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Airplane Costs |
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IMPORTANT PLEASE READ! |
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This is the opinion of Eric Horn and does not reflect the opinion or view of the club. These numbers are estimates! Prices will vary, possibly as much as 30% or more! There are other alternatives. One option is to find used equipment. Many people have found significant savings. I have presented rough estimates for the "traditional" startup costs for POWERED airplanes. You can be involved in this hobby ranging from less than $10 to over $10,000. I have only made two recommendations for equipment in this report. OS engines and Futaba or Hitec Radio Systems. Here are my reasons for specifying these for a beginner: Engine: OS Radio: 4Channel - Futaba
($160) Radio: Hitec 7X ($220) Don't take my recommendations as the best solution for you. People in our club have many different opinions about engines and radios. Talk to the club members! They will be able to answer your questions and help you get started! |
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Main Components (plane, engine, radio) |
$327.98 | $429.98 |
| Items Not in the Kit | $6.98 | $28.76 |
| Engine Installation | $14.34 | $41.84 |
| Radio Installation | $5.00 | $20.98 |
| Landing Gear | $10.09 | $35.78 |
| Field Equipment | $43.71 | $222.90 |
| Building Equipment | $32.96 | $145.16 |
| Total | $441.06 | $925.40 |
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$327.98 |
Optional |
429.98 |
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| At first glance this is what
you need to fly. An Almost-Ready-to-Fly trainer, an Engine,
and a Radio. This is a standard bushing engine. This is a basic 4 channel radio. |
Normal upgrades here are a
ball bearing engine and computer radio. Ball Bearing engines last longer and have more power than bushing engines. I recommend the OS 46FX over the OS 40FX, it is lighter and has more power. It is only about $10 more than the 40FX. This is a computer radio. Servo-travel adjustments can be made from the transmitter instead of manually by adjusting linkages. Dual Rates. For future planes you can have flaps, mixing, exponential, and other features. 3 Model memory. You can also buy an option module that will let you switch to any frequency. Lots of features for the money. |
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.40 sized ARF |
$109.99 |
$109.99 |
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Engine OS 40LA |
$57.99 |
OS 46FX |
$99.99 |
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Radio: Futaba Skysport/Hitec Flash 5 |
$160.00 |
Hitec 7X |
$220.00 |
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$6.98 |
Optional |
$28.76 |
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| You'll need weight to balance
the plane before you fly.
You need rubber bands to hold the wing on to the fuselage. |
Foam tape can be used
between the wing and the "saddle" of the fuselage to keep oil out of
the plane.
You're a beginner! You'll need some patching materials. You may even need the covering during the building of your model to cover-up exposed wood that the model manufacturer missed. |
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Self Adhesive Lead Weights |
$2.99 |
$2.99 |
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Rubber Bands (For wing) |
$3.99 |
$3.99 |
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Single-sided Foam Tape |
$1.79 |
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MonoKote 6ft Roll |
$14.00 |
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Adhesive Covering |
$5.99 |
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$14.34 |
Optional |
$41.84 |
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| Engines usually do not come
with a glow plug, mounting hardware, fuel tubing, or props.
OS# 8 glow plugs are the best! I have had the best luck with these and they last a long time (my opinion). |
I love exhaust
deflectors. They save me time cleaning oil off my plane at
the end of the day.
Solid (small) Aluminum Spinner. I have recently found this wonderful product. You replace the prop nut and washer with this little device. Tighten it with a screwdriver shaft. Very quick and very easy. If you pick the right one, you can use the "normal" side of an electric-starter rubber insert. They will last almost forever! |
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OS #8 Plug |
$7.50 |
Need and extra (Qty 2) |
$15.00 |
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4-40 X 1in bolts |
$1.25 |
$1.25 |
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4-40 lock nuts |
$0.79 |
$0.79 |
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Fuel Tubing 2ft |
$2.30 |
$2.30 |
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Prop |
$2.50 |
You will need some extras! (4) |
$10.00 |
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Exhaust Deflector |
$4.50 |
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Aluminum Spinner |
$8.00 |
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$5.00 |
Optional |
$20.98 |
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| You need foam to protect the radio receiver! | With an external
switch/charging jack, you can check your voltage of your battery pack
without taking the wing off.
I have never been very happy with the hardware that comes in kits. Screw Lock Pushrod Connectors save you time and headache of bending pushrods to the proper length. They also allow you to adjust lengths later. CA hinges are quick and easy, even for a beginner (you'll need some thin CA) I have seen some pretty poor excuses for clevises in kits, you'll probably need some. (You usually can get away with the control horns from the kit) |
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Foam |
$5.00 |
$5.00 |
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External Switch/Charging Jack |
$4.50 |
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Screw Lock Pushrod Connectors |
$6.50 |
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CA Hinges |
$2.99 |
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Nylon Clevises 2-56 (6) |
$1.99 |
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$10.09 |
Optional |
$35.78 |
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| Good luck getting off the
ground at a grass runway with the wheels that come in a kit! I have
never seen a kit that had big enough wheels. You'll need 3 to 3.5 in
wheels.
Some kits I have seen do not come with wheel collars! |
Main Gear: are
usually wire. When you are new to this sport, you don't tend
to land softly. You will be constantly fixing and fiddling
with that landing gear. Fiberglass landing gear is
practically indestructible. Make sure that you install them
with Nylon bolts. If you mount these with steel bolts, you
won't hurt the landing gear, but you will rip the bottom of your plane
out! Nylon bolts will usually just break off and not tear a
big hole in the bottom of your plane.
Nose wheel = Broken out firewall. Most trainers eventually need a firewall replacement/repair due to those nosewheels. My suggestion is to make your plane a taildragger (remember to move your main gear forward.) They are not that much harder to learn how to "drive". It is very likely that your future planes will be taildraggers. If you don't convert your plane to a taildragger, remember to reinforce your firewall, it will save you work in the future. I will try to get a new webpage up soon that has information about converting your plane to a taildragger. |
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Wheels 3 to 3.5" |
$7.00 |
$7.00 |
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Wheel Collars |
$3.09 |
$3.09 |
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Fiberglass landing gear |
$12.99 |
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1/4-20 Nylon wing bolts |
$1.25 |
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1/4-20 blind nuts |
$0.85 |
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1/2 in piece of hardwood |
$2.50 |
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Balsa Triangle |
$0.80 |
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Bolt on Axle Shafts |
$2.80 |
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Dubro Tailwheel |
$3.00 |
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Tail Wheel |
$1.50 |
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$43.71 |
Optional |
$222.90 |
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| Basic necessities. | A field box with an 12V
battery, power panel, electric starter, electric pump (fuel), and glow
plug clip.
Probably don't need a prop reamer if you have a "normal" 40-45 engine and use "normal" props (I don't have a prop reamer, but have had to borrow one for props that I used on my OS91FS) A voltmeter would be helpful for determining if your batteries need charged. You may also want to buy a servo extension and use it to check your voltage through your external charging jack. You'll need a soldering iron, solder, and wire to hookup your power panel. |
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Prop Wrench |
$4.50 |
$4.50 |
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Starting Stick "Chicken Stick" |
$2.99 |
12V Starter Deluxe, Panel Ready |
$29.99 |
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Deluxe Power Panel |
$22.99 |
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12V Sealed Lead Acid Battery |
$25.00 |
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12V charger |
$11.99 |
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Fuel Bulb (Syringe is better) |
$7.99 |
Fuel Pump 12V |
$19.99 |
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Glow Starter w/ charging |
$12.99 |
Glow Plug Clip Panel Ready |
$5.75 |
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Field Box (pre-built) |
$35.00 |
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Re-coil fuel Tubing for fueling |
$5.99 |
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Prop Reamer |
$9.50 |
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Voltmeter |
$25.99 |
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Wire, red #12 |
$3.99 |
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Wire, Black #12 |
$3.99 |
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Solder |
$2.99 |
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10% Fuel |
$12.99 |
$12.99 |
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Windex/409 |
$1.25 |
Windex |
$1.25 |
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Paper Towels |
$1.00 |
Paper Towels |
$1.00 |
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$32.96 |
Optional |
$145.16 |
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| Basic necessities.
Hair dryer can be used to help "tighten" the covering. |
I like thin CA, you will
need it for CA hinges. I am also impatient, I like CA
accelerator. Extra tips for bottles of CA are nice to have
around.
You will probably buy a Heat Gun and Trim Seal Tool eventually. If your trainer has a plastic cowl you can use the fiberglass to strengthen it, just place the fiberglass cloth inside the cowl and use CA as the "glue". |
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15-30 min Epoxy |
$10.00 |
$10.00 |
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CA Medium 4oz |
$8.99 |
$8.99 |
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CA Thin 4oz |
$8.99 |
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CA Accelerator "Kicker" |
$6.99 |
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CA Tips |
$2.99 |
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Popsicle Sticks |
$3.00 |
$3.00 |
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Epoxy Brushes |
$2.50 |
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Epoxy Mixing Cups |
$3.29 |
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Hobby Knife X-acto |
$2.99 |
Deluxe X-acto Knife Set |
$19.99 |
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#11 Blades (25) |
$4.99 |
$4.99 |
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X-acto Saw |
$7.99 |
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Misc. Sandpaper |
$2.99 |
$2.99 |
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Sanding Block |
$1.99 |
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Hair Dryer |
$0.00 |
Heat Gun |
$17.99 |
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Trim Seal Tool |
$19.99 |
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Fiberglass cloth |
$5.50 |
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Wax Paper |
$0.99 |
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T Pins |
$3.00 |
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Tack Cloth |
$2.00 |
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Soldering Iron |
$10.99 |
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