I'm with Jim, GO FLY! There are plenty of Nexstar replacement parts not if, but when you need them. Have fun and don't get discouraged.

Ben

HI
FIND A CLUB as close as you canthe help you will get is free except for the AMA licience and the yearly club entrance fee-but you will save a lot of time and money in equipment alone- and mabe make a good friend with the same interest much of my enjpyment in the hobby is watching others do what they do at the field ,be it very good or badREGARDS TONY

And do not forget that flying a new plane before it is inspected by an experienced modeler can be dangerous.

Tom

The only problem with this is as Ken said this can lead to very bad habits. If you don't have a strong grasp of aerodynamics and don't have someone to tell you exactly why the plane is acting/reacting that way you may develop some serious misconceptions that can cause trouble throughout your life. You can see them at the field and you read about them here all the time.

rc ken those eight bad habits are great advice so many times even experienced pilots who have so called dumb thumb moments usually have broken one of these dont do laws.great stuff good advice for all of us!

By asking the question, I'd say you still have doubt. I'm very much against somebody going it alone. It puts the hobby at risk unnecessarily if the fate is loss of property or life.

There is more to think about than ego....

I'm sure there are varying opinions...But people have been seriously injuried albeit they were very experienced. Too many thing to go wrong and no experience to deal with it is extremely risky...

My .02 FWIW

jcoop65 - I started just like you and only used a sim for pre-flight training. I also spent a heap of time on sites like this and talking to people when I could. But I had no real choice in using a trainer because I live in outback Australia and was over 2 hours to any club of note. I maidened with a plane similar to yours and flew well over 100 flights until I did a massive crash in front of an equally massive crowd!! (At least it was half worth it!)

So in answer to your question, you CAN go solo using only a sim for training - but the question you need to ask yourself is SHOULD it be done. The answer is if you CAN access a trainer or club, do it every time!! I looked at the 'Bad Habits' RCKen listed and cringed at nearly every one! This is a fun hobby but lots more fun with a little help to start with! Enjoy...

The thing about your Nexstar, is you have no idea where it's gonna go when you aim towards the wind, and open up that throttle for the very first time. It may go nice and strait on the sim, but in real life it may hold hard to the left, for example, and then drop a wing the very second it's airborne. It takes a fast reflect to fix that sort of takeoff. On the other hand, a low wing tail-dragger may track strait and perfect down the center line, and then fly like it's on rails. That is, until you decide to do a loop that results in your wondering why you can't get it out of a spin (was too much elevator adjusted into the mix?). Both of these have happened to me, and I definitely ended on at least a couple blind dates with Ms. Epoxy on a Saturday night. Go ahead and try the maiden, if you so very strongly feel you're ready. But just in case, it's not a bad idea to have a few spare parts on hand.

NorfolkSouthern

Guys,
What's wrong with all of you? He said he can "Feel it" That cracked me up. I trained myself but it was because I had too. We didn't have sims and I couldn't get anyone to help me. That being said if I had the option I would defiantly email the guys at the local field, set up a meeting/flying time with a trainer and go at it. You have to ask yourself "What if I'm wrong?" What are the pro's and con's of going at it with and without a trainer.

Here are a few Con's with a trainer/helper....
1 Well I wasted about two hours of my time because I really can fly alone.
2 mmmm that's about it.

Cons without a Trainer/Helper...
1 I crashed my plane.
2 I have to get a new plane, engine, radio equipment.
3 I now have no confidence and don't like the hobby.
4 I lost a few hundred bucks.
5 I hit the kid in the park next to me.
6 The plane flew off and don't know where it went.
6 Etc. Etc. Etc. it goes on and on!
I know these are extreme but why take the chance if you don't have to?

Chances are that if you do fly and like it you are going to be joining a field anyway. So this would give you an opportunity to meet a few guys at the field and make sure you start off in a positive way.

BTW I have a feeling you can fly too. Anyone can get a plane in the air. I just don't know about the landing part! LOL

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_99...tm.htm#9954850

This topic was already discussed six months ago, same jcoop65 received similar advice.
Is this going to be an on-going thing where you won't accept the responses you're getting,
and keep looking for the wrong answer you want to hear?

Good find, Rambler53. It sounds like it's time to wrap up this conversation. He has all the responses he needs, so he can now do what he wants to with the information.

Noooooo, I want to know what happen at the end of this saga. Did he fly solo, did he crash, did he land in one piece or in the kit form, come on guys[]

Say goodnight, Gracey.

Nah, I won't lock it down.. I have to presume it will die a slow death all on its own.

CGr.

You asked: Am I ready? the clear answer is NO. What are you missing? An instructor. Get youerself a experienced RC pilot to go over your airplane, and help you:-)

Now, if you go out alone, take the time form take off to crash. This will allow you to compare as you keep crashing if you are getting better.

Good luck

Gerry
PS: I teached myself how to fly RC (at a time simulators did not exist), trust me, there are faster and better ways to do this. You got a lot of good advice on this forum (well, with one exception or 2)

Oh Thanks CGRetired.

I've beeen in the hobby for a year. I never had a buddy box. But yes i suggest one. I had to learn on trial and error. But i just started with a short straight flight from one end of the runway to the other.</p>

I have a suspicion you will be a quick learner. That first trip to the field is fun. I was sent home to make "adjustments" three times before my instructer would fly my plane.
But then that old trainer lasted for several years (not the usual result) trainers get beat up. Repairs are part of the game.
I have become an RC REPAIR EXPERT and I still give myself plenty of practice in that area

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3TAzFaOus0  Ok here it is my first flight. It was tough.  but i did it. I overshot the landing and hit the curb very minor damage. It was great.<div>
</div>

Waooo,,,this movie qualifiesto be a top class thriller .4 or 5 solid minutes of hair raising suspense.I am glad no body got hurt .Lucky you!

You need to get over that fear of heights. I don't know if your trim was off or you were just over controlling it but you will want to get a little smoother on the controls before it comes apart in mid air. You would do a lot better a lot quicker if you got just a little instruction. There are some really simple techniques that are not easy to figure out on the sim that will make it go a lot smoother and easier.

Yes i know i needed to be alot higher, it wanted to nose down alot until i trimmed it and calmed down. After i took off I thought oh crap this is going to be hairy.What can i
I say though first time. Thanks for your input.

I have several observations that I hope you will take to heart.

I would suggest finding a side where you have a good deal of air in front of you and keep the plane in front of you rather than going in a continuous left turn and rotating your position all the time. That is the easiest way to get disoriented. Launch in a position that has the plane passing left to right or right to left, depending on the wind direction, and keep it in front of you. If, for instance you go from right to left, once airborne and have sufficient air speed, turn right and make a 180 to have it going from left to right in front of you, reduce the throttle to slightly over half, then trimming for straight and level flight. In other words, slow it down and give it some trim to get it flying straight. You don't have to fly full throttle all the time. After take off, climb to "three mistakes high" and do your work up there.

Your location is a tad bit questionable for a glow powered plane. This is why we suggest flying with a club at their field.

Once again, slow it down. That will do two things for you. First, it will get it to the point where you are not fighting it to keep it at a reasonable altitude, and give YOU some time to figure things out, although we try to teach that you should be a couple of steps ahead of the plane rather than have to react to what the plane is doing... you fly the plane rather than vice versa.

Your landings should be approached in an upwind (wind on the nose) position. Your approach should be in several stages. First, plan on the landing. Then, get upwind, and make a turn to a downwind (wind on the tail) and reduce the throttle slowly, but not to idle. Then make a turn to base - left or right turn perpendicular to the landing runway. Then a turn to final with the nose into the wind. Slowly reduce the throttle as you watch the plane. Do not flair (pull elevator) yet. Watch the plane and allow it to descend all by itself. Extend your approach, if necessary by adding slight amounts of throttle.. leave the elevator alone. Line up with the rudder. Watch it as it comes in, and it should be slowly, gradually, dropping down in altitude with wings level. When about a few feet over the ground, reduce throttle to idle, watch it, as it descends further, then pull in a slight bit of elevator to slow it down more and it will land with a smooth touch down and a roll. Plan on it landing in front of you, well away from curbs (no curbs at a club field).

CGr.

Wow, thanks for the video. Great job for the one in the camera, he had to keep up w you flying that fast and low.
The second one will be better. Work on keeping altitute on turns, and on slowing down for landing.[X(]

Thanks thats great advice. My plan was only to taxi around some. However my impatience got to me and i went for it. I have to say it was fantastic. Its an old cement quarry with a new stadium built on it. Many people fly there, but i realized very quickly how much ground the plane covers, and yes i needed to slow down. I wiil say im glad that i went for it .And i will be joining a club, the last thing i would want to do is damage propertly or hurt somebody.

Thanks thats great advice. My plan was only to taxi around some. However my impatience got to me and i went for it. I have to say it was fantastic. Its an old cement quarry with a new stadium built on it. Many people fly there, but i realized very quickly how much ground the plane covers, and yes i needed to slow down. I wiil say im glad that i went for it .And i will be joining a club, the last thing i would want to do is damage propertly or hurt somebody.