I just thought I'd share a few words of advice from my experiences over the last six months for those just starting out. Will anyone heed my advice? Hard to say.

A brief bit of background. I flew off and on for a few summers while in high school 17 years ago. I learned using the "pass the transmitter" method with my brother's .60 size aerobatic bipe. Although the bipe was actually a pretty stable flier, I never really learned to land, and always had my instructor land.

A year and a half ago, I decided to get back into the hobby. Ignoring conventional wisdom, I decided to build a .60 size Cub, with the idea that it was at least a better trainer than the old Aeromaster. I knew I would have someone else give me instruction on the Cub. I also poured a ton of money into a computer radio and a 4 stroke engine. Long story longer, I moved very slowly in the building process and a year later had close to $1000 bucks in an unfinished plane I was scared to death to fly. Had I just bought a trainer I would have been flying all last summer.

Then I heard about SPADs. I thought "I'll build one of these and get in the air while I finish the Cub." So I built a Debonair. I was not yet an AMA member and wasn't immediately inclined to shell out the $150 to join AMA and a local club, so I decided to "reteach" myself to fly. Stupid move. I took the SPAD to Illinois where my brother has some open land. I was so darn impatient that I decided to take it up for its maiden voyage by myself when there was about a 25 knot wind. The flight actually lasted about 45 seconds, until I got disoriented, the plane was coming right at me and I panicked and drove it into the ground.

So I rebuilt and made skiis for the SPAD. Still no instructor. My next flight was on a frozen lake. Plenty of room. Less wind this time. This flight actually lasted about two minutes. I had just decided to go downwind and turn back to make a landing approach when I again got disoriented and panicked. Death spiral and total loss. What was really scary was when I retrieved the wreckage I found that I was about ten feet from from the shore and about 30 feet from someone's house. I had no idea I was that close to hitting something or someone. All this experience taught me was how to rebuild SPADs.

In the spring I decided to get it right. I joined AMA. Someone from RCU volunteered to help me get the rebuilt SPAD up again. I also joined a local club and got some quality instruction on a buddy box from a few people there. I also bought a used Kadet, which flies a little better than the SPAD. During the first few flights, I again became disoriented. This time, I had someone to help me recover. After 4 informal training sessions I soloed. Last weekend I got 5 solo flights in with someone standing alongside (no buddy box). I now feel a lot more confident. Last night I went out and got 4 more flights in without anyone standing next to me. What a great feeling!

There are a few points to this ramble:
1) Take first things first. Buy or build a trainer and get yourself in the air.
2) You don't need to spend your money on the most expensive kits, ARFs, engines and radios right away. You'l have plenty of opportunity to do so later on. Did you get into the hobby to fly or to buy toys?
3) Get an instructor! Maybe all your Realflight and your natural ability will allow you to do it on your own. Why risk it? It's a little hassle to line up an instructor, but you can learn to fly in a few months. By going up yourself and crashing you waste your money, you can endanger yourself and others and you can shatter your confidence.

Sorry to be so long. I just wanted to add a bit of a story to the advice that gets repeated so often by wiser minds than me in this forum.

-Scott