ORIGINAL: freakingfast
ORIGINAL: SrTelemaster150
I set up my 1st trainer, a 96'' WS Sr Telemaster, W/a Saito FA150. I soloed it W/O crashing & didn't even have a compatable ''buddy box'' @ the club. I had the instuctor take it ''2 mistakes high'' & hand me the radio.
That's called doing it the hard way! If you had crashed first solo, do you wonder if you would be enjoying the sport today?
About 8 years ago, I had a student ''freeze up'' with a death grip on the transmitter while the plane was in nose down death roll. I had to grab over his hands to force the sticks where I wanted them. I't's been ''Buddy Box'' ever since, no stress.
No more, ''Pass it to me'', '' No, I got it, I got it!,...... here, you take it!''
Yes, the "hard way" but W/the radio I had there was no choice. (that I was aware of @ the time)
The point is, the Sr Telemaster is an excellent trainer. I had researched the options & the Sr Telemaser was described as an excellent choice to solo W/O crashing & it proved to be true. The large size was less fidgety & less prone to air turbulance & cross winds causing issues. Unfortunately, my Hitec Prism 7X PCM radio was not researced as well. I could have bought & installed a PPM Rx in the plane & switched the mode on the Tx, but I wasn't aware of that option nor was anyone @ the club.
I am a very fast learner & wanted something that I would not outgrow. The Sr telemaster, when set up @ 0* incidence & low dihedrel W/wing/stabilizer braces, (as I eventually did) is a pretty capable high wing "sport" plane albeit the flat bottom airfoil did limit the capabilities. I flew it for about 1 year before putting it in (quite spectacularly) while "hot dogging it".
The Saito FA150 was an even better choice as it is still whithin my range of desirable powerplants & has lots of power for planes up to & exceeding 16# & WS of 100".
I did have 1 close call when I did the inadvertant split "S" when I forgot about the aileron cross control when the plane was approaching. I froze as the plane rolled inverted & went straight down. My instuctor siad "I think you better give me that" & pulled the plane out from about 50" clipping the tops of the tall weeds as it finally responded to full up elevator. That was the only close call W/that plane while learning.
My 1st landing was accomplished as I was doing low passes & acidentally touched down. My instructor had me chop the throttle & the plane rolled out nice & straight. That was my 1st (inadvertant) solo flight.