CDucote

Hello everyone. Im returning to RC airplanes after about a 20 year break. I am Re-Building an old duraplane trainer 40 that I had. after looking at the cost of glow fuel I decided to convert to Electric. Also changing to a 2.4 ghz radio.
Looks like the hobby has changed quite a bit. The duraplane is just about ready to Fly, Just waiting for good weather.

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

Good luck. Sounds like you made the right call. I bet you pick it right back up with no problem.I've seen guys start flying again after many years and they knock the rust off pretty fast.

David

J330

My Feedback: (3)

Besides choices that the Joneses smile at, consider things a lot of people forget or were never taught in the first place.
Lighter, smaller engines are one of the most dramatic change you can make to a model, besides correcting bad CG.
A lot of people rely on trim settings on the radio to compensate for a poorly set up model because they have no one teaching them how to do it.
It's funny how decades changes people's thinking about what is properly powered, over powered, or under powered, and "expo" and "dual rates" were nothing but science fiction back in the day. Servo reversing was the talk of the clubs when that feature came out. Knowledge that people had in the 60's through the 90's seems to be forgotten with first the ARF, now the foam stuff you pull out of a box, bind and fly. In the 1960's you didn't have much choice to over power anything really. It's really sad to know people weened on foam and battery powered toys shaped to look like model airplanes, check only the condition of their battery and not much else, they take it for granted the plane is set up precisely from the Chinese factory. You rarely hear about people readjusting thrust angle, moving CG further back, checking lateral balance, checking wing incidence....they take it all for granted that's it's good. Even with an "old" ARF, you cannot shave off unnecessary weight, and never experience a much better flying model than foam, or garbage plywood, down spouts, or coroplast for that matter. I only find foam useful when a transmitter is secured in a box. You will never see a foam airplane shape fly on a windy day. Frequently I'm the only guy at the field on windy days. Balsa and glow power has its advantages.

Keep in mind, new radios are harder to program and receivers aren't cheap, nothing new comes with servos. All the cost of gear, RTF electrics, cost of lipo's - chargers, are you really saving money to avoid glow fuel?
If you decide on lipo powered motors, that's fine, but make some calls. Lipo fires may not be covered on your homeowners policy. Allstate limits me to 5, as "personal use." Batteries tend to die faster than advertised too. In any case, it's a big learning curve to abandon what you know. 2.4 Ghz receivers tend to brown out with a voltage drop. Maybe that's fixed?
I just spent $60 shipped for a new radio, receiver, 4 servos, and switch the other day. Can't wait to try it out.
Same site offers huge savings on local pick up ready to fly balsa wood - glow powered models. It offsets my cost of fuel.
Digital servos take higher voltage, at what price tag? The market will simply require you to do all these new tech things to fly anything, even some 2 - 3 lb. foam shaped airplane,
when for decades 42 oz/in standard servos have worked for me through .60 size 7 - 8 lb airplanes including pylon racers, and pattern planes.

CDucote

Thank you for all the Information. If everything works out (should be attempting to fly Saturday) with the help of a club i am joining, I will probably end up going back to a glow plane for my next one, I just really enjoyed tinkering with the little engines.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Welcome back

SOPHIAFLYGIRL

Welcome back to RC aviation. I also had a break but decided I'd go "all in" and bought several high performance planes, one of which is my dream airplane of all time:

108.5 inch WS Bonanza A-36 with DLE 85. I used to drool over this airplane and even today there are few scale RC Bonanza's flying. This monster takes up the entire downstairs living room!!!! Absolutely love this plane! 💜💜

CDucote

So the Flights have been going well, plane flies pretty good. did have one minor crash out of many successful flights but was easy to repair. Now im looking for another plane. Dream plane is a P-40. and I want to go back to Internal combustion. Should i get a low wing trainer before going to the P-40?

J330

My Feedback: (3)

Yes. Getting familiar with a tail dragger on a cheap model (ARF) before moving up to a P-40 is a very wise step as you make progress in piloting skills.

J330

My Feedback: (3)

I got into RC 20 years ago after a 20 year hiatus, but most of my airplane background was control line so I was a beginner surrounded with good teachers at the flying field to get me going.
After my first trainer (Stick 40 Plus - Balsa USA) I found estate sales to be the easiest way to dive back in, and the same result, a stuffed living room is a consequence of that sort of shopping. These days in FL it seems many are passing away who I've flown with all these years, and people ask me to sell their models all the time, not being as computer experienced or wanting a 1099-K in their retirement. I enjoyed picking up some specific models nearby as well. One was a Chromed out Phaeton ll biplane that ought to reflect the sun's rays right into my eyes.
Something about bi-planes and 4 stroke engines, makes it feel more scale than flying Mustangs and other warbirds for me, and they behave better too. Still haven't had a maiden yet, too hot already in FL. This is building season down here.




Not many build kits anymore, but if anyone wants too try, this is a pretty good second plane and a bargain on eBay of all places. https://www.ebay.com/itm/394683611616

CDucote

That is a beautiful plane!

dj9124

My Feedback: (1)

That is pretty cool looking!

J330

My Feedback: (3)

Did you get it up in the air this summer?

CDucote

Sorry for the late reply. I certainly did. Many times. Im hoping to maiden a new Valiant tomorrow. I am also rebuilding a P-51 someone gave me. The Valiant has been ready, just havnt been having any luck with the weather. hopefully tomorrow is the day.

John I. Que

Welcome Back! I'm in my early 60's and had been out of the hobby since the mid-90s. It didn't come back to me as quickly as some others! But, I kept working at it on the Real Flight 9.5 simulator. Highly recommended. Finally, after about 10 real flights, I'm maybe half as good as I used to be. I'll get there! Best of luck to you!