Made with Xara Web Designer 1954-2009 Rocky Mountain Modeleers A few notes on building: Most models come with very good plans and instructions so you should need little help. Build your plane^'s fuselage straight and watch out for warps in your wings and tail surfaces. Alignment is very important if you expect your model to fly well. A Robart Incidence Meter is a valuable tool. Keep the gaps between the wing and ailerons to a minimum -- under 1/16 inch and closer to 1/32 if possible (likewise for the stabilizer/elevator and the fin/rudder gaps). Be certain that all the pushrods move freely and don't bind or rub against anything. Connect push-rod ends with Z-bends or clevis connectors. E-Z connectors can be used for throttle connections but don't use them on your control surfaces; they tend to disconnect too easily. Avoid metal-to-metal contact in your push-rod connectors. It can cause interference in your receiver. Also try to route your antenna away from servo wires to avoid interference. Before covering your model, be sure to seal the wood around the engine firewall and fuel tank compartment with a couple coats of fuel-proof dope or polyurethane. Most modelers build with CA glues (super glue). Heed the warnings about working in a well- ventilated area. Some people are allergic to the flumes of CA and may have to use the more expensive odorless types. If you are allergic the symptoms are similar to a bronchial infection with chronic coughing. Quit using it for a few days and see if you feel better. (Editor's note) Some early wing failures have been attributed to the main wing joint where the two wing halves have been glued together. ARFs are a little more prone to this failure because an individual is led to believe everything has been taken care of. I would recommend adding a six-inch wide fiberglass band around the wing main joint. You can decide if your main wing joint needs this band by considering the following; If your plane weighs six pounds and you have to pull-out of a high speed 4G dive (someone calculate the real weight and I'll publish it), then the main joint has to support 24 pounds of weight. The wing can be bench tested by placing the left and right side of your wing on flat wide supports (no point source) and then gradually add 24 pounds of weight on the main joint. If you see the wing sag, consider using the fiberglass band. Several good books are available to help you get started. You can get them from your local hobby dealer or from one of the RC magazines. You should read at least one of them. Another excellent source of information is the Tower Hobbies catalog. Not only will you have hours of fun drooling over the goodies in the catalog but also you will find it to be an invaluable reference, and it's only three dollars. Just look for their ad in the magazines. Keep in mind that anything you might get from the catalog can also be ordered through your local hobby dealer, usually for the same or nearly same price, and you get better "product support" and help the local community if you shop at your local dealer. Recommend List of Beginning Airplanes and Equipment Note: This list will probably never be complete or on the leading edge. The club will try to be responsive to new products as they are introduced and flight-tested. However, no one in the club can dedicate all their time and/or resources to build and fly all the new models, so as new pilots bring their planes to the flight training program, we will make note of the plane's or equipment's characteristics. If we see there is interest by the pilots and local hobby stores, we will update this list. FIRST AIRPLANE (BALSA KIT - order does not indicate rank) FIRST AIRPLANE (Almost Ready to Fly - ARF) FIELD EQUIPMENT Disclaimer: There is probably 100 years of opinion and observations from instructors and seasoned pilots presented here. Please do not take any of these opinions as fact. Rather, use the data as points to consider and discuss with your friends as you progress with your flying adventures. Remember that the more information you have up front, the better you are prepared to make the right decision for you. This is by no means a complete treatise. Flyers or Manufactures, if you see an error or omission, please send email to the address found on the RMM home page. Thank you for your input. Page <1, 2> Page <1, 2>