>> The instructor thought some of my "colorful phrases" were pretty funny and he kept telling me that it was really HIS fault b/c he shouldn't have let me get that low and that near the trees, especially during the FIRST time I'd EVER touched the sticks on ANY PLANE, but I still felt like a TOTAL IDIOT and a major screwup and cussed for a while longer until I got tired of cussing. <<

I'm relatively new myself, under 6 months, and while I've never had that happen to me, the response you got is pretty typical of most RC guys I think......at least those in my club.

From what I've heard at my field and from what I've read here and on other boards the reaction is pretty typical. Most instructors tend to feel the same way, I think. They wouldn't be instructing if they didn't enjoy helping other folks and usually feel directly responsible if someone on their buddy box puts one in a tree or on the ground.

I've been out at my field a few times when there was no one else there, and although I still enjoyed the flying it's the socializing that adds to the hobby. (The only exception to this is when I flew for the first time after soloing. I was kinda glad not to have an audience for that.