beginner/novice -power pod swappables suggestions

[Num1stunnr]

I'm totally new to RC planes. I got my radio (Spektrum Dx8) and realflight sim about 4-5 years ago. I plan to do a bunch of Swappable builds mainly (FT Racer,FT guinea pig, maybe Pun jet, FT cruiser to follow ). I've watched a bunch of videos and I've been trying to pickup as much as I can online. Basically I need to buy the electronics for the power pod, but I want to choose parts that will allow me to use the pod for some of the more intermediate/advanced builds (FT 3D etc), as well as the twin engine flyers, down the road (FT cruiser,guinea pig). I've had a few years now on the flight sim I feel pretty comfortable with "flying" never flown at a field and want a decent motor one that can get up and go(60-85mph) maybe do 3D etc. I fully understand I have yet to fly anything real though.

I am going to build the FT Racer first. I know I am asking a lot for first build don't rip on me. but I am a risk taker!

I was looking at motors around level:
Turnigy D3536/5 1450KV Brushless Outrunner Motor
ntm 3536 1800kv

ESC:
Turnigy Plush 70/80amp

Batteries:
2200 LiPo 3s 40 C

My biggest question is will this level of motors be to much! and would these style of motors work on like a FT big guinea pig?

Is there a better set up which you could recommend? would appropriate some guidance. any information would be great

P.S. I would need need a battery charger(AC/DC lipo charger) any good ones?, servos (HXT900 9g / 1.6kg / .12sec Micro Servo) . I have (2x)receivers from my DX8.

-Boone

 

[Stradawhovious]

You're asking for a pretty jagged learning curve if your first build and flying experience is the FT Racer. Really. ESPECIALLY with that choice of motor you outlined. Way overkill for a first plane. Setting yourself up for disappointment unless you have some crazy natural abilities.

My advice, and I know it sounds pedestrian... Start with the FT flyer. Seriously. It's one of the best learning platforms I've ever seen. You get a very quick lesson in the differences between SIMS and real life, and you get a great gentle lesson in response and orientation.


That... and after all is said and done... My go to plane isn't my FT Racer, Spitfire, 3D, covered balsa stuff, other storebought stuff, expensive multirotors etc... nope. It's still my FT flyer. Put a park 400 on that thing and it's the craziest most fun bird in the hangar.


For chargers, I have this guy. I like it. http://www.valuehobby.com/c6-and-power-supply.html

For servos on the FT builds, I get the $3 cheapies from heads up RC. http://www.headsuphobby.com/Towerpro-9g-SG90-Sub-Micro-Servo-B-510.htm

Receivers.. you will eventually need a lot of them. I go here, and spektrum compatible 6ch rx are $5 each. http://www.lemon-rx.com

Where in MN are you located?

 

[Num1stunnr]

Maybe I was bit... overzealous. Thanks a lot for the advice.

I want at least a 4 channel. I will take in your suggestion. Maybe the FT Storch? I wouldn't mind having an option with flaps too in the long run. What motor would you recommend? don't want to get a scolding again

I am located in Blaine, MN.

I see you utilize a lot of different hobby sites for different items.

Is there any chance you could compile a go to list? or is that just personal preference.

 

[Stradawhovious]

Maybe I was bit... overzealous. Thanks a lot for the advice.

I want at least a 4 channel. I will take in your suggestion. Maybe the FT Storch? I wouldn't mind having an option with flaps too in the long run. What motor would you recommend? don't want to get a scolding again

I am located in Blaine, MN.

I see you utilize a lot of different hobby sites for different items.

Is there any chance you could compile a go to list? or is that just personal preference.

Blaine is great for flying. Many times I've flown at the endless soccer fields by the bicycle track/sports complex.

As far as where to go, it's really personal preference. I like HeadsUp Hobby because they have REALLY fast, cheap shipping, and fantastic customer service. I've only had one issue with thir products, and it was resolved immediately and with only one email. Value hobby is also really fast about shipping, and has cheap prices. I'm not a fan of HobbyKng for various reasons and will only get items from them I can't get anywhere else... many others here will sing a different tune.

Again, all personal preference. There are a million and seven sites... I like to keep it in the US (if possible) and have some loyalty to companies that have treated me well.

As far as my response to your choice, don't look at it as a scolding. Look at it as a learning from MY mistakes so you don't need to make them. My first plane was a Flyzone Corsair. I had to clean it out of the field with a rake. No lie.

With the FT racer, the BEEF power package from FT should be great... but then again, I would view that as a second or third plane.

The storch would be an awesome plane to start with. Nice and gentle with the ability to be spastic if you want it to. I would just follow the power plant recommendations offered by FT for that one. You can add ailerons, flaps, bomb drops etc. It won't be a terribly acrobatic plane, but it will allow you to get a firm grasp of how it's done, and give you the confidence to tackle a more aerobatic, much faster midwing speedster.

In all honesty I find the FT Spitfire to be one of the easiest planes to fly I've ever built... so I wouldn't scratch that off the "prospective second plane" list.

 

[dgrigor02]

Boone, I'm in Brooklyn Center. I fly/build with my 12year old son. No interest in joining a RC club at the moment. Unless your joining a club right away finding a spot to do 50" wingspan and 80mph may be a challenge unless you or know something that has private land. We mostly standardize on 1806-2204 Power pack A stuff and just rescale any plane down to size that will work with it because of local parks are just too small.

While I understand wanting to buy only once and standardize on an advanced setup. I'd at least start with 1 setup no bigger than the "Beef", all the rest ( future ) can be standardized on something more advanced for standardizing goes. It's not that much $ initial investment to start with a beef. Beef in a wide variety of FT plans.


Our situation, 50+ish planes are really just too big for our nearby parks. We have one soccer+softball field is good sized and perfect for us but the Latin Americans love soccer so it's never empty until dusk. So we do dusk/night flying mostly with LEDs + bug spray.

My personal go to plane is the tiny trainer with the speed wing config and no dihedral. Really want to do Das mini ugly stick as it should be really close to it maybe a bit more speed.

My sons favorite is the ugly wonder ( sponz take on the bloody wonder ) its 28" wing span. It can do anything you want "Beef" setup and not too big of plan. Not true 4 channel but is bank and yank. He really likes the vertical takeoffs.



Between headsup rc and altitude hobbies pretty much get whatever I need. Been burned so many times on ebay and china based shipping and inaccurate demenstions product descriptions that it just isn't worth the few $ savings and most of the time end up rebuying anyways. It seems anytime I try to use HobbyKing where it at least 1 items I need/want that isn't in US and shipping ends up more.

 

[crash bandicoot]

An FT Racer as a starter would end poorly. I would start with the FT 3 pack, and get their regular motor setup. I know fast planes look cool, but it takes a lot of work to get there. Also, I started on FT Flyers, and eventually put a motor that was slightly smaller than the beef package, and it was a blast. A great beginning to intermediate flyer.
I know you want a 4 channel, but a three channel is a great plane to learn on. And they will roll, they will just recover nicely when you get into trouble.

 

[TEAJR66]

Welcome to the forums.

I have not flown the Storch. But I have heard that it is a mellow plane. There are other planes that I do have experience with and would recommend. But, seeing where you want to go, the Storch looks good because the power pack C works there. From there, if you move to the Spitfire then the Racer (or the other planes you mentioned), that same power set up will take you through. With the same power set up, you will increase sportiness by changing airframes. I used the power pack C in my Racer and it was a handful the first time I flew. I quickly took a step back and flew some more mellow stuff. Then I moved to the Spitfire with no problems. That prepared me well for the Racer. Power pack C with a 9X6 prop is a very versatile power setup. With that setup, you can stick with your 3S 40C 2200mah battery.

As far as chargers go, I like the iMax B6AC. AC because I can plug it in at the house, and it will run DC for charging at the field. It or it's clones a fairly inexpensive and do fine job at maintaining your batteries.

 

[Num1stunnr]

Blaine is great for flying. Many times I've flown at the endless soccer fields by the bicycle track/sports complex.

This is the exact spot I was looking into going since i'm only a few miles from it . Thanks Everyone on the great advice. Thanks for the Warm Welcome!

About how many batteries should a person have in his arsenal to have a fun day of flying?
I never really dealt much with lipo batteries, I have read tons and watch videos they defiantly have a unique characteristics to them.

What should I suspect if I would go out to fly? a lot wait time between flights?
Any advice on this aspect.

 

[Tater76]

I took a similar path when I started flying 4 months ago. However, I never touched a simulator. I immediately built the Storch, and promptly ruined it. I then started going backward, and took up where I should have started... the nutball and FT Flyer. Once I mastered them, I moved on to the F22, then built a Cub, and just now got a handle on the Storch.

In my opinion, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. I nearly gave up on the hobby after ruining my first Storch. I would hate to see that happen to you, as we need as many good folks in the hobby as possible I just printed out the FT Racer plans last night, because I feel comfortable enough with ailerons and speed now. The Racer is a stable plane, not designed for crazy acrobatics, and is fast. In the video about it, they say that it is almost like a pattern plane if I remember correctly. This is exactly what I am looking for as a step up from the Storch.

If you do decide to go through with the build I wish you nothing but the best.

 

[WombatControl]

This is the exact spot I was looking into going since i'm only a few miles from it . Thanks Everyone on the great advice. Thanks for the Warm Welcome!

About how many batteries should a person have in his arsenal to have a fun day of flying?
I never really dealt much with lipo batteries, I have read tons and watch videos they defiantly have a unique characteristics to them.

What should I suspect if I would go out to fly? a lot wait time between flights?
Any advice on this aspect.

First, be safe when handling LiPos. Don't charge in your car, keep them in a LiPo bag when charging, and don't overcharge them. Store them in a LiPo bunker made of concrete blocks. I've heard horror stories about LiPo fires, so treat them with respect.

How many batteries do you need? Figure that each battery is going to take roughly 30mins - 1 hour to charge from resting capacity to full charge. So if you have an airframe that lasts for 15 minutes and you have 4 batteries charged, you can get a full hour of flight in and be ready to go with a new battery shortly thereafter. If you have an airframe that only flies for 5 minutes, you want to either get more batteries or more chargers.

For most of the FT planes, you can get about 10 minutes of flying in per battery. That's leaving a little voltage in the tank - I like to be at about 3.8v per cell at the end. But that's just a rule of thumb - your mileage may vary.

So if I'm taking out my Spitfire for an hours worth of flying, I'll generally have 3 batteries pre-charged with me. That gives me time to rest between flying sessions without a huge amount of downtime. For my racing quadcopter, I have 3 Nano-Tech batteries that can be safely charged at 2C, so I can get 15 minutes of flying in and have my first battery ready to go about 20-30 minutes later.

For a charger, get the Thunder AC680 - it's a combination AC/DC charger. So if you're at a place with power, you can plug it in, otherwise you can run it off your car battery or another 12v source. You see tons of them out there, and for good reason. Remember you need a charge lead for the charger - if you use Turnigy batteries, you'll need an XT60 charge lead for larger batteries, and a JST lead for the smaller ones. I usually bring along one of those charge leads that have 20 different connectors just in case - it's nice to have in case someone else needs to borrow it...

 

[WombatControl]

I'm totally new to RC planes. I got my radio (Spektrum Dx8) and realflight sim about 4-5 years ago. I plan to do a bunch of Swappable builds mainly (FT Racer,FT guinea pig, maybe Pun jet, FT cruiser to follow ). I've watched a bunch of videos and I've been trying to pickup as much as I can online. Basically I need to buy the electronics for the power pod, but I want to choose parts that will allow me to use the pod for some of the more intermediate/advanced builds (FT 3D etc), as well as the twin engine flyers, down the road (FT cruiser,guinea pig). I've had a few years now on the flight sim I feel pretty comfortable with "flying" never flown at a field and want a decent motor one that can get up and go(60-85mph) maybe do 3D etc. I fully understand I have yet to fly anything real though.

I am going to build the FT Racer first. I know I am asking a lot for first build don't rip on me. but I am a risk taker!

I was looking at motors around level:
Turnigy D3536/5 1450KV Brushless Outrunner Motor
ntm 3536 1800kv

ESC:
Turnigy Plush 70/80amp

Batteries:
2200 LiPo 3s 40 C

My biggest question is will this level of motors be to much! and would these style of motors work on like a FT big guinea pig?

Is there a better set up which you could recommend? would appropriate some guidance. any information would be great

P.S. I would need need a battery charger(AC/DC lipo charger) any good ones?, servos (HXT900 9g / 1.6kg / .12sec Micro Servo) . I have (2x)receivers from my DX8.

-Boone

The FT Racer is probably too aggressive for you - but an FT Spitfire is probably OK so long as 1) you've gotten lots of experience with 4 channels in RealFlight and 2) you are mentally and emotionally prepared to see it crash. Otherwise you may want to start with something like a Tiny Trainer that can be used with 3 or 4 channels. (Plus, don't think 3-channels equal boring - there are a lot of hugely fun aircraft to fly that don't use ailerons. The Nutball, the Mini Scout, etc.)

That power package is HUGE overkill. Basically, take that package and drop everything down a few levels and you'll be fine. Here's my standardized setup on all my FT planes other than the Nutball/Delta/FT Flyer:

Motor: Turnigy NTM 2826 1200kv motor (don't forget the separate accessories pack!). This is a very versatile motor with a good reputation and a decent price.

ESC: Turnigy Plush 25A or 30A. Again, this is a very versatile ESC that has a fantastic reputation. Don't forget you'll need 3.5mm bullet connectors and XT-60 leads to be soldered on to this.

Servos: HXT900 9g. Just buy them in bulk, because they're awesome and last forever and you'll end up using them on all your builds.

Prop: 8x6 to 9x6 APC. For my fancy Spitfire I used a Master Airscrew prop with a big spinner. That looks nice, but it's totally unnecessary. I get my props locally from Hub Hobby in Richfield. The Little Canada store may be closer for you.

Battery: Turnigy 2200mAh, typically 20-25C. You can live with a 15C battery on an airplane. The truth is that you're not going to be really pushing the C rating on an airplane battery. So getting a 40C battery is just adding extra cost and weight. You can go with the Nano-Techs which can be safely charged at 2C and above, but I find that they live fast and die hard. The cheap Turnigy 2200mAh batteries are my go-to batteries for everything, so I have way too many of them.

That's basically the BEEF package. I also use the LemonRX DSM2 receivers. Those are cheap (about $5 a pop!) and very light. I've never had an issue with them, and buy the 6-packs so I always have receivers handy.

That setup works very well, is inexpensive, and will power a Spitfire, a Storch, a Versa Wing, the Racer, the Duster, pretty much any of them.

If you purchase from HobbyKing's US East Warehouse, you can generally buy on a Monday and have a very good chance of your stuff getting there on a Thursday or Friday. HobbyKing can have terrible customer service, but if you don't expect any service you can get great stuff at a good price. Otherwise Heads Up Hobby is awesome, and I've bought from Altitude Hobby and LazerToys before.

I haven't tried the Flite Test power packs yet, but from what I've heard those are also great. They're a little bit more expensive than kitting stuff out yourself, but you get everything in one package and it's all been tested to perform on those airframes. Plus, it supports Flite Test in the process. So that's another decent option for you.

 

[dgrigor02]

I'm still at the stage the question isn't how many batteries to bring to the field better question how many propellers. Rarely do we leave becuase out of batteries it's always the poor plane needs to many repairs or out or propellers.

 

[Stradawhovious]

As far as batteries? That's gong to depend on a bunch of things. I have a bunch of batteries. All have their own purpose... I generally guage my flight days on how many batteries I have left. If I make it through all my batteries and my planes are still intact... it's time to go home. It used to be I'd run out of planes before I ran out of batteries. Now, I can get a good solid 2 hours (3.5 if you count my multirotors) of flight time before draining all my lipos, and that's long enough for me. Any longer and I contract "dumb thumb" syndrome.

 

[WombatControl]

I'm still at the stage the question isn't how many batteries to bring to the field better question how many propellers. Rarely do we leave becuase out of batteries it's always the poor plane needs to many repairs or out or propellers.

Heh, I've been there too. I've learned the hard way to pack a tool kit with the following:

- A mini glue gun - especially one that runs off a lipo.
- Glue sticks
- A roll of extreme packing tape, or at least regular packing tape
- A hobby knife and some extra blades
- A straightedge of some kind (I use a plastic carpenter's square in case I need to measure 90 angles*)
- Foam safe CA
- A screwdriver set
- A magnetic parts tray (also useful when you drop another #*&$&#^$ screw!)

That way, when something goes wrong, there are tools there to fix it. So when the hot sun melts the hot glue holding my servo in my Versa wing, I can open up a hole in the bottom, reglue the servo, and then fly.

For props, I find that the cheap GWS-style props break REALLY easily. So for my little 250 quad I keep at least 2 extra sets on me at all times.

For an aircraft, the APC-style props tend to be much stronger. If you break one of those, you've had a pretty bad crash. But I do keep at least 1 or 2 extras in my kit too.

The nice thing is that stuff doesn't tend to get used much - but when it does, you're really happy to have it.

*I have never actually needed to measure a 90-degree angle, so a cheap ruler is probably a better idea

 

[Num1stunnr]

Motor: Turnigy NTM 2826 1200kv motor (don't forget the separate accessories pack!).

That separate accessories pack.. is this?example:http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...e_28_Series_Accessory_Pack_AR_Warehouse_.html

Don't forget you'll need 3.5mm bullet connectors and XT-60 leads to be soldered on to this.

Would you recommend getting both male/female XT-60 leads? I am more then likely going to get the Turnigy 2200mAh, 25C. The female would be useful if I ever get other types of batteries/etc.

Thanks for all the info everyone. Its great to get a sense of a repair kit too

 

[wlouisharris2000]

As others stated the FT Racer would be a very hard place to start. Personally, I had no experience building but am a decent pilot. I went with the 3 pack. As Stradhaw says, the FT Flyer is an awesome plane. It flies really well and is a very easy build. I have some durability issues with it. I just built the Tiny Trainer and I love it. It's really not very tiny at 36 inch wingspan. I can give you a good power combo I bought from HeadsUp Hobby. It really has some decent power with a 2300kv/10amp/2s/ 7 inch prop combo. It flies way better than any of the stuff I bought from Horizon Hobby. The FT Flyer is a great way to ensure some success early on. I haven't built the Racer but really enjoying what I've built so far.

 

[WombatControl]

That separate accessories pack.. is this?example:http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...e_28_Series_Accessory_Pack_AR_Warehouse_.html



Would you recommend getting both male/female XT-60 leads? I am more then likely going to get the Turnigy 2200mAh, 25C. The female would be useful if I ever get other types of batteries/etc.

Thanks for all the info everyone. Its great to get a sense of a repair kit too

Yes, and yes. I rarely use the female XT60s these days, but they're handy to have around if you need them.

 

[Num1stunnr]

Motor: Turnigy NTM 2826 1200kv motor (don't forget the separate accessories pack!). This is a very versatile motor with a good reputation and a decent price.

ESC: Turnigy Plush 25A or 30A. Again, this is a very versatile ESC that has a fantastic reputation. Don't forget you'll need 3.5mm bullet connectors and XT-60 leads to be soldered on to this.

Servos: HXT900 9g. Just buy them in bulk, because they're awesome and last forever and you'll end up using them on all your builds.

Prop: 8x6 to 9x6 APC. For my fancy Spitfire I used a Master Airscrew prop with a big spinner. That looks nice, but it's totally unnecessary. I get my props locally from Hub Hobby in Richfield. The Little Canada store may be closer for you.

Battery: Turnigy 2200mAh, typically 25C. You can live with a 15C battery on an airplane. The truth is that you're not going to be really pushing the C rating on an airplane battery. So getting a 40C battery is just adding extra cost and weight. You can go with the Nano-Techs which can be safely charged at 2C and above, but I find that they live fast and die hard. The cheap Turnigy 2200mAh batteries are my go-to batteries for everything, so I have way too many of them.

Just an update: I'm building the Storch

However I have a quick question. Was going to purchase this set up for my first build. But I have been seeing a lot of people use a 10x4.7 SF prop on the Storch will this prop hit the max amps on motor? should I stick with a 9x6?

Specs:
Model: NTM Prop Drive Series 28-26A 1200kv
Kv: 1200rpm/v
Max current: 17A
Max Power:215W @ 12v (3S) / 286W @ 15v (4S)
Shaft: 3mm
Weight: 57.6g
ESC: 20A
Cell count: 3s~4s Lipoly
Bolt holes: 16mm & 19mm
Bolt thread: M3
Connection: 3.5mm Bullet-connector

 

[WombatControl]

You should be ok on 10x4.7 with that motor, but I'd consider going with the 1000kv version just to be sure. I use that motor on my multirotors with 10x4.7 props with no issues.

Alternately, you can try flying with the 10x4.7 props and see if your motor gets hot - as long as you're not flying at full throttle all the time you shouldn't pull that many amps. You can always go back to 9x6 if the motor runs too hot.

The best way to be sure is to run a watt meter on that setup and see how many amps you draw.

 

[Num1stunnr]

Thanks, I will look into a few different options. I am going to get a watt meter/ volt analyzer. Its well worth the $20 or so instead of burning up stuff.