Heli or airplane pilots

[CornerGuy]

Just wondering how many Mavic pilots started out with or currently also fly other RC aircraft.
I myself started with micro coaxial helies then moved up to collective pitch elec birds up 500 class. Also dabbled around with fixed wing, foamies and couple of stick built planes.
I started down the drone path when I built a “Next Level” quad

 

[Former Member]

I think that all of your experience with FW A/C and collective pitch helis gave you good experience in what to do and more importantly what not to do with RC aircraft.

I've been into RC aircraft for almost 45 years, and love the way technology is making things safer, and more fun.

 

[GerdS]

I was flying R/C helicopters since about 1975. Yes, this experience makes flying even the Mavic more easy and relaxing and I guess I have more feeling for critical situations and how to survive them.

 

[Former Member]

I was flying R/C helicopters since about 1975. Yes, this experience makes flying even the Mavic more easy and relaxing and I guess I have more feeling for critical situations and how to survive them.

Do you remember what your first RC heli was? How many channels?

 

[Atlas]

Concept 30. I think it was a 5 channel. It took weeks to build and rebuild after the 1st few flights. If you know what I mean.

 

[Former Member]

The concepot was a good heli. My first was a Raptor 30 with Thunder Tiger 36 engine. I got lots of practice autorotating when the crappy engine would flame out at altitude.

 

[Former Member]

It took weeks to build and rebuild after the 1st few flights. If you know what I mean.

Yes I know what you mean. In more expensive 3d helis, every crash that I had was expensive. Blades alone were $150, tail boom $80, and many times a $100 servo. When they crashed, they crashed hard.

 

[BigAl07]

I, like many above, started out many moons ago. My first airplane was a single channel (and it was a push button rudder only at that) Old Timer. We started the engine, hand launched it and pushed the button to make the rudder engage for a split second. It returned to center automatically and you kept pushing the button to "maintain" a turn. It continued to gently climb until the gas tank went empty and then glided home with rudder only helping to get it back to the same field we launched from. Man that was a hoot.

Then "proportional" radios came out and I felt like I had hit the mother load LOL.

We spent weeks/months building them from a box of wood and sometimes destroyed them on the first flight. Those we the days LOL.

Those first heli were a hand full just to keep in the air. As electronics improved, engines improved (fewer flame outs) and then we got Gyros and then efficient and powerful electric motors. We've come a LONG way from those first days.

 

[GerdS]

Do you remember what your first RC heli was? How many channels?

My first was a Graupner Bell 47G with just 4 channels. This bird was a nightmare to fly, underpowered, sluggish on pitch and roll input, no collective pitch but just rpm controlled, no yaw gyro support. Mainly build of ABS plastics which was critical for braking after every hard touchdown.
It just looked nice and semi-scale. The Schlüter Heli Baby would have been the better choice at this time, but it was almost unknown and didn't look that nice.
The Bell flew best if it went out of my control, but not for too long...

 

[GerdS]

Concept 30. I think it was a 5 channel. It took weeks to build and rebuild after the 1st few flights. If you know what I mean.

The Concept 30 was a nice and reliable construction to me.
I had the SR version within the Bell 222 fuselage and converted this heli into my second electric-powered heli in 1993. Brushed motor and 12 NiCd batteries. Flight time was about 5 minutes, but it was a dream to fly at this time. Kept this heli until about 2005 without having any crash and sold it because no more spare parts have been available and I didn't want to invest more money for a retrofit with brushless motor and Lipo battery.

 

[Simmo]

flew best if it went out of my control, but not for too long...

Frikkin' classic comment!!!!
I'm probably as old as, but not as experienced as you guys, but many years ago building my first multi rotor, learning programming, and expo, pids, etc..
Then trying to fly the bugger!!!
Crash it, rebuild it, plug it back in the pc and adjust more stuff you didnt really know what would do!!

 

[BluesDragon]

I'm one of those guys that loved watchin' ya'll fly.. wishing I could.. but too cs to give it a try. I stayed on the ground with my RC's. Until my lust for the Mavic took control. Except.. I do have a childhood memory of flying a plane my Pop's owned. Only it wasn't RC. It was gas powered, but I recall just holding a kite string handle kinda thing with two lines attached. The plane, attached to the other end, just went up and down as you spun around until the gas ran out. Now I'm starting to look at the fixed wings more closely. Really gettin' an itch for one of those foamies as a starter. Got my eye on a P-51 and a Corsair, two of my fav Warbirds, that come "ready to fly" (6ch Trans./ 2.4Ghz Mini Rec.). Got a lot of researching to do before I jump though...

 

[vkm083185]

Just wondering how many Mavic pilots started out with or currently also fly other RC aircraft.
I myself started with micro coaxial helies then moved up to collective pitch elec birds up 500 class. Also dabbled around with fixed wing, foamies and couple of stick built planes.
I started down the drone path when I built a “Next Level” quad

Started in late 90s with fixed wing, stayed with fixed wing. Built several ground up, and bought several ARFs. Started getting into Quads in 2008. Now, almost exclusively Quads. Man, I tried the helo thing. Spent WAY too much money trying to master the art. I'm also a pilot (Single Engine Rated / Non-Instrument) who has friends in the helo-pilot world. Never could get the hang of it, lol. You are better than I am in the helo arena, that's for sure, lol. I'll stick with my "safe" Quads in my old age, lol

 

[colinfowler]

iv been building, flying, crashing since I was 15
iv been in and out of the hobby for 50 years but have got back to it more in the last 10 years.
1st heli was an art tech falcon, 450 piece of s$%& that I spent so much time and money on I could have got a trex.
since then iv had loads more than the wife knows about.
blade, atom, trex, built a 250 trex clone (need good eyes for that)
moved more into scale builds and flying as 3D flying was not for me.
as a keen photographer i started sticking cameras under helis.
then saw a drone for sale with a go pro mount, quanum nova also sold as cheserton.
nightmare to program. I added a gimbal, then saw the mavic pro launch and got one (eventually)

 

[wytnyt]

the only experience ive had with flying was the wooden put together airplanes that had the wind up rubber band ,,which is why i bought a phantom to learn with before i go to my mavics which turned out to be a good idea because im now waiting on a new propeller

 

[BigAl07]

Now I'm starting to look at the fixed wings more closely. Really gettin' an itch for one of those foamies as a starter. Got my eye on a P-51 and a Corsair, two of my fav Warbirds, that come "ready to fly" (6ch Trans./ 2.4Ghz Mini Rec.). Got a lot of researching to do before I jump though...

I still have a strong passion for flying Planks (fixed wing) but I do want to caution you on learning on any of the "Warbirds". If it's got any Scale-ism to it, it will be a handful to fly. They were designed to fly FAST and be very agile (in order to win and survive a dogfight with an enemy plane) which is the opposite of what you want in a trainer aircraft. I've got a nice P51 and a decent Corsair that are fun to fly but they are pretty much balls to the walls from the time you lift off until you land. They are not forgiving at all and have a bad tendency to "Tip Stall" at the first sign of slowing down.

A Tip Stall is when one wing tip stops producing lift before the other and the aircraft spirals violently back to terra firma.

If you're looking for some fun and easy to fly "planks" let me know and I'll help you find some options that won't break the bank and are reasonably easy to learn on.

 

[BluesDragon]

Thanks for the heads up, BA! You are most definitely spot on.. from what I've been reading. Everything I'm reading is guiding towards a simple trainer. I was in the mindset that put myself in the intermediate category.. after almost a year flying the MP. Now I'm starting to think different. I'm even reading more about this SAFE technology, w/most of the new trainers, that can save the pilot in a moment of panic. Been mostly surfing through Motion RC's (link via AMA site) stock. They seem to have the best pricing on some RTF birds. Figuring it would be the best way to get started for a noob such as myself.

 

[BigAl07]

Thanks for the heads up, BA! You are most definitely spot on.. from what I've been reading. Everything I'm reading is guiding towards a simple trainer. I was in the mindset that put myself in the intermediate category.. after almost a year flying the MP. Now I'm starting to think different. I'm even reading more about this SAFE technology, w/most of the new trainers, that can save the pilot in a moment of panic. Been mostly surfing through Motion RC's (link via AMA site) stock. They seem to have the best pricing on some RTF birds. Figuring it would be the best way to get started for a noob such as myself.

I'm a fan of Horizon Hobby. I have probably a dozen of their aircraft in my workshop right now. Here's a link to their "Trainers" page:
RC Airplanes - Trainers for Beginners to Learn to Fly | Horizon Hobby by - HobbyZone - FMS - E-flite - ParkZone

Depending on where you will be flying from you can pick the aircraft that best suits you. I'd stick with those on the top row for now.

The yellow CHAMP is a mico and one of the funnest planes I own. I can hand launch it from my back deck and fly to my hearts content and land it back in my hand again LOL. Plus batteries are cheap so you can fly for hours for less than $20.

I can tell you that flying an RC plane is "similar" to flying your MP but a LOT different. Remember the airplane has no way to HOVER and allow you to get your bearings again should you get confused.

 

[BluesDragon]

So I finished the build, and balance, on my Corsair (Whistler's Brother). Then after a whole lot of reading and researching, I went ahead and ordered an Apprentice w/SAFE to learn on it. I have been running the Corsair up and down the street in front of my house, just getting a feel for the RC. Decided she can just 'hang out' until I'm comfortable getting the Trainer back on the ground in one piece. Which should be arriving this week.

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[BigAl07]

So I finished the build, and balance, on my Corsair (Whistler's Brother). Then after a whole lot of reading and researching, I went ahead and ordered an Apprentice w/SAFE to learn on it. I have been running the Corsair up and down the street in front of my house, just getting a feel for the RC. Decided she can just 'hang out' until I'm comfortable getting the Trainer back on the ground in one piece. Which should be arriving this week.

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I totaled many R/C planes "simply taxiing" them up and down the our street. I just kept pushing my limits until the airplane lifted off and then "WHAT NOW" LOL.

You'll love the Apprentice w/SAFE. I've got one hanging in my basement that I instruct students with.