No cost RC flying
11-03-2018, 04:22 PM
#1
Thread Starter
No cost RC flying
See the attachment. Either that way or take my tx and fly.
So many wonder why the hobby is in decline. What if there was a much better, faster and more fun way to learn how to fly RC airplanes?
At least a way to give RC flying a try without having to jump through all the hoops
What I do is convince anyone to come to the field and take my tx and have fun flying. They all get a minimum of 20 minutes of stick time, just to see if they like it.
No one has to spend a dime and if they say they can't afford getting into the hobby, at least they will have the skill to fly when and if they ever can afford it.
I could teach others how to do this. Imagine if 2500 AMA clubs had even just one person who could do this?
So many wonder why the hobby is in decline. What if there was a much better, faster and more fun way to learn how to fly RC airplanes?
At least a way to give RC flying a try without having to jump through all the hoops
What I do is convince anyone to come to the field and take my tx and have fun flying. They all get a minimum of 20 minutes of stick time, just to see if they like it.
No one has to spend a dime and if they say they can't afford getting into the hobby, at least they will have the skill to fly when and if they ever can afford it.
I could teach others how to do this. Imagine if 2500 AMA clubs had even just one person who could do this?
Last edited by fliers1; 11-03-2018 at 04:25 PM.
11-04-2018, 03:50 AM
#2
My Feedback: (5)
It's a good idea. Our club has done something similar, I imagine most clubs have. For years I offered visitors a free 'trial' flight if they seemed particularly interested. However, our club leadership started worrying about someone getting injured and the club being sued, so the practice kind of died off.
11-04-2018, 04:46 AM
#3
Thread Starter
It's a good idea. Our club has done something similar, I imagine most clubs have. For years I offered visitors a free 'trial' flight if they seemed particularly interested. However, our club leadership started worrying about someone getting injured and the club being sued, so the practice kind of died off.
If there are spectators, chances are they are interested just because they are there. It was so easy to get many people into the hobby by doing it this way. My only problem was some club members didn't like that the fact that I might get what they deem as "too many, too fast' on "their" flight line. Some members didn't like flying with more than 2 planes in the air at the same time.
11-04-2018, 07:56 AM
#4
most clubs have a trainer or two and an open invitation for anyone to come and try it out. I have never seen , nor heard of a club that doesn't operate this way. and every club, of any genre I was ever in (biking, archery, R/c, control line, speed skating, wood working, hunting, trap shooting), had the same policy. what is needed is for the clubs to make that invitation clearly, publicly and universally known.
I live in a small town of about 10,000 people. there is an R/C club in the town,.... it will amaze you how many people have no idea it exists.......most think, "it's some guy flying one of them model planes out there". the only exposure I see is at the local airport for "airport days" once a year. the problem is that the same people are the only people that come to "airport days" every year and the flying is done on one club member's own property, so there is also an element on intimidation, if someone wants to come watch. it has to be publically announced,....frequently,... that is OK for people to come to the airfield, on this guys land and see the flying.
I live in a small town of about 10,000 people. there is an R/C club in the town,.... it will amaze you how many people have no idea it exists.......most think, "it's some guy flying one of them model planes out there". the only exposure I see is at the local airport for "airport days" once a year. the problem is that the same people are the only people that come to "airport days" every year and the flying is done on one club member's own property, so there is also an element on intimidation, if someone wants to come watch. it has to be publically announced,....frequently,... that is OK for people to come to the airfield, on this guys land and see the flying.
11-04-2018, 08:38 AM
#5
Thread Starter
I hear this all the time that most clubs have trainers and an open invitation. I ran a flight training school several years ago and had hundreds of beginners from hundreds of different clubs coming from all over the US and Canada. Also had a hobby shop with beginners saying the same.
Nearly all of these people told me that their club either didn't have club trainers or had club trainers but seldom if ever used them. That is why they came to me from hundreds of miles away to pay me to teach them.
Dave Scott, owner of the 1st US RC Flight School made so much money that he is the owner of a full scale Pitts biplane.
I went to one club up in Canada that had a club trainer. I looked it over and discovered that although it was in very good shape, it looked as if it was never used. Also, it was badly out of trim and throws were set to the extreme.
Many other clubs that I visited at one time had club trainers but they didn't know where to keep it, and no one really wanted to take a chance on breaking it, so they gave up on using it.
Nearly all of these people told me that their club either didn't have club trainers or had club trainers but seldom if ever used them. That is why they came to me from hundreds of miles away to pay me to teach them.
Dave Scott, owner of the 1st US RC Flight School made so much money that he is the owner of a full scale Pitts biplane.
I went to one club up in Canada that had a club trainer. I looked it over and discovered that although it was in very good shape, it looked as if it was never used. Also, it was badly out of trim and throws were set to the extreme.
Many other clubs that I visited at one time had club trainers but they didn't know where to keep it, and no one really wanted to take a chance on breaking it, so they gave up on using it.
Last edited by fliers1; 11-04-2018 at 08:53 AM.
11-07-2018, 04:37 AM
#6
Moderator
All the clubs around me have at least one trainer available for walk up students. It does get them a new member sometimes, but they mostly get used by kids whose parents just want something free for them to do. Even that's a seed though.
11-25-2018, 06:28 AM
#8
One of my local clubs has a very active instructor program (which I am one) - each instructor (currently there are 5) is given a club trainer, and during the summer meets at the field once per week. Instructor is in charge of keeping/storing/repair/etc. of the plane. Usually 3 are able to make it on any given night, with 3-6 beginners to train. They come from pretty far away for weekly instruction. Unfortunately, there is a VERY high rate of disappearance after they learn to land. It's a good year if 2 actually fully join the club going forward. First ever flight is offered to anyone that is there, even if initially "just to watch". Continued instruction is through the the AMA beginner program - student gets the "temp" AMA membership, but no obligation to join the club while on a buddy box.
