Anyone start with helis and then fly an airplane?

[tptompkins]

I've been around RC airplanes my entire life. My dad used to fly all the time when I was a kid and I would go watch him. He handed the controls over to me several times about 20-25 years ago but I've never taken off and landed by myself. He bought me a plane for Christmas this year (the Electrifly Cirrus SR22 Turbo) and I almost have it ready to fly.

I'm pretty comfortable flying helicopters around but I'm not sure if I should try flying this thing or if I should try flying a trainer first. It's such a beautiful airplane I'd hate to crash it on my first try. I'd rather hang it in my garage for some garage art! LOL!

I certainly understand the basics of airplane flight in theory. I've tried flying planes in the Phoenix sim and I can take off and land in there but I'm not sure how realistic that is. They don't have the SR22 in Phoenix but from the youtube videos and what I find others saying online it's supposedly a pretty fast airplane and said not to be for a beginner. So what do you all think? If you were me would you just give it a go or would you try something slower first?

I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts

Tommy

[tptompkins]

Here's a link for more info on the plane:

http://www.electrifly.com/largeelectrics/gpma1166.html

Tommy

[Cranky]

I'm a kickass airplane pilot.

As long as I don't have to land.

[superjoe83]

I started with helis, so when i first flew a plane (4ch sport/aerobatic) was a non event except for the landing, i took me a few passes to get it lined up and the speed correct for the approach, but in the air they fly really easy

[atunguyd]

just remember:

bring the plane to a stop AFTER landing, not before!

[MMM.PWR]

I had a lil Champ. Posted a thread on it a while back...

I do plan on picking up another plane to mess with later on. More than likely a Horizon BNF.

[AnTi Taco]

if you can fly a heli planes are cake i just find them to easy and boring though

[nightflyr]

Decided to try the new generation of fixed wing last year after 30+ years....

You'll have a blast

[Rotormaster.]

Originally Posted by atunguyd

just remember:

bring the plane to a stop AFTER landing, not before!

[willlig756]

I've been trying to fly helis for a couple years. I'm just getting into the planes. I've got a couple and really enjoy flying them around. I will say that the planes are really easy compared to the heli. I solo'd my first time by myself without a hiccup but learning to land was a another challenge.

[SQRT(-2)]

As soon as me, my mentor, and the wind get our schedules worked out, I will be learning how to fly a plane too.

To quote something said a lot here: Sim time

And a mentor is nice too, someone who flies planes and helis, so your first time out you can pass him the sticks to bring her down the first couple of times.

I myself got a trainer to learn planes on, some said I will be board quickly of it, but I thought if that happens I can easily sell it to someone else wanting to learn. So that is an option, but you have a brand name plane, and you can get parts for her.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...=GPMA1166&P=OW

So if you do crash, you can fix her up good as new.

Trainer or not, mentor or not, have fun. Planes are different than helis, but skills will transfer I am told.

But on the simulator, I have found that not being to whip her around quickly into tail in when you get in trouble and hover there until you decide what to do next is a little disconcerting. How the plane moves forces you to deal with her orientation more and keep thinking what you are going to do next. You can't just hover there and regroup.

[Blade~400~er]

Originally Posted by tptompkins

I've been around RC airplanes my entire life. My dad used to fly all the time when I was a kid and I would go watch him. He handed the controls over to me several times about 20-25 years ago but I've never taken off and landed by myself. He bought me a plane for Christmas this year (the Electrifly Cirrus SR22 Turbo) and I almost have it ready to fly.

I'm pretty comfortable flying helicopters around but I'm not sure if I should try flying this thing or if I should try flying a trainer first. It's such a beautiful airplane I'd hate to crash it on my first try. I'd rather hang it in my garage for some garage art! LOL!

I certainly understand the basics of airplane flight in theory. I've tried flying planes in the Phoenix sim and I can take off and land in there but I'm not sure how realistic that is. They don't have the SR22 in Phoenix but from the youtube videos and what I find others saying online it's supposedly a pretty fast airplane and said not to be for a beginner. So what do you all think? If you were me would you just give it a go or would you try something slower first?

I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts


Tommy

youll have no issue at all, if you can land it in one peice on the sim dont worry that really the hardest part of flying a plank is landing. just make sure the COG is correct, its ok for it to be nose heavy but tail havy planes dont fly for long. I started with two helis...now i have 4 helis and 20 something planks..LOL...

i have the exact same plane but made by a diff company. didnt know the real thing cost over half a million though that crazy...now if i could just find a way to rig thier "caps" system to my model i wouldnt have to worry about anything..LOL

[zap357]

Buddy boxing is also a good option with planes to get some low risk experience. You can tame them down with some dual rates as well. You might be better off trying something like a super cub first.

[tptompkins]

i have the exact same plane but made by a diff company. didnt know the real thing cost over half a million though that crazy...now if i could just find a way to rig thier "caps" system to my model i wouldnt have to worry about anything..LOL

Man...wouldn't that be sweet to have that "caps" system on an rc plane! I actually did a photo shoot with this same exact plane (the real thing) and I remember the owner saying that he paid $550,000 for it. Now that I think of it, I've done two different photo shoots with an SR22.

Buddy boxing is also a good option with planes to get some low risk experience.

I've never buddy boxed before. What exactly is involved? Do I have to buy a special cable? I have a DX6i and a DX8.

Tommy

[Slyster]

We have one of those planes at our field.. very nice flyer too.

I started off with helis only (I don't count control line planes from 30 years ago) and when I got my Trojan it was so easy. You will be perfectly fine.. take offs and landings too.. assuming your good with the heli orientations as it flies sideview.. as in landing a plane from both directions.

[TowPilot]

There are a couple plane forums here, this one and the Foamies and Park Fliers.

My first plane was a Vapor. Pete's kids loved chasing the Vapor around the gym.

Next, Paul set us up with the attack version of the Yak-54.

Pete took off and 3 secs after launch, while climbing out Pete flew right in front of me while I was making a Mach 2.5 low pass. The collision was brutal. At first there was only red smoke....





The AFRCC AFRCC picked up the ELT beacon, dispatched this guy to locate the beacon and possible crash scene.





Lesson learned, never fly near Pete

But all in all, the Vapor is great indoor fun. The kids can fly it or anyone interested in RC, can be a hit right away. It can be maneuvered in tight places after some experience flying it.

The foamies "were" much faster and worked great in 5 or less winds outdoors. If they had lasted longer and I had learned to fly it, this could have been a great gym flyer as well.

There is a local pilot or two who make them dance in a gym. Great fun to watch.

I think flying the plane helped me with flying the heli. Especially the crash part. But seriously, it did help me get used to flying towards me early on.

Cheers,
Mike

Moved Thread
From:.....Main Forum - Helicopter Talk
To:.........R/C Airplanes Discussion

Left 1 week redirect from the Main Forum - Helicopter Talk

[xspare]

Reminds me of some recent indoor carnage with SEP (someone else's planes). You can see the Yak's canopy getting sliced in half by the bipe's prop.

[Slyster]

Mike.. you were like a predator drone. You took off and were on me in like 10 seconds. I still wonder if you were using an FPV system. That was a fun day.

[TowPilot]

Originally Posted by Slyster

Mike.. you were like a predator drone. You took off and were on me in like 10 seconds. I still wonder if you were using an FPV system. That was a fun day.

It sure was.

Looking forward to trying the Trojan when I get back

For the record, the accident was my fault, Pete was just climbing out and then Whap!

Mike

[lazor 22]

I started with planks in 2003 on a Hitech Sky Scooter Pro 2. Then Got a Hobby Zone Aerobird Challenger. Then a Wattage Rookie and Micro flyer (gotta love them, pioneers of UM planes). Also got a PZ original Vapor when they came out a few years ago. And have owned a PZ UM P-51 and Extra 300.

I currently own 3 planks, PZ Night Vapor, UMX Extra 300, and 3DHS 47" Extra 300 SHP.