mniesen89

Hey all, just wanted to drop a line and say hi to the community.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Allow me to be the first to welcome you back and you seem to have a positive attitude about what is needed and am sure you -will do just fine.

The instructor thing is normally very good advice but in the case of some returnees such as yourself it really depends on where you were at when you stopped and that is difficult to convey so go for it which is not my normal advice but only you are in a position to actually know.

Welcome back and don,t hesitate to post of your further adventures here. Also I would not rush into the teaching of the daughter to fast both on the basis of you developing your skills agine and the simple fact that a parent that even seems pushy in only a small way can cause the daughters motivation to waiver. Best to approach each step slowly.

John

JeffinTD

A simulator might also be helpful. Easier to hit the reset button than rebuild a plane.

Anyway, welcome.

mniesen89

Thanks guys, I do plan on taking it slow with the little one. She seems extremely excited about the whole idea. Everything from wanting to help with the purchase of equipment required online to watching YouTube videos. I told her Tuesday we may go to the local hobby shop just to take a peak around and let me tell you, she hasn't stopped bothering me since.....

as far as simulators go, do either of you guys recommend one of another?

Thanks for the welcome.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

I have the latest version of the Great Planes Real Flight, I believe it's version 6.5. It is pretty neat. But, be aware that you have to have a pretty fast computer with plenty of memory to get it to work real well. Look up the computer requirements before you buy any flight simulator because of the physics algorithms used, it can be a real system hog and may not work properly on systems that are not up to par.

Minimum Recommended System:
Some graphical features may be disabled.
Aerodynamic calculations will remain high quality.
Windows* XP, Windows* Vistaâ„¢, Windows* 7 or Windows* 8
*Local administrator access required.
Intel® Pentium® 1.0GHz or equivalent
512 MB RAM
7 GB Hard Drive Space
DVD Drive
3D Accelerated Video with:
32 MB Dedicated Video Memory
Full DirectX 9 compliant (Shader Model 2.0 or better)

Optimal System:
For best graphical performance
Dual Core 2.4GHz CPU
2 GB RAM
3D Accelerated Video with: 512 MB dedicated video memory



Anyway, welcome to RCU. There is a trainer out there that, well, is like two in one. It has a high-wing setup for trainer applications as well as convertable to a low-wing sport plane. It might be something you might consider since you have some RC experience. I believe it is electric only, but you might check to see if there is a glow version. It's the Flyzone Switch Trainer and Sport aircraft. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXCKWW&P=ML

CGr
Beginners Forum Moderator

JeffinTD

I started with Realflight basic, and later got Realflight 5.5. I believe 6 is now out.

If your budget can accommodate it, I'd spring for the full version of Realflight.

I've tried Phoenix, and it also seems good.

A local hobby shop may have a demo of one or both running, so you can try before you buy.

jester_s1

One suggestion I'll give is to find a different instructor for your daughter. That way any negative experiences will be between her and him instead of her and you. That allows you to step back and be her cheerleader, even when she messes up. Even if there aren't any negative experiences, the lack of emotional connection between her and her teacher will make communication easier between the two of them.

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

This is good advice, but a lot depends a lot on the personality of you and your daughter. I taught my three daughters to fly as well as several of my neices and nefews. But I happen to have a very patient and gentle personality, and I approached teaching them with the attitude that nothing they did wrong was their fault. Of course I pointed out minor flaws when I knew they were at the point that they "wanted" some correction. I also took my daughters to my club and let others give them some buddy box time. They enjoyed that experience and so did the other club members. At any rate, as jester said, make sure this is a positive experience for the two of you, even if that means letting someone else teach her.

Steve Steinbring

mniesen89,

Welcome back!

There are a lot of R/C clubs in your area where you can go to fly; the Daytona and the Deland club come to mind first. I'm sure that the folks at High Flight Hobbies, Steve's, or Graves can give you information on all the clubs in the area, some are electric only. Many clubs offer free instruction to their members, AMA membership required(for liability), and will require a proficiency flight before solo privileges are given. It might be a good idea to get a flight or two with a instructor on the buddy cord to get yourself comfortable again. You will be up and flying in no time, the buddy cord flight may end up being your check ride.

Blue skies and soft landings!

mniesen89

Thanks all for the added info. I'm off to my local hobby shop in a bit to look for a sim. I figure I can get my daughter to play around with that as well to see her actions in flight and reactions to light criticism.

im not the father to tell his kid " you need to to catch the football every time, or else". My logic is, if we're not having fun then something is wrong. I'm by no means rich but I would never yell at my little one for an honest mistake even if she plowed the thing into the ground.


How she deals with me and the sim will probably allow me to know if she is going to need an instructor or not. Although I know a sim is nothing like actually being out in the field hearing and seeing your bird fly!

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

The only suggestion I can give you regarding your daughter with the sim is to try to teach her that the sticks are not switches - not on-off switches. Sometimes, kids go from one extreme to the other in stick travel. As you know, that's not the case with our RC transmitter controllers. The sim is the best way for her to learn this because all you have to do is push the red button (Realflight with their interlink controller) and reset the simulation.

CGr.

mniesen89

Thanks for the advice CG.

brockettman

Hi Mike,

Welcome back! I too returned to the hobby after a 25 year lay off. I'm going to give two thumbs up to a flight simulator, it taught me how to fly. I don't think you'll need the latest and greatest Real Flight, you could do well with version 3.5 and up.

My grand daughter is 9 and her goal on the sim is to see how many pieces the plane can become after a crash! Don't be disappointed if your daughter doesn't catch on right away, or loses interest after the initial excitement wears off!

The alpha 40 will be a great plane for you!

Best of luck and don't be afraid of a nice low wing trainer!

Ben

mniesen89

Hey brockett, I did just that today. I purchased real flight from my hobby shop. I've been using it this afternoon and it has definitely helped me become more comfortable in the saddle again.

you sure are right about the kids loving the crashes, my daughter thinks its hilarious when 100 pieces go flying everywhere!

After a good while with the alpha I do plane on purchasing a hangar 9 p-51 arf. I've read good reviews about those being a good low wing trainer.

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

That H9 P-51 is a very good plane. I had one until a recent trade for a helicopter. Just don't try to slow that P-51 down and float in the same way you do with the Alpha .40, It will drop out of the air with less warning than you get on the Alpha.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah, that's why you want to get her on the simulator.. you don't want her laughing at the million pieces of balsa, in the real world, all over the runway!!!

CGr

jester_s1

Are you talking about the p51 pts or a standard p51? The former could be a decent second plane but you'll need to be good with hot landings for a scale version.

brockettman

+1 for the PTS Mustang. If you get the ARF your engine and radio gear from the Alpha should drop right into that airframe...

TPL33

Welcome back! I'm back into the hobby after a 23 year break! I've been flying again for about a month after taking three buddy box lessons with an instructor. I bought a Hobbico 60 trainer, engine, and radio from the guy who ended up helping me out flying. It'll come back to you very quickly. My instructor knew I had flown before as soon as he let go of the trainer button and I started to fly it. I would highly suggest getting an instructor just for the piece of mind, it really helped! Good luck!

mniesen89

I'm talking about the P-51 PTS. I wouldn't have the nerve to fly a true scale yet!

Hey TPL, thanks for the welcome...I may get an instructor, if I get out there for the first time and really think I can't do it. Flying the sim so far has given me enough to recall how this is done. I think I should be alright.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

TPL33: The Hobbico 60 trainer is an outstanding choice. What's nice about is the size. For trainers, the larger the better (within limits of course). They give you better visibility to what's happening when you apply movement to the control sticks, as well as slower and more sedate reactions to the stick movement. You do not need an aerobatic fast plane as a trainer, that's for sure.

I am not a big fan of the PTS. I am old school - where a trainer is a trainer, and a war bird is a war bird. The mix never worked for me... but that's my opinion.

Many, if not most of us "old timers" still fly our trainers. Yeah, you might learn then put it aside for a faster more maneuverable aircraft, but many of seem to drift back to the basics once in a while to re-learn how to fly!! That may sound odd, but when you get to the more capable planes, the ones that "fly like they are on rails", those are nice, but you tend to get very comfortable with that and lose some of the stick-and-rudder action you learned with the trainers. Going back once in a while is great because you get the nice slow, floating action of a trainer that can be relaxing as well as putting us back to the basics of flying RC.

Anyway, once again, that's my opinion that is based on my personal experiences.

Good luck!! Enjoy RC!!!

CGr.

JeffinTD

^ ditto that.

I have aerobats and giant scale, but I still enjoy taking the Apprentice out and just shooting landings.

A few days back a bunch of other fliers joined in, and we would climb to altitude and cut power, then see who could glide in and stop closest to a mark on the runway. We probably passed the transmitter back and forth for most of an hour, and really had fun.

It is also just handy to have a trainer around. I keep mine in the trailer for those times someone thinking about getting into rc planes shows up at the field- one of us will buddy box them.

Steve Steinbring

As a club instructor I've instructed with the Hanger 9 P-51 its not a bad airplane.

The problem with it is that its somewhat smaller than most trainers, its designed to be a follow-on airplane as well as a trainer. IMO trying to do too much with one airframe to really do anything really well. If you want to go that direction I would suggest an Ugly Stick that can be easily be tamed down to serve as a docile trainer. I have also trained several pilots with a Stik, I think its a better choice. Here again if your thinking about your daughter the P-51 might be a bit much. As I mentioned above visit a couple of the local clubs many have club trainers where you can get a flight or two before making a decision.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

That's great advice, Steve. I forgot about the Sticks and how nicely they fly - diverse is the name of the game with that airframe. It can be tamed down to fly like a trainer, yet it can also be pushed a bit to make it a lot more functional, if you know what I mean.

I had a Goldberg Wildstick 40 a while back and that thing was a blast to fly. I could run it on low rates and it would be just as tame as the best of trainers, in spite of it's size. Then, switch to high rates, and it would do aerobatics like the best of them. That plane had flaps. I could go into a loop, push in half flaps, and the thing would almost flip in it's own length. What a fun plane to fly. And it was rugged.... I know becasue I beat that thing up on a regular basis.

CGr

JeffinTD

Come to think of it, I have an electrostick, which is a blast to fly and with the rates set down could be flown by a pretty new flier.

For most folks, though, I think starting with a trainer might be the safest route.