R/C - thinking about getting back into it.

Henry Ford III

First post here so be gentle please

I was an active member of a club years ago (10+) and still have an old Hi-Boy trainer and all the gear. With a tidy up and new batteries it'll should all work fine I hope. I can (or at least could) fly the model adequately and safely.

I've been thinking about starting the hobby again, but maybe on my own away from a club due to a slightly remote location. I've a few questions:

1/. Insurance. What's needed? Is MACI membership a requirement?
2/. License. Is a radio license needed?
3/. Modern planes. Are electric powered foam planes suitable for windy Ireland? What about 2.4GHhz radios?

Any help or suggestions would be welcome.

Kashkai

Hi

I have 5 foam electric planes and use a Spektrum DX6i radio on 2.4ghz. I buy my planes from Squadron Leader in the UK, reasonably priced and excellent customer service. I've got the:
Parkzone Radian
Parkzone T28 Trojan
Parkzone Me109G
Parkzone T28 Ultra Micro Trojan
Hobbyzone Supercub.

These planes are relatively cheap to buy and fairly easy to fix if you have a crash. For cheap batteries, motors etc, try Hobbyking in China where batteries are about a quarter of the price you'll pay anywhere else.

As for clubs, I'm not a member of any club as the 2 I visited were very elitist and snobby. I don't have insurance but its something that I will get shortly even though I fly in remote locations away from people, houses etc.

r011ingthunder

As far as I know, MACI are the only ones who provide the required insurance. They only provide insurance for people who are members of a recognised club, and that club must have acceptable facilities and be in an acceptable location. Therefore, that may prevent you from getting insurance as an individual, however, there may be insurance available elsewhere that would suffice.

syl77

It is possible to become a member of MACI and not be part of a club, it is also possible to be covered under the MACI insurance cover while not being part of a club, but you must provide an adequate reason (such as living to far away from nearest club) as to why you are not in a club. If MACI grant you insurance then it is up to you to fly in areas that meet the MACI flying site requirements, failure to do so and you might as well be flying with out insurance.
You can also obtain insurance directly from a broker or insurance company, i'v heard of it been done.

Whizzzz

Definitely try and join a local club and MACI membership and insurance, or just MACI membership without a club affiliation (although, as the last poster says, MACI won't provide associate membership without club membership unless you have a good reason from this year on - which is probably fair enough if you are serious about the hobby and it's not too expensive for you).
Unless you plan to fly lightweight electric planes in a local park or playing field that can't do too much damage it's better to be safe than sorry…

If you are getting back into it then 2.4GHz radios are definitely the way to go and you don't need a license – cheap and relatively interference free compared to the older 35MHz systems – although watch out for the shorter range ‘park flyer’ systems (circa 300mtr) vs full range ‘fly as far as you can see’ systems.
Also – I’d recommend electric now vs Nitro fuel – the price / performance of motors, ESCs and batteries kinda out weighs the noise and mess of Nitro (although you still can’t beat the smell and sound of an IC engine at full throttle !!). You can get a load of small low cost indoor / outdoor planes as well as full size models for big flying fields to suit any requirement or opportunity you have to fly – you definitely can’t say the same thing about Nitro – And you can mix and match much of the Radio / electrics etc (weight / power / model dependent) between models to keep the costs down

Do it – get back flying again !

(It's cheaper, easier and more fun than it used to be !!)

Bruthal

Whizzzz wrote: »

Definitely try and join a local club and MACI membership and insurance, or just MACI membership without a club affiliation (although, as the last poster says, MACI won't provide associate membership without club membership unless you have a good reason from this year on - which is probably fair enough if you are serious about the hobby and it's not too expensive for you).
Unless you plan to fly lightweight electric planes in a local park or playing field that can't do too much damage it's better to be safe than sorry…

If you are getting back into it then 2.4GHz radios are definitely the way to go and you don't need a license – cheap and relatively interference free compared to the older 35MHz systems – although watch out for the shorter range ‘park flyer’ systems (circa 300mtr) vs full range ‘fly as far as you can see’ systems.
Also – I’d recommend electric now vs Nitro fuel – the price / performance of motors, ESCs and batteries kinda out weighs the noise and mess of Nitro (although you still can’t beat the smell and sound of an IC engine at full throttle !!). You can get a load of small low cost indoor / outdoor planes as well as full size models for big flying fields to suit any requirement or opportunity you have to fly – you definitely can’t say the same thing about Nitro – And you can mix and match much of the Radio / electrics etc (weight / power / model dependent) between models to keep the costs down

Do it – get back flying again !

(It's cheaper, easier and more fun than it used to be !!)

The full range really are full range too, the DX7 i use will go out to over 2 miles, very far beyond visual range.
I would second the electric too, it really is great now. And it is cheaper than ever to get going for sure.

Henry Ford III

Thanks for all the advice folks - much appreciated.

I had an old Hi Boy nitro powered trainer in the garage, with old fuel, an old school Futaba radio etc. To my amazement after years of lying idle the batteries took a full charge and after cleaning out the engine and fuel lines it fired up!

Next question. How easy or otherwise would it be to change over to a 2.4Ghz radio and receiver? Surely not as simple as replace receiver and away you go?

Bruthal

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice folks - much appreciated.

I had an old Hi Boy nitro powered trainer in the garage, with old fuel, an old school Futaba radio etc. To my amazement after years of lying idle the batteries took a full charge and after cleaning out the engine and fuel lines it fired up!

I started flying on that plane myself, in 1988, a 3 channel one, then a 4 channel one. Flew very well, but needed a fair run to get off the ground. The box off the 4 channel one is still in the parents attic:)

I would be careful using rechargeable batteries that have been lying idle for years, they might seem fine when fresh off the charger, and would be fine to try in a car, but they may not have much capacity now, and could cause problems, and i would advise new ones before flying.

Next question. How easy or otherwise would it be to change over to a 2.4Ghz radio and receiver? Surely not as simple as replace receiver and away you go?

Its not quite as simple as that, but there is not much more to it either. The 2.4ghz radio would just have to be bound to its receiver, and thats about it, maybe setup control surface directions etc which would be the same when swapping any receiver.

We have a DX6 and DX7 here. DX6 is sons one, i can have a helicopter for example on my DX7, but we can in a few seconds bind the same heli to his DX6 once his has the heli setup programmed into it, and then his radio and only his radio will fly it. But its again a simple process to re-bind back to my radio then and them my one only, will control it.

Henry Ford III

Thanks Robbie. I'd planned getting a new in plane battery but thanks for the heads up. I could hand launch the Hi Boy last time out. Needed a headwind and a jog and good level toss.

If I bought something simple like this am I looking at charge, plug and play?

Bruthal

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Thanks Robbie. I'd planned getting a new in plane battery but thanks for the heads up. I could hand launch the Hi Boy last time out. Needed a headwind and a jog and good level toss.

Yes i often hand launched the hi-boy myself alright. Not because i could not get it to take off, but in areas not possible to take off from.

If I bought something simple like this am I looking at charge, plug and play?

Its likely that may have to be bound to its receiver as well. It could come already bound, but i would not get something just to avoid having to bind radio to receiver. There really is nothing to binding. Takes a few seconds.
That radio needs to be connected to a pc for servo reversing, but once its setup i suppose it would work then.

If i was getting back into it i would go for something like the spectrum, futaba or hitec type radios. Its not too expensive for a DX6i with receiver for example, and it would have 10 model memory storage. All depends how seriously you want to get back into it.

I was out of radio control flying myself for 10 years, then got back into too in 2001. Then took up the heli flying and got the DX7 for that in 2007. Its been perfect since day 1, no glitches ever.

Henry Ford III

Ok I eventually ordered one of these.....

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=16239

Seems good enough. I'll need to update the batteries next, renew the fuel lines, and check licensing and insurance.

Henry Ford III

Radio and receiver (bound) arrived today.

The old model (Hiboy) needs new fuel lines, hinges, a new rudder (broken in storage), and a battery. Hopefully the servos are still ok.

I'll also probably need a new glo plug heater, and possibly a 12v battery for the starter but that's it.

No license needed for the 2.4ghz radio I'm told.

Henry Ford III

I've done a nice bit of work since.

Hi Boys engine and carb were badly seized/gunked up. Some old fuel, some wd40, and some patience and gentle coaxing eventually freed the off. Rudder was expoxied. New battery soldered onto the existing wiring. New hinges fitted throughout. But then....

I bought an Acro Wot Foam E, and it was ready to fly in about an hour. My new budget radio and receiver work fine too.

I'm half thinking of converting the old Hi Boy to electric power.....watch this space.

Bruthal

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I've done a nice bit of work since.

Hi Boys engine and carb were badly seized/gunked up. Some old fuel, some wd40, and some patience and gentle coaxing eventually freed the off. Rudder was expoxied. New battery soldered onto the existing wiring. New hinges fitted throughout. But then....

I bought an Acro Wot Foam E, and it was ready to fly in about an hour. My new budget radio and receiver work fine too.

I'm half thinking of converting the old Hi Boy to electric power.....watch this space.

That would be an interesting one. Even seeing a hi boy flying again would be.

fordcossy

hello new to r/c model pertol planes i bought a hi boy precedent series 2 plane it is half build i have no plans with it the rudders and ailerons have to be fitted and the servos conected to themthe radio gear is a sanwa vg 600 and the engine is amds40fs aero that all has to be fitted as well any help would be deeply accepted or even is there a place that could finish it of for me but would like to build it myself thanks