Simple question: how many of you guys....

[raisinjack]

started with planks years ago and even competed in a few pattern contests with my EU1A, I liked that airplane! Back in the late 80's gave helis a go, bought a Concept 30 to learn on and then got a MA 60 and 30 but never got beyond hovering tail in.

Gave all that up for many many years and 2 years ago got back into E helis and really like the challenge. I have no desire to get a plank though.

[tomd27858]

Flew planks for twenty years before starting in helis. Both are a lot of fun. I find both relaxing but the world of helis always provides a new challenge.

[LubeMan1]

Originally Posted by RedOctobyr

That's funny To be clear, I have no delusions of grandeur, etc etc. And a bunch of sim time would of course be required first, at a minimum.

But I *do* wonder how much having heli experience would help for trying to fly a plane. Some new guys were learning to fly planes at the club this year, which is awesome. But I wonder, with a heli background, if I'd be in better shape, no different, or perhaps worse off ("bad" habits, like wanting to go up, so raising the collective), vs newcomers.

I think you would have the edge on the newbies, because the basics of flying planes is the same as flying heli's in "normal mode" ie: throttle up goes faster and down goes slower plus you would have the advantage of knowing how to use the rudder in turns better than the new guys as most instructors(I think) really don't mess with rudder control when training, it's just throttle aileron and elevator

[Montfly]

I started off with helis then got a couple planes. I LOVE THEM. Flying planes was greatly helpful in learnding nose in. I still fly both and like both. To say one is better than the other is ignorant, just personal choices. I like the 15 min. flights i get with the sky surfer just gliding around.

[artski]

I started with Heli's but now fly both. Just recently got a large balsa warbird. It flys different than the smaller foamy ones and is more of a challenge to land. Flying formation with others is a challenge different from anything I can do with a heli.

I also have a large glider that I take out to the farm and slope soar with. Again its a totally different challenge to keep it in the air. You need to gain altitude to have some energy for acrobatics.

[ronm3313]

My early flying was at heli only fields. I started flying at a mixed field and ended up trying a plank which was fun. I bought a 3D foamie which I fly on occasion. Maybe 1 flight for every 20 heli flights!

[ronj]

I started RC about 2 years ago with helis. I am working towards my heli wings but when running the sim last year I tried some planks. I found planks far more relaxing.

I own a few planks that I fly off season when I can. Once I get my wings on the heli I'll get serious about the planes. I suspect it will be faster to get my plane wings.

Planes are so much less expensive to buy, fly, crash, fix, fly..... That is foamies anyway.