RCM Basic Trainer (oz8273)

About this Plan

RCM Basic Trainer. Radio control trainer model. Wingspan 50 in, for .19 engines.

This is the RCM Basic Trainer plan as it first appeared in RCM magazine. To be more exact, the plan appeared in the "RCM Flight Training Course Volume 1" in 1972 - article text not as yet available, no scan [fixed now, see below].

Note this design was later also kitted by Bridi Hobby Enterprises (oz5103).

Scanned from a fullsize plan, thanks to Balsaworkbench, scanning by Don at EAC, cleanup by theshadow.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 15/2/2024: Added article (this is chapter 8 of the FTC, 21 pages complete) thanks to AlanLiljas.

Quote: "CHAPTER EIGHT: The RCM Basic Trainer. You will notice, as you glance through the chapters of R/C Modeler Magazine's Flight Training Course, that two trainers are being presented - a Basic Trainer and an Advanced Trainer. If you are a member of an RC club that is fortunate enough to have a Club Flight Instructor, you could begin with the RCM Advanced Trainer, relying on the combined know-how of this Flight Training Course and your club instructor to help you through the developing stage that is necessary before you can become a proficient RC pilot.

The Advanced Trainer is a .40 to .60 powered full house aircraft that is capable of performing all of the AMA and FAI pattern maneuvers, yet makes an excellent trainer if you have previous flight experience on a simpler, more inherently stable design, or if you have the continued assistance of a proficient pilot at your side.

On the other hand, if you are a newcomer to radio control with no previous flight experience, or if you do not have the assistance of one of a local pro, we strongly urge you to begin with the RCM Basic Trainer. This is a small, gentle RC ship with ideal characteristics for your first aircraft. It is a stable, forgiving airplane that is easy and inexpensive to build and fly. This aircraft has the built-in stability necessary during that period while you are training your reflexes and learning to fly automatically without having to think about each movement of the control stick.

The prototypes of the RCM Basic Trainer used an old Veco .19 which made it a pretty powerful little machine. Any .15 engine will handle the Basic Trainer beautifully and even a Max .10 would do a good job if you don't make it too heavy.

All of the RCM Basic Trainer prototypes have used rudder, elevator, throttle and aileron controls although the plane will fly nicely without using ailerons. The ailerons have been included in the design so that you won't fall heir to 'aileron phobia' which has happened to as many modelers who learned to fly from the 'rudder only' school. For some reason or another, the RC'er who has learned to fly without ailerons, develops a fear of this control function - a control function that is the most positive and easiest control to use. For this reason, we would like you to start with ailerons, using all four channels of your proportional system, on a gentle trainer that will enable you to become proficient at the rate of your own learning curve without having to smash up four models in the process!

The high wing, cabin-type design, fairly long tail moment arm (distance from the trailing edge of the wing to the leading edge of the stabilizer) with both down and right thrust in the engine, have all been utilized to increase the stability of the trainer. Sheet balsa fuselage and tail surfaces, along with a flat bottomed wing section were chosen for ease of construction.

Everyone seems to have their own building techniques which may be well founded or, may be based on how they feel at the moment. The photo sequence accompanying this article suggests a how-to-do-it series of construction steps but, if you have built models in the past and have a better way, use them.

There are a few specific requirements that you should write on the shop wall 100 times so that you will remember them while you are building the RCM Basic Trainer. They are:

Weight - Keep it light!
Alignment - Keep everything straight and warp free.
Radio - Install it as the manufacturer recommends and as outlined in the Flight Training Course.

CONSTRUCTION: Photo #1 shows the primary components of the fuselage and tail group. A good way to proceed is that while the glue is drying on one part you can be making something else.

The construction of the Basic Trainer is fairly simple. It is recommended that you leave about 1/16 extra for trim (after assembly) on the top and front edges of the cut-out forward of the cabin. Be sure to select soft and medium grade balsa, staying away from that hard stuff since it will add unnecessary weight to your trainer.

The space between the engine bearers and the hole pattern must be made to fit the engine you wish to use. The drawings and photographs show a Veco .19 installation.

Landing gear reinforcements should be assembled on the cabin bulkheads with either Titcbond or Hobbypoxy Formula 4. You will find that it is easy to bend the 3/32 diameter music wire landing gear struts with a couple of pairs of standard pliers. If you plan to do most of your flying from a rough field, add an extra inch to each leg..."

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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