2021-04-04-RC Airplane Week in Review
Here is a quick Spring Break edition of This Week in RC
The Big news of the week is the E-Flite release of the DRACO. Here is the story behind this unique aircraft - E-flite® DRACO 2.0m – Behind The Innovation
Another great flight video from the RcSaylors - You Won't Believe HER NOOB RC PLANE MISTAKE! - Dynam Spitfire Warbird - TheRcSaylors
Ramy RC builds and flies unbelievable aircraft – here is his build of the Airbus A350
In the market for a large RC Aircraft? Check this video out from Merry Boozer RC - Best First Large RC
Happy Flying!
2021-02-16-The RC Airplane Week in Review
It’s Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. So here is some YouTube goodness to get us through:
Jeff Cherry – 2020 Crash Compilation lots of RC Airplane Piece - As we turn to repairing our planes and getting ready for Spring, we are typically repairing because of crashes. Here are Jeff’s best crashes of 2020.
Props & Wheels - Rage R/C Defender 1100 EP RTF - Part 6: Flying over Snow on Floats - Snow doesn’t stop us completely from flying as Props & Wheels puts those warm-weather pontoons to use.
RC Channel AYUB - RC PLANE FLYING | RC PLANE NIGHT FLYING RAPTOR - You don’t typically see flying in the dead of night. Here is an excellent video of flying in the dead of night.
DAD - RC Jet Airplanes Hobby 180mph+, Many of us get into the hobby for the speed. Here is some turbine engine 180mph+ speed.
TheRcSaylors - DEMOLISHED RC PLANE IN 5 SECONDS -The RC Saylors don’t let Winter or a little bit of snow slow them down. Here is how you demolish a plane in 5 seconds
As we are in repair season, share your workshop or what planes you are working on in the comments below.
Happy Flying!
2021 Modelrama
It’s winter, and we need a way to renew our RC airplane excitement. We want to add new planes to our hanger but need to clear out some of our current planes. Want a way to do this in person safely?
The 2021 Wingmasters Modelrama swap meet and auction is your place. The Dayton Wingmasters Modelrama is on April 23rd and 24th. As one of the largest RC airplane shows in the Midwest, we have expanded the space under roof (over 42,000 sq. feet) to allow for social distancing and to accommodate all the current vendors and other sellers. The venue is the Montgomery Fairgrounds 645 Infirmary Road, Dayton Ohio 45417.
If you have gear or planes you want to sell or pick-up new gear and aircraft, this is the show for you—a tremendous in-person opportunity to rev you up for the 2021 flying season. In 2020 we had over 275 tables sold.
As the Club’s treasurer, I encourage you to attend, and if you want to reserve a table, see the attached flyer. Tables and spaces are going fast, so if you're going to get your hanger ready for 2021, here is a great opportunity.
All the proceeds go to support the RC hobby with the Dayton Wingmasters. A long-time AMA sanction club here in Dayton.
Weekly Beginner's Taxiway 2020-12-05
Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes
Term of the Week
Aileron is a French word that means “little wing: or “fin.” The aileron is on the trailing edge of the wing and controls the roll of your aircraft.
Essentially, activating the aileron causes your plane to bank and thus turn.
There are two ailerons (one on each wing) that work in tandem to control the aircraft. These act differently from the rudder that also turns the aircraft. The rudder controls rotation around the vertical axis of your plane. The rudder controls the yaw of the plane and used while taxiing.
The ailerons are controlled by individual servos that are activated by the receiver. The receiver decodes the electrical directions from the transmitter in your hand.
Typically, both individual aileron wire leads are plugged into a “Y” harness, and the lead from the “Y” harness is plugged into a single receiver slot.
Plane Reviews and Tips
Turbine engines and beginner may be a bit of an oxymoron, but here is a quick flight video of the Bobcat Composite. Turbine engines are fast and would be considered a speed step up from EDF jets.
Fast RC Turbine Model Jet Bobcat Composite for beginner into Turbine Aeromodelling RC Airplane
Tim McKay has a wonderful video on airplane hatches. If you want to geek out on airplane parts, this is a video to watch. Model Airplane Hatches for Newbies
Your brushless motor not working? Here is a good description of a brushless motor and how to rewind it.
Tool of the Trade RC Airplane Stands
Airplane Stands come in all shapes and sizes and are something you need to quickly work on your planes and protect them from bumps and bruises. There are two types, the homemade and purchased. The homemade version is typically made from PVC pipe.
If you are making a stand, measure your planes and make sure you build the stand the right height and length.
Too low, and the plane’s rear wing will hit and too long and the plane will not be adequately supported on the fuselage.
The manufactured stands are typically adjustable and typically allow for assembly and disassembly in the field, thus allowing easier transport. This inexpensive tool is invaluable at the field. Whether you build a custom stand or purchase one, this is a key tool.
Weekly Beginner’s taxiway 2020-11-11
Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes
Term of the Week – Transmitter
The Remote-control transmitter is the device that sends instructions to the remote-control airplane’s onboard receiver. These transmissions are how you control your airplane. Current transmitters are on the 2.4GHz band. The 2.4GHz band is used for most RC transmitters because the FCC has designated this band as free.
Transmitters are further designated by how many channels they support or can control. For example, Throttle control is a channel; Flaps are a channel; Landing Gear is a channel. Etc. The more channels a transmitter supports, the more functions on an aircraft it can control, and the more expensive it is.
A 6-Channel transmitter is a good beginner transmitter. I would not go below six channels, and I would consider 8-Channel a good sweet spot.
A receiver and transmitter from the same manufacturer will give you optimal performance. For example, the Spektrum brand of transmitters requires receivers that use the DSMX or DSM2 algorithms. It is best to stay in the family once you decide on a transmitter.
The transmitter is more costly, so first, pick a transmitter brand and then the receivers.
Plane Reviews
The RC Saylors posted a great review of the Carbon Cub S 2 Beginner RC Airplane. Check out their review here. This plane is one of my top 6 beginner/trainer planes. Check out the other planes on my Top 6 Starter and Beginner Remote Control Airplanes post.
RC Informer posted a review here of the FMS CJ-6 V2 1200mm aircraft. This is another good beginner / intermediate plane.
Events
This year, in-person RC fly-ins have been canceled. One that took place was the celebration of National RC Day. Here is Merry Boozer’s review of the National RC Day at IRCC.
A tool of the Trade
The Metal Ammo Box – Incorrect handling of LiPo batteries could potentially cause a fire. I store and transport my lipo batteries in a metal ammo box. I use the Harbor Freight ammo box. These boxes are inexpensive and are easy to transport in my car. I sort my batteries by box.
A quick tip – add Velcro to the inside of the ammo box lid and on the back of your lipo tester, and you will always know where your tester is, and it is safe and out of the way. No more digging in your pockets to test your battery.
Until next week safe flying!
Top 6 Starter and Beginner Remote Control Airplanes
New to the RC airplane hobby? Looking for a good trainer plane? Here are my top six trainer RC airplanes. First, here are the features I look for in a trainer or beginner plane:
Tricycle landing gear
High wing (wing on the top of the fuselage) as opposed to a low wing aircraft
Larger wingspan (1.0 meters to 1.6 meters). – larger wingspan makes the plane more stable, especially in the wind. You might think small planes are easier to fly, that isn’t the case.
1. Apprentice – Tricycle landing gear and high wing make this an excellent trainer plane. The wing is attached with rubber bands, which gives the plane more forgiveness with rough landings. Also, the Apprentice is easy to transport with the wing easily removed from the fuselage.
2. Pandora – Tricycle landing gear and the Pandora is convertible from a high wing to a low-wing aircraft. As you become more confident in your piloting skills, you can convert the plane into a low-wing plane—all these features for a reasonable price. Typically priced below the Apprentice.
3. Timber – There are three versions of the Timber. I like this plane’s versatility as you can take off and land quickly, commonly known as STOL (Short Takeoff and landing), do all the acrobatics you want, even 3D flying, and has a large wing area for stable flying. A nice plane you can grow with as your skills progress. Flaps allow for slow landings, which help reduce the damage associated with hard landings.
4. AeroScout. - With a 1.1-meter wingspan, a great starter plane. AeroScout’s unique feature is that it is a pusher plane. The motor and propeller are on top of the wing facing the tail (“pusher”). This design helps protect the propeller and motor from damage on heavy crashes. Starting out, you tend to go through a lot of propellers.
5. Carbon Cub S - Another larger plane at 1.3 m wing with tricycle landing gear. Civilian scale plane so looks excellent in the air. SAFE mode is exclusive to Horizon Hobby, as is “Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) technology that helps to prevent over-control, loss of orientation, and crashes so nearly everyone can learn to fly successfully” .
6. Air Titan 1600mm (63”) Large wingspan at 63 inches (1.6 meters). All around nice plane to fly and grow into. Stable in the air and easily repairable.
Conclusion - You cannot go wrong with any of these planes, so it comes down to some of the unique features they offer. Also, what looks good to you, and what are you going to be excited to pilot. If you have a local hobby shop, what brands, models they stock to get replacement parts quickly can be critical. I have made many stops on the way home from the field to pick up or order replacement parts.
Disclaimer - None of these links are affiliate links. Links are only included for your convenience; I have no association with the vendors linked. Thanks