jester_s1

Sadly, these planes are the cause of many newcomers to the hobby getting frustrated and quitting before they ever even learn to fly. Thankfully it sounds like you are hard headed enough to make repairs and ask questions to get it flying though. If you don't have anyone local to help you, choose a flying area that very wide open with grass at least ankle deep. Taller is even better, but this time of year you can't be too choosy. Hand launch the plane and if you get in trouble, you can just cut the power and glide the plane in the best you can, and the grass will help a lot to prevent damage. Stay about twice as far away from trees as you think you need to, and allow yourself at least twice as much space as you think you need. If you can see a tree, you can hit it. Once you feel confident that you can make a controlled landing, move to an area with a smoother surface and do a traditional takeoff and landing. I'll enthusiastically repeat the advice to get help from an experienced pilot, at the very least for the plane's first flight so that the setup and trimming can be done properly, but I also understand that not everyone is near a club or wants to join one.