STARTING OUT IN AERO MODELLING.
Thankyou for taking an interest in our
Sport. To some, Model Aviation is a Hobby and to others it is a Sport.
Whichever way you look at it, there is fun and good times to be had by all, if
you put the effort in.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Model Aircraft may be flown in Australia in accordance with Civil
Aviation Order Part 101. Basically these orders lay out instructions for the
use of Radio Controlled Model Aircraft in Australia.
The main concerns of COA 101 to the average modeller are that you cannot
fly within 3km of an aerodrome, within 30 metres horizontally from, or at any
height over people, houses, vehicles, etc, you cannot fly over 400ft above the
ground unless you have authorisation from CASA to do so, you cannot hold a
public display unless you have a permit to do so and you cannot fly a model
weighing more than 7kg or a Turbine powered model, unless you have a permit to
do so.
NOTE : These Rules are currently being
revised so link to CASA for the updates
CAO 95.21 is LAW. Link to CASA for more info:(download required here)
The Model Aeronautical Association of Australia (MAAA) is the parent body in Australia for Model Aviation and then, affiliated with the MAAA, the States have their own governing bodies which is the Victorian Model Aeronautical Association(VMAA), for us, here in Victoria.
A WORD Of ADVICE FROM THOSE WHO KNOW TO
THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW.....There
are many traps for the beginner in AeroModelling and we advise you to talk to
someone who knows the common pitfalls BEFORE you waste your money on
gear that is unsuitable for flying models. Certain R/C gear is suited to cars
and boats and unless you talk to someone first you may make a costly error.
REMEMBER.....Talk to club members FIRST...it is in YOUR interest.
There are approximately 70 Model Aero Clubs in Victoria with around 2500
members, so if you live in Victoria there will be a club somewhere near you.
Link to the VMAA page for clubs list
and contacts: 
THE MODEL AIRCRAFT WE FLY: There are
literally hundreds of different types of models available these days in Kit
form, ARF(almost ready to fly), or you can build from Plans. The choice is
yours...you may even buy second hand but be careful here. Our club also has a
plans library if you like to build and as a club member, you can hire the plans
for $2.00 per month.
LEARNING TO FLY: It is almost impossible
to teach yourself to fly Model Aeroplanes. It may look easy but it isn't. The
best way to learn is to join your local club and be taught by an experienced
flier at no cost. You will still crash your model but it should last you a lot
longer than it would without instruction. Being a club member also gives you
insurance cover on other people and property should the unforeseeable accident
happen. Radio failure or interference can happen at any time or anywhere so our
out of town fields are the places to fly. Noise can also be a problem and this
is another reason to fly at our fields. "Gone are the days when you could
fly a model at your local football ground."
COSTS: It will cost between $600.00 and
$1000.00 to get yourself set up to fly R/C, depending on what you want and are
prepared to spend. From here it really depends on you and your wants and
aeromodelling can become very expensive. It can also be an inexpensive hobby if
you are easily pleased. As well as your Model and Radio set you may need a
flight box, fuel, starter panel, electric starter, 12v battery, various tools,
spare glo plugs and spare propellers. Also don't forget those all important
"Club Fees". Remember you have Insurance when you join a club and
this is an essential part of Model Aviation.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FLY ON MY OWN ? : It takes around 3 months or 8 hours of "hands
on time" for a young person to fly learn to fly solo with confidence and
maybe up to 2 years for the older generation. Everyone is different and some
pick it up quicker than others. A lot also depends on the type of model you
learn on. Fast is usually ok for the young and slow is definitely best for the
older learners. I have actually had 2 teenagers who went solo on their second
day out but this is a very, very rare scenario. I have also had older members
who have taken over 3 years and several models before going solo !
STARTING OUT: You have to start somewhere
and a learner that has been properly advised will start with a TRAINER Model.
This will be a high wing model probably with a flat bottom and may be 3 or 4
channel. It will probably be powered with a .25 or .40 size engine and it will
take from 3 months to 2 years for you to learn to fly on our own.(the older you
are, the longer it takes to learn.) My suggestion is a .40 size trainer with a
tail wheel....not a nose wheel. I also suggest a semi symmetrical wing shape if
you are under 50 years of age. We fly a lot in the wind and flat bottom wings,
which I recommend for over 50 years of age, can be a little difficult in windy
conditions. It is much harder to learn to fly in windy conditions.
The types of models are many and varied and there are several different
area's of this sport such as Control Line, Sports Models, Scale Models,
Gliders, Old Timers, Pylon Racing, jets, Helicopters and more. A TRAINER is
required before you get into flying anything else. “You need to fly your
Trainer to death”. Too many people go solo and immediately get a new model,
which doesn’t last very long so be patient and keep flying your trainer until
you can do multiple touch & goes without a problem.
A Model Flying Simulator may be of some assistance to many students, but
there is nothing like the real thing. You cannot learn on a simulator and just
go out and fly. Most young people can take off, fly around and land after 15
minutes on a simulator. You just can’t do that with a real model !
a Basic trainer
SCRATCH BUILD, ARF or KIT ?
"SCRATCH BUILT" means you build it all from a plan and this can
take a lot of time but you get the satisfaction of doing it all yourself.
Scratch Building is usually cheaper that buying a Kit but a lot more time is
required to complete the model.
"ARF" means Almost Ready to Fly. These models come in a Kit Box
and the fuselage, wings and tail are all pre built. You have to join the wing
halves, glue the tail on and install your engine & radio gear. The box may
say that you can be flying in 4 hours.........don't you believe it. It will
probably take 4 hours to install your Radio Gear and it is better if the glue
has longer too fully cure. It usually takes a few days to put one of these
together properly. ARF models look good and fly well and are very popular at
present and reasonably cheap, however they do have their problems. You can't
see what's under the covering and the covering is not a heat shrink and it
doesn't take much to tear it or put a hole in it. From my experience, ARF
models are too fast for the older generation and I haven’t yet come across an
ARF that is slow enough.
"BUILD FROM A KIT" means you buy a Kit Box with the bits and
pieces usually pre cut and you have to assemble it all. Some kits have the
model plus wheels, fuel tank and all sorts of bits and pieces and some kits
don't have much more than the model itself. What you pay for is usually what
you get. So you will need to buy covering, paint, etc to finish off a Kit Model
which adds extra to the cost of the model.
My personal recommendations………..
If you are over 50 years of age, build a Red Zephyr and put an OS40LA
engine in it.
If you are young, any of the current ARF trainers with an OS46LA engine
are ok.
CONTROL LINE: This is a good cheap way to be introduced to flying models and has several area's such as Sports Models, Scale Models, Speed Models, Combat and more. The LVMAC doesn’t have room for Control Line Flying and all members are into Radio Controlled Flying. There is however a Control Line Group the fly in the area called Control Line Aeromodellers of Gippsland (CLAG)and you can visit their webpage at http:\www.clagonline.org.au
Control
Line Model taking off.
R/C SPORTS MODELS: You have probably seen
all those guys carving up the sky with fast aerobatic models, so once you have
learnt to fly on a trainer you will be keen to progress to something fast and aerobatic
so you too can become one of those guys and carve up the sky and most sports
models are suitable for this category. The Sports or Funfly type Model is the
most common model to be seen on the flying fields and is usually 4 channel
control,(ailerons, rudder, elevator, throttle.) fast and fully aerobatic, with
a symmetrical wing shape.
Low
wing Sports Model.
SCALE MODELS: The Scale Model is the
ultimate of both craftsmanship and flying skills combined. They are what the
name suggests...Scale Models...which makes them identical to real aircraft
except for their size. Outline, Paint Schemes, Decals, Markings and other
special features of the real aircraft must be on the Scale Model. Pilots must
be able to fly their scale model just as the real aircraft would fly and
perform manoeuvres that the real aircraft would be able to do. A lot of Scale
Models are of WW1 & WW2 aircraft. Some of these Scale Models of today have
Wingspans of around 3 & 4 metre and are called Mammoth Scale.
Scale
model Corsair F4u
GLIDERS: Gliders may be flown in either
Thermals or off a Windy Slope. The Thermal Glider is normally very light and
may have a large wingspan and is winched, towed, Bungee launched or motored
with either fuel or electric motor, into the sky and then stays up by finding
thermal air currents. The Slope Soaring Glider is usually smaller, heavier and
faster than a Thermal Glider. Some Gliders can be used for both types of
gliding for the average person. The Slope Soarer is just hand launched of a
hill into the wind. The catch here is that you need wind coming up the hill to
create the lift needed to fly.
R/C
Glider
OLD TIMERS: Old Timer Model Aircraft are
aircraft built from plans that are pre 1940's and are normally 2 or 3 channel
and complete in endurance and duration competitions. The basic idea is to use a
measured time or fuel quantity to get height and when the engine stops the Old
Timer becomes a Glider and finds thermals to stay up for as long as possible.
Old
Timer Model
HELICOPTERS:
Relatively new to the world of R/C the Model Helicopter has a firm footing in
the sport. They are always the centre of attention and can be Scale Models or
Sports Models that are fully aerobatic. Helicopters are best flown in their own
area, away from fast sports models.
R/C
Helicopter
Link to Melbourne R/C Helicopter Club:
ELECTRIC FLIGHT is
another new area in R/C modelling and is good in area's where noise is a
problem. The main thing here is not to buy cheap electric gear and the
rechargeable batteries are quite expensive. Some gliders have electric motors
to get them airborne.
electric
glider
PYLON RACING: Pylon racing is an exciting
side of aeromodelling and really only for the very experienced. The models fly around
a triangular circuit, very fast, usually 3 or 4 at a time, for a set number of
circuits. The winners go on to fly against the winners of other rounds until
the final round decides the winner.
About
to start a Pylon Racing Model
Link to the AMPRA for more
info:
PATTERN MODELS :
Pattern Models are models that are quite fast and very well trimmed and they
fly a pattern of 23 aerobatics in competition. They usually have a 10cc(.60)
2stroke engine or 20cc(.120) 4stroke engine. Modern Pattern Models are very
quiet and extra points are awarded for quietness at their competitions.
Carrera
Pattern Model
Link to the APA
for more info:
MODEL JET AIRCRAFT : Increasing in popularity
are model Jet Aircraft. Some absolutely beautiful scale model jets are to be
seen around the clubs. Jets can be powered by a ducted fan unit (which is
basically an engine running an impeller instead of a propeller) or a real jet
engine which runs on propane gas. Rules and regulations are currently being
made to control the use of these jet engines. There are no jets in our club.
Ideally jet models prefer a concrete, tar or well prepared grass runway and are
not suited to paddocks where there is livestock roaming around.
F-15
Eagle
Link to more info on Model
Jet Aircraft:
ENGINES: The GLO-PLUG 2 stroke engine is
the most common motor these days. Ranging from .049ci up to around 3000ci the 2
and 4 stroke model motors run on a mixture of Methanol & Caster Oil and may
have other additives such as Nitro to help with engine reliability. The most common
motor sizes for starting out are .25ci(2.5cc) and .40ci(6.5cc). Larger Models
of today are running 2 stroke chainsaw or whipper snipper petrol engines, some
at 60cc. Diesel engines are not very common these days and are mainly used in
special events. It is a club rule that all engines must have a silencer fitted
when flying at our club sites to avoid problems with our neighbours who may
find the noise distressing, even with a silencer fitted. All new engines come
with a muffler these days.
Typical
R/C Engine
TRANSMITTERS: The transmitter is the unit
that is actually held in your hands and can have from 2 to 12 functions. The
most common is the 4 channel set and is all that is required in general
funflying. Transmitters come in 2 modes...Mode 1 with the throttle on the right
stick and Mode 2 with the throttle on the left stick. Both modes are common in
the world but not so in individual clubs. Check with your instructor before
buying so that you can buy one on the appropriate mode. You may also like to
buy a transmitter that is capable of using the Buddy Box training cable.
Learning with the Buddy Box system is quite a good way to learn but not
essential. The LVMAC has a rule that transmitters must be certified every 2
years as do many clubs these days. The Transmitter is usually powered by a pack
of 8 AA batteries and Rechargeable Nicad packs are recommended. Never switch on
a transmitter, at any flying site, without first putting a key in the Frequency
keyboard.
In Australia we have been allocated some of the 27MHz, 29MHz, 36MHz &
40MHz frequencies.
In the 29MHz Band, frequencies 29.725(channel 10) to 29.985 (channel 36) may
be used for the Radio Control of any type of model, ie Cars, Boats &
Aircraft.
The 36MHz Band may be used for Radio Control of model Aircraft and model
Boats with the even numbered channels being exclusively
for model Aircraft use. The odd numbered channels are shared by model
Boats and Aircraft. The 36 MHz channels are from 36.010 (601) to 36.590 (659)
in 10KHz increments.
The 27MHz & 40 MHz Bands are designated for industrial, scientific or
medical and may also be used however 27MHz sets must only have a 10kHz
bandwidth so as not to interfere with CB radios. The
use of 27MHz is not recommended. NOTE : The VMAA
have advised all Victorian clubs that 27MHZ sets cannot be used at Club Flying
Sites as our insurance does not coverthem.
There are only 2 frequencies available for use in 40MHz and are not
common. They are 40.665 (Channel 50) & 40.995 (Channel 53)
You can only use these approved frequencies in Australia and fines and or
confiscation do apply for illegal use of frequencies. From a safety point of
view it would be highly dangerous to use an inappropriate frequency because the
chance of interference causing a model to crash would be rather high.
Typical
Transmitter
All
clubs should have a frequency keyboard for use by all fliers.
If you
dont know how to use the frequency board, then ASK SOMEONE !
RECEIVER: This unit is fitted into the
aircraft and receives the radio signal messages sent from the Transmitter and
relay's those messages onto the servo's. This unit is powered by 4 AA batteries
and Rechargeable Nicad packs are also recommended here.
SERVO: This is the unit that actually does
the work, after receiving a message from the receiver. The servo's make the
model go up, down, left, right, etc. The servo is connected to the receiver
with electric wires and then to the control surfaces by pushrods.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS
for people that I teach :
1 Always visit your local club before buying anything. The advice you
receive will help you immensely.
2 Buy a .40 size model with a tail wheel if possible. (It is a lot easier
to learn to take off & land with a tail dragger at our flying fields, which
are rough grass)
3 If you are young, have a model with a fully symmetrical wing. If you
are over 50, have a model with a semi symmetrical or flat bottom wing that is
not too fast. (you may have to build it yourself – all of the ARF Trainers that
I have seen are much too fast for anyone over 60 years of age)
4 Do not buy second hand models or Radio’s unless you know something
about what you are buying. There are many traps in second hand gear ! A test
flight from the seller would be an advantage if possible !
5 Do not build a Scale Model type that you have not seen fly. You may be
very disappointed in the performance.
