How easy to learn to fly fixed wing if you can already fly a heli?

[spudly]

I can fly my trex 450 and 250 comfortably when its (not inverted though) with stall turns, flat out fast forward flight, circuits, eights etc........
Although I have no intention of giving up my helis I fancy having a go at fixed wing.
I was just wondering if any heli pilots have made that transition and how difficult it is to learn to fly fixed wing if you can already fly helicopters?

[dave j]

i fly a spitfire and helis i learnt how to fly planks first and am finding helis a lot harder

[SamS]

Fly both planes and helis, but mainly helis, and planes are so much easier, and a lot more simple.

Have you got phoenix ?

[unwind-protect]

Very easy if you just want to fly it about a bit. The most difficult bit is judging the approach and the landing.

If you want to fly well then I'm sure it gets more difficult, and there is a risk that they'll interfere with each other (e.g. flying a plane inverted requires no change of power, but on a heli you need to change "power" (really, collective pitch)).

[Varelco]

I started on fixed wing then went to helis, the transition to helis was a lot more difficult. Like unwind protect said, landing is the only difficult part, you shouldn't have many issues with it.

[vtrnutter]

Planes are easy to take off and fly. Hard to land, and harder still to fly well and do 3d etc. if you fancy a go get yourself a high wing foam plane, something like a wot 4. Runs on 3s 2200 pack, plenty of power and very forgiving. Glues right back together if you spank it (and you will).

I fly both regularly. I find helis are just much harder but more rewarding. Planes are great to have a laugh with and fly in a group. I don't feel very comfortable with multiple helis in the air for some reason.

I am learning basic hovering (prop hanging) and various other tricks at the moment and that is very hard, especially when trying to control the prop hang into a torque roll.


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[bpgoa]

My first plane was a precision aerobatics addiction. I had flown Helis before ( about 10 years prior) and turned up at the club with this 3d monster(I didn't know). I was greeted with a friendly " would you like me to test that" to which I declined. Said person then retreated to club house and returned with all club members, a roll of black bin liners and a chair each.

Thankfully they were all disappointed. Flying a plane is just so easy compared to a Heli that as long as you remember not to shut the throttle while inverted then you'll be fine.

Making it look straight, level and smooth. Now that will take at least a months practice :).

[bigpops]

I flew only helis for about 2.5 years before I got a plane. I bought an AXN floater jet and I've never crashed it. I even managed to fly it back to myself and catch it the second time I took it out (it's a pusher btw). It's had a few messy landings due to a gust of wind or a wing tip dragging on the ground, but I haven't broken it yet in about 40 or 50 flights. I also just got a Stryker that I have 9 flights on and I haven't crashed that either yet, despite it being much quicker on the controls.

I'm no 3d pilot with a heli or a plane, but I enjoy flying both and I think nothing of flying the Stryker or AXN down the park when I'd never take a proper heli (say a 250 size or above) there.

[spudly]

Thanks for all the replies. Will be flying from a football field. Do I really need a very smooth surface or be okay if I choose something with sensible undercarrige?

[Ruston]

Most football pitches tend to be a bit rough for anything with smallish wheels so I'd suggest getting something you could hand launch if you need to. A Wot4 foamie would fit the bill. You wouldn't want anything much above 1.5kg AUW to hand launch.

[NoFixedAbode]

I tried a few times now to fly planks. Never ended good....I could not get my head around there lack of hovering and you need to maintain forward speed for lift.

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[Mslater]

Planks are easy, you'll get bored with the Wot4 quickly though. Have a look at the Parkzone extra. Start on low rates and go daft when you're ready. AND they just glue back together :) which is good coz I keep smashing them up.

[dave j]

For my 2 peneth i would start with an high wing trainer the tutor 40 nitros a good plane or find an electric cessna 182

[Ruston]

[QUOTE=Mslater;868553]Planks are easy, you'll get bored with the Wot4 quickly though. Have a look at the Parkzone extra. Start on low rates and go daft when you're ready. AND they just glue back together :) which is good coz I keep smashing them up.[/QUOTE]

The good thing about getting bored quickly is that it gives you a opportunity to buy something new! Not sure I'd start with a Parkzone extra though, they can suffer from some 'quirky' tendencies.

[chris jones2.4]

Flew helis for a while and picked planks up straight away :)