To the guy on the forum who said you should just follow Radd’s school of flight so you won’t crash, I guess that guy needs to spend more time keeping the heli in the box. More videos after the jump.

And here are some full-scale crashes:

Don’t worry, airplanes only have a few parts, and they’re all user-replaceable. The parts are:

• Battery. Connects to the ESC and supplies the power for the motor, receiver, and servos. The bigger the battery, the faster the motor spins (if your ESC and motor can handle the power).

• Electronic Speed Control (ESC). Think of this as the power distribution center. It connects to the battery, the receiver, and the motor. Based on signals from the receiver, the ESC sends more or less power to the motor. The ESC sends power to the receiver, which the receiver uses to power the servos, using a built-in battery eliminator circuit (BEC). ESC’s have some intelligence, and won’t spin the motor when you first turn the transmitter on even if the throttle is turned up (to prevent you from hurting yourself). They also monitor the power coming from the battery, and cut the motor off before the battery runs completely out so that the battery will have enough power left to move the servos, allowing you to control your plane while you glide it in for a landing. You need a different ESC for brushed or brushless motors.

• Motor. Connects to the ESC and the propeller. Spins faster when the ESC gives more power. Electric motors can be brushed or brushless. Brushed motors typically have a gear that spins the propeller faster than the motor. Brushless motors, which last longer than brushed motors, usually connect directly to the propeller without a gear (they can spin much faster). The picture below shows a brushless motor.

• Propeller. Connects to the motor and spins, pushing wind behind it. The bigger the diameter, the more air the prop pushes with each spin. The deeper the pitch, the faster the prop pushes the wind. The picture above shows the propeller conneced with a prop saver, which lets the propeller bend instead of breaking when you crash the plane into something.
• Receiver. The radio that receives signals from your transmitter. Connects to the ESC and the servos, and sends them signals indicating how far the corresponding stick on the transmitter is being pushed. The receiver has a long wire hanging out of it–that’s the antenna, which receives the radio waves from the transmitter. The receiver has to be the same frequency as the transmitter. You control the frequency using a crystal, which can typically be swapped out.

• Servos. Turn a few degrees to move the control surfaces (the rudder, elevator, and ailerons) on the airplane. Connects to the receiver and the control horns. The first picture below shows two servos connected to a Slo-V fuselage–notice that the control wires (which connect to the control horns) are attached to the servos using “Z-bends”. The arm on top of the servo twists around the screw. Servos typically include several control arms in different shapes. The second picture shows a servo disconnected from an airplane. Beginner planes typically have two servos, while more advanced planes can have five or more servos.

• Control horns. Small pieces of plastic that connect to the control surfaces and, using a stiff control wire, the servos. The control horns connect to the control surfaces, which are the movable parts of the airplane’s wings and tails (the rudder, elevator, and/or ailerons) that control the direction of the airplane by pushing wind in different directions.

This diagram shows how the electrical components are connected:

And here’s a picture of a Slo-V (it’s like a Slow Stick with a V-shaped tail) with the wing off to show all of the parts. Click the thumbnail to view the full-sized picture.

Looking at the above graph, you can only conclude one thing: wind is evil. For a beginner, the wind should be below 3 MPH. It’s 0 MPH at 7am, which is perfect. Unfortunately, it’s also -5 degrees F. Look, I can only bundle up so much. At 20 degrees F, I don’t mind hanging out outside, but -5F is RIDICULOUS. The wind speed also falls below 3PM later in the day, but only after the sun has set. In summary, I won’t be flying today, and wind is a jerk.

As you get better, you can take on more and more wind. Experienced people with advanced planes are comfortable flying in 10-15MPH winds, and some people even try flying in 20MPH winds. Beginner airplanes really aren’t setup to battle the wind, though. While you’re starting, you’ll have to plan all your outings around those wind charts. That means you can’t plan more than a couple of days in advance, and you might not be able to fly for weeks at a time.

Note that wind is a little worse in the Winter than it is in the summer. To find the average wind speeds in your area, look at this chart. Here’s what it looks like for my area:

 JAN    FEB    MAR    APR    MAY    JUN    JUL    AUG    SEP    OCT    NOV    DEC
11.9   11.6   11.4   11.0   10.0    8.9    8.4    8.3    8.6    9.4   10.2   10.9

As you can see, it’s about 3 MPH slower in the summer than in the Winter, and 3 MPH is a pretty huge difference.

Instead of using the site that shows the graphs, you can go to weather.com and visit the hour-by-hour forecast for your location. For me, that site is more accurate, though it’s not as easy to view the wind speed over time.

You can’t rely entirely on websites to determine whether it’s safe to fly, though. They’re not always accurate, and wind speed can change quickly. When you get to the flying site, look at the treetops. If they’re moving at all from the wind, it’s too windy for a beginner. Sure, you can , but the wind is going to control your plane, not you. Better to go home disappointed then to leave your plane 50 feet up in a tree (or completely out of site).

Another good rule-of-thumb regarding wind: if you have a hard time carrying your plane because the wind is blowing it, you shouldn’t fly. Of course, that only measures wind speed on the ground, which is often blocked by trees. Once you get above the trees, it can be much windier.

A few days ago, I got up early on a calm day and immediately flew my Slo-V above the trees to a save altitude. Once the wind hit it, the plane immediately turned away from the wind and started to fly away from me. I turned the throttle all the way up and turned it into the wind, but it just wasn’t fast enough–the plane literally flew backwards. I had to immediately land or risk completely losing my plane (my flying field is surrounded by trees, so I don’t have much room for error).

One way to get out of the wind is to fly indoors. People often fly planes like the Slo-V or the slow stick in large gyms. Helicopters can also be flown indoors (carefully). If you don’t happen to have a gym with high ceilings, consider joining the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). There’s probably a group in your area that organizes indoor flying.

1. Day 1: Get started with a simulator.
2. Day 2: Find a location.
3. Day 3: Check out the forums.
4. Day 4: Become consistent with the simulator.
5. Day 5: Buy your airplane.
6. Day 6: More simulator practice.
7. Day 7: Assemble your plane.
8. Day 8: Fly your remote control plane.
9. Day 9: Repair your plane.
10. Day 10: Fly your plane (and land it this time!).

Sure, that seems like a lot of work just to have fun–but it’s worth it.

Buy a gamepad with two analog controls (it should look like those XBox or PlayStation controllers). I use the Logitech Cordless Rumblepad. Configure FMS to use it: put the throttle on the left stick (vertical), the rudder on the left stick (horizontal), the elevator on the right stick (vertical) and the aelerons on the right stick (horizontal). Spend 30 minutes practicing today, and every day for the next two weeks. Start with the “SlowFly” model shown below.

• WattFlyer. My favorite forum. There are lots of forums at this site for different types of flying and skill levels. For now, just stick with the beginner forum.
• RCGroups.com. Another good beginner forum.
• RCUniverse.com. Yet another forum, if you just can’t get enough of this.

You won’t understand most of what people are saying at first. In a couple of weeks, though, most of it will make sense.

• GWS Slow Stick (also known as the “SS”). This is by far the most popular RC aircraft. It’s super cheap, very easy to fly, easy to put together, easy to fix, slow enough to fly in small spaces, and it can grow with you as your skills improve. You’ll need the main kit, an Electronic Speed Control (ESC), a battery, a charger, and a transmitter (which will include a receiver and the two servos you need). You’ll learn what each of these components dos in a few times. For now, just buy the accessories listed at the bottom of the Tower Hobbies page, which should add up to about $190. While you’re at it, buy five extra propellers (you’ll need them).

• EasyStar. This plane is a little faster than the slow stick, so it requires a little bigger flying space. Buy this if you have at least a 600×600 space (think four football or soccer fields). While the speed is a disadvantage over the GWS Slow Stick, but it’s a Ready To Fly (RTF) model, which means it’s already built. The Slow Stick is a Almost-ready To Fly (ARF) model, which means you have to buy the different components and build it yourself. Also, the EasyStar has the prop above and behind it, so you won’t break it when you fly into something or land nose-first.

If you’re at work at can’t use FMS, go back to the forums and search for your model name. You’ll see the problems that people have had and the different types of modifications people have made.

Today is also a good day to start learning about wind.

Once you arrive, look at the treetops. If they’re moving from the wind, put your plane back and go home. Sure, you can fly today, but the wind is going to control your plane, not you. Better to go home disappointed then to leave your plane 50 feet up in a tree.

If the wind is calm, plan a flight path. Stand in one corner of the field, facing the wind. You’re going to fly straight forward, keeping the plane in front of you at all times. Gradually gain altitude until you are about 2-3 times higher than the nearest tree or building. Usually, you want to be about 100-150 feet up (about 10-15 stories). That’ll seem RIDICULOUSLY high, but altitude is actually your friend. These beginner planes won’t fall any faster from 100 feet than they will from 20 feet, and if you have some altitude, you can make a mistake and still recover from it. After you reach altitude, plan to make a left turn, fly a ways, and then make another left turn so the plane is facing you. Then, you’ll land.

Now, you’re finally ready to fly. Connect the battery to the plane. Face into the wind. Hold the plane in your right hand, and the transmitter in your left hand. Using your left thumb, move the throttle (the left stick) all the way up so that the prop is spinning fast. Now, with your right hand, throw the plane forward gently and level.

Quickly move your right hand back to the right stick so that you can control your plane. Pull the stick gently; you shouldn’t move it all the way in any direction. If the plane didn’t take off straight, press and release the right stick to straighten the plane. Pull back GENTLY on the right stick so that the plane gains altitude. Take a breath; you’ve made your first takeoff.

Continue to gain altitude until you’re well above the trees. Follow your flight path, and take a gentle turn to the left (BUT DON’T HOLD THE STICK–just pulse it). The plane will probably straighten itself out, thanks to the dihedral in the wing–a slight V-shape. If it doesn’t, pulse the stick to the right to straighten it out.

Repeat your previous left turn so that the plane is facing you. Now, your left and right controls will be reversed. Your time with the simulator should make this second nature. If the plane is turning, straighten the plane out by pushing the controller in the direction of the lower wing.

Decrease the throttle to 50%, and push the nose down gently. The plane shouldn’t lose too much speed, since it’s dropping now. When the plane is about 10 feet above the ground, shut the throttle off completely, and let the plane continue to glide. When you’re one foot off the ground, pull back on the stick so that the nose points towards the air, and let the plane land.

You probably didn’t get to the gentle landing I described–in fact, you probably crashed the plane like I did. If (well, when) something goes wrong, don’t panic–just try to gently correct the flight path. If you can’t correct it, turn the throttle off to minimize the damage during the crash. Pick up your plane, disconnect the battery, and assess the damage. If you can fix it with tape, do that. If not, you can fix it at home.

If you have the slow stick, you can repair any damage to the wings using packing tape. In fact, many people put packing tape over the edges of the wing just to add strength.

If you broke a part that you can’t repair, you can get a replacement part from wherever you bought the plane. Fortunately, individual parts are very cheap. I hope you like repairing the plane, because it’s part of the hobby. Most people spend far more time building and repairing the planes than actually flying them.

Now that you’ve learned to fly, you can try more advanced maneuvers, like loops. Many people do aerial photography by putting a light-weight video or still camera on their plane. And, of course, there are hundreds of other planes to choose from capable of flying much faster and doing much more advanced maneuvers.

Growing up, I was obsessed with airplanes (my dad was in the Air Force, which helped). I spent thousands of hours building plastic models from kits, and I memorized every detail of almost every military aircraft build since the 60s.

A few months ago, while looking for Christmas gift ideas for myself, I noticed the Estes XB-39. I was shocked–a remote controlled aircraft for about $150, and it could take pictures. I looked into RC aircraft a few years back, and everything was gas powered, cost thousands of dollars, and you were guaranteed to destroy your first three aircraft while you developed some skills. Being an avid photographer, it seemed like the perfect gift. Santa came through for me.

(more after the jump)

A couple of weeks later, the pond behind my house froze over, providing the big open space I needed to fly it. The wife grabbed the video camera and we took it out for its maiden flight. I knew nothing about flying RC planes, so I expected to destroy it–which made it that much more fun, like going to a NASCAR race when know FOR SURE there’s going to be a huge crash.

• Flight 1: Sharp right turn into a tree. I knocked it out with a big branch and repaired it with some packing tape. Suddenly, I was relieved that it was made with cheapy feeling foam.
• Flight 2: I launched it straight over the pond this time. I immediately wanted to circle around, so I held the stick left. It turned left, all right, until the left wing was pointed straight down. Death spiral as it crashed into the ground. Amazingly, even from this dramatic crash, there was no damage.
• Flight 3: Remembering the instructions, I decide to steer by pulsing the control left and right. The plane makes a big, wide circle, and gains lots of altitude. I make another beginner mistake and fly it over my head. I lose track of it, and it ends up in another tree. This time, it’s about 60 ft in the air, and way too high for me to reach (though it doesn’t stop me from trying).

Amazingly, it fell out of the tree two days later and ran just fine. I flew it about a dozen times after that and got pretty adept with it. Nonetheless, everything I did was wrong. Save yourself some time and cash and follow my advice for getting started with remote controlled airplanes.