Flight Box Items

[LuckyArmpit]

Yo!!! Okay, so you got your first plane right? Woo-hoo!!! Now you need to get yourself some "stuff" to support your flight operations. Quit beggin your flight instructor to borrow things. Get a field box. Buy a 12 volt gel cell, power panel, glow igniter and fuel pump or hand fuel pump. Include these items.....glow plug wrench, screw drivers, long nosed pliers or hemostat,
spare silicon fuel tubing, clear packing tape, CA and CA kicker, spare props,
mini flashlight (believe me, comes in handy!!!), allen or hex key wrenches,
assortment of small screws and washers, field battery charger, torque starter,
spare glow plugs and solution to clean up after flying. I am probably missing a few itmes and I'm sure someone else will chime in. Quite a bit of stuff right?
Believe me, you will use these things sooner or later. I like to be fully prepared when I go to the field in case I have any problems. I've had loose props, loose set screws, tear in fuel tubing, etc. Nothing worse than developing a problem and you don't have the proper things to fix it.

Dave...

[jlankf1]

A chicken stick just in case you have problems with your starter.
Joel

[ivanc]

In addition to Dave's flight box items, I have in mine a bag of #64 rubber bands, nylon bolts (for wing mounting), velcro, prop reamer, prop balancer, pliers, cutters, a set of small files, a set of hobby knifes, vinyl electrical tape, heavy duty mounting tape, spare fuel filter, threadlocker, toothpicks, praether weight, fuel tank stopper and hardware (incl. clunks), fuel fittings, zipties, paper towels, a box with talkum powder (for storing oily rubberbands), volt-ohm-ammeter, tachometer, insect repellent :cool: , an ESC (I have no idea why I keep it in the flight box :confused: ), a trainer cord, charger cords for all types of batteries and Txs that I use, combat plane stand. I don't carry CA in my flightbox anymore - due to some bad experience :( .
It might sound like too much unnecessary stuff but I like to help other people so I have a solution for most problems at the field.
Almost forgot - I carry one or two bottles of water (depending on the ambient temperature). Other guys carry coke, pepsi, 7up, rootbeer, etc. Also a hat and sunglasses.

[BuzzBomber]

In addition to the items listed previously, it's probably not a bad idea to keep a corded glow ignitor that plugs into the power panel--I know I've had to use mine before. It's not all that hard to run the ni-starter down in cool weather. Ear plugs are nice to have also, especially when you are "running-in" an engine. A fingertip prop balancer is only a few bucks and, while not 100% accurate, is good to have in the event you need to fit one of your spare props to the plane.

[Bob E.]

Nothing worse than developing a problem and you don't have the proper things to fix it.

Dave...


Unfortunately, this is the easiest way to learn what to stuff in your field box for the next time. :D :rolleyes:

[pottert]

Hi
I'm new to the hobby and new to this forum. I'm in the process of building a trainer and will be stocking a field box fairly soon. Thanks for all the tips. I was wondering, if there is such a thing as a starter that fits in the chuck of a cordless drill? Everyone has a cordless drill around (they're so cheap these days) and it seems like a perfect fit to me. Although I can see how it might be a bit big for a field box. Or maybe someone has made a homemade one?
Thanks
Tim

[ivanc]

Yes - I've seen it but couldn't find the source.

[marshallcowboy]

Hi
I'm new to the hobby and new to this forum. I'm in the process of building a trainer and will be stocking a field box fairly soon. Thanks for all the tips. I was wondering, if there is such a thing as a starter that fits in the chuck of a cordless drill? Everyone has a cordless drill around (they're so cheap these days) and it seems like a perfect fit to me. Although I can see how it might be a bit big for a field box. Or maybe someone has made a homemade one?
Thanks
Tim
Ive seen them on ebay for around 15 bucks BIN.
MC

[lane279]

Stupid question, I was at the hobby shop today buying a flight box and stuff, and they did'nt stock any power panels, and the clerk wasn't much help. He was busy trying to call another employee on the phone to come in and help because he was swamped. Probably had something to do with the fact he wanted a smoke break and us pesky customers kept coming in.
But back to the point about how much do power panels run? On my next day off I will research it online when I have time.

I love this new fourm!!! lane279

[gcedillo]

Those power panels run from $19.99 to 29. 99 at Tower Hobbies, I got mine at a hobby shop in Laredo Texas for $23.oo I think is a good deal.

Luck.

[lane279]

Thanks gcedillo, I did'nt think they would cost much. Will have my flight bo ready in no time!

lane279

[LostMyPlane]

If it hasn’t been mentioned, I like to also carry clear packaging tape. If you get a hole in the covering, you can patch it up and continue to fly.

[Vanning]

band aids. If you dont have an electric starter, then you'll need a lot of them. Try Sams Club.
:mad:

[Jim Ridgway]

What about a multi-meter? Is this something you should have in the box?

[BuzzBomber]

What about a multi-meter? Is this something you should have in the box?

I think so, if you don't have one of them thar dedicated battery testers(which I don't). Comes in handy for e-planes, too.

[Mendnwngs]

Yes, a tester that puts your battery under load.

It can, and has happened where one cell in an RX pack goes kaput. You charge all night, maybe even test it with a standard multi-meter, and everything looks fine, untill a couple minutes in the flight where the cell drops out, and your plane meets the gound. Testing your pack under load will show you with a good degree of certainty that your pack is in great flying condition..

Ive personally seen 2 birds drop from faulty RX packs that went un-tested..

-Jason

[Matt Dziubinski]

Hi
I'm new to the hobby and new to this forum. I'm in the process of building a trainer and will be stocking a field box fairly soon. Thanks for all the tips. I was wondering, if there is such a thing as a starter that fits in the chuck of a cordless drill? Everyone has a cordless drill around (they're so cheap these days) and it seems like a perfect fit to me. Although I can see how it might be a bit big for a field box. Or maybe someone has made a homemade one?
Thanks
Tim

For 20 bucks at tower, cant really beat it, and the starters are depenable, small too. if not, check ebay and even the R/S , i've seen a good about of field equipment being sold.

[indoruwet]

I have one of those carry along tool boxes made by Stanley (from Home depot) and everything I used to build the plane is in there, besides the "standard" items such as a large capacity 12 Vdc battery, an electric starter (never could get used to a chicken stick), gallon size fuel with manual pump, some spare props, and a glow plug driver. Never had a need for a "power panel".

[derek533]

If you don't already have a field box, Tower and my LHS sells a pre-packaged combo deal that comes with the majority of things needed. The fieldbox itself, power panel, starter, battery, glow plug igniter, fuel pump, tubing, and all the small connections one needs for fuel transfers. It's made by Hobbico and all the stuff inside is either Hobbico or Great Planes so it's not cheap quality.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LH5848&P=1