Learn to Fly
The Weatherford Aero Modeling Society likes to help beginners. Because of that we have designated flight instructors which are eager and willing to properly train you for a great experience in this hobby. There are no charges for such training.
The chances of a person buying equipment and going out to successfully fly with without help is slim even if you know how to fly "real" airplanes. So admit from the start you are going to need some instructions. Instruction can help you start with good flying and safety habits which well make the sport more fun.
Flight Training Course Requirements
For more information on flight instruction contact [email protected]
Most people want to know the cost. Buy the time you get in the air and in the hobby a month you will spend about $500 on everything if you buy all new equipment. If you buy someone's used equipment (sometimes ok to do) you can get going for about $250. If you buy used ask a knowledgeable person if it is suitable for your needs. If the deal can't wait tell you ask someone, pass on the used equipment.
Plane and radio selection. Good idea to ask around where your are planning to fly or get instruction. The cheapest or sturdiest looking is not necessary the way to go. Experience here will mean a lot to your enjoyment and success. A P-51 kit might be great to have but it's not a starter plane in construction or flying. It could be done but you would miss an important part of the learning process.
Different terms used in the hobby. All activities have their buzz words and the model airplanes group is no exception. The first ones you will come across are terms for airplane kits and radios.
Here are some of the acronyms and what they mean.
ARF = Almost Ready to Fly. A kit that has most of the construction and covering completed. A couple of evenings and the plane is ready to fly.
ARC = Almost Ready to Cover. A kit not finished as much as a ARF. The construction is mostly done but the plane still needs to be covered with some material.
ABC = and several other letters refer to a type of engine cylinder constructions. Not that important. A better rule of thumb when buying engines is you get what you pay for.
6 Channel = This refers to radios and the number of items a radio can control at one time. The more channels the more you pay. There are AM & FM radios. Unless you have a Ham radio license you will want a FM radio.
Servos = A electronic device that translates radio control inputs in to mechanical movement. These are the devices that move the tail and make the plane go up and down. Most powered planes need at least 3 servos but 4 is more common.
PCM = This refers to the signal the radio transmits. It's hard to explain without a picture of an oscilloscope but if you can afford it get it. Think of it as a more encoded signal that is less likely to have radio interference.
10% Nitro. = The fuel that glow engines run on is a mixture of many material. One of the materials used is Nitromethan. This product does many things but mostly provides extra power. The "nitro" content is not as important is the oils in the fuel for sport flying. Ask around for opinions, availability and cost.
Glow Driver = On most R/C sport engines there is a glow plug (spark plug). This battery operated device is used to start the engine. Once the engine is started it uses heat to keep the engine going. Different models available but you need one. Not cool to bum a glow driver all the time.
There is so much more to tell and you can learn on the web by checking out some of the organizations and companies that we have listed on our Related Links Page.