Getting Started with Aerial RC Vehicles:

A Few Steps to Save A Lot of Money!!!

There is a big difference between flying an RC airplane for the first time and taking an RC dune buggy out of the box for the first time and cruisin' it around the yard. First off, the chance of wrecking a RC airplane is much greater when you are just starting off and the amount of damage that can occur is much larger. Secondly, the controls and knowledge required to successfully pilot any aerial remote control vehicle are more complex than most RC vehicles that stay on land. However, there are a few small steps that you can take that will greatly reduce your chances of crashing, help to improve your piloting skills, and possibly save you hundreds of dollars.

The first step is to purchase a computer based flight simulator program. These programs use your real life transmitter to control the RC aircraft which helps to give hands on experience with the danger of damaging your vehicle. Most programs offer the options of flying an RC airplane, helicopter, or sail plane. The more advanced programs allow you to change the scenery, weather conditions, and other factors that affect your flight. Prices of these flight simulator programs can range from $20 to hundreds depending on how realistic and advanced of a program you want.

After getting a good grasp of how to control your remote control airplane or helicopter through the use of a flight simulator it is time to try flying the real thing, but before jumping right in to it there is one additional step that you can take. This step involves getting help from another more experienced pilot and using a transmitter system called a "Buddy Box" which can be used on either. This system involves two transmitters: a "master" transmitter that the more experienced pilot would use and a "slave" transmitter that the less experienced pilot would use. The two transmitters are connected by a cable and the "master" transmitter has a switch which turns the "slave" transmitter on and off. This allows the teacher to take control of the RC aircraft if the need should arise. It is possible to purchase a "Buddy Box" system, but I recommend you check the transmitter of your aircraft first because many transmitters are already capable of connecting to another transmitter and would only require a cable. With the help of an already experienced pilot and the fact that they can take control of the aircraft at any time you will be able to fly with relative ease in no time.

Additionally, RC helicopter can have a "training kit" that attaches directly to the vehicle. The system works to balance the helicopter while in flight and because of the enlarger base area it helps avoid crashes when taking off and landing.

These few, inexpensive steps can end up saving time, money, and your pride at the flying field.

To learn more about RC helicopter and airplanes check out www.allthingsrc.net

-Tim

Nitro Powered RC Vehicles

Nitro powered remote control vehicles are great to use, but require a little more TLC than their electric counterparts. Although an in-depth cleaning is not required after every use it does need to be done pretty routinely, probably once a month or more often if the vehicle is used frequently. The first step is the most obvious: check the outer body for damage. While cleaning it make sure to give the body of your RC vehicle a good look over, making sure to check for cracks and missing pieces. Use water and a mild soap to clean the outer body, a soft towel will work on the larger portions and Q-tip will work on those hard to reach small areas.

Next you need to check on the inner workings of the engine of the vehicle, specially the fuel tank, air filter and cylinder head. The fuel tank of a nitro engine needs to be drained periodically to avoid a build-up of water condensation, be sure to also check the fuel line at this time. Second, take out the air filter and clean it thoroughly with warm soapy water and make sure to apply new oil to the air filer before putting it back in the engine. Finally, make sure to add after-burn to the cylinder head of the engine, although this should be done after every use it is understandable that sometimes you forget. Make sure to take a quick look at the wires, servos, etc. associated with the engine to check for damage.

Lastly, after checking the body and engine of the nitro RC vehicle, you need to check other such as the tires, batteries, wings, and shocks depending on the type of RC vehicle. For remote control cars, trucks, and buggies the tires and suspension system are the most important parts to check. The propellers of RC helis and airplanes are critical and need to be checked routinely. The batteries of all remote control vehicles need to be checked regularly for possible corrosion. 

-Tim

RC Airplane Trainers

When you first start out flying RC airplanes it is recommended that you start with a "trainer". The primary difference between a trainer and a typical is the design of the wings and body of the plane. When choosing a trainer airplane it is recommended to use a very stable model that has some of these basic characteristics:

Tricycle landing gear- RC airplanes with 3 fixed wheels allow for more directional control when taking off and landing then those with the tail dragger style.

Angled wings- Having a fixed wing RC airplane with wings that have a dihedral angle offers an added layer of protection from crashing. The angle of the wings will make the aircraft self-correct to flying a stright and level path if the controls are released during flight.

Low center of gravity-  The location of the RC airplanes fuselage in relation to its wings dictates where the center of gravity for the plane is located. When the wings are located below the fuselage then the center of gravity is high on the plane and gravity is always trying to make the plane fly upside down. When the wings are located abovde the fuselage the center of gravity is low which helps to keep the plane flying correctly.



Flat bottomed wings- The slower the airplane can fly the easier it is to control when first starting out. The shape of the wing dictates how much lift is produced by the forward motion of the aircraft. A flat bottomed wing has a high arch on top and a flat bottom causing the air traveling over the wing to go  at a slower pace then the air flowing below the wing.

If you want to learn more about trainers, RC airplanes, and other remote control cars & trucks, boats,  and helicopters click on the links to visit my website. I hope this information is helpful and if you have any additional questions, comments, or concern please contact me at support@allthingsrc.net.

-Tim
AllThingsRC.net

Syma Alloy Shark and Metal Falcon-X GYRO

I recently purchased both a Syma S006 Alloy Shark and a Metal Falcon-X GYRO. Both of these remote control helicopters are powered by electric engines and built to be flown primarily indoors.

    

The Metal Falcon-X GYRO is a great starter heli for beginners. I have always preferred to fly RC airplanes and have only dabbled occasionally with RC helicopters. I found this mini helicopter very easy fly and maneuver, mainly due to its GYRO, coaxial rotor, and single rear rotor. It is charged by connecting it to the transmitter and it takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes to fully charge. It is possible to get well over 10 minutes worth of good flying time. I ventured to take it outside and it is easy to fly when there is very little to no wind, but definitely not in windy situations. I liked the fact that LED flashing lights can be turned on and off.

  

The Syma Alloy Shark has a basic three channel transmitter for easy control weather traveling backward or forwards.  A major benefit for this heli is the fact that its size allows it to be flown both indoors and outdoors (in good weather).  The LED lights on this heli are great for night flying and help to keep distances in prospective. The coaxial rotor makes it very smooth and stable in flight. It has a simple rechargeable Li-poly battery that is plugged into the wall for charging. The charging time for it is roughly one hour and I got about 10 minutes flying time. Overall I enjoyed flying this one over the Metal Falcon-X GYRO because it was more powerful and performer better.

-Tim
AllThingsRc.net

Field Box

A field box is one of the most important pieces of equipment that any RC helicopter or RC airplane enthusiast can have. Having a properly stocked field box can save you the hassle of making trips back home to repair a damaged RC vehicle and lengthen the amount of time you can spend flying. The box pictured is designed to hold all the necessary equipment for nitro powered engines.  This box is designed to hold a nitro fuel container which is mounted on the left side. There are drawers on the front which can hold essential equipment such as: glow plugs, chargers, a backup start stick, rubber bands, etc. On the right side there is a smaller compartment that holds a battery which is used to run the power panel that is mounted on right end of the box. This power panel is used to power the glow igniter, engine starter and the fuel pump. The fuel pump is actually mounted on the back of the box and has two hoses which can be used to pump fuel into and out of the RC vehicle’s gas tank. There are two sets of folding arms located on the top of the box that can be used to hold an RC airplane if you need to work on it. There is also a large tray in the top of the box for any other equipment you wish to carry that might be too big for the drawers, such as the transmitter.  You can see my starter and glow plug igniter sitting on the table to the right of the box, these will sit in the tray over the battery box, and you can see there is a cut out for them to sit in.

Additionally, carrying a multiple battery field charger pictured here can help to recharge the battery packs for transmitters and receivers.

-Tim
Shoot me an e-mail if you have an comments, suggestions, or questions.

Remote Control Park Flyers

Park flyers are a type of remote control airplane that does not require a large open space to operate. They are designed to be slow flying and therefore can be flown in smaller areas such as a front yard, parking lot, and local park.  Generally a park flyer is powered by a small electric engine and controlled by a simple 2 channel transmitter. They are either have a Styrofoam body and wings or a straight stick fuselage with balsa wood wings. They are easy to fly with simple controls and do not require the same effort as large nitro and gas powered RC planes.

I recently purchased a Fundango® park flyer kit from Great Planes. I recently completed the frame work for the wings and tail section and I have gotten a majority of them covered. I am using the engine, servos, receiver, and ESC from another small remote control that I recently crashed. I am hoping to have this park flyer completed within the next week.

-Tim

Remote Control Watercraft

RC watercrafts have many perks, but a few major draw backs. On the positive side, RC speed boats, sail boats, and hover crafts do not have the same dangers associated with taking off, flying, and landing as remote control helicopters and boats do. They have simple 2 channel controllers that only require the driver to direct the speed and direction of the boats. They are made of several different materials including plastic, fiberglass, and wood.

On the negative side, running an RC boat, especially a fast one, requires a large open water space. It is best to operate one in a pond or lake of some kind that does not have heavy traffic. Additionally if the boat runs out of fuel or wrecks you will have to go into the water to retrieve it.

All concerns aside, remote control watercraft offer a great experience that can be enjoyed by RC enthusiast of all ages. They come nearly every color, styles, and design imaginable. Below I have listed just a few of the many types that are available…

• military style
• sail boat
• speed boat
• hover craft
• tug boat

-Tim