RC Planes

Carburetor Needle Valve Relocating

2012-01-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

Many of us that own gas RC engine know know how scary it is when reaching towards the prop to adjust the carburetor needle. I still fear that someday I might reach too far. I know of two people in my area that have put their hands too close to the prop and had serious injuries from it. It is always good to be very careful around props while engines are running. Always keep the plane secure while doing ground tests. A way to remove some of the danger of tuning the engine is to buy a relocating kit for the carburetor needle. They are fairly inexpensive and make it a lot easier and safer to adjust the carburetor. I have purchased these for a few of my planes and they work great. Some O.S. engine come with the needles behind the engines and these also work great. The kits replace the needle with a gas line nipple and mount the needle on the back of the engine. The needle will now be located in a safe and more accessible spot. For planes that the rear of the engine is not easy to get to there are other kits for mounting on the plane in safer places. When looking for these online search for remote needle kits. Many manufactures make relocating kits for their engines.

Sorry for not posting for a long time

2012-01-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

Sorry I have been very busy lately and have not been able to post for a long time. I am just getting back in the sport and I hope I can return and contribute to my blog. I hope to have a few posts in within the month. Thanks

Organization

2011-02-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

Have you eve gone to your field to fly and not have the right parts? This could be very annoying at times and could sometimes ruin a good day to fly. It always helps to be organized. Your flight box is a very helpful tool for this. A good way to keep organized is to keep your box organized and clean. Some problems that are caused at the field usually lead to have a cluttered box. Another good habit is always put things back where they were when you are done. If there us no method to your box then one night sit down and decide what things are important for a day at the field. Get everything you need and put it in your box to so it all fits and is neat. Extra parts help as long as there is not too much extra. With a Neat box you can enjoy day at the field and not be frustrated because you forgot something.

Dumas air boat kit

2011-01-29T19:48:00.000-08:00

If you live in a location were the seasons keeps you inside from flying, you might want to try a different way to have fun. Dumas has a solution to still have the enjoyment of hearing a RC engine run in the winter. It will run on grass, water and snow. I have one and it is so much fun to race around the yard if I cannot get to the field. It takes a .40 to .60 size engine so it moves along at a very fast pace. It would be a great addition to your collection and will provide lots of fun. It comes as a kit but is very easy to assemble. It works just like a air boat with rudders behind the prop so there is no submerged rudder to worry about. It glides across the water and sometimes a challenge to control but it get easier as you practice. I would recommend to anyone that has patience and wants something to do during the winter.

Monokote Covering

2009-09-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

There are many different companies that make covering for RC Planes. I use monokote on my planes and I have no problems with them. I have used others and I did not like the way it turned out. Monokote covers the plane really well and looks really good with all the different colors monokote has. The covering is really strong and can be stretched over any shape. the colors also blend real well with each other. I like monokote because it is a high temperature and I have a little better luck with higher temperature covering. They also make a lower temperature for foam wings or other foam accessories. Monokote can be found online and in local hobby stores.

servos with stripped gears

2009-09-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Many of us that have been flying for quite some time have probably run into worn out servos if not you are lucky. Most servos have an arrangement of gears to make them work. when these gears break or wear out they slip and do not work or lose their strength. Decent servos get too expensive to replace all the time. A cheap alternative is to buy servo rebuild kits. These inexpensive kits are composed of a set of gears to replace the worn out one in the servos. It is a lot cheaper to buy these kits instead of buying new servos. You also will not have piles of dead servos. These kits can be found anywhere and sometimes brand specific so you might have to look up the kit for you servo type.

Storing your plane

2009-08-14T20:16:00.001-07:00

When storing your nitro RC plane you want to keep it in a place that is dry, up off the ground and away from things that could damage it. It better to fix problems after flying and not when you get them out after winter or storage. If you are going to hang them it is always better to hang them horizontal so leftover gas or oil doesn't leak on the floor. If you clean your engine and drain the fuel before storing you don't have to worry about fluids. Another good idea is to use after run oil in the engine before you let it sit for long periods of time. This also helps when you are done flying for the day and the plane is going to sit until you can fly again. Hobbico makes great after run oil and I use it on all my engines and never have a problem. After I started putting the oil in my engines I have never had a seized engine. I also put it in the engines I laying around that are waiting for home in a plane. All you have to do is take the glow plug out of the engine and put a couple drops in the engine. Then turn the prop about 15 time then repeat it again. It also doesn't hurt to put some in the carburetor. Lots of hobby shops carry after run oil or another great place to get it is on towerhobbies.com.

Real Flight R/C Flight Simulator

2009-02-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

Real Flight's simulator is one of the best simulators out there that also has a great price. The newest version is G4.5 and it is way better than the others. It has new features, models and field perfect for beginners. Simulators are great for beginners and people that want to practice their flying. It is perfect because when you crash it doesn't cost you anything to fix it. You simply press a button and it is flying again. It saves you money on glue. i have this simulator and it is awesome. There are also training videos on the simulator that show you how to do beginner maneuvers and one that the pros do. There are a variety of models in airplanes and helicopters. You dont have to spend alot of money to fly a helicopter because they will be right on your computer. this simulator is very close to flying real planes. There are lots of new features in the G4.5 for those who want to upgrade. I would strongly recomend upgrading from other Real Flight simulators because this one is awesome. In G4.5 the aircrafts react with there enviroment more than the others. If you hit a tree leaves fall and if the plane crashes you willl see balsa dust fly. The new real rendering adds amazing detail to the planes to make them look more realistic. There is also a multyplayer mode so you can fly with friends or other ppl at any time. It also has the same features from previous simulators like aircraft editor and many new miles of 3D terrain. I would highly recomend this product because it is a great for beginners and also for pilots that need ot practice some skill before trying it on the field. the simulator is also great during the winter because you dont need to plow the field or wait fot the wind to go away.

E-Flite Blade Micro CX electric micro heli

2009-02-18T20:44:00.001-08:00

This is E-flites new blade micro cx heli. I do not own one of these but I know a store owner that has his own and he says it is awesome. The micro cx is the smaller version of the cx and cx2. This heli is very stable and is great for people who are just starting out. The micro cx is small enough to be flown inside and is easy to control. The co axle counter rotating blades helps with the superior stability and easy control. It come completely assembled from the factory and ready to fly out of the box. The Blade comes with everything to start flying like the lipo battery,8 AA batteries and 4 channel spectrum radio. The radio comes with 2.4 GHz technology so no interference for non interrupted flight. This is a geat starter helin and is also cheap compared to other helicopters.

Ebay

2009-02-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

EBay is a great place to look when buying supplies for model airplanes. You can find many deals when shopping there. I have found many cool bargains and had good luck on eBay. I would be careful buying new things because there are companies making exact parts but they are poorly made. Every time i buy items on eBay I always review the sellers feedback and make sure they are a good person to buy from.

Snow skis

2009-01-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

Not everyone lives where it never snows and get to fly all year around. Snow is annoying and sometimes cuts people off from flying for a few months. It does help because you can build in the off months but you get the urge to fly and just want to get out there. If you want to go out and fly you can get a pair of snow skis for your plane. Snow skis are a great buy and it makes flying in the winter fun and easy. They make skis for any plane even tail draggers. I would first try flying a trainer plane with them on then move to a plane you enjoy flying because skis take a little bit to get use to. you have to practice with them on because planes with skis on take off and land different. It also helps if your runway is smooth so it will make it easier to practice. Once you get the hang of it you will now be able to fly in the winter. You can find snow skis on RC plane sites and a good company to start with is Dubro they also make great parts. Dubro also sells on Tower hobbies.

Traxxas T-maxx

2009-01-26T17:17:00.000-08:00

I know this is a RC Plane blog but some people still also use RC trucks and cars so I wanted ot add a truck arcticle. This is a Traxxas T-Maxx and it is a great first time truck to start with to have fun and later you can also use it to race. This T-Maxx is the new 3.3 engine size. I have a T-Maxx but it is the 2.5 and it is still great. Trazzas is a very well known company and they make good products. The new t-Maxx has new and improved features to make it better than the 2.5. The new 3.3 engines provide more power and have a power tune resonator pipe. The resonator pipe also gives it more power. To keep the air clean going to the engine it has a dual stage air filter. The 1.2” longer wheel base also gives it a little better stability. They also updated the transmission to give it better shifting. They also made the 3.3 a forward only transmission. If you want a RC Truck with forward and reverse then look into the 2.5. The 3.3 also comes with new paint scheme on the body. Traxxas also strengthened breakable components on the T-Maxx. When you buy the truck you get a 3 channel radio, EZ start, extra air filters, painted body with extra decals, a DVD to help you break it in, and an illustrated manual. I think this is a great truck and would recommend it to anyone. I have had mine for a long time and it still runs good. Traxxas is a reliable company and make great products.

SIG Wonder KIT

2008-11-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a challenge and want to build a plane from scratch and want a good plane I would recommend a SIG wonder. I have jut built one myself and I love it. It did not take long and it flies great. It does not take long to build because it is small. It might take some time to get used to flying it but after you get the hang of it flying is easy. Everything takes a little practice. The kit is around $50 and it is a box of wood and instructions. The only thing you have to buy is an engine and electronics. You can find the kit and extra pieces that you need on towerhobbies. You can put small engines on it but I would recommend nothing less than a .20 size engine so you can get the full performance. It say on the instruction for a small engine but you can put a bigger engine on it. All you have to do is put some extra weight for the CG(center of gravity). The wingspan is 37.5 inches. Another thing this plane is good for is when other people in your club have one get them together and put streamers on the wings for dog fights. This is very fun. I would only try it after you do some practice so you can reduce the crash rate. The SIG Wonders are also somewhat durable so they can take some beating. I really like this kit and recomend it to people that have the patience to build it and fly it. I also like that it is small and you can bring it when you want to fly but do not want to bring bigger planes.

DuraPlane trainer

2008-09-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

This plane is a great plane to fly but I would not recommend it for a first time buy. I bought it a few weeks after I started and it is one of the harder planes to fly. some of the problems that make it hard to fly is that the wing has only rubber bands to hold it on. With just the rubber bands, the wing moves and it sometimes makes it hard to control. The other part of the plane that flexes is the aluminum bar that holds the elevator and rudder on. Aluminum that small is not strong enough to hold the wings in one place so that also makes it hard to control. The good things about this plane is that the foam is very durable and can take some crashes. The plane is also cheap compared to other planes. When you buy the plane you will have to cover the wing and tail section. Then the rest is just to put your electronics in. The plane uses a size.40 engine. I used a OS .40 and that works great a super tiger .40 is also a good pick for this plane. I like this plane a lot but i would not recommend it as a trainer. I would get a Kadet for a trainer and practice with that then move on to another or this plane.

Field caddy

2008-08-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

A field caddy will probably be the best buy you will ever make for RC planes. The picture above it a Great Planes master caddy. It carries all the necessary things you need so you can maintain your planes. It can carry you tools, meters, starter, glow starter, parts and other things you may need. The caddy also carries gass and it has a spot to mount a electric gas pump. On the side opposite of the gas there is a pannel that can power yout fuel pump, starter and glow started. It all runs off a battery that is inside and is out of the way. There are many panels to choose from and they have many different setups. The forks on the top will also hold your plane when you need to work on it. I bring my caddy everytime I go to my flying field because I can put all my parts and supplies that I need in it.

hobby zone firebird series

2008-08-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

Lots of people say that a great beginner plane is a electric fire bird. They are great for flying if you are going to fly electric planes. If you are going to fly gas plane I would highly recommend a gas trainer plane. They are easy to fly and easy to learn off of them. I have flown a few electric planes and one of them was a Fire bird. I was not impressed because the third flight the fishing line for the elevons broke and I could not fly it anymore. Maybe it was just a bad day but I should have got more flight. I think they are only good for kids and people that want to get into electrics. I like glow engines a lot more and I'm going to stick with them. you can also buy the newer fire bird on the right side of this web page.

Places to buy rc planes

2008-08-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

The best place to get a new plane is at your local hobby shop. Usually they can tell you more about them and how to get started. Try to go to individually owned shops too because franchise storesjust try to sell you the most expensive things. Im not saying they all do it but you are better off going to the smaller stores. If you have done lots of research and you think you know what to get I would try going to Tower Hobbies website and buy from them because their customer service and shipping are great. I have never had a problem with them in 5 years. They are not owned by big corperate people they are employee owned so that also helps. I would still suggest the you go to a local hobby shop to buy your plane because you might learn some more things also. Another great online place to buy stuff is Amazon they have stuff like park flyers and they also sell real flight rc simulator. They do not have the regular kits but they have great prices and Amazon is reliable company so you do not have to worry about getting the product and what kind of condition it will come.

SIG Kadet LT 40

2008-08-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

This is a Sig Kadet LT-40 and I think this is the greatest plane to get started with. It is a trainer plane that is simple and cheap so you can afford to crash it. It is also easy to assemble and only take a few days because the epoxy takes a long time to cure. I have one of these and I love it. I still fly it with my other planes and I think it flies better sometimes. I have crashed it many times and it still flies like new. It is very easy to fix if you have the time. You can also find this plane anywhere on the Internet and almost all hobby store have them. I think everyone that wants to start with this hobby they should start with this plane. Sig is also a great company to work with and also has many other great models.

New deuces wild from eflite

2008-08-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

FEATURES
Designed with E-flite’s Power 25 brushless outrunner motors (EFLM4025A) in mind
Wing and tail assemble easily for convenient transport and storage
Counter-rotating props are available separately, spinners that match the counter-rotating props are included.
Retract ready and designed for specific Robart retracts (EFL4565) with pre-bent strut wires for ease of optional landing gear installation.
Fixed landing gear included.
The flaps are pre-hinged out of the box

E-flite introduces the first Platinum Series twin motor sport plane, the Deuces Wild 25e2 ARF. This plane showcases the power, level of detail, quality of construction, and sport flying fun of E-flite. Unlike other twin powered planes on the market, this one is not intimidating -- it is easier-to-fly and exhibits gentle flight characteristics.
The Deuces Wild 25e2 ARF is part of E-flite’s PLATINUM SERIES. The platinum series delivers superior, enhanced features and meticulous attention to detail. E-flite’s Platinum Series is just one more way that E-flite brings you the most advanced electric flight experience.
The details of this PLATINUM SERIES model include all flight control surfaces are installed, pre-bent pushrods ready for installation, and the optional main gear doors. In addition, there is an optional cockpit kit that adds another level of detail complete with dashboard instrumentation, seat, and pilot.
The lightweight, sturdy airframe is constructed of balsa and plywood and covered with genuine UltraCote. The bolt-on tail assembly and three piece, plug-in wing are all removable to allow easy transportation. With the Deuces Wild, you have options. You can use the included fixed landing gear or install the optional Robart retracts with pneumatic up, spring down operation. The model is complete with the strut wires pre-bent for ease of optional landing gear installation.
The wing design utilizes two Selig airfoils to give this aircraft excellent performance at high and low speeds, while also exhibiting gentle stall characteristics. This plane is designed for powered performance with the recommended setup of two Power 25 motors or the high power option of two Power 32 motors. This aircraft is lighter, than the same size competitive large twin powered models on the market. Retract and flap ready options enable the pilot to push the envelope with a sport ARF twin electric to the likes that has never been done before. The Deuces Wild is a sport plane capable of aerobatic maneuvers and is designed to be easier-to-fly than other similar size twin engine models. This model was designed even with the unthinkable in mind—the loss of an engine. In the event of an engine loss, this aircraft is still easily flyable unlike other twin models on the market. Any experienced modeler will appreciate the flight characteristics, aerobatic capabilities, and details of the Deuces Wild Platinum Series.

Wing Span: 62 in (1570mm)
Overall Length: 62.5 in (1580mm)
Wing Area: 740 sq in (47.7 sq dm)
Flying Weight: 9.2 - 10.5 lbs (4.2 - 4.7kg)
Motor Size: Power 25 - Power 32 (2 required)
Radio: 6+ channels
Servos: (6) standard size servos (7) required with optional retracts
Trim Scheme Colors: Ultracote White, black, and flame red
Prop Size: 12x8E - 13x6.5E
Spinner Size: 2.5 in
Hardware Included: Yes
Speed Control: 60 Amp Brushless Switch mode BEC (2 required)
Recommended Battery: 3200 3S 11.1V Li-Po w/Power 25, 3300 4S 14.4 Li-Po w/Power 32
Flaps: Yes, prehinged
Retracts: Yes, optional
Approx. Flying Duration: 10 minutes
Approx. Assembly Time: 6 - 8 hours

Article by HOBBY ZONE

I thought this was a good plane so I brought the Article here for everyone to see and they sell the plane on hobby zones website.

Types of RC Plane Models

2008-08-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the different types of plane models you can buy.

Electric rc planes are quiet and easy for a beginner to maintain. Simply charge the battery pack and you can fly for 10 - 20 minutes per battery charge.

Gas rc planes are noisier and use special hobby quality nitro fuel. These models are faster and slightly more complicated. Suitable for intermediate to advanced modelers. They also tend to go a lot faster than electric models.

Airplane kits come unassembled, and in some cases you would need to buy the radio control system, the motor and other accessories separately. If you are a beginner, the ARF or RTF models are recommended.

ARF means almost ready to fly. These are usually kits that come with all accessories needed, but would require some assembly. It may take 1 hour or more to get the model plane from the box to flying in the air.

RTF means ready to fly. These are the most complete kits that require very minor assembly skills. Usually you can start flying 15 minutes from opening the box. All you would have to do is attach the wings, charge the battery pack and start flying.

Helicopters

2008-08-15T13:09:00.001-07:00

These are some pics of my new helicopters. I just got some better pics so here they are. Somebody gave them to me so I know nothing about them but I have been talking to another person and they are going to teach me so I cant wait. I will have tips and other info on these later.

Mini Helicopters

2008-08-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

I just got these helicopters the other day and they are awesome. They are not the best helis you will ever get but they are very fun. They are called super battleplanes and you can shoot at each other with infared lasers. when you get hit the first time your plane will spit, second time it will drop and the third time it will drop and shut off.

This is another mini helicopter I got and this one is just as fun. A friend gave it to me when he saw I could fly it better than he could. He hated it and I loved it. You cant battle with it but it is just as fun.

Great Planes Triton charger

2008-08-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

I just got a Triton charger from a friend and haven't tried it yet but i want to put some specs about it. He was getting out of the hobby so he gave it to me and I think it is going to work great. I have the accu cycle elite and that works awesome but that another post. Some of the guys I fly with have this charger and they say it is easy to use and they wont buy anything else. I have also read good reviews about it online too. It is also cheap and i cant wait to get it setup. Here are some of the specs.

Types of batteries and numbers cells
1-24 NiMH cells
1-24 NiCd cells
1-4 Lithium ion or Lithium ion polymer cells
6v,12v, or 24v lead acid batteries

General features
Screen constantly updates capacity, battery voltage, current and elapsed time
10.5v –15v DC input voltage
Adjustable current (charge or discharge) in 100mA increments
Displays input and output voltages and memorizes peak and average voltages
Adjustable sound cues
Cooling fan
Stores parameters for 10 batteries

Safety features
Cool-off time delay between charge cycles
Current overload
Reverse polarity protection
Optional thermal cut off probe (not included)
Adjustable maximum charging time cut off
Warning messages for improper input voltage, poor connections, and reverse polarity
connections

NiMH and NiCd specific features
Delta peak with adjustable sensitivity
Adjustable fast charge current from 0.1 to 5.0 amps
Adjustable discharge current from 0.1 to 3.0 amps
0-250 mAh self adjusting trickle charge (dependent on intitial charge rate)
Performs 1-10 cycles for conditioning and evaluation of battery condition
NiMH top-off feature fully charges NiMH without over heating

Lithium ion and Lithium ion polymer specific features
Constant current / constant voltage charge method (explained in detail later)
0.1 –2.5 amp adjustable charge / discharge current
1 – 4 cells in series (unlimited in parallel)
Setting to either 3.6 or 3.7 volts per cell nominal, results in 4.1 or 4.2 volts per cell fully
charged.

Lead acid (Pb) specific features
Charges 6v, 12v or 24v cells
Uses constant current / constant voltage charge method

There are some of the specs and i hope it works as good as they say. It also looks realy cool.

New 2.4GHz Radios

2008-08-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

2.4GHz radios that Futaba is making are great. Some are a little expensive but they are a great buy if you fly at a field and there is someone else with the same crystal as you. I have a spectrum radio that I use on my RC cars and boats and it works great. I haven't had one problem with it yet. When you get a new receiver it only take seconds to link to the radio. and its like any other normal FM receiver but without an antenna. I look at a few Futaba systems and they are just as good. I like to use futaba for anything and I highly recomend buying their radios becuase I have flown using them for many years. You can use them on any planes from park flyers to giant scale planes. If you are just starting on out you can still hook a buddy chord to the radio. they are no different than any other radio just that you dont need a crystal.

A few of my planes

2008-08-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

This my kadet after lots and lots of flying and crashing. I have fixed this one many times and it still flies better than any other plane I have.

This is an older ARF that I bought and put together. It is a Thundertiger V-Bat it has a OS .15 on it and it is very fast.

I just got the helicopter from a friend and I havent flown it yet but I cant wait. It has a OS .37 in it and new everything in it.

Radios

2008-08-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

If you are just starting out and you do not know with I would recommend a Futaba radio. They are great radios and i have never had a problem with them. If you get the trainer plane you will only need a 4-channel radio. The 4-channel radio is cheap and does not have lots of extra buttons. When you get into the hobby more then later you will want the 6-channel and above. I went and spent a little more money and bought a radio with digital trim . This was a BIG help because I dint have to worry about hitting the trim and forgetting were it was. It also helps when zeroing them out when you want to set the servos in the right positions.

Garage sales

2008-08-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not but garage sales are great for finding planes or plane parts. Sometime you find great deals on engines radios and even planes. I have found many planes and engines at garage sales. Even if the plane crashed look and see if the internals are still there. sometime those are worth some good money. Estate sales are also great and you never know what else you can find!

Glue

2008-08-10T10:03:00.001-07:00

When it comes to flying RC planes glue is your best friend. It does not matter if you are new or you are the best RC pilot out there crashes happen. There are many glues out there and I have tried many and I found that the best glue is either ZAP glue or Great planes CA glue. I use them the most and I think they are great for fixing things. There are also different thicknesses that glue comes in. They usually come in thin thick and ultra thick. Glue also comes in different type for different uses also. The thin is usually used for quick fixes and it dries fast. I always carry a bottle of thin glue with me when I fly. Thick is used for gluing pieces that are fairly big and need some extra grip. It is slow to dry but is good for putting planes back together. The ultrathick or gap filler is a very thick glues and used to fill gaps and cracks in balsa. If you want a quick fix on the field you can also use a fast cureing agent or what most people call it kicker. It forces the glue to harden and you can use it right after you apply it.

How to clean your plane after a flight

2008-08-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what the best way to clean your oil and grass covered gas RC plane. It is very easy actually. All you have to do is take fantastic cleaner or Windex glass cleaner and mix it with some water. The mixture has to be about 50/50 but not exact (just eye it). This works on all monocote and any other brands of coating. Its a cheap and great way to clean your plane. It will also work on electric plane if they get a little dirty.

How to clean a RC gas engine

2008-08-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

If you have been flying for awhile you might have noticed that your engines might be discoloring or they look dirty. I doubt that you want to clean every little piece of the engine with a toothpick or something. There is an easy way but it is a toxic and should be done outside away from children and animals. I learned this from a veteran RC pilot and I do it every time that a engine seizes or needs to be clean. First you need a bottle of antifreeze and a crock pot. You will not be able to use the crock pot for anything else but this after. I would suggest you buy a cheap one and not the expensive one that your wife or mother uses because they might not like that too much. I went to Walmart and bought a $30 crock pot and it works just fine. Make sure that the crock pot is big enough for the whole engine. You will also need a mesh basket or a rag. Fill the crock to the top and turn it on low so it will heat while you prepare the engine for its "bath". To prepare the engine you will need it off the plane and all the necessary tools to take it apart. You start with the glow plug and muffler then start takin everything else off. I would then go and take all the screws off the head. Then take the carburetor off and leave everything on it. Make sure the prop washer and nut ore off then take the back plate off. Pull the piston off the shaft and push it out the top with the sleeve. Now you can take the shaft out and get ready to soak it. You do not need the screws so leave them out and put every thing in your rag or wire mesh basket. when everything is ready lower it into the crock and let the part sit for at least a day in the crock while it is on low. When you think it is done open the crock and take all of the part out. BE CAREFUL AND TRY NOT TO BREATHE IN ANY FUMES BECAUSE ANTIFREEZE IS VERY TOXIC. Let the parts cool to a bearable temperature and then start to put the engine back together. When putting the piston and the sleeve back into the engine use a synthetic oil to coat ever thing so it slides in nice. If it gets scratched or dinged then the piston will not move well so you have to be carefully putting it back together. I would oil everything that makes contact. You can also use after run oil from Great Planes, it works just the same. When everything is put back together put your engine on the plane and run it. Before you take off make sure it is tuned and ready to go. I will go over tuning in another post. If you have any questions email me at metalmole@citlink.net or comment here.

Planes to Start With

2008-07-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

My dad got me started in RC when I was 12. He bought my first plane and it was a SIG Kadet Lt 40. That was also his first plane, but it was very different. When he got his plane it was a box of wood and instruction or a kit. he said it was fun but also time consuming. My dad bought me a kadet ARF(Almost Ready To Fly) so it would not take so long and i could get flying as soon as I could. I did however fly before i got the plane but very little and it was on a buddy cord system so if i got in trouble my dad could take the controls and get me out of it s i didn't crash. The Kadet was easy to build and only took a week to make consisting of only a few hours every night. If you buy a kadet you will notice that it is a LT-40 which means that it calls for a 40 size engine. Well I just ignored that and made a few modifications and put a K+B 60 on it. It was a little jump but now I'm happy that i put that on there. This plane is great to start out on because the big wingspan helps it glide very nice. There are also other trainer planes on the market and are also very good to start on. I would recommend a Trainer plane to start with becuase they are cheap and easy to learn with. The Kadet is also easy to fix. A very good online store that is easy to buy from and has great shipping and support is http://www.towerhobbies.com/ . I know this site very well and the company is great to work with. Here is just a small blog on some info if you have any questions please post or send me an email at Javelindriver22@yahoo.com. I will do my best to answer them.

Starting in RC Planes

2008-06-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

I have been an Rc pilot for 5 years now and it is really fun and it a sport for anyone. Lots of ppl should get into it becuase it is cheap and fun. I have many planes and have flown them many time. I have also crashed many time but thats why they make glue. If you wanted to get into the sport I would suggest you do reseach on local fields and if your yard is big you could also fly there. i belong to the screamin eagles club in NY. I also belong to AMA(Academy of Model Aeronautics. This covers insurance and with it i can fly at any club with their approval. There are many sites that you can go to about planes. if you are a first timer a good plane to start with is a ARF or almost read to fly plane. This requires only a little assembly and then you are ready to fly. Another type you can try is a kit plane. all it comes with is a blue print and a box of wood. you pretty much start from scratch and build a plane. I have built a few of these and they are very fun. You would need lots of patients tho. There are also planes that are ready to fly but are sometimes expensive and it easier just to spend time and get an arf. I love the sport and so does my dad and Uncle. We fly every sun and wed and have lots of fun. If you have any Question feel free to ask and i will do my best to answer.

-jshua