You can start out very inexpensivly. The best way to get into RC flying is to buy a pre-built kit that has all the equipment you need, such as the radio control, enough servos for the flight control surfaces, which will be already placed in the model. I would recommend getting an electric type first. The gas or "cox" engine types are very hard to get a handle on if your flying for the first time. I would also recommend finding someone who has experience, and have them with you when you take your plane out for its maiden flight. Let them do the take offs and landings for the first few times, and once its airborne, take the controls and let him train you with handling the plane in the air, then let him land it. Watch how he gently moves the controls to steer the aircraft, just like in a real aircraft, it takes only suttle movements on the stick to turn or climb or dive. Taking off isnt really that big of a deal. Landing however, isnt so easy!
You can get into RC flying for around 250 US dollars. If you want to jump right into actually building your craft either from kit form or from scratch, the cost would depend on what you are building. Some RC planes have up to 6 servos for functions other than flight control, some have less than that, while others built from scratch are so elaborate they have every function of a real aircraft, from retractable landing gear to full blown mini CCD cameras in the cockpit and exteranl views. Some even have them tied into their computer systems and use the PC's joystick for flight control by attaching the radio controller to an unused comm port, and load up the controller software.
It all just depends on how far you want to start out with. Like I said, I would start out with simple flyable models first to get the feel of how the plane will react to the controls, then work your way up to more complicated aircraft, maybe a twin engine craft, or even a model of a huge jumbo 747 jet!! I have a fellow RC pilot here who has one of those jumbo 747s! The wingspan on that puppy is about 12 feet! It even has little emergency ramps that fill with air and shoot out the doorways! Complete with 8 wheel landing gear under the belly! I think he paid well over 4,000 bucks for that kit!
Hope this provides some insight on RC flying for ya. Find a local RC club, they usually have an area fully equiped with runways and people to help you get started!!
RFB
You can get into RC flying for around 250 US dollars. If you want to jump right into actually building your craft either from kit form or from scratch, the cost would depend on what you are building. Some RC planes have up to 6 servos for functions other than flight control, some have less than that, while others built from scratch are so elaborate they have every function of a real aircraft, from retractable landing gear to full blown mini CCD cameras in the cockpit and exteranl views. Some even have them tied into their computer systems and use the PC's joystick for flight control by attaching the radio controller to an unused comm port, and load up the controller software.
It all just depends on how far you want to start out with. Like I said, I would start out with simple flyable models first to get the feel of how the plane will react to the controls, then work your way up to more complicated aircraft, maybe a twin engine craft, or even a model of a huge jumbo 747 jet!! I have a fellow RC pilot here who has one of those jumbo 747s! The wingspan on that puppy is about 12 feet! It even has little emergency ramps that fill with air and shoot out the doorways! Complete with 8 wheel landing gear under the belly! I think he paid well over 4,000 bucks for that kit!
Hope this provides some insight on RC flying for ya. Find a local RC club, they usually have an area fully equiped with runways and people to help you get started!!
RFB
