I just couldn't wait, against the advice of everyone Ive talked to, I finished my Pico Piper Park flyer and had to try it out in the backyard. I thought , Hey this is a slow flier, surely I can do this without an instructor...WRONG. I gave it full throttle tossed it level, it climbed straight up banked left and nailed a Pine tree. This all happened before I could even begin to figure out how to bring it under control. SO, NOW I ask, should the plane have flown straight and level to begin with? or is that the purpose of setting trim? Not that it matters now with 2 broken wings.

Thoroughly embarrassed,
Craig.

Maybe some good could come of this. I hope all beginners read your post and find an instructor. Your plane needed to be trimmed......by an experienced pilot!

Since you say that the plane climbed before it banked, I would say that the plane was ok and that the CG was ok. Being a slow flyer I assume that the plane uses rudder for steering. I would guess that the rudder was a bit out of trim. This means the rudder was set up with a bit of an angle to the left. This may be very slight and hard to see but the plane is pushed around by it as it is flying forward. The trim tabs on your transmitter are used to correct the trim. By moving the trim tabs you can get the plane to the point where the plane will fly straight and level by itself. Note that some planes will climb at full throttle and fly level at 1/2 throttle. This can't be corrected by trim, its just the nature of the plane. First flights on a new plane can be unpredictable. Thats why even experienced flyers will often ask the clubs Senior Instructor to test fly their newly built plane for them. The Instructor has the reflexes to keep the plane level until he gains altitude. Once you have sufficient height, you can adjust the trims to settle the plane down. If it works out that full deflection of a trim tab is required, then it probably means that the mechanical adjustments are needed when the plane gets back on the ground. Ideally you shouldn't need more than 1 or 2 clicks of trim to adjust for straight and level flight. In the mean time why not download the free FMS flight sim and practice with that. Its a lot cheaper when you crash. Have fun, Fast!

Definetly needed to be trimmed! Hey don't worry it took me 5 planes and 8 years before I actually caved in and got an instructer! When you have an instructer you will learn to set up and fly all on your own in no time! good luck

One thing I would like to add here. Being that it is a park flyer does not necessarily mean its safe to fly it anywhere you want to. They work off of the same frequency's as the motorized ones do, and if by some reason you just so happen to be by an RC field then you run the risk of shooting someone's plane down not to mention having yours shot down by someone on your channel.

Also if by chance you are in a reasonable distance from an RC field you may be better off joining their club as you would have great benefit's by joining.

Randy

This first flight experience is very common. Even if the plane is perfectly set-up before the flight, wind conditions and just the torque of the engine can make the model do unexpected things immediately after take off. The inexperienced pilot will over-react and mash the plane into the ground simply by not knowing how to correct for the conditions that are happening at lightning fast speed. It is highly recommended that new flyers get an instructor to take the plane off and get it up to altitude ("3-mistakes high") before the student pilot takes over the controls. The effort of learning (and rebuilding after your mistakes) is worth it. Good luck with your second attempt.

Best advise - GET AN INSTRUCTOR - or else this is going to be awfully EXPENSIVE!!!!

I'm doing the same thing as CEH, parkflyer without an instructor. My first flight was going well, but the spinner slipped and the prop was hanging on the axel. Nevertheless i glided down and made an uneventful landing on the grass in front of the haystack. I admit that I had a little porpoising on takeoff, but I got the hang of it after a couple circuits. My excuse is that I live 85 miles from the nearest field (hence the username), so I will have to learn myself, but I think I handled my first solo fairly well.

If you live far away from a club, the next best thing is to get realflight G2 simulator. Its worth alot more than 200 dollars for what it does. I solo'd in about 4 flights with it.

Realflight doesn't teach you the necessities beyond moving the sticks, though. Even if it's 85 miles, I'd make the trip once or twice. Three hours in the car isn't that much time for the amount of knowledge and experience you could absorb from being around other fliers. I can't imagine going through the frustration of learning alone just to avoid a few hours in the car. It seems to me that's not a large investment of time compared to the benefits you'd reap, and the amount of time you'll be spending with the hobby.

I agree with MikeL. My instructor lives 75 miles away from me. Granted he is my friend and we make a day of it when we go flying. With his help I am actually learning.

I have joined a club much closer to home now, but the learning is mostly with my instructor. He has never flown off of the water and we are both going to learn that this summer.

Do yourself a favor, take the drive, meet some RC pilots, have a good time and learn safely. You will even save a few bucks in less damaged airplanes and millions in frustration.

This senario has worked for me.

Just my 2 cents worth.
AL

Happens a lot. People on here don't tell you to get an instructor just to talk. These things are not hard to fly, but the first time they are not easy and without help, they will get crashed. The problem with the instant gratifacation that people grow up with now is that they don't listen to common sense either. Guess it is not so common.

My only advice, get it fixed and find someone to help you learn to fly it. Are you going to listen this time, or take it out and wreck it again and end up getting frusterated and quitting. I hope you get help and learn to fly it. Its a fun hobby.

In case you try again without an instructor...

Backyard = bad idea. Find someplace with a lot more empty space, like a baseball field or a series of soccer fields.

Try ROG instead of hand launching. That way your hands are on the controls instead of juggling.

Try a dead calm day, usually just before dark or just after dawn. It doesn't take much wind to move a park flyer.



I would suggest you get some help. If you get someone to test fly and trim your plane, then it will be much easier for you.

It doesn't have to be a full-blow instructor, since you're not flying a glow trainer (which is a totally different kettle of fish), but someone with enough experience to get you up and flying. I think you'll find that if you can get a few minutes in the air with a park flyer you can gradually get the hang of it.

Assuming there are not trees around to eat it.

The main reason I went with a parkflyer instead of going full bore was because I didn't have an instructor around. Also, no regular trainer is going to take off of my property (the alfalfa field is a big maybe). I tried flying again and I really biffed it, but styrofoam goes together so nice with epoxy and the effect on future flights will be minimal (too bad the same can't be said about my ego ). I got too impatient and flew in the wind I guess. I'd like to get an instructor this summer like you guys said, this is starting to get frustrating and i've got a big yellow expoy line down the center of my plane. Do any of you or anyone you know live in Nampa, Idaho; Meridian, Idaho; Boise, Idaho; Marsing, ID; or even Ontario, OR????, help would be appreciated.

Yeah, I agree Mike, But Where I live, some people just dont want to join a club, no matter what you tell them. Real flight teaches you how to fly safer than not using anything.

Ruralflyer, if you go to www.modelaircraft.org you'll find a club locator on the left hand side of the window. That'll help you find some folks to get you going.

I'm not a member of a club myself, beavertail. I've got a great county flying site that I use. I don't think an individual who lives far from a club would have to join to get some instruction. Once the situation is explained, I'm sure an invitation to visit and get some help would be forthcoming.

I'm in it the same with RuralFlyer. Out where the hoot owls screw the chickens. I did blade off a nice smooth landing(crashing) strip. I found out that hand launching wasn't the way to go when learning without an instructer, hence the landing strip. It did work out alot better. But have still completely destroyed 2 parkflyers. have read nearly every post on here and your guys advice has been very helpful. As one has stated that epoxy is a beginners best friend. Very true until they start turning into a brick.
Anyway, I have found out through a friend that there is a group of guys within 30 mi. that fly every Sunday at a local cemetary. No pun intended. They have said that they would be more than happy to get me started in this addiction. I almost cried out of joy. I have a .40 cub cadet that I have been working on for a couple of years that i am Not going to fly until I know how.
So there is my.01 cent worth being I am not qualified to put in .02

But you may want to consider getting a slow flier like a Slow Stick or Pico Stick.

I have a Megatech Merlin and taught myself to fly it (after a lot of time in Cockpit Master BE) in a baseball field.

The Cub may be trickier to fly than a slow flier.

Another thing, the more you bust it up, the heavier it will get, so it may become unflyable.

You may want to try Ezone, they are more dedicated to electrics, http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/forum...?s=&forumid=11

and ask if there are any fliers near you.

I agree, but nevertheless, some just wont go.

I have seen many people on here say there is no help close. They are always so shocked to find out that there is one just around the corner.

Click on the ama link above and see where the closest flying club is. You would be surprised. I know there are a few in the boise area. It would be worth looking.

Maybe you know this already, but park flyers don't tolerate the wind very well at all. You need a perfectly calm day. Usually the calmest part of the day is just before sunset.

You guys have been helpful, i checked the internet and there was a field in Nampa that I could go to in the summer, but will they train me without me joining? the last thing that i need is to go over there and find out that I have to spend 200 dollars just for one or two days worth of training. I'll try that RC simulator, hopefully my internet connection wont sever the download and screw it up. Until then, i think I'll save my plane and refrain from flying for a while, Keep the tips coming please!

Ps: how do you edit your signature?

Go to "MyRCU" in the upper left corner of the screen, then your signature should be under "Edit Profile"

Hope you can find an instructor, its a lot of help

Give'em a call and explain your situation before you drive over. You'll want to arrange to meet with someone there and have things planned out before you go. If you just head over, you may find that there's no one there or that those there aren't able to help.

Underneath the RCU logo at the top of the page you'll see "My RCU" Click on it, and click on the Edit Profile option.

Simulators are a great idea, especially if you have trouble getting to an instructor.

FMS is a free simulator. Not as good as Real Flight, but you can't beat teh price.

There's a guy named Matt that builds an interface to connect your transmitter to your computer. He sells the interface, with FMS on a CD at a reaosnable price.

http://www.mattclement.freeservers.com/fms/fms.html

I have no affiliation with him, other than being a happy customer.

Good Luck,
Dennis-