion and right now the fashion is all jets. The downside of getting a plane you’re not ready to fly now is you got to store it and someone might come out with something you like better.

Welcome to the hobby

[kallend]

Next is don’t get the lower end model transmitter. The reason is most outgrow it pretty quickly. Get one with at least 8 channels. Again talk to club members and you might find someone has a good used one

+1 on this. I never regretted getting the best transmitter I could afford at the time (over 59 years in the hobby now)

[Evan D]

The Pioneer is a very simple very small plane that I would consider toy grade, please don't be offended by that. It will be a easy to fly plane that gets banged up easily and, in my opinion is not worth repairing once you hurt it. It is really too small to fly in any wind but is good if you have a gym to fly it inside. It has no flight aids.

The Apprentice is a high quality plane with a lot of built in aids. It has stability built in to handle wind plus self leveling were even if you have it flying straight down or inverted it will right itself instantly at the push of a button. It also has geo fencing so you can't fly it away and lose it. It also has an optional ground sensor for auto take off and land. You can get it ready to fly with a transmitter or bind and fly without a transmitter. It works with Spektrum RC equipment. The transmitter that comes with the RTF really is not very good. They used to come with a better transmitter that you could use later in your RC life as a buddy box. That is when you have two transmitters linked and if you get in trouble the instructor can take over remotely. But the RTF is a good price, $330 and you get everything except a battery for the plane and a charger for that battery.

The BnF comes without the transmitter for $300. Then you could buy a better transmitter to use with it as Gilatrout and Kallend say. I personally think the RTF at $30 more with a matching cheap transmitter is a decent deal. As I said before there are a lot of brands compatible with Spektrum but that said I would buy a Spektrum brand transmitter if going this route. This is a sticky point though. New higher channel count radios are expensive and which one to buy can be confusing. There are always new models coming out and people upgrading so there are always great deals for used TXs in the classifieds (look at the RCGroups forum). The awesome thing about Spektrum and Horizon is their radio service. While they state a warranty they actually have free lifetime repair and service and most times even cover shipping. I can't say it's always free but it has been for me. Just for this reason I stay with Spektrum over any other brand.

E-flite Apprentice STS 1.5m RTF Basic Smart Trainer with SAFE | Horizon Hobby
E-flite Apprentice STS 1.5m BNF Basic Smart Trainer with SAFE | Horizon Hobby

I can't reiterate enough how important it is to find someone that you trust and is knowledgeable to help you. Your friend may be that but it's also good to fly in a controlled environment and a club gives you that as well. If you go to the AMA web site you can find local clubs. You should know most clubs require you to be a AMA member because of the insurance they provide. You should also know that the Federal government has some laws governing us and more are coming later this year. Info about this is also at the AMA site.

Academy of Model Aeronautics (modelaircraft.org)

I want to touch on what John said about buying the best radio you can afford. I don't know you or your budget/ point in life etc but in general I agree with him. But I have also been in the hobby a long long time and have seen people very enthused that go out and buy the best and after a few crashes or some change of life drift away from the hobby. I have bought a lot of gear very cheap from people in this circumstance. So while it is a good idea to get good equipment maybe not for your first few planes. That's why I linked both the RTF and BnF Apprentices. That's a decision only you can make.

Good luck with your new hobby. Remember there are no bad questions.

[kallend]

Good luck with your new hobby. Remember there are no bad questions.

While this is true, also bear in mind that most of the questions have already been asked and answered a dozen or more times on the forums and can be found by a simple search. Also a lot of questions are answered in instruction manuals, which, for some reason, many modelers choose not to read.

[SanExup]

If you go with Spektrum for a radio, then also do yourself a huge favor and get Real Flight, the rc computer flight simulator. I've never been bummed about crashing planes on the simulator. It really helps to learn. And it really helps to learn to fly aerobatics and inverted. And then it really helps when you haven't flown in a while. Or it's raining, or snowing and windy. It's a great tool, every step along the way.

[CuriousBob]

This can get complicated when you first begin so I will try to make it short. When starting this hobby the first thing is to join the AMA. Old timers get a discount; juniors is extremely inexpensive. Next join a local club but check first to see if you can get help. Almost all clubs provide help at no cost and are happy to do so. Pick a trainer plane to learn how to fly with all the basics, ailerons, rudder, and elevator. There are a lot of planes available, if you want to fly bigger planes outdoors get the larger trainers. Smaller planes for indoors do not fly that well outdoors because of the weather etc.

[chabd]

Thanks again everyone,.

I joined the AMA. Found a local club, 40 miles away :-), I just fall into their 'catchment area'. I have applied for membership and I'm waiting for their reply. They give training and help etc.

I'm still thinking about Spektrum transmitters/receivers, I like their 'binding' option. I started at 6 channel, then to 8, I might end up at 10.

Evan, I'm going to get the 1.5M Apprentice RTF, it seems a good first choice. No offence taken. I have no experience with RC airplanes, and any help and information is useful. Also a person never stops learning, if they're smart.

If, I like this and can make it work, I'll start buying models. The list is long. I'd be looking for a good used 8 or 10 Spektrum, transmitter.

I expect to be proficient with the search function.

Roger

[Evan D]

You may find a closer club once you start talking to people. I know 40 miles there is not like 40 here :)

It sounds like you are on your way to a great hobby. I like your attitude.


Good luck and have fun, don't let a crash or two scare you away.

[f4u ausie]

Thanks again everyone,.

I joined the AMA. Found a local club, 40 miles away :-), I just fall into their 'catchment area'. I have applied for membership and I'm waiting for their reply. They give training and help etc.

I'm still thinking about Spektrum transmitters/receivers, I like their 'binding' option. I started at 6 channel, then to 8, I might end up at 10.

Evan, I'm going to get the 1.5M Apprentice RTF, it seems a good first choice. No offence taken. I have no experience with RC airplanes, and any help and information is useful. Also a person never stops learning, if they're smart.

If, I like this and can make it work, I'll start buying models. The list is long. I'd be looking for a good used 8 or 10 Spektrum, transmitter.

I expect to be proficient with the search function.

Roger

Rodger the list is veeerry long,, thats what i luv.. am buying one more,, but cant make up my mind,, i have couple jets.. an f4u 1600 and p51 1500.. likely it will b a 1600 spitfire,, cant have to many traditional ww2 planes.. have fun keep ,us posted pics when u get the apprentice

[SanExup]

chabd If you can, get the Real Flight simulator, since your thinking of Spektrum. It'll help train your hand, eye, mind coordination so much faster. There's so much to consider while flying, having a few actions and reactions become automatic faster will help you learn faster and avoid the bumps and bruises along the way. I wouldn't push you on it if I didn't think it were completely worth the while to utilize for a pilot starting out. It's not flying a nice plane outside on a nice day, but it's worthy of the time and effort. Plus you can fly at night or a crappy day.

[chabd]

chabd If you can, get the Real Flight simulator, since your thinking of Spektrum. It'll help train your hand, eye, mind coordination so much faster. There's so much to consider while flying, having a few actions and reactions become automatic faster will help you learn faster and avoid the bumps and bruises along the way. I wouldn't push you on it if I didn't think it were completely worth the while to utilize for a pilot starting out. It's not flying a nice plane outside on a nice day, but it's worthy of the time and effort. Plus you can fly at night or a crappy day.

Hi SanExup,

Thanks for your advice, I will definitely consider it, but It'll have to wait for my next paycheck, I've already spent a lot of money for this month.

Roger

[F22trainer]

Suffice to say, we all want you to succeed with a minimum of ‘accidents’, and the club route helps make good habits a healthy routine. This is a great group with a genuine respect for all parts of the hobby. Find that Spitfire and use it for motivation- your trainer will help develop the necessary skills to advance when you are ready. Takeoffs are optional- landings are mandatory. And remember, landings are like farts - if you have to force it that is when things will get messy.
welcome and post lots of pictures!

[chabd]

Suffice to say, we all want you to succeed with a minimum of ‘accidents’, and the club route helps make good habits a healthy routine. This is a great group with a genuine respect for all parts of the hobby. Find that Spitfire and use it for motivation- your trainer will help develop the necessary skills to advance when you are ready. Takeoffs are optional- landings are mandatory. And remember, landings are like farts - if you have to force it that is when things will get messy.
welcome and post lots of pictures!

Thanks F22, To be honest I'll probably buy the Spit next and it will sit in it's box(unless I can't stand it and have to build it and hang it from my garage ceiling). I love the flatulence analogy, it's true, especially with the narrow undercarriage as the Spit has.

I'll move to the Lounge to continue, this is really the wrong place for the thread. Pics forthcoming.