Beginners Part 2
Overview for Beginners
| This hobby can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make it. As with everything else, you have to balance quality and effort with cost. I have put this page together to try and give first-time buyers some initial guidance on what is suitable for a beginner, and what aspects of the hobby are on offer. |
| Basically, there
are three types of model you can buy:
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A basic kit. Here you get a plan and the wood, and usually a kit of fittings ie. engine mount, tank, hinges and control horns etc. You have to supply the glue, covering and sometimes the wheels (some kits do include these). You build it yourself and get to know it, but it adds quite a bit of time before you actually get to do some flying.
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An A.R.T.F. model. This is an Almost Ready To Fly kit, where all you (normally) have to do is join the wings and fit the tail to the body, and install the engine, receiver, servos, and the links to the control surfaces. These cost a bit more but all the hard work is done for you, and you get to go flying much sooner. The down side is that the individual components might not be the ones you would pick if you were buying them separately, and you do not know how well the model has been built, also some of the covering is of the sticky back type which will not re-shrink once slack and the fuel will soften the adhesive..... But "you pays your money" as they say.
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2nd hand. The more complete it is, the more you pay. It might be complete and ready to fly, but you do not know what is lurking below the covering. Take someone with you who knows what they are talking about. Inspect the airframe for any signs of damage or stress, if the model has been repaired ask the seller what has been done and why, a bad repair can look quite good under covering. Check the engine installation, if it has one, that it is sound, also check the surrounding area, if the wood is damp, it is "fuel-soaked" so walk away and buy something else. |
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Equipment There are some basic items you will need, irrespective of the type of flying you intend doing. These are: |
| Insurance | £23 | e.g. BMFA |
| Club Membership | £22 | e.g. Waveney Model Flying Club |
| *Transmitter | £50 | e.g. Futaba Skysport 6A |
| *Transmitter battery pack | £20 | |
| *Receiver | £35 | e.g. Futaba R116F 6 channel |
| *Receiver battery pack | £12 | |
| *Servos | £10 each ( x4 = £40) | |
| *Battery Charger | £15 approx | |
| * or as a complete set | £120 approx | See Inwoods Models, SMC, etc |
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What's on offer - Powered Flight This is what most people think of
when someone mentions radio controlled models. Noise, smell, technically
challenging - GREAT. |
| 4channel trainer aircraft | £75 | i.e. Thunder Tiger Trainer (ARTF) |
| .40 size engine | £60 | i.e. Irvine.40 |
| Propeller (get a couple to start with) | £2 - £3 each | APC props recommended for 2 stroke engines |
| Fuel | £12 per gallon (varies with type) | Look to see what your engine manufacturer recommends for oil content etc. |
| Fuel tubing (Get 2 metres) | £3 | |
| Fuel pump | £10 | |
| 12v battery | £20 | |
| Glow plugs | £3 each | |
| Plug Spanner | £3 | |
| Starter motor | £25 | Not 100% necessary when you are starting out as the other pilots will probably help you. |
| And a box to put it all in. | £20 | Some use a plastic tool box some a purpose built "flight" box |
