New to the hobby.

Catch22Kid

New member
Hey all! I'm Matt from Ohio, and I'm brand new. Been wanting to fly since I was little, but never could afford it. I've always had a fascination with aviation (military aviation particularly) and have long been a big military history nerd. I found flite test about a year and a half ago and discovered how cheaply these little guys can be built, and I think I'm ready to dip my toes in the water. I want to build a simple scout, as it seems pretty beginner friendly, and it's pretty sweet looking. I'd go with the tiny trainer, but I know I won't stick with it without a touch of cool factor. Id eventually like to figure out doing a Junkers D.I, my favorite of the WWI monoplanes. I have some questions though.

Are the hobbyking transmitters decent for a beginner? I don't want to drop a whole bunch of cash up front in case I don't stick with it.

Can I build with ailerons and just avoid using them at first while I'm learning the ropes? Or is it recommended to leave them off at first?

If I trim the vertical stabilizer/rudder to a more rounded shape, will it negatively affect performance?
 

Namactual

Elite member
Welcome. :)

I am not sure which transmitter you are looking at, but there are two different philosophies here.
1: Some people prefer to buy the better radios up front. If you buy a good one at the beginning, you will not have to by another one later once you grow.
2: There is nothing wrong with using a cheaper transmitter. I started with a FlySky i6 which I still use to this day. It has never had an issue and it does what I need it to do. Cheaply.

Leaving the aileron servos in place but not using them is fine. You just are going to have extra dead weight. The lighter your plane is, the slower and easier it is to fly. You are also going to want to use some sort of positive stop on the ailerons so they do not bump out of place during flight.

The control surfaces can be shaped like anything really, (within reason), as long as the overall size is the same. It all boils down to surface area.
 

Catch22Kid

New member
Well, I was looking at a HK6S but it seems that model has been discontinued. Something similar though. I figured 6 channels would give me a little room to expand without having to drop too much cash. Good to know on the control surfaces. The rudder would lose a touch of surface area rounding it off, but not too much.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Hey all! I'm Matt from Ohio, and I'm brand new. Been wanting to fly since I was little, but never could afford it. I've always had a fascination with aviation (military aviation particularly) and have long been a big military history nerd. I found flite test about a year and a half ago and discovered how cheaply these little guys can be built, and I think I'm ready to dip my toes in the water. I want to build a simple scout, as it seems pretty beginner friendly, and it's pretty sweet looking. I'd go with the tiny trainer, but I know I won't stick with it without a touch of cool factor. Id eventually like to figure out doing a Junkers D.I, my favorite of the WWI monoplanes. I have some questions though.

Are the hobbyking transmitters decent for a beginner? I don't want to drop a whole bunch of cash up front in case I don't stick with it.

Can I build with ailerons and just avoid using them at first while I'm learning the ropes? Or is it recommended to leave them off at first?

If I trim the vertical stabilizer/rudder to a more rounded shape, will it negatively affect performance?
Namactual is correct in what he has said.

I also use the iA6 radio and have for over a year without real issue. It does almost every thing you might require up to where you are so severely hooked that you start thinking of investing thousands of $ in the hobby.

As for the Aileron question you can mark out where they are to go but not cut them out until you need or decide to fit them. Normally where there are no ailerons the plane has somewhat aggressive dihedral to ensure roll stability. This excessive dihedral can cause some disappointment or roll problems when ailerons are eventually fitted. In the past I have retrofitted ailerons to a 3 channel model and found that at low speed I needed to add rudder to assistance the ailerons in starting a banked turn. At high speed everything was fine!

As previously stated the rudder shape is almost cosmetic in nature as it is the area and the force the area generates in a turn that is important

Have fun!
 

RAV3N_FPV

Member
I am new to the hobby also and I bought a Taranis QX7 and it is a very good TX and brand new theyre right at $100! Very easy to set up also.
 

Forster

Slow, low and dirty.
I did the whole RTF thing and now wished I'd just paid for a decent transmitter and bought the same plane (Champ S+) in a BNF Version. I have the Specktrum Dx6e and find it really simple to use. By the end of my first month I had destroyed the Champ and a Flite Test Simple Cub. It took me another two months to destroy my second Simple Cub but my third (even though it doesn't fly as nice because I scratch built and rushed the build) hasn't even had a rough landing yet. The SE5a I bought would be in perfect shape but for a dropped battery crash, but it's still hanging in there. I'm four months into the hobby and started for basically the same reasons as you, always fascinated by it, never had the money or time. With foamies, I can fly in my yard (6 acres) after work and that's been a great stress reliever.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
I can second the whole FlySky I6/I6X thing. I was using that until recently, when I got a Taranis QX7. Now I use my flysky to buddy box with the Taranis, and my wife and I can get stick time together!

Personally, I think it's easier to fly an airplane with ailerons than it is to fly a 3-channel. But that's my opinion. I learned to fly on the 4-channel Simple Cub with no dihedral.
 

Catch22Kid

New member
Yeah, I'm only wondering about ailerons because I know how everything works already. I've been playing flight Sims (albeit not rc flight Sims) since I was a kid. And while I realize that an RC aircraft in the real world will react differently, I do at least understand the basic principles.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
Well, as a person who has been flying flying video games since I was old enough to hold a joystick, I can say ailerons are going to be more true to your video game experience.
 

Sizemore

New member
Hey all! I'm Matt from Ohio, and I'm brand new. Been wanting to fly since I was little, but never could afford it. I've always had a fascination with aviation (military aviation particularly) and have long been a big military history nerd. I found flite test about a year and a half ago and discovered how cheaply these little guys can be built, and I think I'm ready to dip my toes in the water. I want to build a simple scout, as it seems pretty beginner friendly, and it's pretty sweet looking. I'd go with the tiny trainer, but I know I won't stick with it without a touch of cool factor. Id eventually like to figure out doing a Junkers D.I, my favorite of the WWI monoplanes. I have some questions though.

Are the hobbyking transmitters decent for a beginner? I don't want to drop a whole bunch of cash up front in case I don't stick with it.

Can I build with ailerons and just avoid using them at first while I'm learning the ropes? Or is it recommended to leave them off at first?

If I trim the vertical stabilizer/rudder to a more rounded shape, will it negatively affect performance?
Yeah, I'm only wondering about ailerons because I know how everything works already. I've been playing flight Sims (albeit not rc flight Sims) since I was a kid. And while I realize that an RC aircraft in the real world will react differently, I do at least understand the basic principles.
Are you flying The Sims with a RC transmitter or the one that goes into the computer or are you using the keyboard
 

Namactual

Elite member
The only issue with learning on ailerons while still having "dumb thumbs" is the reversed controls coming back at yourself.

With a 3 channel set up, with the wrong stick input just means you turn the wrong way.

Using ailerons you will continue to roll while already at a steep bank and end up inverted. Now while you are diving into the deck your reaction is to pull back on the stick and you auger.

I am not saying you can not start with a 4 channel, I am just giving you the main reason most people start with a 3 channel. I started on a 3 channel yank and bank EDF, but I had a ton of RC simulator time in to get over the dumb thumbs first.
 

Catch22Kid

New member
I've been flying Sims using a joystick/throttle/pedals setup for years, so it'll definitely be an adjustment. But I've tried "tower view" in a lot of simulators and I'm pretty used to reversed controls coming back on a loop. Of course, that's not to say my brain won't go into idiot mode using thumbsticks rather than the full setup, but I'd imagine it should lessen the learning curve a bit.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
I've been flying Sims using a joystick/throttle/pedals setup for years, so it'll definitely be an adjustment. But I've tried "tower view" in a lot of simulators and I'm pretty used to reversed controls coming back on a loop. Of course, that's not to say my brain won't go into idiot mode using thumbsticks rather than the full setup, but I'd imagine it should lessen the learning curve a bit.

The whole "joystick is table leg when flying towards yourself" really helped me learn. In case you aren't familiar:
 

Catch22Kid

New member
Makes perfect sense.

I did some googling on that flysky radio. Looks like a whole lot more transmitter for not a lot more cash, so I'll probably end up going that route. Just gotta decide what plane to start with I suppose. I really like the idea of learning on the simple scout, and just going ahead with 4 channels. Any concerns I should have with the scout?
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
Makes perfect sense.

I did some googling on that flysky radio. Looks like a whole lot more transmitter for not a lot more cash, so I'll probably end up going that route. Just gotta decide what plane to start with I suppose. I really like the idea of learning on the simple scout, and just going ahead with 4 channels. Any concerns I should have with the scout?

I liked learning on the Simple Cub because when I screwed up and crashed it it always went back together fairly easily. The wing is super durable and flexes on a crash due to it being rubber banded on. It's also a fairly easy flier. I tried to learn on the Explorer first but I didn't build the wing right and it folded on me. The think I liked about that is whenever I'd crash it I'd always break foam instead of props. A much cheaper way to learn!

The simple scout looks awesome, I have yet to build it though. It'll probably fly nice and slow, and fixes shouldn't be difficult!
 

Catch22Kid

New member
I liked learning on the Simple Cub because when I screwed up and crashed it it always went back together fairly easily. The wing is super durable and flexes on a crash due to it being rubber banded on. It's also a fairly easy flier. I tried to learn on the Explorer first but I didn't build the wing right and it folded on me. The think I liked about that is whenever I'd crash it I'd always break foam instead of props. A much cheaper way to learn!

The simple scout looks awesome, I have yet to build it though. It'll probably fly nice and slow, and fixes shouldn't be difficult!

It is indeed quite the looker, and it's got a touch of dihedral which I'm hoping will keep it pretty stable for me as I'm getting acclimated to flying. Should be pretty easy to pretty up as well. A nice paint job and a machine gun up front, and it'll make a nice WWI-era looking reconnaissance plane.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
It is indeed quite the looker, and it's got a touch of dihedral which I'm hoping will keep it pretty stable for me as I'm getting acclimated to flying. Should be pretty easy to pretty up as well. A nice paint job and a machine gun up front, and it'll make a nice WWI-era looking reconnaissance plane.

I think it can be helpful to learn how to fly on an airplane you think looks cool! Just buy some extra props and keep your hot glue gun warm!
 

jack10525

Active member
Welcome to the hobby. I still consider myself a newbie because I crash a lot. I've been flying successfully for about 2 years now thanks to Flite Test!! Anyway I started to fast with a nice big Cessna 182 RTF from ebay. Came with everything including a battery. Before I even attempted to fly it I tried building a few planes from RCPowers (hadn't found Flite Test yet). Building planes gave me a good understanding of all the components. So my early attempts at scratch building failed miserably and I just decided to take the Cessna out. It Took it up for its maiden, went straight for about 100 feet and then banked left and nosedived into the ground. Some damage but still repairable. So I figured this plane was just too advanced for me. Kept searching online and found Flite Test. Built the tiny trainer and finally had a successful flight. Not right off the bat but progress.

Personally if I could do it all over I would chose a Bixler type plane. Big enough to see and handle wind but gentle enough for new pilots. I've had a few radios but have mostly been flying with FlySky FS-i6 AFHDS 6CH Transmitter and 6CH FS-iA6B Receiver. Got it on amazon for about 50 bucks.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Welcome, fine sir!

I think you're onto some really fun times building. I've seen some great advice on the transmitters. One thing I will recommend, if you can, is to try and find someone who has the radio (or something similar) to what you're looking at. Some of these radios feel iffy in your hands. One of the newbies at my field is a 6 year old kid who's flying with a Taranis X Lite, and it fits his little hands great (plus, he's a video gamer, and the transmitter closely resembles a video game control). But then you watch his dad try to fly the plane with the same remote, and the radio looks like a dinky little toy in his hands, and he's constantly over-correcting because he's just banging the sticks around, even with little movements. The transmitter's just too small for his catcher's mitt sized hands.

If you are looking for something fun to get into, that you can learn on and advance with? Go with a Simple Cub. It's a very forgiving plane, it doesn't take much power to get it to take off, it's large enough that it's easy to spot (put a Mighty Mini plane 100' up, and it's still in the white foamboard that you got from Dollar Tree, it pretty much vanishes and blends in with the sky to where you can't see it anymore), and with a larger wingspan, the planes tend to be a little more stable in basic flight.

My first plane that I built was the Sea Duck, which is an interesting plane; there's no rudders to it, and if you want to turn it, you have to use either the ailerons and do a "bank n' yank" maneuver, or make sure you have the motors set up on a differential thrust, meaning that one motor can throttle up over the other to make a turn to the left or right. It glides wonderfully well, but I don't know that I'd recommend it as a first plane for you. Simple Cub is bigger than some, but small enough to fit into most cars, so it's easily transportable...