Help! Newbie here... Some Questions

[mastermalpass]

For crashing- I have learned the hard way how to rebuild/repair planes (Who new the elevator was touchy in 20-30 mph winds, lol)
Lastly, Subscribed!

30MPH?! To me, that's pro level - I wouldn't even take my racing quad out in that!

 

[Taildragger]

30MPH?! To me, that's pro level - I wouldn't even take my racing quad out in that!

Well, it was probably around 20 with 30 gusts, and they were all just short flights. It was like slope soaring but without the slope. Throw into the wind, keep it going straight, and get it back down before I've had enough time to crash.

 

[GliderFlyer]

Well, it was probably around 20 with 30 gusts, and they were all just short flights. It was like slope soaring but without the slope. Throw into the wind, keep it going straight, and get it back down before I've had enough time to crash.

Maybe a three channel airplane wouldn't be safe in that wind...

 

[Taildragger]

Maybe a three channel airplane wouldn't be safe in that wind...

That was back in November. The weather is great for flying dec-feb and may-sep in recent years. As I said, I have flown the UMX radian, and that needs extremely calm weather.

 

[Taildragger]

It's been warm and sunny with no wind lately, but it sounds like there's going to be a rough patch of weather this week and maybe next. Hoping it's calm around the 13th because it would be fun to fly on my 14th birthday.

 

[Intashu]

1) Which plane? I have narrowed down the options and am favoring either the Carbon Cub S2 ready to fly or a Simple Cub. I think the simple cub is nice because I can reuse electronics and fix it cheaply. I also wonder about the Carbon Cub because it has safe and I have read some bad things about the Simple cub (wing incidence, tip stalls as a 3ch, etc.).

Most of Flite-Test's high wing planes fly pretty easily. I would also add the simple scout is an EXCELLENT starting point. it's quick to build, and flies amazing. in the Resources tab of the forums you also find many user made planes and plans if Flite-Test's don't suite you.

2) How can I do this on a budget? I think I have a good Idea of what I am doing for the initial cost, with a dxs w/ rx combo, ft electronics and speed build kit (if I choose ft cub), but I am wondering about props and other repairs. Are APC props best?

Ebay and Hobbyking are two resources I use for cheap electronics. I really like Flite-test's official 35a esc as it's quality, but for the cost it's better to go with other ones if money is tight.

If you do not have a TX yet, the Flysky FS-i6X is a great low cost transmitter available in plenty of places (like amazon too!) and has all the options you'd want from beginner to experienced flying.

I normally order my spare props from amazon, the grey APC ones seem great, I've also had good success with the UXCELL brand. 10x5 works just fine for the C pack style motors, but for the B pack motors I stick with 8x4 props. (9 inch props would work too)

3) Are there any general tips I should know for flying, building, crashing?

Don't buy foamboard from walmart, it's heavy, DollarTree (if available near you) is the best resource for building material. Took me a couple months to find that out, and it made my planes fly MUCH better!
Depending on the plane, most take off at around 75% throttle, too much and it will flip over and crash when it leaves your hand, not enough throttle and it will stall into the ground, give it a good almost level toss and it should take off. don't throw it UPWARDS too much, just slightly.

be ready for crashing, it happens when learning, fortunatly these planes are easy to repair and get flying again within an hour. Don't be defeated by failure, we all started somewhere!

the NUMBER ONE thing that impacts your flight more than the rest is to always make sure you find the correct CG marks on the plans, mark it on the wings, and ensure your planes are slightly nose heavy from that point. a tail heavy plane will always fly terribly and crash badly. better to be a little nose heavy and feel like you gotta pull up more to stay in the air (till you adjust trim) than to be tail heavy and the plane just stalls and crashes again and again.

Also any info on using the forums would be appreciated (first post).

Use the searchbar. it takes some getting used to but there is a LOT of experience in these forums and most of your questions have probably been answered a few times over the years. But most of us are really friendly so never be scared to ask a question anyways if you need help!


Also fair warning, These things are ADDICTING. You'll start with just one plane, and before you know if you've made 20+ of them.

 

[Intashu]

Ok, I'm going to lay this out objectively but I might start a tx war:
If you want to go really cheap, to the point where you do not care about shipping times, get a cheap ESC and motor from banggood. Any quality of ESC works for regular prop planes, EDFs are a different story. For servos, you can get packs of 10 on amazon for 20 bucks, and they work just the same as any other 9 gram. For a transmitter, I recommend the TX16s. I use a QX7 personally, but QX7s are now 130 bucks rather than the original 100, so the TX16s gets you more bang for your buck. I still recommend it in your case because you are already planning to spend 100 dollars on a DXS. Receivers are also insanely cheap for some protocols that are used on the TX16s, so it pays off a ton in the long term. APC props are definitely the most durable, and foamboard is definitely the easiest and cheapest to repair. Hope this helps!

I'll add that if you're in the US, HobbyKing can ship to you quicker (if you pick USA warehouse) and the prices are not that much higher than Banggood/aliexpress. I've gotten quite a bit of cheap electronics from them over the past couple years without any problems! Aliexpress is a real headache however and I'd avoid them when you can.

I can't start a war with you about the TX however... I'm still flying on a old Spektrum Dx6i with clone receivers.

 

[mastermalpass]

Well, it was probably around 20 with 30 gusts, and they were all just short flights. It was like slope soaring but without the slope. Throw into the wind, keep it going straight, and get it back down before I've had enough time to crash.

I think 22mph is my limit. The most fun I can have in it is hovering. But then there comes a point where I'm spending much more time simply managing a 'lazy' circle than really flying. I do plan to design a plane one day that will slice through the air and shrug off the wind, but until then I'm flying in relatively calm breezes.

For me, 8mph or less is ideal for anything (it never really drops below that here).
12mph is manageable for any aircraft.
16mph and it becomes challenging for the smaller aircraft. My Su-35 parkjet and Blade 500X will happily shrug it off.
20mph The Su-35 now wobbles a lot. The Blade 500X has to be carefully managed and isn't flown acrobatically.
24mph Racing quads or planes that I am very confident can take a good whack and walk away from it are the only ones to ever go up.
30mph *Attempts to fly* "NOPE! NOPE! *Emergency lands after 1 second, narrowly avoiding a hard crash* "NOPE! NOT FLYING TODAY!"

 

[Taildragger]

Most of Flite-Test's high wing planes fly pretty easily. I would also add the simple scout is an EXCELLENT starting point. it's quick to build, and flies amazing. in the Resources tab of the forums you also find many user made planes and plans if Flite-Test's don't suite you.


Ebay and Hobbyking are two resources I use for cheap electronics. I really like Flite-test's official 35a esc as it's quality, but for the cost it's better to go with other ones if money is tight.

If you do not have a TX yet, the Flysky FS-i6X is a great low cost transmitter available in plenty of places (like amazon too!) and has all the options you'd want from beginner to experienced flying.

I normally order my spare props from amazon, the grey APC ones seem great, I've also had good success with the UXCELL brand. 10x5 works just fine for the C pack style motors, but for the B pack motors I stick with 8x4 props. (9 inch props would work too)



Don't buy foamboard from walmart, it's heavy, DollarTree (if available near you) is the best resource for building material. Took me a couple months to find that out, and it made my planes fly MUCH better!
Depending on the plane, most take off at around 75% throttle, too much and it will flip over and crash when it leaves your hand, not enough throttle and it will stall into the ground, give it a good almost level toss and it should take off. don't throw it UPWARDS too much, just slightly.

be ready for crashing, it happens when learning, fortunatly these planes are easy to repair and get flying again within an hour. Don't be defeated by failure, we all started somewhere!

the NUMBER ONE thing that impacts your flight more than the rest is to always make sure you find the correct CG marks on the plans, mark it on the wings, and ensure your planes are slightly nose heavy from that point. a tail heavy plane will always fly terribly and crash badly. better to be a little nose heavy and feel like you gotta pull up more to stay in the air (till you adjust trim) than to be tail heavy and the plane just stalls and crashes again and again.



Use the searchbar. it takes some getting used to but there is a LOT of experience in these forums and most of your questions have probably been answered a few times over the years. But most of us are really friendly so never be scared to ask a question anyways if you need help!


Also fair warning, These things are ADDICTING. You'll start with just one plane, and before you know if you've made 20+ of them.

Lots of helpful information I definitely notice the difference between walmart and normal foamboard. My favorite is adams readiboard, I build all my planes with it.

 

[GliderFlyer]

Don't buy foamboard from walmart, it's heavy, DollarTree (if available near you) is the best resource for building material. Took me a couple months to find that out, and it made my planes fly MUCH better!

I have been using Walmart foamboard this whole time, and they are heavier, but aren't too heavy. The only thing I noticed is that sometimes the paper doesn't peel off in one piece, but other than that, its good enough. Another benefit is that it doesn't have the waves in it like the dollar tree stuff does. The main reason I am using Walmart Ross board, is because it is actually cheaper than dollar tree by 12 cents a sheet. Not trying to start an argument or anything, I never use dollar tree foamboard, so I don't even know what I've been missing.

 

[Taildragger]

I think 22mph is my limit. The most fun I can have in it is hovering. But then there comes a point where I'm spending much more time simply managing a 'lazy' circle than really flying. I do plan to design a plane one day that will slice through the air and shrug off the wind, but until then I'm flying in relatively calm breezes.

For me, 8mph or less is ideal for anything (it never really drops below that here).
12mph is manageable for any aircraft.
16mph and it becomes challenging for the smaller aircraft. My Su-35 parkjet and Blade 500X will happily shrug it off.
20mph The Su-35 now wobbles a lot. The Blade 500X has to be carefully managed and isn't flown acrobatically.
24mph Racing quads or planes that I am very confident can take a good whack and walk away from it are the only ones to ever go up.
30mph *Attempts to fly* "NOPE! NOPE! *Emergency lands after 1 second, narrowly avoiding a hard crash* "NOPE! NOT FLYING TODAY!"

Thats about what I've noticed when I'm with my friends. Helpful to see it layed out like that.

 

[Ketchup]

I don’t want to also start a tx war, but Spektrum doesn’t necessarily have more range. In some cases it has been proven to have less range than some others, but either way you will have more than enough range. Most radio systems will fly farther than you can see lol. If you go with Spektrum it will be a good choice, but I just wanted to let you know in case range was the only thing making you stick with it.

 

[KubKade]

I am new to the hobby, and I have a few questions. I have been driving RC trucks with my friends for 4 years, and one of them had been flying since I knew him. For some reason, I was never interested in the planes. Later, In summer 2019 I got to go on a trip with a family friend who had an airplane. I was mostly scared, but I'll never forget the backcountry bush flying experience. That is what sparked my interest in aviation. Anyways, this summer I got to fly a UMX radian and the incredible Super Cub LP. My friends had me hooked. I spent most of quarantine watching lots of flitetest (mostly older, think David Windestal and J. Scott) and learned as much as possible. I have built a simple soarer as a two channel, and flew it when it was windy by just flying into a headwind and practicing stable flight. Now the weather has been calm and I am ready to get into powered flight. This is where the questions begin.

1) Which plane? I have narrowed down the options and am favoring either the Carbon Cub S2 ready to fly or a Simple Cub. I think the simple cub is nice because I can reuse electronics and fix it cheaply. I also wonder about the Carbon Cub because it has safe and I have read some bad things about the Simple cub (wing incidence, tip stalls as a 3ch, etc.).

2) How can I do this on a budget? I think I have a good Idea of what I am doing for the initial cost, with a dxs w/ rx combo, ft electronics and speed build kit (if I choose ft cub), but I am wondering about props and other repairs. Are APC props best?

3) Are there any general tips I should know for flying, building, crashing?

Also any info on using the forums would be appreciated (first post).

Welcome "Taildragger"! I am also new to Flite Test as well as to the hobby. I agree with the replies. My first plane I learned on was a Carbon Cub S+ (now replaced with the updated Carbon Cub S2). I still have it and I love it although I'll admit I will be building from here out. The down side to the 'safe' technology in the Carbon Cub is that, as a novice, I relied on the auto stabilizing feature and limited pitch/roll when in beginner mode. So when I gained confidence I switched to intermediate and advanced mode and found myself always over correcting (which led to a few crashes ). I finally got used to flying without safe but I can't highly recommend it if you are planning to improve your skill. However it sounds like you have a bit of experience so you would probably jump to intermediate or advanced mode (advanced doesn't use of the safe limitations). I am working on my first FT plane (simple scout) so I can't say a lot since I've never flown a foamboard plane. If I were you, I would print out plans and build my own or use the speed build kit. The pros I see with building is;
1. It's much cheaper than buying especially considering repairs -post crash. Instead of paying $50+ for a wing, just swing buy the dollar store and for a couple bucks and 15 minutes of your time, It's good as new! Also if you crash it beyond repair, you can build another one or a different model and swap the motor and servos etc.
2. It's pretty cool building your own plane. I enjoy building (not everyone does) but for me it's a great pastime.
3. Once you've bought a couple power packs, batteries, etc, you can continue building swappable planes for super cheap.
Some models that I think would be worth considering (like I said I'm not and expert) are the Simple Scout, Simple Cub, Storch, or any of the previously recommended models.
Now if you just won the lottery and aren't concerned about you financial well-being, than I would say head over to HH and get you couple Carbon Cub S2s -Good luck taildragging!

 

[Taildragger]

I figured it wouldn't hurt to build the fogey with foamboard I have laying around. The plans are printed, but I noticed something in the build video I don't have. Josh says that you need a Swedish friend to measure the polyhedral, but I don't have a Swedish friend or even a David!

 

[Taildragger]

Welcome "Taildragger"! I am also new to Flite Test as well as to the hobby. I agree with the replies. My first plane I learned on was a Carbon Cub S+ (now replaced with the updated Carbon Cub S2). I still have it and I love it although I'll admit I will be building from here out. The down side to the 'safe' technology in the Carbon Cub is that, as a novice, I relied on the auto stabilizing feature and limited pitch/roll when in beginner mode. So when I gained confidence I switched to intermediate and advanced mode and found myself always over correcting (which led to a few crashes ). I finally got used to flying without safe but I can't highly recommend it if you are planning to improve your skill. However it sounds like you have a bit of experience so you would probably jump to intermediate or advanced mode (advanced doesn't use of the safe limitations). I am working on my first FT plane (simple scout) so I can't say a lot since I've never flown a foamboard plane. If I were you, I would print out plans and build my own or use the speed build kit. The pros I see with building is;
1. It's much cheaper than buying especially considering repairs -post crash. Instead of paying $50+ for a wing, just swing buy the dollar store and for a couple bucks and 15 minutes of your time, It's good as new! Also if you crash it beyond repair, you can build another one or a different model and swap the motor and servos etc.
2. It's pretty cool building your own plane. I enjoy building (not everyone does) but for me it's a great pastime.
3. Once you've bought a couple power packs, batteries, etc, you can continue building swappable planes for super cheap.
Some models that I think would be worth considering (like I said I'm not and expert) are the Simple Scout, Simple Cub, Storch, or any of the previously recommended models.
Now if you just won the lottery and aren't concerned about you financial well-being, than I would say head over to HH and get you couple Carbon Cub S2s -Good luck taildragging!

I totally agree with you about the SAFE. I wish there was an experienced mode that still had the Oh Crap Switch for worst case scenarios. Thanks for giving your input!

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

Wow, I never really noticed the old fogey. I thought it was a mighty mini, never noticed it was bigger than the cub. I love how slow it flies. I think I might scratchbuild that because it's simpler than the cub. I would still get a cub kit, and if I make it a 3ch, I can use the other control horns/pushrods/servos for the old fogey, and just move the powerpod when I am ready to fly the cub.
For building- The table has always been my friend. It's covered in hot glue, wood glue, paint, tape, etc.
For flying- It was hard flying that glider very far away. Turns out I needed glasses, but I'm all set now.
For crashing- I have learned the hard way how to rebuild/repair planes (Who new the elevator was touchy in 20-30 mph winds, lol)
Lastly, Subscribed!

Welcome to the forum.
Get the Old Fogey set up right with the correct CG plus a calm day and its realy easy to fly, particularly really slow. However, due to the wing design it can have a tendancy to dutch roll and if you have too much rudder authority it can be a bit of a handful. I have got use to flying it with a 3s but to be honest I would start off with a 2s power supply till your use to it.
Ive said this so many times to new people asking advice, build a tiny trainer as your first model. It helps develop all your building skills and its a nice docile plane to start off with as a 3ch. Then when your ready fit a 4ch wing, a bigger 3s battery and its a new plane altogether.

 

[Taildragger]

Welcome to the forum.
Get the Old Fogey set up right with the correct CG plus a calm day and its realy easy to fly, particularly really slow. However, due to the wing design it can have a tendancy to dutch roll and if you have too much rudder authority it can be a bit of a handful. I have got use to flying it with a 3s but to be honest I would start off with a 2s power supply till your use to it.
Ive said this so many times to new people asking advice, build a tiny trainer as your first model. It helps develop all your building skills and its a nice docile plane to start off with as a 3ch. Then when your ready fit a 4ch wing, a bigger 3s battery and its a new plane altogether.

Thanks! I didn't know the dutch roll was from rudder throws. I will keep that in mind when I install pushrods. Also, that sig line is pretty funny .

 

[Taildragger]

@mastermalpass What motor/prop combo would I use on a halfpipe?

 

[mastermalpass]

@mastermalpass What motor/prop combo would I use on a halfpipe?

The Halfpipe uses racing quad motors around 2300kv with a 5x4 prop. @mackaiver didn't have a 5" prop but was successful in cutting the slot a bit bigger and using a 6" prop. Unfortunately, the squat racing quad motors don't come up from that super cheap supplier, but I've managed to find ones that aren't far behind. The prototype, Mk II and Delta used one of these Emax 2300kv motors I originally bought for a mini scout:

The Mk II finalised and Delta Finalised used a similar one from Samguk:

And if you don't want to wait on an order from China, I'm sure you can find a sufficient one nearer to you:

 

[Taildragger]

The Halfpipe uses racing quad motors around 2300kv with a 5x4 prop. @mackaiver didn't have a 5" prop but was successful in cutting the slot a bit bigger and using a 6" prop. Unfortunately, the squat racing quad motors don't come up from that super cheap supplier, but I've managed to find ones that aren't far behind. The prototype, Mk II and Delta used one of these Emax 2300kv motors I originally bought for a mini scout:

View attachment 190574

The Mk II finalised and Delta Finalised used a similar one from Samguk:

View attachment 190575

And if you don't want to wait on an order from China, I'm sure you can find a sufficient one nearer to you:

View attachment 190576

Still amazed how much more budget-friendly planes are vs. my Traxxas slash ultimate