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How Much does it cost
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This is a difficult one to answer
as you can spend vast amounts of money and still not be successful.
A good place to start is at the model shop where you will be given good
advice on what products are available But you can start out in this
hobby with second hand equipment and progress from there. Usually you
can buy second hand equipment from local papers or in the Free Ads but
remember you will require a trainer to get started so leave the glamorous
models till later. Unfortunately helicopters are quite expensive to
buy but again you can buy second hand equipment. Expect to pay in excess
of £200 for new equipment. |
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Basically,
there are three types of model you can buy:
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A basic
kit.
Here you get a plan and
the wood, and you have to add all the hinges, covering, glue, wheels
etc. You build it yourself and get to know it, but it adds quite a
bit of time before you actually get to do some flying.
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An A.R.T.F.
model.
This is an Almost
Ready To Fly kit, where all you (normally) have
to do is join the wings to the body, and install the engine, receiver,
servos, and the links to the control surfaces. These cost a bit more
but all the hard work is done for you, and you get to go flying much
sooner. The down side is that the individual components might not
be the ones you would pick if you were buying them separately, and
you do not know how well the model has been built.
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2nd
hand.
The more complete it
is, the more you pay. It might be complete and ready to fly, but you
do not know what is lurking below the covering. Take someone with
you who knows what they are talking about. Keep a look out on the
SAA's "for sale" page or put in a "Wanted" advert. If
the wood is damp, it is "fuel-soaked" so walk away and buy something
else. |
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Equipment
There are some basic
items you will need, irrespective of the type of flying you intend
doing. These are:
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Insurance |
£22 |
e.g.
BMFA, SMA, AMA etc |
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Club
Membership |
£20
- £80 |
e.g.
S.L.A.M.S. |
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*Transmitter |
£52 |
e.g.
Futaba Skysport 6A |
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*Transmitter
battery pack |
£20 |
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*Receiver |
£35 |
e.g.
R116F 6 channel |
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*Receiver
battery pack |
£15 |
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*Servos |
£12
each ( x4 = 48) |
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*Battery
Charger |
£15
approx |
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or as a complete set |
£180
approx |
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Electric.
This has the advantage that you can keep
the glider airborne longer. If it is getting low, switch on the power
and climb back up. Switch off until you get too low again.
Again, there are some basic items you need,
irrespective of the model you are going to buy. These are:
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Motor |
£15
upwards |
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Speed
Controller with B.E.C. |
£40
approx. |
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5,
6 or 7 cell battery pack |
£30
approx |
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Charger |
£20
approx |
For
a charger that will charge up to 7 cells from a 12v car battery |
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Typical beginners models include:
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Volture 3ch |
£48 |
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Precident Electro Fly
inc motor |
£60 |
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Easy Pidgeon (A.R.T.F.) |
£70 ( includes motor
& speed controller) |
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Power
This is what most people thing of when someone
mentions radio controlled models. Noise, smell, technically challenging
- GREAT.
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4channel trainer
aircraft |
£75 |
i.e. Thunder Tiger
Trainer (ARTF) |
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.40 size engine |
£40 |
i.e. Thunder Tiger GP42 |
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Propeller (get 4 to
start with) |
£12 for 4 |
APC props recommended |
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Fuel |
£7 per gallon |
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Fuel tubing (Get 2
metres) |
£3 |
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Fuel pump |
£10 |
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12v battery |
£20 |
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Glow plugs |
£2.50 each |
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Plug Spanner |
£3 |
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Starter motor |
£25 |
Not 100% necessary
when you are starting out as the other pilots will probably help you. |
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And a box to put it
all in. |
£20 |
Some use a plastic
tool box some a purpose built "flight" box |
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Thunder Tiger Trainer:-
A typical trainer. Very strong and very stable in the air, it fly's
well on a .40-.46 engine and will do aerobatics when you want progress.
(the Spitfire comes later, much later). |
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From left to right:.
12v battery charger, 12v starter battery, starter motor, Power panel,
Fuel, transmitter, charger. |
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Simulators
There are a number of R/C simulators on the
market. These can save a lot of rebuilding by letting you get some
practice beforehand, especially if you are going to try helicopters.
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Transcendental Technologies Pre-Flight |
£14.50
w/interface |
A GREAT program for newbies to learn the general feel
of an RC Aeroplane or Heli. You can buy the program from
ebay for
around £14 and that comes with a cable so you can connect your
own transmitter to your PC. Click
Here
to Buy or click
Here for a free demo. |
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Microsoft Flight Simulator with R/C interface |
£30 |
Cheap option if you have MS Flight
sim. R/C interface
by Ripmax works with Windows software. |
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CSM / NHP Simulator |
£99 |
Uses the trainer output
from your own transmitter. Parameters are easy to input. |
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Tru-Flight |
£118 |
Uses the trainer output
from your own transmitter. |
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Tru-Flight |
£180 |
With its own "transmitter". |
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Real flight |
£189 |
Needs a PC with a 3DFX
card to get the best from it. All parameters are adjustable. Comes
with its own "transmitter". |
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