TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

Anyone else notice the numbers of guys that are in "way over thier heads" at this game. Seems like as soon as they solo, they want jump right into a complex scale model, a 30-40% aerobat, or a giant twin. Or any combination of the above. It's as if there is no learning curve. Just buy what you want then jump on RCU and ask all the questions.
I see questions concerning basic stuff that should be learned from a second or third model being asked about a scale twin ARF that is being assembled. Or guys that have assembled an ARF trainer and then jump straight into a full scale kit build. Or basic set-up questions about a 40% Aerobat. What ever happened to "1 step at a time"?
I'm not refering to guys looking for a better way to do something, but the, "how do I hook my servos to the flight surface, on my super whiz bang advanced model" type of questions.
Just an obsevation.

Josey Wales

My Feedback: (61)

Sometimes people have more money than common sense...

Cyclic Hardover

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I usually encourage them. They're not going to listen to us anyway the only way to learn (if they do) is to stuff a few of them. Some guy wants to purchase a Corsair,go for it. Preferably by Nitroplanes with an MDS. Might as well go for the gold

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

I'm with CH and Jose, let em spend the jing and keep things rolling for that new technology I crave.[>:]

Uhm...you weren't talking about me were you? [sm=stupid.gif][sm=what_smile.gif]

Josey Wales

My Feedback: (61)

True story..Guy comes to field with a BEAUTIFUL P51..He scratch built this baby and it was awesome..flaps, retracts, sliding canopy..painted up..I believe it had a G62..He starts it up and has the throttle reversed !..Then elevator and ailerons were reversed...At this point I ask "Need some help?" guy says he flew years ago and that was a Goldberg Eagle 2!! I asked if he needed any help with pre-flight/range check so he snaps at me "Im not a beginner..don't worry about it!!" So I say sorry and go sit down to wait for the inevitable...sure enough after fighting to get the P51 to roll straight down the runway it lifts off, guy banks HARD right..then inverted..then ground..then million pieces...

Ed

I luv it !

> Jim

jettstarblue

Yes, but did you have your digital camera ready?

Antique

My Feedback: (4)

After the crash you could have approched him one more time with a broom & garbage bag and asked "Need any help"

SDR-Hammer

Josey, that story reminds me of another that has made its rounds in this neck of the woods.

The short version is…. A beginner pilot goes to a club field with his recently built trainer. He asks if somebody would teach him how to fly it. One of the instructor pilots gladly accepts him as a student. Once the guy has his plane together the instructor grabs the Tx to start his own “airworthiness� checks of the virgin aircraft. The guy snaps at him “what are you doing? When I need your help I’ll ask for it!�

Well Mr. Instructor stands by watching the start up and take off roll. Once the plane departs the runway the plane immediately crashes.

Once again the guy snaps at the instructor, but this time says “Why didn’t you do anything?�

Mr. Instructor says “You said when you need my help you would ask.�

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

ROTFLMAO I probably would have at least tried to talk to him further, but it makes a great story.

John

weathervane

As a newly solo'd pilot, Im glad to say that I am flying the wings off of my TL40 for a year or so. No rush for bigger or better.


Andrew

Hibrass

My Feedback: (1)

Yep...

I one of the "Way over my head guys"... Went from a Thunder Tiger 40 trainer to a Funtana X100... Well maybe not that big a jump but maybe more than I should have...

So far I'm taking it real slow, I have already survived one close call. So I'm back to taking both planes to the field.. :-)

But damn that Funtana is fun to fly!

Hibrass

Josey Wales

My Feedback: (61)

Now that is cold....funny as hell though

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Good thread idea, hope those who need to see it read it. It's just a symptom of the greater cultural disease called "instant gratification". Everybody wants, and expects, to be able to snap roll on takeoff at a wingspan off the deck, hover, do rolling circles and Harrier rolls and waterfalls, the first time they take off, without the associated learning curve that goes with experience. I wanted, and expected , to be flying warbirds within a week of learning to fly. My first couple of times up on a trainer, WITH an instructor, gave me a big reality check, and I realized it was a lot harder than it looked. It took me most of a year to feel really comfortable in the air, and during that time I re-evaluated what I wanted. I still like the warbirds, but instead of P-40's and P-51's, like I originally planned, I backed up a world war, and now like the Fokkers and Sopwiths much better.

I also took the opportunity to watch and learn from the guys who'd been doing it for years; not just the stick and rudder stuff, but the hows and whys of putting a flying machine together to make it work well. I've always been good with my hands, but the biggest lesson I learned starting out in r/c planes was to check my ego at the gate to the pits.

Stickbuilder

Don't expect the guys to pay too much attention to this thread. Everyone knows the rules don't apply to them.

Bill, AMA 4720
WACO Brotherhood #1

ps...It sometimes is a good way to pick up some pretty nice equipment really cheaply.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

FWIW, Ken flys Cubs and Bird Dawgs very nicely.
While I am out there with F-20s and Quickies. Yeah I am over my head, but aint it cool.

Gremlin Castle

My Feedback: (14)

Darwin and Murphy have an automatic enrollment service. The people that you describe are the ones that choose not to opt out of there fine service.

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Guess I see it more here on RCU than the clubs I belong to. "What warbird makes a good first plane?" Although, there have been some real winners at our field. Many years back I noticed some kids (early 20's or so) trying to start an engine. I offered my help but they said they could handle it. So later, I casually walked by and what I noticed made me chuckle. I mentioned as I walked by "It'll start if you dont have the starter hooked up backwards". They looked at me like, what an idiot. Then a few seconds later it started. One of the kids came over and thanked me, but not the one that was trying to start the engine. I told them they should charge their battery, they been working with that engine about 40 minutes with the battery on. Nope, they didnt. That flight lasted about a minute, then lost control. Total loss.
Edwin

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

At my club we've been pretty successful at steering the newbees to trainers. Any arguments to the contrary usually disappear pretty quickly once they are up and on the buddy cord!

I did not want to start with a P51. I wanted to start with a scale twin bamboo bomber - the Cessena T-50 - Sky King's plane. Reading the comments on the old RCO convinced me otherwise. I've been flying six years now and still have yet to graduate to twins. One of these days!

John

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Don't forget WACO's; I fly that more than anything else. You can have your foamies, Vic

Azcat59

Our club of some 300 seems to train a lot of beginners, and we have noted how many of them, once soloed, think they have to get a big 3D type, or gas powered aerobatic model so they can "run with the big dogs", I guess. And in virtually every case, they are in over their heads. Some will listen, some won't. We consider it a "mercy killing" when the ones that won't listen total their plane.

I am not so sure that I am proud of the event I will describe, since I trained a lot of students back in my earlier years in RC, and handled their sometimes goofy attitudes with patience. But here goes........ One early morning on a weekday, fellow modeler Sing and I were putting our planes together when this fellow shows up with a Midwest Sweet Stick, 40 engine in it, and radio of some variety. He had bought it used through the want ads. He was quick to inform us that he flew in the left seat of a Boeing whatever for TWA, and he would not need any help if we would just start the engine, take off and trim the plane for him. He had a bad case of the Napoleon complex, and made it clear that while he flew the REAL ones, we were just messing around with these "toys". So, Sing says "I'll start him up, and you fly him, he's on Mode II", so I said OK, and checked the flight surfaces out, all worked right, so Sing fired up the 40 and I taxied out for takeoff. He reminded me again that if I would take it off and trim it a little, he wouldn't need any more of my help, since "he flew the big ones".....

Well, shame on me, but I took off, got it up two mistakes high, set it up about 5 clicks out of trim on the ailerons, and gave it to him wide open. Of course he instantly had it in a spiral, so I took it back, got it back in front, leveled the wings and gave it to him, and told him he would have to keep the wings level if he hoped to fly it. Again, he got in trouble. I took over, and said "I thought you said you flew the REAL ones?". After about one more of these cycles he decided he had better have me land it because he had an appointment or something urgent to do elsewhere. He packed up and we never saw him again. I kind of think we did the club a favor. Sing and I still laugh at it!

Clair

Grampaw

Among the many I've taught to fly RC included a couple of "Private Pilots", and one with a Commercial ticket. These guys all had a few hours on their books and were very competent pilots. With each of them, after getting their models off the ground, trimmed for level flight, I handed them the TXs throttled back to about 75%. No Buddy Cords, just standing close by in case. Each one of them were familiar with flying with a Stick, so RC TX stick movements were familiar. They could control the model with the stick, and could maintain altitude, make wide turns and in general keep things going straight and level. My job was really giving them a chance to get acquainted with controlling their aircraft from the ground LOOKING UP at it. It's a whole different ball game from sitting inside. Once they got used to that aspect of flying it didn't take long to ease them into Take Offs and Landings. Not one of them told me "I can handle it, I fly REAL airplanes!" Instructing had a flip side for me also. I was familiar with Stick and Rudder so I chose to start flying on a Single Stick TX. I taught myself, with a few accidents, but I improved. Time passed and others asked me to help them in flying their planes, and every one of them had Two Stick TXs! I had to learn to use two sticks so I could teach them!. Years later out at the local airport, I ran into the FBO, sitting in a pretty little twin tailed Ercoupe reading the Manual...remember, they didn't have rudders? . I asked what he was doing and he said "Learning how to fly this damned thing! A new student bought it, had it flown in, and now I got to learn to fly it so I can teach him how to fly it!" I walked away saying "Been there, Done that!" But it's all been a lot of fun.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

Well said.[sm=thumbs_up.gif] Good advice for everyone, no matter the experience level.

red head

Interesting !!! Interesting !!!! Been there, done that and won't comment further !!! ENJOY !!! RED

BIGUGLYSTICK

My Feedback: (12)

I can't agree more. But the problem in my area is the lack of interest and places to fly rc models. In the past few years i've went to flying heli's because we lost of flying field of over 20 years. We were given permission to fly at a huge county airport. (Mind you that this is in eastern kentucky). The operators had a lot of interest in our models and we had a great relationship. We flew there for near 3 years with no mishaps and then a few more experienced pilots began driving in to fly with us. One day a gentleman in nhis mid 60's came to the airport with a newly built trainer his daughter got him for his retirement present. He wanted no help whatsoever. Since the airport officials had been so gracious to us, we werent about to let a new guy do it on his own no matter how mad he got. after talking to him, he agreed to let us help him. He had everything on his plane backwards. His motor wasnt even broke in. When asked if it was balanced, his reply was, it feels good to me. Good GOD!!! A very competent pilot checked everything out and got him ready to go. Me and a fellow flier was on the flight line flyin our modles when we heard him fire his plane up. Without saying a word he hammered towards us wide open and nearly hit us on the flightline and crashed right behind my buddy. His reply was, hmmmmm that didn't go right!!!!!! NO SH*T!!!!!


***Heres another story for you guys*** The reason we lost our previous field was due to teenagers who did the same thing! Our previous field was a seldom used county airport in Mingo county. We flew there for 20 years+!!! Absolutely no incidents whatsoever! Behind the airport was the 911 dispatch center for our area. Well to make this story short, 2 local youths saw us flying one day and were very interested in getting involved. We offered our help in any way possible to help them learn. I guess that wasn't good enough, because within 2 weeks they had a plane and somehow put it together. It was an old Hobico brightstar (I think that was the name). They got the plane running and got it in the air. and of all the places at the airport, they managed to crash it into the 911 dispatch places antenna!!!!!!!!!!!!! They left it hanging there and we got questioned about it!!!!!!!! So we lost our field of 20 years du/
e to someone wanting to do it by thereselves. We always flew on Sundays, but the kids that crashed snuck up there on a wednesday to avoid us and our help. I guess this crap never ends. Just thought i'd share this with you guys!