| The hobby of Radio Control Airplane flying is one | | | | more in your favor toward stabilizing the craft. |
| which is constantly seeing excited beginners. When the | | | | With the advances in micro-sized electronics within the |
| beginner experiences a good beginning, then he/she is | | | | last ten years, it is highly recommended that the |
| hooked for life. So, here's a beginner's guide to | | | | beginner stick with electric powered planes rather than |
| hopefully improve your first experience and cause you | | | | nitro-fuel powered because of the simplicity of |
| to get hooked by this hobby, just like thousands of RC | | | | preparation and of actual flight. Then launching can be |
| hobby enthusiasts before you! | | | | done by hand, and landing can be done on soft grass. |
| First, you will want to take your time and pick the best | | | | Concerning landing the plane, if your model comes with |
| and most cost effective model RC airplane. When I | | | | landing gear, you will want to remove it, because the |
| say "the best", I'm really talking about what's best for | | | | landing gear will jam in the grass and flip your plane |
| you. Generally, you want an RC airplane that you can | | | | over and risk damage, whereas landing without wheels |
| control, as a beginner, well enough to learn how to turn | | | | on grass will allow your craft to slide to a smoother |
| right when you are thinking "turn right" and to turn left | | | | stop. |
| when you are thinking "turn left". This is the challenge | | | | Finally, once you get your RC airplane, put it together |
| when the RC airplane is actually coming toward you. | | | | and charge the batteries, try to find an RC club nearby. |
| Your brain has a tendency to react as if you are | | | | Simply walk up to someone and ask for help with your |
| looking in a mirror, but this is the opposite case when | | | | first flight. They are extremely friendly and very eager |
| you are flying your model. You actually want the | | | | to help the new-comer get started. An experienced |
| model to react as if you were sitting in the cockpit | | | | flyer can drastically reduce the length of your learning |
| yourself. So, to start with, you will want to buy a slow, | | | | curve and thereby decrease the number of your |
| and very stable RC model. | | | | crashes. However, if you can't find someone with |
| Your slow flying, yet stable airplane should very likely | | | | experience, then head on over to your nearby open |
| need to be either a park flyer or a glider. The park | | | | field and give it a whirl yourself, but be sure to take |
| flyer should come with the propeller located behind the | | | | your plane to an altitude equal to "2 mistakes high" to |
| cockpit to push the RC airplane like the Megatech | | | | give yourself room to recover if your plane starts |
| Cosmic Flyer 2-channel model. As a beginner, you will | | | | dropping fast after a maneuver. |
| crash often, and the propeller would be the first to | | | | If you find that you are too nervous to fly, then the |
| break if it were on the front. The exception to the | | | | other alternative toward getting flight training is to |
| push prop plane is one with a propeller that folds back. | | | | invest in an RC flight simulator for your home |
| Some powered gliders come with a folding propeller | | | | computer. Prices for simulators range from $50 to |
| on the front like the Megatech Prowler Electric | | | | $200 and can also save you lots of money in the long |
| 4-Channel Glider. Then for stability, a V-shape main | | | | run because the practice you gain on the simulator can |
| wing profile is a must. That is, the wing tips are higher | | | | greatly reduce the number of crashes you will |
| than the wing roots. This profile allows gravity to work | | | | experience when flying the real thing. |