flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Sunday, I got off work at 08:00 am, go home, go to bed, wake up, its 1:00 pm, I AM GOING FLYING, everything is charged, pocket rocket is ready , fixed , balanced, I had made a cover for the front hatch that was a tight friction fit, didnt want to drive to the field (25 miles) so I head to the county, to a church about 5 miles out, she fires right up , the .020 is screamin'
and as I go to hand launch it, the cover comes off as it leaves my hand, no prob, its to late now anyway well it goes straight as an arrow so I start to climb just a little, wham! a gust of wind hits it and takes it straight up, I lost control and it dives in hard, so I go pick up the wing, the fuse the 3 pieces of balsa, not a bad crash really but its not gonna fly again today, but as I'm putting it in the car I notice theres no battery, and I turn around and realize I cleaned up the crash site so I dont know where to go look for the thing! I spent 15 minutes looking for that pak and never found it , I had to pay like $13 for that 110 pak, so I called the lhs and they are making me another one, its supposed to be 50 degrees on wednesday,,,I am gonna fly this da*& plane if it kills me....in fact, I am gonna get good at this by the spring or go broke trying...I got plenty of planes and plans to go through now and 1/2 a dozen engines to boot and a heli........................crashinrog ..should I change my name?

Tim Wiltse-RCU

Rog,


Hang in there bro!!! When I started flying I had a glider that was 90% epoxy and 9% CA glue when I got done with it. Crashes happen that's why they invented glue.


Later,
Tim

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

thanks Tim, I plan on hangin in there, I love it when things go right, just doesnt seem to happen much, I have way more time in buying and building than I do flying, and I really like meeting the great folks in this hobby like yourself.....Rog

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

stick with it Rog... I had 5 years of nothing but crashes and more crashes untill I finally got the hang of flying. Are you taking any lessons from a competant instructor? Even someone who is just a little more experienced than yourself can help out. I was self taught and I wouldnt wish that on anyone. Now I teach flying and it is much less "dramatic" an experience for the student pilot.

AJC

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Roger:

If you stick with the smaller 1/2A planes to learn, when you get it you will be able to fly almost anything. In my opinion there's nothing in RC any harder to fly.

A big 1/2A is an entirely different matter.

Bill.

BMatthews

Went through 3 control line models and 4 RC models teaching myself to fly each of those disciplines. Hang in there.....

But if you want to change your nickname I'll put in a word with the management....

whstlngdeath

My Feedback: (15)

With so many easy to fly planes out there, why would anyone want to handicap themselves with a small, hard to fly plane as a first learning experience?

Jesse

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

When I did it, all I could afford was used cox engines, and mostly scratch built 1/2A planes from plans. Small planes use a lot less wood, glue and covering...

I agree with Bill, if you can handle a sport 1/2A (like my ace simple 400 for instance) you can definitely handle a larger plane easily.

AJC

fastlash

My Feedback: (7)

Rog quit your whinning,you sound like an old lady, get of the computor and get to building and While your at it get that D*mn LMH together and learn to fly it, I know you can do it, not every one has the same talent for this sport but every one has the ability to learn it, I flew my heli on the first try, and few do that,but I had a heck of a time learing to land my first trainer plane.< go figure!!!

Lynn S

Wait for a calm day. The wind can go from a light breeze to a strong gust from one minute to the next lately.
The wind is still not calm enough for me to try my rudder only LS. It was calm early Sat am but it was 26 degrees. I forgot to charge the battery and by the time I got the battery charged it was too windy.

cortacesped

Rog:
When I decided to start R/C (allways self teaching) I thought that 1/2 A would be easier, negative !!. I built my plane and took it to fly

1st time bad balance, no control: unavoidable crash.
2nd time balance ok, too much right thrust, too little down thrust: again crash
3rd time balance ok, thrust ok, too much wind: she went up into the wind, turn right to come back ... CRASHH!!

I crashed my plane even in the test glides, so my nick is Costacesped = Lawnmower.
Every time it happened I thought "Do I have to spend more time end money with this ?" But the thought only last five seconds, collect the pieces and went home to rebuild.

So, I suggest that you prepare to suffer many crashes but a good fly will compensate all the pain.

Good Luck

Claudio

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

ROG, If you can back a trailer by only using your side view mirrors, then you can fly a properly setup model. My hat is off to anybody who is self taught. I bring CA glue,ZIP KICKER, and clear packaging tape out to the field. Some MEK solvent and rags will clean all traces of oil off your covering. Some scrap balsa and an exacto are standard equipment when I go fly 1/2A RC COMBAT. Bigger planes usually mean that the day is over when you crash, but I have crashed 12 ounce planes into tall grass and they never even made it to the ground, one time the engine was still running while the plane was just hanging in a bush!

Lynn S

Rog is going to build and FLY a LS150. About the only way this plane is not going to fly is .. you put the wing on upside down.....as I have been know to do on one plane(Ace Extra)[X(]

jdwardus

My Feedback: (2)

i learned to fly by my self. i crashed every plane i flew.my first was sig senoir 2nd was a senorita. 3 eaglet 25 and on and on. i qiut flying and just build before long i was out of room. so i sold them after awhile. and quit all to gether for about 3 years then it hit me again so i built a nother trainer. it was a sig lt 25. when i took off it whent straight up.i put a 40 size engine so it was not laking power i finely got it throtteld down then some how i got it together long enough to trim the dang thing.and iwas doing it i flew till i felt i had some control. then i temped landing which ended in a fatel crash.so back to the drawing board i was then determened.i purchased. another sig senoir.it was rusty at first but i learned to fly.many years later. i still say a sig senoir is the best tainer you can get.learning to fly is easer with a good trainer. not a heavy clunk of crap. like the 40 size arfs. im teaching my son with a sim i think it just might help.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

yeah, thanks jd, I kinda thought of the pocket rocket as a cub design (trainerish)and smaller (read .020) doesn't crash near as hard as an eagle 2 with an OS 40 on it, in fact one of the reasons I went with this plane was from watching the guys at Hurdle Mills, the landing contest, these things come in dead stick every time, and land on the grass with a hop, bounce, flip and are ready to go again,,, I may go ahead and start on my LS150, and either a tee dee or medallion or even the CL Norvel .049,, I bought a .061RC too!....If I have to go spad I will, I cut out the fuse for a whizard out of 2mm coro...........Rog

jboy381-RCU

ROG,
have you looked at http://www.jkaerotech.com/ ...they have the T52 that would be great for you to teach your self to fly with...the planes are simple to build...they are made out of foam and packing tape...i mean the whole thing is foam...(solid foam fuse and wings) the tail feathers are coroplast...

i've read the web stie and the crash stories are unbeleveable...people have took major crashes and still flew the same day...

the engine they recommend are the norvel .061 to .074...

here is a couple pics from the web site...

jboy381-RCU

a quote from there web site..

"For relaxing flying or teaching yourself or someone else to fly, this is is the plane! Solid pink foam and tape construction make this about as durable as you can get. The kit consists of the fuselage, wings, coro-plast fuse doublers and tail group, and hardware kit complete with a roll of colored tape. It is quick to build (about 4 hrs - if you have experience with foamie construction) and designed to handle the stress of a new pilot. The T-52 has a 52" wing span and weighs about 25oz with standard size radio gear and Norvel power hooked up to our Slickmount. We recommend using mini gear when flying with .049 or speed 400 electric. All of our foamie kits are designed around our Slickmount. You could install your own tank and engine if you want----but it's much easier with our mount! I have included a complete set of building instructions and step by step building pictures of the T-52, if you care to see them. They include lots of pictures and might take some time to download but if you want to see how we build this type of plane, it would be interesting to you. List of recommended parts to finish the kit - click here."

i think this is the plane for you...
john

.

2alpha

My Feedback: (3)

Maybe I've overlooked something but why be self taught these days ? I learned airplanes with an instructor and helis on my own If there is an lhs nearby why not check there and get some help ? If it's an ego thing swallow some pride, ask for help and be flying well in a few weeks instead of repairing crash damage for months or years ! Believe me a few hours of dual time is worth it .

Clean

JKaerotech is the place to start, or Lanier RC and their Condor/U2 that sells for 29 bucks from Tower. You can use an 049 for that. Also, get on Ebay and look for cheap engines there. You won't find many cheap Cox engines there for some reason they all seem to be Collector issue product Babby bees, very collectable, not easy to find at every garage sale this side of the plymoth rock.

But you can pick up fp and la 15's cheap, even some of the larger engines. 1/2A's are a blast man, but they don't leave much room for building errors. And the Pocket Rocket, wow, that is not a trainer.

Use the T-52 from JK Aerotech, it will give you good service for a cheap price, probably would have kept you in touch with your battery pack longer with an easier flying airplane, that would have paid for the difference in price.

Stick with it man, watch your options and pick them carefully. Plenty of time for Pocket Rockets and GLH's later in your flying career.

jboy381-RCU

oh i forgot to list the price...the plane is 35.00 plus shipping...

john

MR Flyer57

I also am self taught, and it sure costs more to got that route. When I started there were no flyers within 150 miles, and the ones that I was told to contact for help, well,,, I ended up teaching them a few years later.
I would advise to always get help if you can, and if you can't, well we use to laugh it off by saying that the only reason to fly is to become a heavy drinker.
When everything goes as planned, it is time to celebrate, and when it doesn't go very well you can drown your sorrows!!
We never did much drinking, but the excuse was there when friends ask !QUOT!why do you put yourself through so much trouble!QUOT!.
Stick with it. I sounds like you are as hooked as the rest of us. If I sold everything today and walked away from this hobby, I would find myself making paper airplanes, and seeing if I could improve them with a little foam. Ya,,, and if I made a bigger one I could strap on a engine. Oh man I'm back,,, just can't help myself.

MR Flyer57

prole

My Feedback: (3)

Rog-

I can't help but understand how it feels to loose plane after plane. I started off with my uncle and a Sig Kadet Jr and got flying and had a good time. After college when I got back into it I started with a sig hummer, I thought I always liked those little cox engines, this will be a slow small plane that I can learn on.

sig hummer - 1 flight - destroyed beyond repair

then i got the kadet Jr from my parents house, figured, hech I did it once, shouldn't be that hard to do it again. Got a brand new OS .25 and was all set to go

sig kadet jr - 1 flight - destroyed beyond repair

still positive, I start reading everything I could get my hands on, I read the entire Harry Higley library, got all the MAN and RCM how to books and decided on a powere glider and another try at those little cox engines. THis time is was a piece of cake and I spent about 3 months building it.

Dynaflite Piece o' Cake - 6 flights - destroyed beyond repair

this is what really gave me the taste for it, having had a few sucessful flights it really got me going so I built my SPADs. First was a small one with a Norvel .061 that didn't really fly and the second one is my real on with the Norvel .15.

The difference now is that I have asked for help. I have flown the plane 5 times and every time with an instructor and I tell you what, it makes all the difference in the world. It was just killing me spending so much time and money on planes just to destroy them. I wanted so badly to be one of those guys that could re-learn by myself but it just wasn't working out. Seems like you have wrecked about twice as many planes as me so I can only imagine how bad you must feel.

For me, well I asked for a Sig Seniorita for Christmas and if I get it that will be what I learn on, I love the SPAD but the guys that have helped me have said it was heavy and fast and would be tough learning to land.
I don't know Rog, seems like maybe asking for help and getting someone to fly with you might build your confidence. It did mine, and now it's got it's hooks in me more than ever.

timothy the prole

Ragwing

My Feedback: (2)

Flyinrog,

I was basically self taught. My first plane was a GP Spirit Glider, I had an instructor then, he was a very experienced sailplane pilot. The idea was that he would teach my dad to fly it first, who in turn would teach me. Well about the third time out, my instructor was launching with his hi-start and the wings folded. The wings floated down gracefully while the fuse dove for the ground, demolishing it. It took a long time to rebuild (this time the wing joiner had a piece of aluminum sandwiched in with the ply), but once it was rebuilt I was anxious to fly, so I began hand tossing it. Then when I got comfortable with that, I had a friend toss if off the top of a hill, for a little longer flights. I progressed up to a weak hi-start, and then a full strength one. Later I mounted a power-pod on it. I also got some stick time in of Real Flight G2--thats an excellent confidence builder. Its hard to say how much it really helps, but it sure feels like the real thing when you're flying it. After that I found transition to power, that JKA P-51, to be a little scary, but do-able.

I don't know if you want to go the same route, but I think a glider makes an excellent trainer. They're pretty tough, and you can start with short, low flights where there isn't much chance of breaking things. Use a power-pod instead of a high-start for a tame launch. And if you go this route you'll always have a 2M glider to fly at any club contests that might happen.

I haven't built the T-152, but I know WildFred was a huge advocate of them. Like I said, I built their Pocket P-51, and I found it to be a straight forward build. Instead of paying for a Slick-mount I just used a film can tank and a Dave Brown engine mount--piece of cake (and cheap!). I covered it in eknocote instead of the strapping tape, because it looked better (the ads seem to hide it, but the strapping tape can result in really striped finishes), and the guys in the combat forum said it was stronger, plus there are less seams for caster goo to slide into.

Just my 2 cents

Derek

Tim Wiltse-RCU

Ragwing,

That was the same way I learned. I grew up on an apple orchard in upstate NY. I had 200 acres to fly on! My first 2meter glider( I can't remember the name) got it's first flights by being chucked around my yard... then from the roof of my house ...then from the top of a small hill then the high start. I had a Sig power pod on one or two also.

Later,
Tim

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Jboy, I ordered the t-52, might as well give it a shot..for those that wish to know, I work 3rd shift 6 days a week so lining up a trainer is quite difficult as is taking the time to fly, I have to cut into my sleep time in order to fly, and I have a partime job in the mornings after my job,, I do okay, am the 3rd shift supervisor, and the partime stock guy till xmas, was gonna try today its nice out about 50 but,, windy so another time, I have 3 engines on the way from ebay too all norvels a .061 the cl .049 and the rc .049 and extras ( lots of extras).. I will jump in with both feet this spring though... thanks for all the support........Rog