Beginners
Guide
First,
let me say that you have made a good choice of hobby. There are
many different sides to the hobby from free-flight, gliders, power,
helicopters etc. Take time to decide which one suits
you best before taking the plunge and don't hesitate to get back
to me if you have any questions.
This
document is copyright Tom Laird but can also be freely distributed
as long as it is distributed in whole, and the contents are not
modified.
If
you want to read up on the subject, R/C model World and RCME are
2 suitable magazines to buy to get a feel for things. You should
find them in the local model shop, W.H. Smiths and similar papershops.
For
people who are far from clubs (and for everyone else) the SAA
run training weekends. Check out the Events page on the SAA web
site at http://www.saaweb.org.uk
MODELS
For
a first model you have 2 choices: ARTF (which means Almost Ready
To Fly) and can be assembled in a couple
of evenings, or a kit which you build yourself.
When
starting out you should be looking at any of the high-wing trainers
on the market. Browse the various web sites to find reviews before
buying. Check the “Reviews” page at http://www.tomlaird.com
to see reviews on my recommended models. The
ARC Ready, Ripmax 40, Ripmax Nova, Thunder Tiger 40 and Arising Star
are all typical trainers.
Please
speak to a club committee member to get the latest views on the
current ARTF models as there are new ones appearing all the time.
If
you want to build your first model, then things are a bit more
sparse. The Flair Cub and Uno
Wot from Chris Foss are about the only
trainer kits available.
ENGINES
It
is best to buy a 2 stroke engine rather than a 4-stroke to start
with as they are easier for beginners. Most of the cheaper engines
have plain bearings whereas the more powerful ones have roller
bearings. The roller bearing ones are slightly more expensive.
My current recommended buy is the Irvine 40 or 46. Both are known to start and run
with no problems. Buy cheap – buy trouble. Again, however, check
with your prospective club before buying.
TRANSMITTERS
For
a transmitter, the current favourite is the Futaba 6EXA (6 model
memory) including servos, receiver, battery charger and ni-cads
for about £120.
The
JR652 and FF6 have 2 modes - aeroplane and helicopter, whereas
the JR388 / 3810 and FF8 have 3 modes - aeroplane, glider and
helicopter.
Also
very good value is the Hitec Focus 4,
without crystal or battery but INCLUDING trainer lead. This transmitter
is Futaba trainer compatible which means you will have your own
buddy box which saves reliance on the club’s buddy boxes (if they
have any) and means less time is lost swapping transmitters etc.
However this is not a requirement, just a (very much recommended)
optional extra. Note that the Hitec
does not have dual rates, but you do not need these for a buddy-box
slave. A similar Futaba 6EXA is in the region of £60 + cable.
Contact Andy at Scoonie Hobbies for latest price.
Note that both transmitter and receiver need about 16 hours charge before
going flying – even if the model has not flown since the last
charge, and especially if you have just bought it. Ni-cads discharge
over time and will be unsafe to use even after a couple of days.
DO
NOT BUY A 27Mhz radio set. That band is used by R/C cars and CB radio therefore
the chance of interference is too high. 35Mhz
is the band for RC aircraft. You will not be allowed to fly on
27Mhz on most sites. 40Mhz
is also unavailable for aircraft.
Most
shops will give you a discount on proof of a club membership.
Check out the "Links" page on my web site.
Finally,
I seriously recommend you but a box to keep it in. A camera case
will do the job, or a tupperware container if really pushed. Keep
& use the polystyrene the transmitter came in or pack the
box with foam. Work on the principal the the tranny is only out
of the box when you have the frequency peg, and you will not go
far wrong.
CRYSTALS
A
transmitter's frequency is set by its crystal. Each crystal has
a frequency and a channel number on it. Check with your prospective
club to see which channels are free before buying the crystals.
Only
one person can fly on one channel at a time, otherwise interference
occurs and the model will crash - unfortunately you have no control
over where the crash will ocour ie in the field, on the nearby
road, 4 miles away in the nearby village etc.
The
offending person pays for the repair or replacement to the damaged
plane. You know which channels are currently flying by checking
with the peg-board in use at the flying site. If
the frequency peg is not on the board then someone I using it.
(Note this system is not universal over all the clubs so
check to see which system is in use before flying).
PROPELLORS
Propellors are Dangerous! Very Dangerous!!
They are the most dangerous things imaginable. The go round at
speeds up to 15000 RPM and can remove fingers like they were not
there!!!!
Propellors
1,Fingers 0
Propellors
2,Fingers 0
SIMULATORS
If
you are a computer owner, you might want to get one of the simulators
to practice with. These really are worth the money. Again, don't
buy one until you have spoken to the club. The Real Flight one
is very good, but needs a 3D video card. The CSM simulator will
run on most PC's and is about £50. However, it has poor graphics
and no sound control. A good, cheap option is the FMS simulator.
This is a free simulator downloadable from the Internet, and needs
a cable (£15 to £30 depending on spec) to connect to your transmitter.
See the “Downloads” page for details. RC Plane Master is a similar
free download, also requiring a cable. There are a few commercial
ones such as the Ikarus Easy Fly which
comes with a controller or can be used with your own transmitter
and cable. The Reflex XTR is a new one on the market but
I have not evaluated it yet.
HOW
LONG
Do
not buy anything until you have decided on a club to join, since
they will have their own preferences for beginners. When finding
a club, ask about their training set up i.e.
1.
How many instructors do they have and what are their qualifications
2.
Does the club have a trainer aircraft?
3.
How many buddy boxes do they have?
4.
How many other novices are getting instruction?
Getting
to the stage where you can fly solo is purely dependant on how
much flying time you can commit to. One guy did it in 3 months,
some guys will never do it. The bloke who did it in 3 months also
did some serious time with the simulator as well. Aim for 30 flights
at 3 to 4 flights a day and you won’t go far wrong.
TECHNICAL
AND BUILDING
A
servo moves a control surface and the engine throttle. You need
4 for most trainers. When you buy a transmitter package, it comes
with a receiver, battery, 4 servos, charger, but check with the
club to find out which crystal to buy.
Use
cyno to put the hinges into the aileron but use epoxy to glue
them into the wing. If you use cyno
you will not have time to line the ailerons up before it sets.
Cyno is a superglue
so be careful. Also, it does not like foam so be careful. Alternatively,
use the new cyno-friendly hinges with
the slot in them. The gap between the control surface and the
wing / tail etc should be as small as possible.
COLOUR SCHEMES
Think
very carefully about this. You will be flying against a grey sky,
or a blue sky, or a blue sky with white clouds. The top and bottom
of your model must be very distinctly different, and both must
stand out against the various backdrops.
A
good colour scheme would be all-red underneath with possibly white
on top, with 300mm wide red wing tips. It is a bad idea to have
the same colour top and bottom (i.e. the Ripmax
Nova).
This
has a token red stripe underneath one wing but is completely useless
so I recovered it in pink. If you have white underneath, try adding
some 200mm wide black invasion stripes on the underside of the
wing. Fluorescent pink wings and metallic blue fuselage make a
good combo.
INSURANCE
I
recommend the Scottish Aeromodellers Association. The benefits
of joining are:-
Their
magazine keeping you informed of activities in Scotland
Members
can attend the free training weekends
Members
can advertise on the "For Sale" page of the web site
SAA
and BMFA recognised insurance.
Members
can visit any other club and fly, as well as take part in national
or inter-club competitions without insurance problems
Check
http://www.saaweb.org.uk for the current
membership fees.
A
Family Membership is available to family members only and shall
provide for 1 Full Membership and any number of Junior Memberships
residing at the same address and joining through the same club.
To join the SAA, contact the club secretary, or apply directly
using the downloadable application form from their web site.
You can join as a Country member if you do not wish to join a
club. You are insured from the time the SAA membership secretary
receives your money – not from when you receive your card. The
membership year runs from 1st Jan until 31st
Dec. If you join after the 1st October
your insurance runs to the end of the following year.
GLIDING
An
easy way for kids to get started is definitely slope soaring where
they get lots of flying, low re-building time due to crashes and
it is above all, safe. They are also nowhere near propellers which
is the main thing. They will also make better pilots because they
have learned on gliders and can progress to thermal gliding or power.
The
new EPP (Expanded polypropylene) models are virtually indestructible.
I would recommend the Synergy from Phoenix Model Products (Telephone/Fax:
+44 1626 332287) or Fun Start (both around £50) or the Bullit
from Scoonie Hobbies in Kircaldy, 01592-651792. These are fairly
quick to assemble and do not really involve much building.
If
you do not live near a hill, consider the Eppi-soar
from Phoenix, with a tow line or mini-bungee.
This
is the cheapest entry level and is 2 channel i.e. rudder (the
vertical bit at the back) and elevator (the horizontal bit at
the back) http://www.phoenixmp.com/models/fun-start.htm
This
next level needs a 4 channel radio and 2 extra servos. The extra
servos go on the wings and give better control. http://www.phoenixmp.com/models/synergy.htm
Get
one with ailerons as it make life so
much easier. Different instructors might recommend different models
so check with him first.
You
will need warm clothes and good shoes/boots if doing regularly
but there is no harm in going up for a look. The
problem with slope soaring of course is that you have to climb
the hill first, however think of the exercise.
Here
are a few web sites for you:
http://www.saaweb.org.uk -
The Scottish Aeromodellers Association
http://www.fvs.care4free.net/fvs.htm
- Forth Valley Soarers
http://www.fife-soarers.co.uk
- Fife Soarers
KIDS
AND AEROMODELLING.
Please
note that most clubs will not be used as a baby-sitting service,
and expect 1 parent to be in attendance at all times. The child
protection act is in place to protect both adults and children,
and members could put themselves at risk if left alone at a flying
site with a junior member. Even when they are aged 16
there could be problems. I have seen flying sites site go from
very busy to empty in half an hour when the rain sets in. It would
not be fair on club members if they had to wait with your son
/daughter for 2 or 3 hours until they were collected. Neither
would it be acceptable for adults to go and leave them alone at
the site. It
is also recommended that a junior member does not visit the workshop
or garage of a club member unless accompanied by a parent.
WARNING
& DISCLAIMER
You
are hereby advised that aeromodelling
is a sport which contains risks. You enter a model aircraft flying
site your own risk. Neither an individual, nor a club, nor the
national body will be held responsible for any injury or damage
to visitors or their property as a result of failing to seek safety
related advice before visiting the flying site, or for failing
to adhere to that advice when at the flying site. To make you
visit to a flying site as pleasant as possible I would advise
that you:
·
Contact
the secretary of the club to arrange a visit.
·
remain in the car park area until your designated host meets you.
·
ask
for a safety briefing
·
act on your host’s instructions at all times.
·
do not approach any model which has the engine running.
·
do not stand in front of or in line with a rotating propeller.
·
do
not stand behind a jet or ducted fan engine
·
do not engage anyone in discussion who is preparing a model. Wait until
they acknowledge your presence.
·
do not engage anyone in discussion if they are flying. Wait until they land.
INSTRUCTOR’S
INDEMNITY
It
is common practice amongst model flying clubs that neither the
Instructor nor the club are held liable for any damage to a model
which is being flown on your behalf or during training sessions.
You are therefore advised to ensure that the person you are entrusting
your model to is an approved club instructor.
Most
club training is based on the Scottish Aeromodellers
Association's training scheme, which is covered in their 80-page
booklet issued free to all members. As a novice, a pilot cannot
fly on his or her own or unsupervised. This is a major drain on
a club's human resources, and the driving force behind a good
training scheme. The objective is to get a pilot flying solo as
soon as possible. Basically, there are 3 levels of proficiency
that an aeromodeller can achieve.
BRONZE.
This is the first level. A pilot is expected to conduct himself safely
on the ground, to be able to take-off, fly a simple circuit and
land. He should understand and adhere to the basic safety issues.
This
achievement allows the pilot to fly unsupervised, and enables
him to visit and fly at other clubs with confidence and without
supervision. Gaining a bronze does not mean he is a fully-fledged
pilot - only that he can now start to really practice and learn
without requiring someone to stand beside him all the time. It
allows the pilot to develop his skills by gradually flying more
advanced manoeuvres. With a bronze, a pilot can enter all local
club competitions where the event is not promoted as a "Public"
event. Target time:-
6 - 9 months after starting.
SILVER.
This is the second level. This requires a better understanding
of safety aspects, and requires the pilot to fly a more advanced
schedule of manoeuvres. This achievement allows the pilot to fly
at public air displays, and national / international competitions
where the public may be present. "Silver" is not a requirement
for normal club flying, but an optional extra which pilots can
attempt, or not, as they wish. Club instructors are expected to
be "Silver" holders where possible. Target time:- 18
- 24 months after starting
GOLD.
This is the highest level. It requires a better understanding
of safety aspects, and requires the pilot to fly a more advanced
schedule of manoeuvres than Silver. Again this is an optional
extra and is basically a personal achievement.
When do I get my Spitfire?
Flying
model aircraft is not difficult. It is not easy, but with practice
and commitment you can get there fairly easily. There are 3 different
types of models available. First is the high wing trainer which
is very stable, very forgiving and the one all beginners start
with. Second is the low-wing model. It is more aerobatic, faster,
less forgiving. Then there are the mid-wing models. These are
VERY manoeuvrable and definitely not for the beginner. Aircraft
like the Spitfire, Hurricane etc all have different flying characteristics
and it will be a few years before you have the confidence to fly
one. A typical learning curve would be:
1st Year.
This is spent learning to fly safely, learning
good pit discipline, start-up procedures etc. Most of the flying
is basic circuits, followed by the standard "Bronze"
circuit. Simple manoeuvres, take-off and landing are attempted.
Most
people can achieve their Bronze in the first year, depending on
the effort put in.
2nd Year.
You are now flying in most weather. The wind
no longer holds you in fear. You use it like a canvas to paint
pictures on. You're confidence grows by the flight. Loops, rolls,
split-S, - you're tackling them all. Your flying can still be
a bit rough but you are getting there. Most people will now have
a Bronze and some are practicing for Silver. Your high wing model
can do most manoeuvres but in the second half of the year you
are probably looking at your first low-wing model. Towards the
end of the second year you should be able to fly the "Silver"
schedule and be looking for a test date.
3rd Year - the fun begins. You should now have a low wing plane. They
are faster, more aerobatic and a lot more fun. You might be looking
at your first semi-scale Spitfire / Mustang / Hurricane etc. If
you do not have one, and you want one, you really should be practicing
for Silver this year. If interested, you are starting to enter
scale or aerobatics competitions.
Then
one day your head swells: the chairman wants you as an instructor.
When you have done a take-off with someone else's pride-and-joy,
you will never look back.
Tom Laird
Last
modified
Rev
2.6 5/7/2005 Various updates
Rev
2.5 19/5/2004 Various updates
Rev
2.4 29/12/2003 Added Instructor’s Indemnity section
Rev
2.3 14/10/2003 Added Futaba 6EXA
Rev
2.2 08/8/2002 Minor changes
Rev
2.1 24/7/2002 Added Internet section.
