Thinking about fixed-wings… That bad?

[Epoweredrc]

Originally Posted by sl4ppy

Why not slope glide your heli?
Slope flying a Heli - YouTube

That was crazy, never seen anyone do that.
the Stabilization systems on planes are amazing that is how were able to now fly 20 ounce planes in 20mph winds. My beast i had was a amazing in the wind.

[Dejavu*Xion]

It's all good / entertaining in the hobby. . I pretty much have done it all. . Helis - planks- surface- boats. . But the end result is always the same. . More kicks to be had with heli's.
Gas boats was pretty B-O-R-I-N-G . . .-yawn- That and guys at the city lake were wayyyy uptight.

[red_1030]

Originally Posted by sl4ppy

Why not slope glide your heli?
Slope flying a Heli - YouTube

WOW! wonder if i could slope my goblin! Lol!!

I don't think I would ever chance it...seems like there is only one possible outcome...

[Corvette & Copter Guy]

Lots of good advice posted. I fly a Parkzone Extra 300 (uses 3s 2200 packs) and like it. I also have a Pop Wing (still working on the lights), and a slow stick (on steroids) that will hover. I also loved my Stryker but they are no longer made. I started with "home-made" foamies with the help of

ARMIN WING CONSTRUCTION: start-to-finish process with links to detail videos (19 min 56 sec)

from the Experimental airlines series. Lots of great options out there from foam DIY stuff, PNP, BNF, and RTF. Good luck with your choice.

[FNFAL]

To get up and running quickly with the same battery and radio you have for your 450X, I would get this all-around good flyer:

http://secure.hobbyzone.com/index/pa...f/PKZ4480.html

With perhaps a little first stick-time on something like a micro:

http://secure.hobbyzone.com/ultra_micro/HBZ4900.html

As landing on gear is the most difficult task, there is also something to be said for some kind of belly-lander, which the T-28 can do too when you remove the gear. And when you're ready to move-up, these PZ planes always re-sell. So keep all the packaging for later re-use.

[mkovalcson]

I have a couple 3D Hobby foamies that are very acrobatic, but their main limitation is wind.

The cool thing is that if you have a handful of plastic props and some welders glue you can beat them up pretty hard and be flying again in 25 minutes.

[MS60]

Why not slope glide your heli?

That is awesome!

[3D Dave]

What's a fixed wing?

[bullitt]

you have received a lot of advice here and all I would like to add is dont buy a pop wing for your first plane. I recommend a high or mid winged plane with a semi semetrical airfoil .
have fun!

[Khal]

Originally Posted by sl4ppy

Why not slope glide your heli?

At the risk of derailing the thread...

WHAAAAA..?!!!

That's not using autorotation, is it? Surely it's faked somehow?

If not, that borders on just about the coolest/mind-bending-est thing I've ever seen! Speaking as someone who pretty much learned to fly by slope-soaring as a kid.

[sl4ppy]

Originally Posted by Khal

At the risk of derailing the thread...

WHAAAAA..?!!!

That's not using autorotation, is it? Surely it's faked somehow?

If not, that borders on just about the coolest/mind-bending-est thing I've ever seen! Speaking as someone who pretty much learned to fly by slope-soaring as a kid.

Yep, same thing as autorotation fundamentally. Major difference being that the wind is moving up through the blades instead of the heli moving down through the air. Same net effect though.

Its important to note that you have to REALLY cut any and all excess weight in your heli and it still takes a hell of a wind as the video shows.. Basically just an airframe, servos, receiver and small electronics battery..

But yes, it really does work and is very fun.

Old thread with more info here:
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=90979

[Crowbar]

"Look Ma, no flight pack!"

I did the the Micro T-28 as my first plank (takes the same LiPos as my nano CPX) and it is quite enjoyable actually.

Sailplanes seem to be hardcore and relaxing at the same time. Some guys at my club just stare at the sky for an hour, transmitter in hands, earbuds in. I can totally imagine 2.4Ghz not working too well at that distance.

[Khal]

Originally Posted by sl4ppy

But yes, it really does work and is very fun.

Originally Posted by Crowbar

"Look Ma, no flight pack!"

Amazing

Originally Posted by Crowbar

I did the the Micro T-28 as my first plank (takes the same LiPos as my nano CPX) and it is quite enjoyable actually.

Yeah. I have the micro Parkzone P-51 without AS3X and I find that thing just amazingly easy to fly.

But it is very fragile and a bit tippy for a beginner. And if there's ANY wind..? Forget it. You ain't flyin'.

Much like heli's, as a very broad, general rule of thumb (certainly with beginner airframes), the bigger the plank, the easier it flies.

Originally Posted by Crowbar

Sailplanes seem to be hardcore and relaxing at the same time. Some guys at my club just stare at the sky for an hour, transmitter in hands, earbuds in.

Oh yeah, that's my style, for sure!

Mind you, I effectively learned on a beginner 2-channel sailplane/glider (a good ol' fashioned built-up Aeroflyte Aries... yep, finished in the colours on the box and it had the power-pod with a Cox oh-four-nine) and it was just about the easiest thing in the world to fly. I had it up so long one day the receiver batteries went flat! Must've been a good couple of hours...


I recommend sailplane/glider to anyone. There's something magical about flying unpowered

[Hekicopter]

Want to try something inexpensive that's a blast to fly? You can crank up the throws and really throw it around or turn down the throws and it flys like trainer. It uses a 3S 2200 and all you need to add is a receiver. I use an HK Orange receiver and an Eagle Tree Guardian on mine and it's lots of fun. I even mounted HZ Super Cub floats on it and now it's my float plane.

http://www.nitroplanes.com/02a-004-swift-epp-arf.html

The servos can be a little weak but other than that it's fine.

[williey78]

I started in helis and have taken an interest in fixed wings over the past year. I will say that you have to be more of a "craftsman" to maintain a fleet of planks. What I mean by that is that our helis are more of a modular construction whereas if you break a tail boom or landing gear you can order the replacement part and bolt it on. With planes, you have to be able to re-construct landing gear supports or any other structural blemishes that may occur if you have any incidents-especially if you get into larger stick built or composite planes. Also, if you get into giant scale planes the cost can be a LOT more than helicopters. Some of the guys that I fly with have upwards of $7,000 to $10,000 in some of their IMAC competition planes. You also run into where to store them and how to transport them as they do take up a lot of room. I have really enjoyed learning to fly planes and fly both regularly. I recently got a 60cc gas Composite ARF Extra 330 that I LOVE. I say go for it!

[Dustin Mustangs]

Originally Posted by sutty

I'm almost exactly the opposite too, just like Khal. Some 35 or more years in, but the first 30 years were on and off with nitro planks, generally 40 and 60 sized. Some 6 or so years back I got my first heli, a Belt-CP, with my intended goal of being able to fly it like I fly my planks. Basic aerobatic flight really. On completion of this goal, relatively quickly, I decided I would learn to do more, and started to learn 3D, which seems to be a never ending challenge, but I think I'm coming along fairly nicely now. Whilst I've been doing this planks have barely crossed my mind, as if I want to fly plank like, I can make my heli do that, and indeed my 3D routine also includes sections of big air, and normal circuits, figure 8s, with loops and rolls thrown in, etc, which look a lot like plank flight to me.

I did get a wing that took my 3S 2200 packs, for some zooming around, and I then got a P51, that takes 3S 1300, for a little relaxing flight, but now they barely see the light of day, even though both are airworthy.

Sure you can do both, and if you sim first you will get the feel of a plank really quickly, coming from where you are at with your helis, and you may well enjoy both, but if you're anything like me you may well really only have any interest in helis, such is the challenge by comparison.

Rather than waste money finding out, I suggest learning on the sim, and then asking if you can buddy box with an instructor at your club, on one of the trainers that will likely be available, and see if it is likely to keep your attention.

Just giving you my perspective, as even after 30 years of flying planes, they barely register on my radar now, and perhaps you may be the same.

Which P51 is that?

[TowPilot]

Originally Posted by 3D Dave

What's a fixed wing?

A helicopter someone spilled CA on when building.

A helicopter victimized by rigor mortis.

The rotor wings are thus, "fixed".

What these guys are talking about are likely leftovers from a home remodeling project to fool the significant other.

[helitack32f1]

I will eventually purchase and proceed to crash a seized-wing aircraft but I figure I will wait until I have become proficient with rotary wing aircraft. My brother and I both kinda hit the RC heli thing originally with the E-flite MSR. Both of us eventually lost interest and moved into other things. Then, about 6 months or so ago, bro got into seized-wing aircraft. I was on the road and making some money so I bought a Blade 450 3D. And then a BL, and MSRX and Blade 500.

So, while I am fixing yet another heli, after crashing during another 4:30 min flight, my brother is regaling me with yet another story of how he just did another relaxing flight with his HH Radian, where it stayed up so long on one battery he finally had to land due to neck fatigue!

So, yeah, seized-wing is in my future, probably a Radian. It would be nice for relaxing after another frightening heli flight!

[ryguy76]

Originally Posted by helitack32f1

I will eventually purchase and proceed to crash a seized-wing aircraft but I figure I will wait until I have become proficient with rotary wing aircraft. My brother and I both kinda hit the RC heli thing originally with the E-flite MSR. Both of us eventually lost interest and moved into other things. Then, about 6 months or so ago, bro got into seized-wing aircraft. I was on the road and making some money so I bought a Blade 450 3D. And then a BL, and MSRX and Blade 500.

So, while I am fixing yet another heli, after crashing during another 4:30 min flight, my brother is regaling me with yet another story of how he just did another relaxing flight with his HH Radian, where it stayed up so long on one battery he finally had to land due to neck fatigue!

So, yeah, seized-wing is in my future, probably a Radian. It would be nice for relaxing after another frightening heli flight!

I think that's the biggest draw to me. A nice relaxing flight after heli chaos. I bought a Parkzone ArtiZan today. We'll see how I make out with it.

[helitack32f1]

Originally Posted by ryguy76

I think that's the biggest draw to me. A nice relaxing flight after heli chaos. I bought a Parkzone ArtiZan today. We'll see how I make out with it.

Awesome! I have been eyeing that one occasionally. Should be a lots of fun!