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RC Flying in Ireland - Getting Started

What Equipment to I need?        (Glowfuel outfit - read on) (electric outfit - click here)

 Special Requirements.....In Ireland the model flying clubs all use grass airfields and runways to takeoff. This creates a need for bigger wheels to roll over the grass, compared to other countries where tarmac runways and tiny wheels are adequate.  To carry our big wheels, we need a plane that is is proportion to them. This is why we will ignore the smallish 25 size models popular elsewhere but hard to use in Irish club fields. We will begin at the bigger 40 size, and also consider the next size up - 60 size, for our trainer model.

Next special consideration is the fact that Ireland has mild but very windy weather. So we have less temperature variation (say than the US, or Europe), and we have a lot more wind than those other places.  Therefore our aircraft must be pretty wind resistant. If it is not, then we will be faced with many days where it is too windy to fly the model we bought.  For this reason we will not go strictly in accordance with accepted practise in other countries, but that is OK, because we will have a more suitable model plane for where we are going to fly it.

Electric flyers have different things to consider. Size is not one, it is "penetration". Since Ireland is relatively windy, the lightweight electric models designed for continental climate (Europe / US) are practically useless in Ireland, and not that hot in the UK either. We will ignore the Speed 280 models and smaller used elsewhere, and we concentrate on Speed 400 models and bigger. These 400-600 size electrics have sufficient power and weight to penetrate Irish wind ... in other words on an average breezy day, they fly upwind, and don't hover or drift "backwards" due the their airspeed being less than the windspeed.

The Complete Outfit

Every complete R/C aircraft outfit should contain the following essentials or their electric equivalent: 

Glowfuel Outfit Components            (electric outfit version - click here)

Glowfuel airplane should be a well built ARF (almost ready to fly) type kit. I suggest the Sky Hero (1st choice), Arising Star or Boomerang (2nd choice), which is designed to take a .40 or .45 engine.

The engine will be expected to last a long time, and endure many bashes and still give good service. This eliminates most of the engines available. Funny thing is the good engines don't cost as much as some of the "soft" or weaker ones. Ball races should be included. this is a classic place where if you buy wrong you will end up buying twice within a few weeks. Buy MVVS and you won't be disappointed. MVVS is used by very experienced modellers who expect ooos of hours of use from their engine., and it is extremely easy to start, which is an important factor.

Many older modellers will suggest the "OS" make of engine. They are nice, but they are dreadfully overpriced, and the MVVS is more powerful, as well as costing less. My advice is to disregards these suggestions if they are made to you. That person  probably never flew a MVVS.

The radio control set ... well everyone usually just tells a beginner to get what they have.  The truth is all radios that are not dirt cheap will do OK. It is when something goes wrong that the few really shine. At this stage I have personally used Futaba, Sanwa, Hitec, JR, Graupner JR.  Mr suggestion is - if you want to save the cash - go for Hitec - but if you want to have the most reliable gear - pay the bit extra and get JR or Graupner JR.

Ground gear. I prefer to use an MVVS engine that starts every time with a flick of the propeller. But if you have a different engine you may want to buy a 12 volt starter motor, charger, and battery for your ground gear. Maybe a flight box to put it all in with the fuel and glowstart.   I prefer to carry the fuel in my hand, the glowstart in my pocket  a propeller spanner/wrench to flick the prop/change it if necessary and that's all. All the unnecessary gear is the price of another plane, I never forget that.  However each to his own, some modellers like to have the electrified flight pit box, with pumps whirring and so on, adds to their enjoyment. There is room for everyone in this hobby.

Propeller is not included with the plane, the shop should pick out a suitable one for your engine-plane combination.  This is an area where the special requirements of living in Ireland/UK make themselves felt once again. We have grass runways, and the grass takes more of a pull to get the model going at a fast taxi-speed for takeoff. So we tend to use wider diameter propellers than other countries (where they have tarmac or concrete runways)  Now the 40 engine takes a 10 x 6 prop, but an 11 x 6 prop is better for us. But the 11" size takes more power to turn it, or if the power is lacking, it rotates a good bit slower. Another reason to have got the MVVS instead of another weaker engine.  See how these things all interlink? A model that flies well is nothing due to luck. Experience counts far more than beginners would believe.  If you got the weak OS LA  as I did a long time ago, just use the standard prop and agitate the club to cut the grass more often.

Fuel Pump. How do you get the fuel into the tank which is out of sight inside your lovely model? Use a fuel pump-that's how. I prefer a bulletproof hand crank pump. Be careful, the ones with a long crank arm are too weak and break easily. Or maybe indulge yourself and get an electric pump. It costs the same, but now you are carrying a battery too. So I prefer the hand type called "six-shooter" because it's unbreakable, it works and it lasts.

Fuel What is there to say about fuel? A lot as it happens.
Run the engine in on castor fuel with 20% Castor Oil .(Model Technics GX-5) Your engine will be more powerful and last longer if you do this. 
Then after 1 gallon of the Castor fuel  change over to synthetic fuel with 15% high quality synthetic AND 2-3% of castor oil in it (Model Technics' - GoGlo Plus - 5 blend) 
These blends I have recommended have 18% of oil in them, and this ensures no engine wear when you lean it out to get more power while getting ready for flying. Go Glo Plus has two different types of oil in it, an advantage over from single oil blends.  One oil covers the weaknesses of the other, the result is  lubricating the engine over a wider temperature range easily. They allow your engine to run cool, and at the same time make reduced smoke emissions (a good bit less than many other makes), which is good to your health. The Go Glo Plus reduced smoke emissions is also handy if you ever plan to try aerial photography from your models.

Disregard any idiot who says it's run in after a tank or two.  A powerful engine like MVVS takes at least 4 litres of fuel to run in, and that's if you are moving the throttle all the time. If a good engine is left on idle (as many people mistakenly do while running it in) it will take several gallons, and still be quite tight weeks later, cutting out when it shouldn't. 

The 5 on  the fuel label refers to the percentage of nitro in the fuel, 5% is suitable, unless you are flying aerobatic manoeuvers.  If this is the case maybe try 10% nitro but the same type of fuel, and see if you prefer it.  But let's be clear about this nitro thing - good engines with high compression don't need any nitro. None! Nitro raises compression of "softer" engines (OS, MDS, Enya, GMS, Super Custom, Thunder Tiger) to acceptable levels.  Engineers' "hard" engines (MVVS, West, Webra, Super Tigre, just possibly Irvine) don't need nitro, and straight or zero nitro fuel is OK in these.

Electric outfit equipment                (a more successful route for those who choose it)

At this stage I have helped well over a thousand flyers to get going.  Many of them are totally independent and are not members of any club. They don't need a runway, and they just get on with flying model planes from land they own, or have a neighbours' permission to fly on. These are electric flyers.  And they outnumber the glow flyers by maybe 6 to 1.  They are not so visible as glowfuel fliers because they go to their own places, not all in one place at clubs.

First thing. Ireland (and UK) is different for electric flight. We have more wind than just about all continental countries. So the planes made for the US and central european markets are just about useless here. They can be flown on an occasional perfectly calm day, but our average windspeed means that those planes have to go at full speed just to move upwind at a crawling speed. They have too many days that are unsuitable for using them. Avoid them if you want to fly on the average day. They are just another dead end awaiting the uninformed internet electric plane buyer.

Not every electric plane can produce these results that are so much more successful than nitro/glowfuel engine models. Of the hundreds of electric planes available there are a few that are extremely good at learning on.  The Daisy from Green Hobby & Model in Dublin is such a trainer airplane. Get the Standard Wing Daisy version if you are planning to self teach, and the Aileron Wing Daisy version if you have an instructor.

Some people insist on a scale (real look) plane for their first plane. Now that is a mistake, because those planes are harder to fly, and get broken easier than Daisy during the first weeks. Try to curb your instincts on this, and make the Cub or Cessna your second plane. Then you will have two planes, because the Daisy will still be ok. If you do it the other way round, you buy, then fly and break the Cub or Cessna, then you get a Daisy, and that way you have only got one plane.

The electric motor-engine is a Race 400 from Aero-Naut, like a Speed 400. It is in the danger zone - the front of the model, but it costs Eur 8 only, and this is an insignificant cost to replace in the event of a bash.  So beginner's crashes cost less. This is a good thing.

The battery should be high discharge nimh type from KAN or GP. Not Nicad  and not LiPoly .. disregard the claims made for these batteries, they are written by the makers, and nimh is still the best choice at the moment. Sometime soon, lipo will get tougher, and lose it's tendency to go on fire, and when that is achieved I will revise this advice. But for now, get nimh, the best nimh you can afford.  The fat C width (but shorter than C) cells are more powerful than the long skinny AA or AAA shaped ones that are sold with internet planes. It is almost 100% certain that if you buy an electric model from someone that doesn't fly electric themselves (with several models) they will set you up with cheap crud batteries.  Imagine a BMW car with a Micra engine inside, that's what those planes go like. Unfortunately this is a really common occurrance.

Chargers are a tricky area, as the needs of different modellers vary from person to person.  I have a 12 volt gel cell battery with me when I go out, so a charger that works in the field from this 12V battery is very practical. My chargers can recharge my aircraft batteries in just 15 - 30 minutes.  So if I bring 2 or 3 batteries I can fly continuously.  One in the air. One cooling after flight. One on charge for the next flight.
Cheap internet chargers cannot charge more than 7 cells (2 x lipo cells).  But all good electric model aircraft use 8 or more cells (3 + lipo), so those cheap chargers are useless.
The chargers to look for are the CG340, or better Ultramat 10, or even quicker still  Ultramat 12 and Ultramat 25.  With a good charger there's no need to buy model fuel  anymore.... it all comes out of the mains at home.
My present batteries are mainly Nimh - the best for beginners, though I still have some old NiCads left (they last so long) and still use them for short flights, and I have a couple of newer LiPoly which I consider almost but not quite  tough enough for general use.  I treat them like they are as fragile as eggshells. The next generation of LiPo will be more robust and is eagerly awaited buy electric fliers worldwide. But despite the maker's claims, lipo is not ready yet, and still requires special skills and treatment to avoid them breaking.

My electronic speed controllers are Kontronik and TMM. I have used other makes, but I don't have those any more, they are all broken and dead. not faulty, just worn out and used up. The ones I give names for are the ones that have survived the daily abuse I give them in real flying. I take claims for speed controllers with a big pinch of salt. I only use the makes I have recommended for good reason, they do what they are supposed to do, for longer than the other makes.

My micro servos are all JR and Hitec.  Once again I have tried other makes, and have now boiled it down to these 2 makes. Which make I use depends on the job it must do. The faster and more expensive the plane, the more I want JR inside.
By the way, if the ads say an electric plane can fly on standard servos - don't buy the plane. If it is made of "depron" don't buy the plane unless you already know how to fly, depron has advantages for cheapness but isn't tough enough for learning on. It breaks too easy.

If you are doing electric flight....learn to solder. Buy a soldering iron, and if you get it in the hobby shop you can ask the electric flight guy there to show you how to use it. It takes only a minute or two, once you see it done correctly, to learn how to solder really well.  (they have a 3 minute video lesson in Green Hobby to show how to solder ).  On the other hand, you can buy it on the internet or garden supply centre, this way you will save maybe 5 Euro, but still be soldering messy joins a year later as you learn by trial and error.  Don't get a fiddly toy 30A soldering iron.  Electric fliers use heavy duty 100 amp irons. The hobby shop should also have the special "hammerhead soldering tips" which are used to solder batteries end to end with no gap between to make flight packs. Ask for one of these, they cost about a fiver and are worth their weight in gold. Finally get a tub of "solder flux" (cost 3-4 euro) ... life is so hard without it and so easy with it.

After you have got a couple of planes flying well, treat yourself to a Wattmeter. You won't regret it. Powerful planes are easier to "figure out" when you have one of these handy gadgets.

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