Any Tips???

[cdo6275]

Hi All

I'm new to the RC scene and have zero hours of flying time/experience. Although I have always had a keen interest in the hobby Ive only now found time to get into it, although I got about 6 months before I leave the UK for Afghanistan again I'm hoping I can get pretty good before then.

I've got a FW 190 and a Super Cub on delivery which will be my first RC plane i'll fly, can anyone give me some hints and tips on everything to do with my first flight, trimmimg, CG, etc. I've read alot on the internet about parkzone planes and studied the instruction manuals but any extra info would be great and extremely helpfull.

Sooner I can get out and get some experience under my belt the sooner I can get my FW 190 up and the sooner I can get the Spitfire.

Many Thanks in advance

[MalcolmS]

Hi There cdo675

Here are some tips (in no particular order):

1) Only fly the Cub to start with and do not attempt he FW190 until you are very comfortable flying the Cub. As the Cub is a high wing plane it will often self right and so if you make mistakes and put it in a dive if you take your fingers off the sticks it will often then go straight and level after a few seconds. The FW will not!!! Also the FW is a lot faster and so you must concentrate on it all the time.

2) Get used to controlling the Cub with it coming towards you i.e. with the controls reversed. If you wish to straighten the plane out then move the stick to the side of the lower wing i.e. if the wing is dipping to the right (when coming towards you) then move the stick to the right to level her off. Getting this wrong is a common mistake. With the Cub it is less of a problem but it will be a big problem with the FW190

3) Always fly in calm conditions i.e. little wind. The Cub does not like wind while the FW can cope better because it is faster however being faster it can get caught by a gust and thrown around.

4) Always launch either plane into the wind/breeze and level

5) Once launched try and keep the plane "three mistakes high" i.e. give yourself enough room from the ground, trees, goalposts etc to makes some mistakes

6) Don't fly if tired or "it just doesn't feel right"

7) Do the range check before flying and make sure the control surfaces are straight/level with he sticks in neutral before flying (as it states in the manual)

8) Make sure you have plenty of room to fly. The FW will cover a lot of ground in a short time.

9) Try an r/c flight sim on your PC before doing the real thing. This will get you used to the orientation of the plane (see point 2). A good free one is FMS - just do a google search for FMS flight sim. This is also good to practices on when the wether is rubbish!!

10) Remember you will crash both planes at sme point either at the beginning or when you get more confident. 5 min epoxy and tape do wonders in fixing things although the warbirds then do not look as pretty!!!

11) The Spitfire might be the better plane to go to from the Cub rather than the FW as it is Parkzone's newest warbird and so is better designed. Also the Spitfire is a more stable machine both in real life and model size due to the larger wing area of that beautiful elliptical wing. Even so I had some fun trying to learn to fly it:

http://forum.squadronleader.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6

12) Keep the planes set on low rates to start with (thats Anti Crash Technology/ACT on with the Cub)

13) After flying the Cub for a while either disconnect the ACT sensors for the Cub or keep ACT switched off. It seems that the ACT sensors start to go wrong with prolonged use and can cause the motor to cut out at odd times. Have a look at
http://forum.squadronleader.co.uk/showthread.php?t=47

14) Enjoy it - its good fun

Good Luck!!!!

Malcolm

[cdo6275]

Hi Malcom,

Thanks for the good advice much appreciated, my super cub arrived today so now waiting for good weather conditions to make a start.

Hope all goes well

Thanks again

[nav101]

At last she in doors has relented and got me a spitfire. I have put it together and it looks fantastic. I have done everything it sayes in the book range check c.g. check is there anything else i should do. Any suggestions would be welcome. This is my first proper plane after a super cub have i made the right choice?

[civeeek]

Wow, I thought I was brave as a newb starting with a P51, but an FW!?
I very quickly destroyed 2 P51's. I bought a 3rd P51 and a Spit. What a dream the Spit is to fly! Everytime I touch the P51 now my ar*e puckers! I keep the P51 covered with a sheet so it cant radiate its demonic notions and sucker me in to thinking this thing will ever fly as instructed by my hands!

[Anthony]

It's just launching that is the problem with the P51... once I got mine up in the air it flew like a dream! :)

[JuZ]

I've never had any trouble launching my P51 :confused:

[c9tur]

Get a flight simulator you can fly all day long,crash as often as you like.Before the big day comes when you fly for real.