how do you fly an rc plane?

14tylbow Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:36 pm

i got a super cub? electric rc plane a while ago and i tried to fly it but when i took off, it started doing circles and i had no control over it and it ended up about a mile away in a tree. now im scared to fly any type of plane. i know it has one of those safety things in it so if it starts to go down, it will automatically pull up. it was on when it took off, could that have been what made it circle? and its kinda wierd cause everyone that i have talked to sais that planes are alot easier to fly than helicoptors but i also have a $200 6 inch long heli and i can fly that pretty well.

pkrankow Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:56 pm

Sounds line you need to start with a range test. Get a friend, both of you with a communication scheme, be it hand/arm signals or cell phone. Find a large space and power radio then plane. Check controls and agree upon signals. Your friend stays with the plane, makes sure it stays put, and relays the information while you walk away. If you can maintain glitch free control to 500 yards(meters), that is 5 football fields (and I don't care which "football" is referenced!) line of sight you should be in pretty good shape for range. You may be able to go twice that distance glitch free with some radios.

If it is less, then you may have a problem, or a limited range transmitter (Tx) or receiver (Rx).

As for flying...I recommend you find a local instructor to join you for your first few flights. If they can trainer cable to your radio then even better. My flight experience with powered has been a post hole where I almost needed a shovel to get my engine back.

Phil

microflitedude Sun Jan 06, 2013 10:02 pm

Can you post a picture/link of the specific plane? I think it's the Mini Super Cub, but not entirely sure. Check connections on all control surfaces. If any screws are loose, use some thread locker and re-install them. The thumbscrews have come loose on mine before. Also check the batteries in your radio.

ACT can be more of a problem than a help - this was always what I found, I'd go ahead and switch it off. I think you should always have control of the plane.

I forgot... Do you still have it?

14tylbow Sun Jan 06, 2013 10:47 pm

microflitedude wrote:Can you post a picture/link of the specific plane? I think it's the Mini Super Cub, but not entirely sure. Check connections on all control surfaces. If any screws are loose, use some thread locker and re-install them. The thumbscrews have come loose on mine before. Also check the batteries in your radio.

ACT can be more of a problem than a help - this was always what I found, I'd go ahead and switch it off. I think you should always have control of the plane.

I forgot... Do you still have it?

yes i still have it and i dont have any pics of it but il try to find a pic of it online. im not very good with this computer stuff. and i just checked the screws on the aleron and altitude thing (i cant think of the word) and they were both loose and didnt want to stay tight.

14tylbow Sun Jan 06, 2013 10:52 pm

http://www.goradiocontrolled.com/acatalog/hobbyzone-super-cub-lp-rc-plane.html

i found it

John Goddard Sun Jan 06, 2013 10:54 pm

Join a club.
Get yourself taught
Via a buddy lead if possible
If not possible cos you live on the moon Wink

Buy yourself a sim
With a sim and buddy lead you'll be flying
Solo within an hours flight time.
Good luck
Very Happy

As for range checking the radio 500 yards is
Unnecessary.
If it's got an old fashioned extendable aerial
Keep it folded in and have your helper walk 50
Yards away and check movement with no glitches.
If it's a newer 2.4 set read the instructions and
Find out how to 'power down' the set for the same
50 yard check.
Remember you, your helper and the model are on terra firma
Where the signal is reduced not like in the air where
It increases exponentially.

jsesere Mon Jan 07, 2013 12:51 am

Here is a link to your local club. Contact them and they will help you.
http://anoka-rc.com/

pkrankow Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:18 am

I stay with my 500 yard statement because you should have been able to kill the throttle and the plane glide down.

My neighbor has that exact plane except with the Spectrum radio. He harasses me with it by flying it up my driveway under my trees (my daughter loves this), and plays tag with the turkey vultures (the vultures are winning I think) He has treed it a number of times, and complains every time about the lack of ailerons as the reason it was treed. The worst damage is a few holes in the tail, rudder, and fuselage that he says he will tape up, but last time I saw the plane he hadn't.

It takes off or land in less than 20 ft, but since it is only rudder/elevator it is less than acrobatic. He drops a battery in and flies for 20 minutes, then goes to work on good days. For all the swearing at the reduced control set and lack of scale this plane has my neighbor flies it more than anything else he owns.

He gave me his old Tower40 trainer, I promptly dug a post hole with it... I rebuilt it but it is snowing and generally windy out so we haven't tried flying it again. Simulator programs sound rather nice actually.

Phil

microflitedude Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:26 pm

Ditto on an instructor. Everything is more relaxed and easy when you have someone right beside you, telling you what everything is, correcting you, etc. The guy who taught me was great - he had me flying solo with a .40 trainer after about 10 buddy-box flights. It was all free too - the lessons, the fuel, the prop I broke... Smile

microflitedude Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:39 pm

14tylbow wrote:screws on the aleron and altitude thing (i cant think of the word) and they were both loose and didnt want to stay tight.

The elevators are on the horizontal stabilizer and the rudder is on the vertical stabilizer. It's a 3 channel, (rudder/elevator/throttle, or "RET") so there are no ailerons.

If you can, pick up a small bottle of Medium Strength Thread locker. Putting a small drop on the screw threads and re-installing will keep it in place. Are the screws stripped out?

SuperDave Mon Jan 07, 2013 3:26 pm

To address the original question, there are plenty of on-line tutorials available to walk you through the learning process often with accompanying videos. Suggestions made above are also valid.

In short, RC flying is not any easy or quick process as there is MUCH to be learned before you can successfully fly an RC airplane. If you can fly a simple heli as little to with an RC airplane.

No one can teach you to fly and RC airplane over an I'net forum any more than they can teach you to play golf. You best approach at this point is a to do a whole bunch of studying to learn the fundamental process involved in RC. We all started at that point and my advice would be you should too.

Enjoy the journey!

14tylbow Mon Jan 07, 2013 6:29 pm

microflitedude wrote:
14tylbow wrote:screws on the aleron and altitude thing (i cant think of the word) and they were both loose and didnt want to stay tight.

The elevators are on the horizontal stabilizer and the rudder is on the vertical stabilizer. It's a 3 channel, (rudder/elevator/throttle, or "RET") so there are no ailerons.

If you can, pick up a small bottle of Medium Strength Thread locker. Putting a small drop on the screw threads and re-installing will keep it in place. Are the screws stripped out?

well there not really screws, there like little plastic tabs with ridges on them. and will gorilla glue work, or trflon tape stuff? and idk if i will get on it really quickly though cause i kinda already started playin with rc cars and im not sure about starting 2 hobbies at once, especially when both hobbies are really expensive. Smile

can you fly rc planes in the winter with snow?

Kim Mon Jan 07, 2013 6:48 pm

14tylbow wrote:
microflitedude wrote:
14tylbow wrote:screws on the aleron and altitude thing (i cant think of the word) and they were both loose and didnt want to stay tight.

The elevators are on the horizontal stabilizer and the rudder is on the vertical stabilizer. It's a 3 channel, (rudder/elevator/throttle, or "RET") so there are no ailerons.

If you can, pick up a small bottle of Medium Strength Thread locker. Putting a small drop on the screw threads and re-installing will keep it in place. Are the screws stripped out?

well there not really screws, there like little plastic tabs with ridges on them. and will gorilla glue work, or trflon tape stuff? and idk if i will get on it really quickly though cause i kinda already started playin with rc cars and im not sure about starting 2 hobbies at once, especially when both hobbies are really expensive. can you fly rc planes in the winter with snow?

No Way!

microflitedude Mon Jan 07, 2013 6:55 pm

Sure you can fly in the winter/snow. Just keep your batteries warm beforehand - Lipos don't like the cold.

Can you get a picture of the linkages? Can't help anymore without seeing it. Don't put any glue on them.

Mark Boesen Mon Jan 07, 2013 7:16 pm

sunday pm

saturday night

14tylbow Mon Jan 07, 2013 7:28 pm

microflitedude wrote:Sure you can fly in the winter/snow. Just keep your batteries warm beforehand - Lipos don't like the cold.

Can you get a picture of the linkages? Can't help anymore without seeing it. Don't put any glue on them.

i dont know how to get a pic on this site. how do i get a pic from my pics on the forum?

14tylbow Mon Jan 07, 2013 8:47 pm

im not sure how i did it but i think its in the gallery. how do you fly an rc plane? SANY0005

pkrankow Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:30 pm

Then you need to post the link to display the image in a post.

Phil

microflitedude Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:49 pm

14tylbow wrote:
microflitedude wrote:Sure you can fly in the winter/snow. Just keep your batteries warm beforehand - Lipos don't like the cold.

Can you get a picture of the linkages? Can't help anymore without seeing it. Don't put any glue on them.

i dont know how to get a pic on this site. how do i get a pic from my pics on the forum?

https://www.coxengineforum.com/t367-how-to-post-an-image-in-a-topic

Godsey3.0 Mon Jan 07, 2013 11:36 pm

You are capable of right clicking the picture, clicking "Copy Image Location" and then clicking the picture of a photograph above next to the red F and the chain. Paste the link into that box and it will appear like this. This is after you have uploaded the picture to the plethora of services out there. Some here use Photobucket. Others just use Servimg.

how do you fly an rc plane? 00112

microflitedude Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:41 am

I remember those plastic horns now, thanks Rolla.

You can use a drop of CA or epoxy to keep it in place. Gorilla glue may work as well, but use it very sparingly. The stuff likes to expand.

Good luck!

14tylbow Tue Jan 08, 2013 6:34 pm

microflitedude wrote:I remember those plastic horns now, thanks Rolla.

You can use a drop of CA or epoxy to keep it in place. Gorilla glue may work as well, but use it very sparingly. The stuff likes to expand.

Good luck!

last night i tried to plug in the battery in the super cub but it wouldnt respond and i couldnt get the servos to stop buzzing.

fredvon4 Tue Jan 08, 2013 6:41 pm

14Tylbow you need local help

and there are tons of folks to provide it

Call one of these fellows who lives very near you

Scott Oleson (763) 742-0642 Instruction Coordinator
Dale Anderson (612) 481-6405 Airplane Instruction
Bob Moser (763) 434-3827 Airplane Instruction
Mike Flander (763) 439-6959 3D Aerobatics Instruction
Jim Taylor (612) 868-0419 Airplane Instruction

Once you get it sorted keep this (or another) thread alive and let us know how you are progressing

WingingIt74 Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:31 pm

If you were close to me, I give free lessons Smile

I taught myself to fly. If you have an iPhone, there is a good app called Absolute RC Plane Sim, that will help you with your coordination and learning the controls. It also works on an iPad. My youngest son (6), I started him on that and now he flies a MCX2 helicopter around the house pretty good (he bought with his Christmas money).

how do you fly an rc plane? 207725_10151150797555947_1763769040_n

how do you fly an rc plane? 207725_10151150797555947_1763769040_n

WingingIt74 Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:36 pm

Here is my $uperCub Smile

and it's still my favorite to fly... now I have over 10 planes and 4 helicopters.

http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1711
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