Special Fish Finder for Derby
 

I am part of a team of the worst ice fisherman ever. We have caught one fish in 2 years of ice fishing every weekend during the winter. To offset the boredum, a couple of us have picked up a new hobby. We think this might gives us an edge in being able to find fish, maybe not. Anyway, I thought i'd share our video, it has some nice views of the lake.

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Nice Video, Thanks

Cool video....

(Confession: I got motion sick watching it... not able to watch the whole thing.... LOL!)

Fantastic video... Who cares about the fish when you can have so much fun with those awsome toys. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing... and hey nice landing.....

Welcome to the Forum
 

That was the best 1st post I've seen out here!

Thx!

Fantastic!
 

Thanks for sharing, what a great idea! It was so much fun to watch.

Can these planes land on open water and where do you get them?

Thanks for posting that. I love watching thoes.

They can land on land, water, snow, or ice. The lake is a good spot to fly since there is so much open space. They don't fly great with wind over 10 mph. I've bought all my stuff from local hobby shops or horizonhobby.com. I recommend electric, especially for a beginner. My first plane was the eflite apprentice, which is a great plane for beginners and pros.

I can see myself doing that. Can you fly the plane using the plane mounted camera... with a live feed to a monitor on the ground...? Inquiring minds need to know..:D NB

There are some cameras that have live feedback. I am not too familiar with it, but I am aware of this website www.fpvpilot.com. The camera I have is cheap and you need to download the video after the flight (www.flycamone.com). You get about 2 miles of signal with a good radio, which is much further than you can spot a small plane in the sky. It would be cool to pilot it from a cockpit view.

Thanks jff134. I just took a quick look at the links. (Saved to Favorites) I am going to have to look into that. I'm a private pilot and I also fly flight simulators.

I've never flown RC aircraft and I understand it's quite different from flying a full scale aircraft. I wonder if one would have to master conventional RC flying BEFORE flying with the camera exclusively. :look: NB

Awesome! I almost wish I hadn't seen that. Last thing I need is another addicting hobby:emb:

How far/long can you go in one flight?

I agree this looks addicting!
 

can i hire you guys as a spotter plane for tuna, swords and large sharks this summer out of the port of galilee, rhode island???? :D

jff134

Very Cool - Thanks

NoBozo, Start here http://www.realflight.com/new/index.html I have this simulator and it is pretty close to true flight, minus the depth perception. Give it a try and then go out and get airborne.

My hanger
90" wingspan piper cub on floats (on the board now, done in about three weeks, I'll post a pic or two)
21% scale Cap 232 (roll rate of 360/sec, sold the first and I am halfway through the second, late winter finish)
1/5 scale 108" DHC-2 beaver on floats (planset, build from scratch propably next winter)
1/4 scale DHC-2 Beaver on floats (planset, build from scratch after the first one, 144" wingspan on this bird, this one will be an attempt at a Top Gun Scale) Anyone with a DHC-2 Beaver that would like to see your plane in full scale, please contact me.

This hobby is more fun than you can imagine, I got out of it about 6years ago when my daughter was born, and I have just recently got back into it. If you decide to start up and you plan to fly in, join a club, more knowledge than you can shake a stick at. Also join the AMA (american modelers association) membership includes a $100,000 insurance policy that covers you for damage to someone elses property.

1/4 scale Beaver on floats..??? That's Crazy Jmen. That's a 12 foot wingspan. That model would probably qualify as a "Light Sport Aircraft" which can actually carry a couple of people. You would probably have to keep an eye out for the FAA watching you. :D :D What kind of power would that require?

BTW, The Beaver on floats is my favorite aircraft to fly in "MS Flight Simulator X" I LOVE Round Engines. :) NB

Can someone recommend a decent first plane and radio for a newbie? Something to get your feet with without a huge investment.

I see you can buy kits. I want something 99% ready to fly out of the box.

It will still qualify as a model, as long as it remains under 50lbs, preliminary estimates put it at 43lbs. I am still toying with powerplant options, but I am torn between an actual 4-stroke radial (BIG $$$$) or a twin cylinder gasser. This project will be a multi-year venture after it is started, being from scratch and all, the smaller version will give me the ability to view the airframe to make adjustments for weekness' that will be more of a problem on the big one. I roll the plans out on the floor every once and a while and just imagine the the build process, the sheets are 4'x7'. My parents next door neighbor has a 1/3 scale piper cub that is the same size as the 1/4 Beaver.

The DHC-2 Beaver is my favorite aircraft period, I also enjoy it in MS flight X.

There are videos on youtube with planes that are much larger than this one, mostly in other countries, but do a search for R/C 1/2 scale piper or R/C flying fortress on you tube and you will see some really big birds.

Be careful with this hobby, once you are hooked it is almost impossible to get it out.

Just sold last year a helicopter and a 60" cat hull boat (with twin 26cc gassers (large weed wacker engines are in this size range), and a handlaid fiberglass hull) to fund some of the other projects on the board.

Definately go ARF (almost ready to fly) with your first, electric is good also. I have never done an ARF (I truely enjoy the build), but the ARF's have come along way in the last 10 years.

One thing that you will notice in the video is how much the smaller planes twich (sp) when in flight, the larger planes do not do this so much. Basically if you can fly the small ones the bigger planes are like butter. Becareful not to go to small though as you will only be able to fly in no wind conditions as a con, as a pro you can fly at a baseball field. I would not start with anything that is less than 45" on the wingspan, start with a high wing model that has a fair amount of diehedral (rise of wingtip above top of fuselage) these planes are going to more forgiving to fly and give you a better chance at success, i.e. enjoyment. My first plane flew four times and crashed on the first three and is still able to fly, you cannot beat the strength of a trainer, so start there.

In addition to the links above, check out Towerhobbies.com

If you are looking for soup to nuts get a RTF (ready to fly) that will include your radio and everything you need to get started. Have fun!

jmen, what do you think of this one: http://towerhobbies.com/products/hobbico/hcaa42.html

Jmen24 has some good advice in this thread and is probably much more advanced than me. I'd also recommend starting with a good simulator, which will save you a lot of money from unnecessary crashes. It's also good to be able to test out different models and get a feel for what you are looking for. This is what I used: http://www.realflight.com/new/index.html. After a month or so getting comfortable with a simulator you can move on to the real thing.

When I first started, I bought a plane over my head. It was a bottom wing gas plane (P51 Mustang). After that I switched to electric, which I found much more user friendly. I bought an eflite apprentice: http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=EFL2725

It comes ready to fly and almost fully assembled. Also, it's made out of foam and is very fixable. My plane is now covered in duct tape and still flys great. It's a top wing, flys very slow, lands gently and is still capable of doing barrel rolls and loops. The plane has ailerons unlike most beginner planes and it also comes with a pretty decent radio. After flying it for awhile, I added some custom floats. I have since upgraded to another plane, but I still pull this plane out often.

I am not too familiar with that plane, but the components look suspect. I think you would find that as you advanced that you would have to abandon many of the parts of this plane. You want to make sure to have a decent radio, which will allow you to upgrade. I believe the Spektrum radios have become the standard for beginner to intermediate flying and are perfect for upgrading. It might sound like I work for Horizon Hobby, but I find their quality to be very good. For the apprentice plane that I mentioned, you can purchase every part of the plane separately from nuts and bolts to wings and motors.

LP, I would agree with this response. The only real issue with some of the RTF planes, is the radio equipment is very sub-par and as stated will need to be left behind as you move forward. Pick up the simulator and finish out the winter with that then in the spring keep your eyes open for a local clubs swap meet and take a walk around, you can find good advice as well as good deals at those. Also, your in the Kennebunk area, take a ride to Ray and Robbins in Falmouth, ME. http://www.mainehobbies.com/directset.html Take walk in that place and you will not want to leave, they are super knowledgable and the pricing is not bad considering no shipping. In NH check out RC Buyers Warehouse in Nashua off the Everett TP, another good spot and no sales tax.

jff134, I have probably not logged as much flying time as you, I really enjoy the build and when I finish a plane I usually end up selling and starting another, that was then and this is hopefully now, its been over 6 years since I left the ground with one of my planes. I really enjoyed that video though, especially the on board view.

Choices
 

So I am going to order a plane. Is there a site that discusses how to fly these things and what the restrictions are?

I already have visions of barrell rolling it over my neighbor's house:laugh::laugh:

If you get a 1/4 scale Beaver on floats like jmen talks about, you will need a PPL (Private Pilots Licence). :D :D NB

You can almost teach yourself with a simulator and a little reading. I taught myself that way, it was a little costly, but I have since figured it out. Most hobby shops offer lessons for a small fee, which is a good reason to buy from them versus the Internet. I'm not an instructor, but I could maybe give you a quick tutorial around the lake sometime.

Hey jff134...
 

Great post! And a nice job with the BellyCam! :) :)


Terry
________________

What was costly? I was thinking of skipping the simulator and just getting a couple lessons.

I was going to order online but I think I will buy local simply to support an area business. Right now I am leaning toward the SuperCub LP (RTF).

I expect to use it as a gadget toy as I don't see myself needing to upgrade but we'll see. We'll see what the hobby store has this weekend:liplick:

No kidding, you have no idea how nervous I am about jumping into this build. The material investment alone just to build is staggering, not to mention the rest of it. And if it does not balance, it was all for nothing. I am still leaving room for a back out by doing the smaller scale first.:look:

LP, Good luck with the not thinking of upgrading thought process. I dipped my feet over 12 years ago and have yet to be able to pull myself away completely. It is great fun though.

jmen: Here's a nice little model that Delmar Benjamin built in his garage. It's a replica of the famous 1932 Granville brothers R2 Gee Bee Racer. It's got a 450 HP Pratt & Whitney R-985 in it. It's really not much bigger than a 1/4 scale Beaver. :D :D NB


http://www.pbase.com/staggerwing/image/26586076

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s79LcCCszRQ

Uh oh,I think I want one
 

Way way way cool guys.I love the onboard video.

years wasted in seconds
 

Came across this gem of a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWwe...layer_embedded
Could help but think of that large plane you plan to build, this video may make you rethink that idea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWwe...layer_embedded
(not sure on how to post links)

It's That "Round-Sound"...
 

Maybe the great sound of a 4-stroke radial on an RC model will help make up your mind ;) ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u56HE4AjDuo

Trust me, I have thought it out many ways, but just to put into perspective. The turbines on that B-52 cost roughly $5,000.00 EACH, then add the cost of the build on top of that and you are looking at around a $50,0000 dollar investment. The Beaver will be around 10% of that, the time investment will probably be about the same. But many of these large jet models have multiple owners. All it takes is one $150.00 servo to not respond and all that time and money is gone. Jets are also extremely complicated birds compared to the DHC-2, the most complicated thing on the Beaver is the scale pully linkage from the rudder to the floats.

The utter feeling of emptiness that the owners or pilots of these planes feel, must be overwhelming.

DAM: I'm sorry I saw that AWSOME Model. :D I LOVE Round Engines. That's the kind of thing that will make any gearhead SMILE from ear to ear. :) :)

The plane in the video is a scale replica of a plane flown by Roscoe Turner, one of the more flamboyant pilots of the Golden Age of Air Racing.

"Gilmore' was the name of his pet Lion cub that he often took flying with him until the lion got too big to stuff into the plane. :look: NB

http://www.aviationandspacearts.com/...oe-Turner.html

This is really Cool!
 

That WAS Cool. Anybody here old enough to remember "U Control"..? That was when the plane flew around in a circle as the "pilot" stood in the center, and controlled the plane with little wires connected to a handle, which ran out to the wing of the plane maybe 50 feet away and operated the control surfaces. I think that was around the time the Rotary Dial telephone was invented. :D

That was before Radios and.....JET engines in our little toys. :look: NB

Control line was my introduction to the sport. A cox PT-19 with the .049 engine. They usually have them for sale on ebay, and a few companies still make them. Get fun with the kids. I remember the first thing you learn is not get dizzy while flying.:laugh: