Learning to fly an RC plane used to be very expensive. Today we have computer simulators that can teach you how to fly without having you crash your real plane over and over before you learn how to fly it. Before computers the crash and learn method was the only way to do this. Being taught the methods was one thing but actually flying the plane was another. The simulators we have today are excellent, even the cheaper ones do a good job of teaching you how to fly the plane. It may seem a daunting prospect, learning how to fly a RC plane for the first time, it really isn’t! There are loads of cheap, durable RC planes made for the beginner. Flying planes is an interesting, fun and lifelong hobby.
This Level begins you journey in the world of RC flight. The multiple levels in this topic will walk you through everything you need to know about RC planes, including: what to do before you buy a plane, what’s the best plane to start with, what planes to advance to and an expanding glossary full of RC words.
How Do I Begin?
RC Simulators
Before you even buy a radio controlled plane you should invest in a RC simulator. A good video for the beginner is this clip on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_M505kzJBs
Simulators allow you to practice on your computer before flying for real. This has many benefits: *Crashing won’t cost you money! *You learn the controls of the transmitter *You can learn how to fly from a different orientation (eg. When flying towards yourself the controls become reversed) Using RC simulators is simple. Simply install the software provided and plug in the transmitter (included) into a spare USB port and get flying! Simulators can cost from as low as $20 Read the descriptions below to find a suitable RC simulator for you FMS USB Simulator Cable For 4CH-6CH PPM Transmitter – Esky One of the cheapest sims on the market. Comes with a transmitter. Extra aircraft can be downloaded. Great for just getting the basics of RC flight, for both RC planes and helicopters. For around $40 you can get this simulator.
Great Planes Realflight G5 Flight Simulator Mode 2
Quite an expensive simulator. Comes complete with a transmitter. Amazing graphics and unrivaled physics. Best buy for someone who’s going to invest lots of time and money into this hobby. The cost of this simulator is about $200.
On the simulator you need to master:
Take offs
Landings
Right turns
Left Turns
Figure 8’s
Flying away from you
Flying at you
All flight must be smooth. After you have mastered all this on the simulator you will be ready to move on to the next level in the Aviation program. In order to actually fly an RC plane, you may have to join a club or locate a space where you can legally fly the plane. Many municipalities have restrictions on flying RC planes and helicopters so you must check first before you fly. Joining a club is not a bad idea as they usually have many experts that can help you learn to fly. The clubs exist to build interest in flying and to support new people to the world of RC flight.