Beginners          

This page is intended as a guide for the newcomer to this wondrous hobby and not an instructions set.

It is set in 5 parts and you can browse using the menu.

 

Part 1	Part 2	Part 3	Part 4	Part 5
Basics	Beginners Overview	Flight Controls Part 1	Flight Controls Part 2	Transmitter Modes

Have fun and above all be S.M.A.R.T - BMFA style.

S.	Switch On
M.	Meter in the green
A.	Aerial secure and extended
R.	Rate switches all in correct positions
T.	Trims all in correct positions

 

Basics

Choosing a Club.

As a beginner to the Hobby, visit your local model shop or use the Web site of your regional association. 
In the UK it is generally the BMFA, Scotland the SAA, and in the USA its the AMA. 
Find out your nearest model clubs and pay them a visit. All clubs are different, offering varying abilities in their training, flying skills and social calendars. You need to be sure that the club is right for you. Some clubs have limits on membership numbers, so check to see if this would be a problem for you. Also, watch the flight line to see how well controlled it is and more importantly how long people have to wait to get a flight. I know of clubs where competent flyers may be lucky to get 2 flights in a whole afternoon, imagine this compounded by the fact that the person training you will also want flying time. These are rare issues but they can happen.

Choosing A Model.

This can make the difference between you staying with the Hobby or not. Right now, you've probably scanned the pages of a model mag, been to a show or a local club and fallen deeply in love with a Spitfire, Fokker Triplane, F-15 or similar. FORGET IT..... Don't even think about one of these YET. For a newcomer these models are virtually impossible to control, a good analogy is... if you can sleep standing up in a hammock then you may have a chance.
Before you lay out that hard earned cash talk to the sales assistant at the model shop and the club members and see what they recommend. 


Some suitable models could be:- 

    Irvine Tutor 40: A superb first trainer. An ARTF that's fast getting a good reputation.

    Arising Star: A fine ARTF trainer by Phoenix Models
    Ripmax Trainer: A good .40 size ARTF trainer

    Thunder Tiger Trainer: Another good .40 size ARTF trainer

    Uno-Wot: (Chris Foss) A full kit that needs to be built, good for learning aerobatics as you progress on.

    Flair Cub: A full kit and needs building, but excellent for those wanting something a little more scale.
 

All the above planes retail for around  £70 - £80

Second Hand models are also an option but I would recommend the advice of a current flyer who can cast an eye over the
model and check for any damage or repairs, fuel soaked wood, etc. 
 

Models may be of different control functions. These are:- 
    3 channel - you have control over elevator, rudder, and throttle .....or 
    4 channel - you have control over elevator, aileron, rudder and throttle. 

We recommend you get a 4 channel trainer to start with, you will be limited with 3 channel and will need to "re-learn" 4 channel later.
You needn't consider additional channels just yet. Save them for later, you'll have enough to do in the early days.

Choosing Radio Gear

Again personal preference rules here though there are two different modes available. 
Basically, 
    Mode 1 has the throttle on the right hand stick 
    Mode 2 has the throttle on the left hand stick 

Most model flyers seem to prefer to fly Mode 2, Mode 2 is just about the norm these days. Find out from your club which mode they fly, as this will affect their ability to train you. Not many people can cross train Mode 1 to 2 or vice versa. Also check if their are any frequency restrictions. Some clubs operate on an evens or odds only policy. The WMFC only fly even channel numbers.

The frequency band for model flying is 35 MHz and has channel numbers ranging from 55 to 90 in single number steps, so you should be able to get a suitable channel. 
If you can, see if the club has any spare or low usage slots. This will enable you to choose a frequency that may get you
more flying time. You can't even switch on your transmitter if someone else is already using your frequency. 
There are many manufacturers. In the UK, the main available sets are Futaba, Sanwa, JR, Hitec and Multiplex. 
All are good quality and should give you many years of valuable service. I would recommend that you either visit the model shop or ask one of the club flyers if you can hold the transmitter. Each is different and comfort is important if you are going to stand around for 20 minutes or so holding the tranny in your mits. 
Check any switches / knobs etc. do not interfere with your grip.  Where possible i.e. if funds can go this far, purchase a 6 channel set, it will give your "gear" much greater longevity providing support for flaps and/or retracting undercarriage, also most 6 channel sets provide "dual rates" for training and "End Point Adjustment" for setting up your servos. 
Finally, DO NOT accept dry cell powered Transmitters or non soldered ni-cad packs. Get a rechargeable battery pack for the transmitter, they are generally far safer and cheaper in the long term. For the receiver get a soldered pack. If the set includes a plastic holder for the receiver batteries, place it in the bin and buy a proper soldered pack. There has been more crashes due to radio failure because of these packs, they just aren't worth it. If buying second-hand either get the batteries checked out or chucked out as it isn't worth the risk for the sake of the cost of a new pack of rechargeable batteries, they cost a lot less than a new model.

Building Advice

Take your time. 
Read the instructions or RTFM (Read The Flipping Manual) as they say, then read them again. Rush it, make a mistake and you could well end up taking home a bag of bits. If you have any problems SEEK ADVICE. Use the recommended glues, if your not sure, get some scraps of the bits to be glued and test them first. 
Cyano (Superglue), polyester resins and glues like Evo-Stik can attack / eat some plastics & foams. 
Before you glue, dry assemble the parts to check that they will really go together. Better to find out now than when the glue is on the wood.....  If your already a confident builder and/or good with your hands, then I would agree with cyano for general jobs. If your not, then use some of the other glues such as PVA, Wood Glues (Waterproof), epoxies and general purpose modelling glues. Do NOT use the Heat Gun Glues. They generally don't have enough strength to be of use. 
These take time to dry and don't "grab" reducing the potential to end up with badly aligned components.

Installing Radio gear 
When installing radio gear, you should do a few important things 
    1) Wrap the receiver in foam to stop engine, airframe and flight shocks being transferred to the sensitive electronics. 
    2) Install the receiver behind the battery. This minimises impact damage due to the battery moving forward and hitting the receiver during heavy landings or impromptu arrivals. 
    3) Fit the small brass bushes into the servo rubber grommets. These help stop you tightening the screws too much 
    4) Use screws that are long enough for the job and don't drill the pilot holes in the wood too big so the screws are not tight.
    5) Use screws not glue or tape to hold servos in place 
    6) Protect the aerial with a small length of silicon fuel tube where it exits the fuselage. 
    7) Install the switch in such a position that it doesn't get swabbed in the exhaust gunk and cannot be switched on / off accidentally whilst carrying the model. 
    8) Check that the servos are not stalling whist in use and have full travel without obstruction from other nearby items. A stalled servo - a throttle servo stalled near to full travel for instance, can flatten a fully charged receiver pack in minutes.

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