Dos and Dont’s

Here goes…in no particular order:
 
WHEN you order your plane, buy some extra propellors. There are few things in life more frustrating than not being able to go to the field ‘cos you’re waiting for that propellor you ordered to arrive!
 
AND if you’re flying “foamies,” get some foam safe CA (cyanoacrylate) and spray activator while you’re at it
 
AND some lanyards… they’re cheap and could prevent you dropping that new, expensive transmitter (Tx) to the ground!
 
ALSO, pick up a decent case for your transmitter, you’ll never regret it. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen new members at the field damage their transmitter because they don’t have a transmitter (Tx) case. 
 
KEEP your planes and your animals separate as much as you can. It’s unfair to frighten your pet with all the excitement and noise of the flying field and may even prevent your nervous “man’s best friend” from putting a paw through the wing!
 
REMEMBER – when all else fails, you can read the manual!
 
CHECK that the Centre of Gravity (the CG) is set correctly on your plane.
 
IN CASE OF TROUBLE or loss of control, try to remain calm and cut the motor, causing it to glide. That will give you time to get your head back together and helping reduce the chances of any serious damage.
 
DON’T forget the 80/20 rule… NEVER fly when you’ve used up more than 80% of your battery. You can use the display on your transmitter (Tx) or a battery checker to verify.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS remove the propellor when working on a plane:
 
This from Mike Leach on the “RC Planes for Beginners” Facebook page: 
“So, friends, when you are working on your plane (*or setting up a new transmitter), make sure that you take the prop off
“I changed a setting and it spun my 1050kv 4s 11×7 prop up and into my hand and through my pants into my leg! Prop strikes on the side of my index finger. Three strikes on my calf. I’ll save you the gory pictures!
“I’m about to visit our local emergency department to ensure that I didn’t do any significant damage.  
“I’ve watched the videos. I saw the recommendation. Several times. But I’m smarter than that, I said. I wasn’t.’
Edit/update: ‘Three stitches to stop bleeding on the top of my knuckle. One spot too mangled to stitch but I mostly got the bleeding stopped. My leg is fine.’
 Post-postscript: “The radio now has basic configuration, including a throttle-cut switch and I got the blood out of the left stick area. I did lose a three-position switch as well, snapped of by the prop, but a new one has been ordered.
“So please take this to heart. Take that damn propellor off!”

NEVER fly your plane over any place that could make it difficult to retrieve in the event of a crash. Even if its a bad crash you can use the electronics and other parts in a new build.

IF you can’t get to an approved field and have to do your flying “off site”, DON’T fly your plane directly above or behind you. It’s the surest way to lose sight of your aircraft.

THERE’S an old adage in RC flying: Stay two mistakes high – so you have time to recover from any mistakes.

KEEP a buddy close to you who knows what they are doing.

ALWAYS double check that the battery in your plane has been secured – the last thing you want to happen is for the battery to shift during flight

MAKE SURE that you turn on the transmitter before you turn on the battery in the plane.

DON’T fly into the sun. When about to cross the sun, hold the transmitter up above you as a sun blocker. The plane will pop out the other side without hazing your eyeballs and you will be quick to pick-up focus on your craft.

NEVER be afraid to ask for help.

I hear you say, “Oh, that could never happen to me”, but DON’T forget to pack your wings before going to the field!

DON’T fly near any area where people are trying to enjoy themselves. Remember, RC planes can be noisy and intrusive!

Certainly as a beginner… DON’T fly in windy conditions

DO try to curb your enthusiasm to start out with a jet rather than a “beginner plane. Remember, there’s no greater killer to your RC pilot ambitions than having to carry your plane home looking like a jigsaw in a paper bag!

Just MAKE SURE you are high enough to correct any mistakes and in an open enough area to see it. RC planes are easy to lose if you take your eyes off them for even a second.

CARRY a small fire extinguisher in your “flight box.” Nowadays they’re small enough to be handheld and relatively inexpensive!

NEVER, EVER fly without insurance. The rules will change depending on your world geographical region, but PLEASE check out and join the governing body for your region, bdcause membership will usually include insurance!

And lastly… DON’T forget “Murphy’s Law”: If it can go wrong, it probably will!