I've read the above comments regarding Qwerty11's question about whether an instructor was absolutely necessary and I am amused at some of the answers. There is NO doubt that enlisting the help of an instructor is the BEST and MOST SUCCESSFUL way to go. But it is not the ONLY way to go, as seems to be the automatic response.

Back in the 1960s, when many of us started to learn, we had to teach ourselves because there wasn't an experienced R/C modeler behind every tree. We learned by spending hours taxiing our planes in the old high school asphalt parking lot on Saturday mornings. When we got good at that, we transitioned to high speed straight line runs but chopped the throttle before actually taking off. After that, we would practice taking off for only a few feet of altitude and then landing straight ahead. And finally, after "mastering" these very basic takeoff procedures, we took off and, with our hearts in our throats, did our first circuit and landing. Eventually, we got the hang of flying but usually at the expense of 735,876,412,571,624,875 Top Flite wooden props. Was this the right way to learn? Back then, yes but, admittedly, there are definitely better ways to learn these days and enlisting the aid of an instructor heads the top of the list.

However, it is STILL possible and legal for someone to teach themselves to fly and when a newcomer asks innocently whether an instructor is mandatory, we shouldn't all start telling him how utterly stupid it would be to not get an instructor. Many newcomers are not convenient to a big city with a plethora of active R/C clubs and instructors. In fact, there are thousands of little country towns that are several hours from the nearest R/C club.

And lets talk about jerks and cliques. We are kidding ourselves if we think that EVERY R/C club welcomes newbies with open arms. I can speak with experience when I say that some clubs don't want to share their runway or frequencies with a kid and his slow trainer. And when they do, it might be at sundown when the more experienced pilots (the clique) have put away their quarter scale buzz bombs and are sitting around drinking beer and making snotty comments about the kid's less-than-perfect Monokote job.

Now that I've riled up everybody's feathers, let me point out that I'm a firm believer that enlisting the aid of an instructor is better, safer and cheaper in the long run (especially if you add up all of those Top Flite props!) And I'll be the first to admit that most clubs are full of great folks who DO welcome beginners. Nonetheless, we have to get out of this mindset that learning without an instructor is akin to criminal behavior. After all, there's always that chance that Qwerty11's closest R/C club is across two alligator infested rivers and over a mountain range. And once he gets there, he finds that the club has posted snipers on the roof to keep beginners out. Okay, admittedly it's a stretch but I think it's safe to say that not all of us are fortunate enough to live within a mile of three R/C clubs. Sometimes, teaching yourself isn't stupid when it's the only option.

Okay, I'm bracing myself for the inevitible rebuttles. I can take it. :-)