Trainers...what are they good for?

Trainers...what are they good for?
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Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 2:14:21 AM

tukkus

Posts: 915
Joined: 6/26/2004
From: salisbury, MA, USA
Status: offline

Since i have moved onto a UCD .46 with a Satio .82 from an Alfa trainer, i've been thinking the trainer was a waste of time and money. With a good instructor(which i had) and a flight sim, i could have easily flown the UCD with the rates on low. Maybe the learning curve would have been a little longer but at least i would have something to grow into and not out of like the trainer. It seems like a lot of the 3d planes are made to fly slow enough that a beginner can learn on them and maybe the degree of difficulty is a little higher but a good instructor should smooth that out.

Maybe i'm biased because all i'm interested in is 3D and biplanes but i think i could have done fine starting out with a 3D plane. The only thing the trainer really did for me was to convince me that i really wanted to get more involved in this hobby. Other than that i think my trainer is gonna take a back seat unless i modify it to make it more interesting to fly.

I think for the wanna be 3D flyer like me a trainer really isn't necessary if you have the right tools ie; instructor, flight sim, good advice on parts and misc. things and lots of reading in RCU.

Knowing what i know now i would have bought the UCD as a trainer.

What do you guys think?

Post #: 1

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 2:35:50 AM

2slow2matter

Posts: 2406
Joined: 8/25/2004
From: Springtown, TX, USA
Status: offline

Sometimes it's hard to remember just how hard it was when we first started. Remember that first takeoff, landing, dead stick, so on? As these things become more and more natural, we tend to forget where we've come from....

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From a pile of sticks they are born, to a pile of sticks shall they return.

(in reply to tukkus)

Post #: 2

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 2:36:42 AM

bingo field

Posts: 1020
Joined: 5/6/2004
From: Mt. Morris, NY, USA
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I "almost" have the same thoughts about the Tiger 60 I put together. Other than the prop selection, the thing flies much more like I expected than the trainer did. Push the throttle, and it really moves out (got the Super Tigre 75 up front), but still quite controllable, and banks / turns are quick, and still predictable. This seems like more what I was looking to fly, maybe that would be a better explaination. I still had a good time with the Alpha, maybe I learned more from it than I give it credit for. I did really start thrashing it around toward the end, to the point where I felt the wings were in danger of collapsing in mid turn, or the end of the dive. I started flying it hard just to see what it would do. Full speed flyby's 4' off the ground to where you have to jam the elevator to full up to get it to clear the hedgerow at the end of the runway....That kind of thing... Was fun..

(in reply to tukkus)

Post #: 3

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 2:37:47 AM

sdavied

Posts: 112
Joined: 9/1/2002
From: Ellis, KS, USA
Status: offline

Before you run, you need to learn to walk. A person needs to be taught the basic of flight before moving on to more advanced stuff. There is more to flying than 3D. I don't care if you can perform every 3D maneuver ever invented, if you can't demonstrate the basic skills of flying, you're not really flying. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you can't perform basic maneuvers, I simply saying that 99% of people out there need the trainer type of plane to master those basics. I for one, have been flying for 17 years and I still love to take out the trainer and shoot touch and go's all day. My favorite part of flying is landing. To me, landing is an art. It is more than just flying the plane down to the ground. What ever makes you happy!

_____________________________

JR Ergo .30
O.S. .32 SX-H

(in reply to tukkus)

Post #: 4

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 2:45:26 AM

sigrun

Posts: 1023
Joined: 7/18/2003
From: Dunnunda, AUSTRALIA
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The BEST tool for the job is a trainer.

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Post #: 5

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 2:48:36 AM

RVator

Posts: 636
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Wingina, VA, USA
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I still use my trainer for introducing others to r/c flight. Its nice to let someone take the buddy box and give it a try. I also flew mine with skis last winter and I want to try some floats.

(in reply to sdavied)

Post #: 6

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 2:51:33 AM

twistr

Posts: 472
Joined: 8/24/2004
From: Lone Grove, OK, USA
Status: offline

I agree with RVater. It's good to have a trainer in the hangar for friends and family who want to give it a try on the buddy box. I went from a trainer to a Sig Kadet Sr. (which is also a trainer in larger proportion). I've had a blast with it. I'm getting ready to fly a stick, but I'll alway fly my Kadet because it's nice, slow and relaxing!

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Fly 'em if ya got 'em !!

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Post #: 7

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 3:12:45 AM

Scar

Posts: 2313
Joined: 10/1/2002
From: Peoria Hts, IL, USA
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tukkus said:

quote:

With a good instructor(which i had) and a flight sim, i could have easily flown the UCD with the rates on low. Maybe the learning curve would have been a little longer ...

Ah, and therein lies the rub. If you had an instructor willing to train you on a UCD... and if he didn't mind staying tensed on the button, prepared to take control in an instant... and if you didn't wear him to a frazz snapping out of simple maneuvers... for an extra several sessions...

Hey, wait a minute! I'm the instructor, and I don't know if you will catch on in 2 flights or in 22. And I do feel my time is valuable. And I know the trainer works for just about everyone, but I don't know about you, specifically. Some students never catch on, and some solo in a few sessions. So, the best use of my time in the training process is with a trainer.

In one of my clubs, a guy was going to use a Morris the Knife for his trainer. After about a dozen sessions, he went out and bought a LT40. The instructor (not me) spent a lot of time on that effort, for nothing. I won't do that.

So, sure. Some guys can probably learn on a Sig SE, or a UCD, or a Tiger. I think it could easily be an abuse of the willing instructor.

We need an instructor forum.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

(in reply to tukkus)

Post #: 8

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 4:10:03 AM

tukkus

Posts: 915
Joined: 6/26/2004
From: salisbury, MA, USA
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You are right Scar alot of it depends on the instructor. In my case i had an instructor that doesnt come to the field with a plane cause there is always someone asking him to show them how to do a new stunt. So he says why bother bringing a plane when i can fly everyone elses. So in my case it would have worked out but i understand not everyone has that kind of opportunity to take advantage of. Most of the instructors at my field are retired so they have plenty of time on their hands to help out which is why i feel i could have jumped into a UCD and i'm sure there are other people that have or are in similar situations.

(in reply to Scar)

Post #: 9

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 5:30:59 AM

jworosylo

Posts: 118
Joined: 6/24/2004
From: Boulder, CO, USA
Status: offline

a trainer is good for training

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Post #: 10

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 6:11:34 AM

JohnBuckner

Posts: 4047
Joined: 12/23/2001
From: Kingman, AZ, USA
Status: offline

Few truly accomplished and well rounded pilots would be without one or two.

They are:

Ideal cross country airplanes

Ideal night flyers

Ideal float planes

Perfect for bashing to twins

Perfect for bashing to triples

Perfect for bashing to Quads (look at the 'trainer in my Avitar)

Perfect for fooling your Buds (I have one that drops it horizontal stab in flight and continues on as an aerobatic flying wing)

Now if you want to have an absolute blast get a bunch of buds to bring their trainers and set two cones a hundred feet apart on the runway line'em all up and drop the flag. First one to complete 10 laps wins - No Wings Allowed!

No to be without a trainer is the mark of a newby. There is life out there beyond 3D you would be amazed.

John

_____________________________

"Keep your controllines tight"

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Post #: 11

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 8:50:04 AM

glowplug

Posts: 1862
Joined: 2/2/2002
From: Weirton, WV, USA
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Excellent post, Dave. Having an instructor around for double the flights that you might have needed because you're "too good to use a trainer" is pretty selfish, in my opinion. If instructors weren't kind enough to train new pilots for free, people might feel differently about using a plane that's not meant for the job.

(in reply to JohnBuckner)

Post #: 12

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 10:10:46 AM

Sergeant

Posts: 39
Joined: 7/5/2004
From: Carmarthen, UNITED KINGDOM
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I aggree with John,,
You can do loads of fun things with a trainer. I used mine to drop parachutes and bombs on a target.
Tom.

(in reply to glowplug)

Post #: 13

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 10/4/2004 2:33:22 PM

echobot

Posts: 314
Joined: 10/30/2003
From: Sturgis, MI, USA
Status: offline

I think a trainer is great to have around on those weekends where you just want to go out and do some nice slow flying.

And now that I have grandkids getting old enough to start learning, I wouldn't want to teach them with anything else than a trainer.

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Ed

(in reply to Sergeant)

Post #: 14

RE: Trainers...what are they good for? - 1