Guidelines for people who are new to the hobby

This section is aimed at people who are completely new to RC aircraft flying, and wish to get off to a good beginning.

1. What aircraft should I buy?

This is an important question, as there are specific types of aircraft that are more suited for learning to fly.

There is a temptation to buy an exciting aircraft that looks the part. Many people are tempted to go for the classical types. For example, Spitfires are very popular.

DON'T BE TEMPTED. Why? These aircraft are very difficult to fly, even for experienced pilots. They are definitely not suitable for novices.

KMMFC, like the BMFA and other model clubs, recommend that your very first purchase should be a training aircraft (known generally as a 'trainer').

This aircraft is very easy to recognise, as the standard design is very similar across manufacturers. The wing is mounted on top of the fuselage. The tips of the wing are slightly angled upwards forming a 'V' shape (dihedral). This gives the aircraft a level of stability, allowing it to be recovered from problematic flying situations.

Anatomy of a trainer aircraft

Trainer aircraft are available in kit form known as ARTF (almost ready to fly). However, this term can be a bit misleading, as any aircraft kit does not come in a 'almost ready to fly' form, the term ARTF generally refers to the airframe (wings and fuselage) being pre-built. Assembling a trainer will take an experienced person several hours; for a complete novice, this may run into many days.

Parts supplied in a trainer kit are (generally):

Airframe and Undercarriage (landing gear)

Fuel tank

Control surface linkages (engine throttle, aileron, elevator and rudder)

You will need to purchase and fit additional components to complete the model.

Engine (.40 type) and mount

Silicone Fuel tube

Propeller

Spinner

(Four-Channel) Radio Control System

To build a trainer you will need some basic technical skills and access to hand tools. If you are a keen DIY enthusiast, then you may have these tools.

Epoxy and cyano glue

Screwdrivers

Small spanner or socket set

Pliers and wire cutters

Electric Drill and bits

Modeling knife (scalpel)

Junior hacksaw

Access to a supply of small screws, nuts and bolts

To operate the aircraft, you will need some 'flight kit'. To operate the engine, you will need:

Fuel ('Castor Straight' is OK - contains 80% Methanol and 20% castor oil)

Fuel pump (hand operated or electric*)

Glow starter (2 volt battery that attaches to the engine glow plug) *

'Flick Stick' or electric starter motor to start the engine

(*Electric pump, starter and glow can be bought as a combined item known as a 'power panel' )

Note that a 12V sealed lead acid battery will be required to power the panel and electric starter motor.

To keep your flight kit together, many people use a 'flight box'. This also helps to remove the possibility of forgetting something when you travel to the flying field. There is nothing more frustrating when you realise that you have left an important piece of kit at home - keep it together in a flight box!

If this is your first aircraft, then we would recommend that you buy a new trainer airframe rather than second-hand one. This reduces the chance of unnoticed damage that maybe hidden in the airframe due to past rough handling or crashes.

The rest of the kit can be bought second-hand, although we recommend that rechargeable batteries should be replaced with new ones. This is especially important in the radio control system.

Good inclusive deals can be achieved at your local modelshop when buying a complete setup. Alternatively, look on Ebay for opportunities. Remember, when buying a second-hand model you may be buying someone elses problems. Always ask for advice from more experienced modelers.

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