Help! Props way too expensive

[Inq]

Flight simulator... no broking props.

 

[Magne]

Flight simulator... no broking props.

Do you know a good free one?

 

[Foamforce]

Do you know a good free one?

Not free, but I used the Trainer edition of RealFlight. It’s $39, which is a lot cheaper than the full version. It works with my FlySky i6x controller using an $8 USB adapter cable from eBay. The Trainer edition only has a few planes, which is fine.

 

[dylanbeaudette]

Thanks guys for all the incredible good answers. I think what will work best for me is to build a pusher plane and the reason is that I need to learn and fly. I cant even fly 10 meters before crashing. Any tips on how to learn flying faster?

Simulator time with your TX!

 

[Ryan O.]

Do you know a good free one?

try pica sim

 

[Merv]

... Any tips on how to learn flying faster?

Have an experienced pilot fly your plane and trim it out. Plane are much easier to fly when trimmed. While there, maybe he can give you a flying lesson or two.

 

[JDSnavely]

If you don't have a Safe receiver that you can forward program I would just recommend a light plane like the Mini Scout with an A motor and 2S 650 battery. When you crash there is not much damage because it is so light. After mastering this, then something like the tiny trainer 4 channel F motor with 2S 650. Then the same Tiny Trainer with a 3S 850 battery. What I told my boys was to work on getting the plane 2 mistakes high and then work on keeping the plane level. Master that and then go to stunts etc. One boy did that and improved very fast. The other liked building "cool" planes (i.e. hard to fly) flying them 5 ft off the ground at 50 mph and then rebuilding them when he crashed. The first has improved his flying the most. The second is a good pilot but can scratch build a plane incredibly fast! I might add that we modified the landing gear on the mini Scout so that it wouldn't keep breaking off. A skewer through the square and fuselage and skewer behind to allow the wheels to flex worked fine. Hasn't broken or bent much since.

 

[Xamith]

Do you know a good free one?

I trained myself when I was starting out using RC Desk Pilot and FSOne, both free.

 

[Yordle]

I no i broke 3 propellers flying my plane already and i still haven't flown it far or long. I want to get a 3d printer so i can make my own i saw this video on youtube and these look cool. Maybe they wouldnt dig into the ground like normal propellers the last crash i did one part of the propeller was stuck in the ground lol.

 

[AgentC]

I actually learnt on the EZ Pack, albeit the now non-existent 3-channel version.
Simple plane builds and a much easier to fly and get the basics learnt (as long as there's very little wind to content with).
The power pack is relatively cheap, keeps you building physical planes and flying them. They're also small enough to throw into the car to have 'just in case'.

 

[MrKilometer]

Find an experienced pilot, and ask them to buddy-box with you (connect two transmitters together so that you have dual controls, and the other pilot can take over if necessary). Also, get a sim. They're expensive, but worth it!

 

[Inq]

Although the design is only valid on a pusher propeller... how about 12¢ US?

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/designing-propellers.73649/#post-745191

12¢ counts the hub and 2 blades. The blades fold and are easily replaceable. Break one blade... 5¢, but shouldn't break since they fold unless you're powering it when it hits.

So far I'm getting an efficiency of up to 5.7 grams/watt. A popular production propeller for this motor is running an efficiency of 5.3 grams/watt.

 

[FishbonesAir]

try pica sim

I found Pica really hard to fly. The Trainer flew more like a sport; it wanted roll over without constant attention, whereas the trainer I flew at club would settle if you just let go of the controls and quit yanking it around (assuming the wind wasn't being ornery). It may have had a stabilizer though, I don't know. It was a largish, old, Styrofoam job, that had been through the wars.

 

[FishbonesAir]

Although the design is only valid on a pusher propeller... how about 12¢ US?

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/designing-propellers.73649/#post-745191

12¢ counts the hub and 2 blades. The blades fold and are easily replaceable. Break one blade... 5¢, but shouldn't break since they fold unless you're powering it when it hits.

So far I'm getting an efficiency of up to 5.7 grams/watt. A popular production propeller for this motor is running an efficiency of 5.3 grams/watt.

View attachment 236194

View attachment 236195

Fascinating thread there Inq. I was just thinking about a duct for a nano F22 project myself.