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1.05.01

JOIN A CLUB unless you are independently wealthy.

If you are wealthy ignore everything I say. My views probably won't interest you.

The basic fuel powered trainer is a high wing, usually flat bottom profile with a .40 size engine. The ARF (almost ready to fly) is now very popular. Sadly, in part because many people in the past have experienced crashes while learning. So kit building for a beginner maybe considered a waste of time by some, on something that may not last too long. The Start Cheapo kit helps to eliminate this problem.

Regardless of what type of construction you choose as your first plane, it should be a high wing with plenty of dihedral (V shape) in the wings for stability and have at least a .40 size engine. In resent years it has become more popular to mount a .45 to .50 size engine on the .40 size trainer so a larger engine does not have to be purchased later on as you progress. The larger engine adds nose weight that doesn't hurt for the newbie and the power is simply limited by the throttle when learning.

Some people will choose to start with a two channel "Easy Fly" plane to get their feet wet, so to say. But remember the #1 Cardinal Rule. Your transmitter has the potential of making someone else's plane uncontrollable if it is within range of a legitimate site. And you are responsible by federal law for damages even if you cannot see the accident in the making. Your plane may only be a light toy, but the plane your transmitter interferes with could potentially kill someone.

Accidents do happen. And anyone involved in this hobby for the long run will be forced into some type of building or rebuilding. If not as a result of a crash then the eventual desire to fly something you have built yourself. Cardboard is more in tune with today's fast pace. It allows you the fast building time, ease of construction (LITTERALY ANYBODY CAN BUILD WITH CARDBAORD), and durability required when learning in general. The designs that I have made are proven and tested for their integrity. They are a result of four years of trial and error in building techniques to maintain the strength of the craft while reducing its weight. Cardboard has been used as far back as the nineteen forties typically as framework pieces replacing wood formers and ribs. My construction is new and different because the cardboard is used as the skin of the airplane. Developed procedures and techniques allow the curving of the cardboard without unsightly kinks.

In the R/C hobby it is impossible to avoid the use of batteries. Batteries in your radio transmit relative stick positions to the receiver in your plane, which is also, battery powered. The receiver will tell each servo to respond to the stick commands of the transmitter. The batteries we use are usually NiCADs or Nimh, which are similar. You need to learn a little about the charging and discharging characteristics of these batteries. Flashlight batteries slowly decline in output power as they run down, but NiCADs tend to drop all at once and without warning. If this happens while your plane is under power, the situation is dangerous and usually results in the loss of the airplane at the very least. So knowing if the batteries have sufficient power to complete another flight is a critical decision. you make on every flight before you start the engine, and should NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.

I believe the real concern is not how long the packs will last but whether they will safely last for another flight. You could use expensive equipment or a prescribed method to determine the capacity of the pack. Then keep track of the time the pack is in use. But something could also happen in the last charging cycle of your pack where they did not get a full charge or one of the cells in the pack started to short out. So I feel that the only sure way to be safe is to test before every flight with a heavy loaded tester. Within the site I have a document that you can download (FREE) that shows you how to make this tester using a L.E.D. indicator like "Volt Watch". It is simple, easy and cheap to make. Do your self a favor and don't use the switch harness that comes with every radio. Buy one that allows you to charge and test your pack without disassembling the plane. I know they are way overpriced but you are paying for convenience that is safety related (yours and everyone else's). The reason why people don't test their batteries is because it is a pain in the butt to get to a connector.

A word of CAUTION, there is no tester that will tell you the capacity of the pack without draining it. It is like putting a burning match in a glass jar then screwing on the lid. Would you know how much oxygen is left in the jar? You need to learn your packs to know how low the voltage can sag before it is not safe to fly again. If you were to use my manual cycler (not free but still cheap) in conjunction with any L.E.D. tester, you would see the pack as it drains towards the end of its discharge cycle. This would give you a good indication of flying time left near the end. Now here is the hard part. You have learned the characteristics of your packs and you are out at the field. On your first flight the pack test bad or not very good. DO NOT FLY WITH THAT BATTERY PACK even though you think you just charged the pack before you came. Shit happens! So don't be foolish.

A second word of CAUTION, all the testing in the world will not guarantee that you won't have an electrical failure in flight. The testing I suggest will give you an indication of the juice left in the pack but nothing tells you the consumption rate of that juice in the plane. Your flying style and the mechanics of the linkages and servos will affect battery drain. Stalling a servo where it cannot get to it's commanded position will suck a battery flat in no time. And it doesn't matter if it is just a smidgen away from that commanded position. The servo still tries to get there. At the end of the day when your pack is getting low, plug your L.E.D. indicator in and SLOWLY move each surface. If you see a sudden sag in voltage that doesn't return immediately, it is an indication of a heavy load that may equate to a bind or mechanical problem.

BE AWARE OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS THAT SEEM ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. Most electrical devices fail because of mechanical failure not electrical failures. Electricity will flow from one end of a wire to the other if the wire is not broken. This is a law of nature. Do not become a victim of Murphy's Law.

 Acebird's words of wisdom on charging batteries:

The most expensive, the most sophisticated, and the neatest looking battery charger on the market today will not do any better job of charging your packs then the one that comes with your radio. So for the newbie, save your money and use the one that comes with your radio. What I do recommend though, is to buy a simple appliance timer that can be set up to cycle on and off in thirty minute intervals. You can use the timer to simply turn off (one time) the charging cube after the proper length of charging has occurred. Or set one thirty minute interval, on and off, once a day to maintain full charge in the pack when not in use. This is chemically better to do than to use a trickle charger. Note however, that the battery must be fully charged before the maintaining charge cycle is started. In the latter case the dial of the timer is set for the charging time required from the "off" tab back. When the "on" tab comes around again the next day, it cycles the thirty minutes of charging that will maintain the full charge in the pack. This may sound dorky, but plug the charger into a power source that is not turned off by a light switch. This is a Murphyism that has done in a number of planes (form those that don't test or believe their tester).

First of all, a beginner / newbie has no idea how far they will go in the hobby. So buy the cheapest four channel radio with a buddy cord you can find, including used, from someone you TRUST. Make sure it is compatible with the available instructors in your club. Ask them, they will know. Used equipment sells for about half the retail price. If you buy a used radio for say $50.00 it is still worth $50.00 a year later.

Next, let your instructor set up the plane and radio. He will check it out with you to see if there is a problem and you will learn how to set up the plane and radio. For those that can afford it or don't like used equipment then go ahead and buy a new four channel radio. But let the instructor set it up with you.

You might ask, "Why a four channel vs. two through eight channels?" If you buy a two channel with a cheap "Easy Fly" plane you probably will end up giving it away when you get board after a very short time. If you buy an eight channel radio now, you won't be able to use all its functions. If you decide the hobby is not for you, for what ever reason, you will be out some serious cash. A four channel radio is very sellable. Ailerons, Elevator, Throttle and Rudder are the main controls of a .40 size trainer that most people learn on. You will do most of your flying with two: Ailerons, and Elevator. And spend the next five flying seasons trying to master the other two. Many people will choose to go on to five, six, and seven channels without ever mastering the other two.

I fly at two clubs that has 150 members between the two and there are very few people capable of 3D maneuvers with less than 20 years experience. The chances are you won't be doing any 3D maneuvers in five years if it is just a hobby for you. For the majority of newbies I would NOT recommend computer (programmable) radios. You may be adept to programming but your instructor may not and he may be intimidated by it and be reluctant to teach you. The instructor is going to operate your radio and you will be using the "box". Within five years that you are in the hobby, you will probably buy something new and improved. If you buy what you can't use today it could be outdated by the time you learn to use it. The majority of the so called computer radios are not computerized but they soon will be and probably at half the cost of today's radios.

As a newbie a field box is not required. Your instructor will have a starter motor, glow igniter, battery tester and any necessary tools to get you started. So don't invest in a lot of equipment until you are sure what aspect of the hobby is right for you. Eventually if you become hooked on the hobby you will own multiple planes that require different hardware and tools for adjustment. It will become obvious what tools and hardware you need later on but for the most part it is just a few screw drivers, an adjustable wrench and a set of hexagon wrenches plus spare props for hard landings. As I mentioned before, the battery tester should be your first investment. Much of the equipment can be purchased used especially from someone getting out of the hobby at a very reduced cost. The choice is always yours.

Acebird

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