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I've really got to have a talk with mine before we get started next time. He's a great pilot, and really good at telling me what he wants me to do. The problem is, he gets me out there 3 mistakes high, and way down field and says "now turn right". I can barely see the freaking plane. I'm slightly near sighted, but always thought I had good glasses till now. My fingers just kinda do the turn they already have memorized from FMS sim, then I wait a couple seconds to see where the plane is going, then correct as needed. I don't care if he keeps me 3 mistakes high, but I want to be a little closer in so I can see what the plane is doing during the turn. Oh, he says I'm great whatever that means. He only asked for the box once when I got to doing a roller coaster imitation on my second pass and started getting a little too close to the pits. I was more than happy to hand it over fast... The elevator on my Extra Easy 2 is way touchier than a sim, and using a 2 bladed prop and no baffle it scoots pretty good! - Joe

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

If you are not using a buddy box, then 3 mistakes high is normal. I fly my new students with a buddy box at 1.5 mistakes high. I prefer them to be lower so they can see what it is doing. I won't teach without a box any more. Too much of a pain and the chances of wrecking are so much higher. Not good. Talk to him about it. Most instructors like the feedback.

Crash Master

I'm with Flyboy. Talk to this guy and explain that you need the bird to be in a little closer so you can see it. When you're learning to fly, cooperation has to work both ways and if he isn't willing to give a little, get another instructor.

As for the speed and touchy elevator, you don't have to use full throttle. The less throttle the less speed . You could also take some of the throw out of the elevator to make it less senitive. The important thing is for you get be comfortable at what you're doing. It will make learning easier.

Just mho,

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I've got 2 computer radios and a buddy cord. We were going to use them, but one had rudder/aileron mixing turned on so we didn't cuz we couldn't figger out how to turn it off. It was kinda funny, he told me my plane was way out of trim. When I got home I started playing with the radios on and off the box. They both had the mixing turned on. I had to do a reset on the radios to turn it off. I don't mind the 3 mistakes high so much. I just don't want to be turning so far away and that high. I get a new eye prescription and glasses each year and nothing changes much. I think he's just been watching planes fly for so many years he can tell what their doing a lot better than me. I'm doing ok with the full throws on the plane. It's the FMS simulator habits I need to unlearn. I want to keep full throws so I'll have a chance with my Ultra Stick w/Irvine .53 that is getting done slowly but surely. - Joe

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Oh, one other funny thing. This was at a Toys 4 Tots fun fly. It was really cold out, but we got a big station wagon stuffed with toys that day... I'm walking around and this guy out there flying a flip 3d with his wife and sister is the only instructor out there. I watch him dead stick his plane into the grass and break his landing gear off. I ask the group next to me as he's going to to fetch his plane "That's the only instructor out here huh?". They got a good laugh out of it.... Had some fun with him also.. Told him I reinforced my landing gear cuz I saw how he flies... He's a good guy. It was cold but fun. He flies all winter up here every weekend at the field. I imagine I'll have to find some skis.. - Joe

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

I try to teach discipline but most people don't want to hear it. I usually fly the plane while my student is flying so if I take my hand off the trainer switch, I am immediately all over the plane. Because of that, I am usually 1 mistake high or less. A couple of times, the plane went below the horizon and then recovered. It is wild but it impresses the hell out of everyone.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I usually have several people train a newbei, heck, we're all different, and my way of teaching might work for some, while someone elses works for others.

Consider flying with a few others, and see if there's someone who suits your needs better.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

I agree with talking to him. I'm guessing that he'll be willing, especially having seen you fly once. (Sounds like you did well.) And if you've remove the "mix" problem and can use the buddy cord, he should be happy to fly closer.
Dennis-

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Well I'm actually happy with this guy. He's good! We just need to reach a little understanding that I can't see as well as he does, or maybe duh, that he can tell what a plane is doing a lot farther out than I can because he taught himself to fly 20 years ago and has a ton of experience? I'm thinking he might be a bit intimidated because my equipment is as good as his, we are the same age, I'm a "computer brain" working at a bank, and he's just a used car salesman. He's trying to teach me as an equal, when I'm still in diapers in the RC world. I'll have a talk with him. Tell the dude "Give me the nipple b1tch!, forget the steak for now!" I'm sure I'll be able to fly with other instructors. Our club is near 200 members, and quite a few hard core winter flying foolish instructors. A lot of the ideas you guys have are great. Thank you! - Joe

TerrellFlyer

Talk to your instructor if ya'll can't come to terms then both of ya'll need to move on.

nascarjoe

My instructor has been using the most amazing and productive flight instruction method for many years now, but even though our club's other instructors has personally witnessed this instructor's newbies learning to solo, fly very skillfully and even transition to low wing aircraft on or near the same day they soloed on a trainer, no other instructor has any shown any inclination to ask how to learn this unique teaching technique. I've seen too many newbies struggling to learn for several years simply because they continue to try to learn via these not-so-good instructors. BTW, some of these instructors tend to blame their students for not having whatever it takes to learn, yet, when these same allegedly"unteachable" beginners finally take lessons from my instructor, suddenly (same day) they can takeoff, fly very skillfully and make very smooth landings.

I've watched these instructors give instruction and it's all they can do to keep literally all of their students from crashing, nevermind actually train beginners how to fly, let alone solo. It would seem that if they really wanted to help newcomers learn how to fly, they would allow my instructor to show them how easy giving instruction can be. Guess they are happy with sweating bullets doing what they've been doing for years. Oh well.

nascarjoe

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

There are a lot of instructors who can't teach. Works that way in full scale too. I had one guy that had 150 hours when I got to him and he had been learning forever. It took me a year to talk him into flying with me, but when he did, he excelled and had his licence in 2 months. He wasn't bad, just had a bunch of bad instructors.

You have to fly with someone who knows how to teach. There are many great pilots who couldn't teach to save their soul.

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

ONe of the thing that I find instructors do is to get a student profecient on one thing then let him solo. I had a pilot who soloed ask me to stand with him while he flew. He was doing a left hand race track pattern. I asked him to do it with right had turns and I had to take the transmitter before he crashed. After he calmed down, I asked him to do more and stood with him until he was comfortable. I then asked him to do a figure 8 and then he realized he still didn't know how to truely fly. He now can do left and right hand maneuvers with no problems.

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

Any teacher needs special education to become a teacher. You don't take on a math class just because you know the subject. Teaching is a specialized discipline in and of itself. Just because someone is a good pilot doesn't necessarily translate into teaching proficiency. The good instructors know how to teach as well as fly. I don't know of any course available to RC pilots to make them into instructors. Full scale instructors have to be certified by the FAA. It's too bad that AMA doesn't have an equivalent syllabus for RC. We're lucky that most of our RC instructors have that certain flair that makes them teachers as well as pilots. I've been at this for a lot of years and I still need to be checked on the buddy box occasionally. I was a certificated teacher as well as an FD training officer. I'll teach you Fire Science just don't ask me to teach you RC.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Good points geistware!

Every time I do a right hand patter, I get strange looks from the guys at the field. Some comment that they couldn't do that if they tried. Kind of sad.

CafeenMan

Yes, I think all instructors should be trained. A good pilot is not necessarily a good instructor. I am way too impatient with people, so I'm a lousy instructor. I get asked all the time, but after one day with me, the student usually finds someone else.

Titan Driver

The answer is simple! Don't wait until your instructor tells you to turn. Do it yourself. If the aircraft is nearing your sight limit then initiate the turn yourself with out being prompted by your instructor. Just make sure you tell him what you are doing as /before you do it. I bet he is telling you to turn because it is nearing his sight limit and you haven't done anything yet. This way you are learning to fly the aircraft and not just manipulating the controls when the instructor wants you to.

Jim Thomerson

Joe, give controline a try. That way you can keep the airplane in sight!

Jim