Remote Controlled Airplane

[chanchao]

While out with the dog in some field last Saturday I noticed some guys with a remote controlled model airplane. Apparently prices for these start at just 2000 baht or so. They sais some shops that sell them are located near Montfort School. Does anyone know where exactly?

I wanted one of these ever since I was 8 years old but never got one for Christmas or any other occasion. Would probably be illegal back home too, as all things that are fun are either illegal or insanely expensive back home..

This is where the waiting ends and my life will be more complete.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[LivinLOS]

The stuff you would get for 2000 baht is strictly toy town and has no upgradeable components.. When you crash it it then becomes junk.. These usually work by differential steering (2 motors, both on for up and fwd, one on to turn) they are hard to control and fly like a pig.. Crashing becomes inevitable and in the pursuit of cheap probably put more people off than they bring in to the hobby.

If you have any interest in RC buy something that will be repairable and uses real components (and control surfaces) that transfer to the next plane..

I would say that about 6000 baht gets you a good package to learn on and all components will then be able to work in a later plane that can be replaced for perhaps 2000 baht if you dont build (which saves money but not as much as it used to)..

Read around on RCGroups.com..

I highly reccommend something like a Sky Scooter Pro from tower hobbies.. Cost 135 USD last time I looked and lots of $20 off coupons for them.. Add in shipping and maybe being caught in customs and it would be anything from 5000 - 6000 baht for a really good strong learnable (but still aerobatc) plane and gear.

An IFO is a really fun almost crashproof design but is better suited for a pilot with some experience..

Also download FMP and practice a lot on a PC simulator..

Edited January 17, 2005 by LivinLOS

[jackr]

Used to love going to Eastnor Castle in England every August to watch the RC displays - cars, boats, planes...jets even, and choppers which were the dogs <deleted>.

My Dad used to be into model planes many eons ago and I'll never forget the time when he'd just finished doing the wings - i.e. balsa wood and the special coating to give the wings lift - and my brother, being a tad unhinged back then, lit-up a fag and through the smouldering match on there. WHOOF!...gone in a split second and so was he. Gawd, Dad was pissed!!

[Darknight]

I've been flying Rc heli's and planes for 6 years now.

Ask away

In chiangmai you have a field on second ring road from san khampaeng in direction of (###### forgot the name) saui or something (to the north)

Wings shop for rc planes is opposite montfort college

Edited January 17, 2005 by Darknight

[Ajarn]

I also see them most days out behind Tesco Lotus, adjacent to Kamtiang plant market...

Looks like loads of fun, but not something you can do one-handed, right?

[chanchao]

Great replies!!! Though it put a slight damper on things... Yes 2000 baht is toy town, made of styrofoam that still seemed to resist crash impact pretty well. Saw it crash most of the time on landing. A bigger risk seemed the high winds, which made it difficult to fly back into the wind.. adn if it goes out of range then it just drops of course, usually in a pretty inaccessible piece of land..

Still, even the toy town plane worked great for chasing after some bird that was hovering over the field trying to catrch mice etc.

[LivinLOS]

The plane I mentioned would also be styrofoam.. The difference is in the radio gear and components which are using servos and control surfaces.. The difference in usability and leaning how to really fly are totally different beasts..

The costs difference is probably between about 2500 (thats the price of the toy stuff here on phuket) to 5 or 6k.. So either 2500 aor 3500 for a machine that is much much more advanced and will allow you to enjoy it for a long time.

Heli's are where you can really burn money especially while learning !!!

[_Echinochloa_]

http://www.carmoworld.com/airplane.htm

[LivinLOS]

Of those all of the begginer models are thrust differential steering.. Avoid..

The firebird 400 pack is ok but again the components are not reusable on later models so the longer term savings are less than with 'real' parts.

[LivinLOS]

IIRC one of the biggest in Thailand is Minicraft..

http://www.minicrafthobby.com/main.html

Though it was still cheaper for me to order from Singapore...

[Darknight]

I also see them most days out behind Tesco Lotus, adjacent to Kamtiang plant market...

Looks like loads of fun, but not something you can do one-handed, right?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you have some help to start them ajarn , and a small modification your transmitter it should be possible.

I would advise everyone to take caution. It's not as easy as it seems. it canbe very dangerous even with small airplanes. even a small prop can take your fingers off, not even to mention helicopters which basically are upside down lawnmowers flying around.

Always have somebody teach you the basics , check your plane the first time, join a club for advice. maybe also practice on a simulator before you really start paying for planes , chrashing it on the pc is a lot cheaper

And You will crash your 2,5,10, 20.000 bath or more plane sooner or later

I currently fly a raptor 90 full upgrade with a 15 cc webra engine. like this one here

[p1p]

Bought a brilliant Chinese made plane for my 15year old son's Christmas present. 1,700 Baht.

Can't remember the name of the road, but if you pass through the night bizarre, straight on and hang left at the next lights. Left at next junction going back along the river towards Nawarat, the shop is about the third on the left.

He crashed it regularly, but repairs with tape, superglue and bamboo struts were easy. When repairs were impossible, the shop stocks spares of everything and will even transfer the motors etc. into a new, stronger plane for about 1K, including cost of new plane!

They also stock the more advanced 3 and 4 servo planes.

I heartily recommend them, but please don't buy up all their stock, I still need to be able to get spares there!

[Ajarn]

I want that ###### helicopter!

[Darknight]

I want that ###### helicopter! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i'll post a link to some movies later, when i get back home

No drooling allowed though

[LivinLOS]

WOW 1700 baht for a 2ch plane !! Was that including radio gear ??

[p1p]

All inclusive.......

[chuchok]

You bunch of overgrown kids!

Where can I go to get one......

[whitepks]

Darknight and all others...thanks for the info...I'll go searching tomorrow..

FYI, there is a Chiang Mai RC Club. Chap named "Charlie" has a rc shop (planes, boats, helicopters) near the rc field.Believe you can fly one of his plane. If you've flown before - if you're competent with a trainer, he'll let you fly unassisted. It costs just US$2.50 for a flight of about 15 - 20 minutes depending on the throttle setting you choose - the faster you want to fly, the shorter the duration of the tank.

Here are directions to the field...take one of two ways.

1/ from Chiangmai City, take the Chiangmai to Chiangrai road #118 towards Doisaket. At the Second Ring road - which is 3 lights on from Sandek the Juvenile Court on the Super Highway - turn right for about 4 kms. You will come to a huge advertising hoarding on the left for a new housing estate complete with fountains and waterfalls. About 50 metres further on, look for 2 signboards on the left. One says "Garden Restaurant" (in English) and the other has a little aeroplane - that's the field. Follow the bumpy dirt road around to the right. Pass the restaurant on the left - and Charlie's model shop on the left. The runway is about 100 metres further on the left.

2/ from Chiangmai City, take the Sankampaeng Road #1006 towards Borsang Umbrella Village and Sankampaeng. At the Second Ring Road, turn left. Now you are coming at the field from the opposite direction to 1/ above. About 0.5 to 1 km along the 2nd Ring Road, look for the 2 sign boards in 1/ above - on the right nhand side this time. If you see the huge advertising hoardings on the right , you've missed the 2 signboards and you've gone too far by about 50 metres - turn back.

Nice operation and compares with many back in Canada!

You can also learn more on the Chiangmaiexpats.com from notes from Malcolm L.

Cheerio, Whitepks

[rcav8r]

Darknight and all others...thanks for the info...I'll go searching tomorrow..

FYI, there is a Chiang Mai RC Club. Chap named "Charlie" has a rc shop (planes, boats, helicopters) near the rc field.Believe you can fly one of his plane. If you've flown before - if you're competent with a trainer, he'll let you fly unassisted. It costs just US$2.50 for a flight of about 15 - 20 minutes depending on the throttle setting you choose - the faster you want to fly, the shorter the duration of the tank.

Here are directions to the field...take one of two ways.

1/ from Chiangmai City, take the Chiangmai to Chiangrai road #118 towards Doisaket. At the Second Ring road - which is 3 lights on from Sandek the Juvenile Court on the Super Highway - turn right for about 4 kms. You will come to a huge advertising hoarding on the left for a new housing estate complete with fountains and waterfalls. About 50 metres further on, look for 2 signboards on the left. One says "Garden Restaurant" (in English) and the other has a little aeroplane - that's the field. Follow the bumpy dirt road around to the right. Pass the restaurant on the left - and Charlie's model shop on the left. The runway is about 100 metres further on the left.

2/ from Chiangmai City, take the Sankampaeng Road #1006 towards Borsang Umbrella Village and Sankampaeng. At the Second Ring Road, turn left. Now you are coming at the field from the opposite direction to 1/ above. About 0.5 to 1 km along the 2nd Ring Road, look for the 2 sign boards in 1/ above - on the right nhand side this time. If you see the huge advertising hoardings on the right , you've missed the 2 signboards and you've gone too far by about 50 metres - turn back.

Nice operation and compares with many back in Canada!

You can also learn more on the Chiangmaiexpats.com from notes from Malcolm L.

Cheerio, Whitepks

Hi - I'm the MalcolmL that Whitepks referred to at the end of the previous (above) post. The directions to the flying field as described by Whitepks are slightly changed. The field is in the same place - it hasn't moved - but the sign has changed. It still says "Restaurant" but there is no reference to "Garden" anymore. I guess the Thai version has changed also.

This is REALLY the place to fly in Chiangmai and to meet genuine RC'ers from whom beginners can learn a lot - and regular flyers will have a lot of fun. For anyone wanting to get into RC flying - or anyone visiting Chiangmai who doesn't have their plane with them - or anyone who used to fly and wants to get back into it - you can start immediately with Kh Charlie and his model/s. He takes care of everything for you with the plane, the radio, the fuel - everything - and you just go fly - with his aid and instruction if you need it - in Thai and / or English - or if you show proficiency, he'll let you loose on your own. No need to buy anything - just pay Baht100.- for each flight. Then, if you like it and you're convinced you want to advance, you can think about buying new or secondhand stuff. Charlie's mobile is 01 289 2615 if you want to book him for a flying session. And he'll give you precise directions to get to the field.

Happy Landings MalcolmL

[db1tau]

what a coincidence that I found this thread, I took a close look at the little RC planes in Kad Suan Kaew und Tesco the last days, because I was thinking about buying such a toy for myself and my son (he is only 2 years old, so he can't play with it himself, but he really loves everything that can fly)

I know the bigger RC planes with real engines, servos and mutli channel RC, but thats not what I want.

Back in germany I saw these little toys:

http://www.tableracers.com/atomic_z-planes.asp

and I planned to buy one sooner or later.

This toy has no elevators so you have to control the pitch with the thrust button. (on/off)

Here in kad suan kaew I saw something like the "stealth bomber" shown in a link posted before.

It has two propellers, I guess you have to control the yaw with that, since there is no rudder.

It costs about 1900 THB.

In Tesco i even saw a helicopter for 2500 THB, but I wonder how one can fly that with only a two channel RC? as far as I know flying a helicopter isn't that easy without computer support...

I don't want to upgrade later or spend too much time or money with it, all I want is a little toy to have some fun...

do you think its worth the nearly 2000 THB?

I will look for that store near night bazar though, maybe they have more fancy toy planes.

thanks for the posts so far.

Marco.

[db1tau]

I bought one little toy plane in the shop near night bazaar (there is more than one toyshop near that boy school). It cost 900 THB and looks pretty ok, now I am just looking for a place to let it fly.