Hi i thought this was the best place to post as there are probably a few instructors giving advice advice a lot of newbies receiving advice.

Recently i have been asked if i would help teach the new club members as they join. I dont mind this one bit in fact i see it as a compliment of my flying skills and would like to help others the way i was helped when i joined this great hobby

Basically i was wondering if any of you could offer advice on teaching or the way you was taught as its been a whilst since i learnt and i can't remember everything... I did not use a buddy lead and i don't think that anyone in our (small) Club has, i don't have a problem with this as long as i get them a few mistakes high before handing over the TX.


Thanks Cougar.

I am not an instructor, however, I have taught several people how to fly.

I am a STRONG believer in the buddy box cord. There have been instances where the student feels they can save the plane and refuse to return the transmitter until it is too late. With a buddy box cord you don't have this problem. Release the trainer switch/button and you have it back immediately.

I ALWAYS preflight check the student's trainer daily and make certain all the controls, both on the master AND the buddy box, are operating the right way before we leave the pit area.

When starting out, I take the plane off and get it up to a safe height. Then the student takes it and practices "straight and level" flight and flying the pattern.

Once they can do that, I walk them through ON THE GROUND on how to do a take off. Then I do a take off while they observe what I am doing with the transmitter and what the plane is doing. I then land and the student tries it.

After the student masters the take off, I again, talk him through a landing while on the ground. I then do a landing while the student observes, then the student tries it.

In addition to this, I also teach them how to use the rudder and require them to be able to do a rudder only figure 8. We also do a couple of "deadsticks" in which I reach over and pull the throttle all the way down and say "Your engine just died." By this stage I should not have to talk the student down or basically do anything, but I am ready "just in case".

The students I have taught this way have all passed the club's requirements for solo on the first try

Always do a full preflight on the student's plane, then check control surface movement, then ask the student how much they know about how the plane moves in the air (which control does what). This last bit may surprise you, and will show you where you have to start.

Absolutely use a Buddy Box. It makes your job a LOT easier!

Once you've instructed on the ground stuff, like safely starting the engine, how to tune it, using a restraint to hold the plane while running up the engine, battery charging, etc., etc.... But before you head for the runway, explain what the first flight will be like. That you will get the plane up there, and will have them take control once they are comfortable. You will have them try to do a level circuit of the field, and that you will talk them through it.

I also always tell them that if they are ever uncomfortable, or just need a moment to calm down, that they should let me know. I can take control for a while so you can catch your breath.

Then take off and get the plane to a safe altitude, again explain what you want the student to do. (Fly a level oval pattern for example.) Once the plane is flying straight and level, ask them if they're ready. If they say yes, then tell them, "It's your airplane", as you pull the switch.

Always tell them when you transfer control to them, OR when you take back control for any reason. Even if they have asked you to.

Be prepared to talk with them continuously. "OK, I want you to start a gentle turn to the right with a little aileron." "Remember you'll have to feed in a little up elevator to maintain altitude." "OK, a little more up, now ease off the ailerons."

You get the idea. It seems to work best for me when I give them a running dialog of what to do for the first flight or two.

Once the plane is back on the ground, it also seems to help to talk about the flight. Ask them what they liked, what they were comfortable with, and uncomfortable with. Ask if they want your constant chatter. It makes some more nervous. But I always try to debrief after a flight. It helps you learn what they need too.

Good luck, and above all, try to enjoy the experience.
Dennis-

A couple of other tips:

When using the buddy box, always set the throttle on the student box to a lower setting than that of the instructor. This accomplishes three things. 1> It gives an audio cue (engine RPMs) as to who is controlling the plane at any given moment. 2> It keeps the student going slow so that the plane never gets ahead of his ability. 3> It gives the instructor some immediate emergency power.

To help with the stick reversal issue, I always tell them that if the plane is coming toward them, and they panic because they don't know which way to turn it, to always move the right stick toward the lower wing. This will level the plane. (obviously only works when the plane is heading toward you). One in a while I can still hear my old instructor saying, 'Hit the low wing'.

Remind them before the first flight that this is nothing like Nintendo, in that the sticks are to be moved gently and that it takes very little stick movement to change the direction of the plane.

Whenever possible, have the student fly figure-8s in both directions. This will keep them from developing a 'favorite turn direction'.

When take-offs and figure-8s are mastered, practice landings in the air. This means to set up for a landing while way up high. The goal here is to practice runway alignment and steady, level descents. Have the student set up the approach while still at training altitude, and chop the throttle. After the attempt, but while the plane is still at least 50 feet high, have him power up, and fly out again. This also reinforces the notion that there is always the option of going around versus continuing a bad landing.

Hope these help!

db

Buddy cord is a must

Teach SAFETY, taxi, takeoff, and landing thoroughly.

teach them to fly the pattern, not the pits.

Teach throttle management and rudder, it will make them better pilots.

Training dosen't stop after the very first landing, make shure your student understands this, he or she is your student until YOU feel SAFE and CONFIDENT in their skills.

There is an article under the beginner's section of my web page. It is called "Teaching R/C Model Airplane Flying." It is basically a plan for successfully teaching a student pilot. It is a long article but you can download the article as a Microsoft Office document or Adobe PDF file. The links are at the end of the article.

Lots of good advice has been given and for my 2 cents I would suggest giving students short lessons at first. Maybe two minutes , then you take control. Let the student relax a bit, then hand them back control. There's a lot of concentration when your first flying so little breaks seem to help a lot of people.

Go to our club website www.1nvrc.com on the front page on the left there is a link to an instructors guide you will find very helpful.


Terry

Wow guys there is lots of really good useful informatin there.

Thanx Cougar

I agree with all of the above posts. And one last time --- USE A BUDDY CORD!!!!!!

Cougar welcome to the instructor club!!

First let me say that being an instructor will be one of the most rewarding and frustrating things you can do! It is not hard, but keeping rule number one in mind is!

Instructor Rule #1 - HAVE PATIENCE!!!

The key thing here is to remember why most people get into flying rc aircraft - to have fun!!! You want to do EVERYTHING you can to make sure that your students are comfortable!! A happy student learns best!!! Now I am not saying to that you shouldn't let them know when they are doing wrong, but what you want to do is to find a way to get it through to them without degrading them!!!

Instructor Rule #2 - BE CALM!!!

The thing to remember here is that if you start showing that you are nervous, the student will pick up on it and get nervous too! A nervous student will not learn as well because of fear!!

Instructor Rule #3 - DO EVERYTHING AS YOU WANT YOUR STUDENT TO DO!!

On your first flight, don't just go barreling into the sky! Do a textbook perfect takeoff!!!

THE FIRST TIME YOU LEARN SOMETHING IS THE WAY YOU WILL REMEMBER!!! This being said, make VERY sure that you are teaching the CORRECT habits right from the beginning!!!! This is VERY important, as do to some reason (lack of time, etc) you will just get an airplane in the air and hand it to the student without doing a good safety look around, wind check, and takeoff callout! This will breed into the student that it doesn't need to be done! MAKE SURE YOU DO EVERYTHING TEXT BOOK PERFECT WHEN AROUND STUDENTS!

Instructor Rule #4 - LEAD BY EXAMPLE!!!

Remember that as an instructor you will be looked up to by others! You want to make sure that you follow ALL club rules, ALL safety proceedures, and ALWAYS be respectfull! You also want to be the first person to speak up when you see an unsafe situation!!! You definately want to teach people that SAFETY is an ABSOLUTE at an airfield! This doesn't have to be shown to just your students; it should be shown to ALL!!!

Instructor Rule #5 - BE PREPARED!!!

Don't just take a plane up with a student just to let them fly! Try and come up with something to work on!!! Remember the reason you are going to be an instructor is to pass on your knowledge to others! You are NOT there just to keep someone from crashing!!! The best thing I can tell you is to sit down with a student BEFORE the flight and talk about what you are going to do in the lesson, what satisfactory performance would be, and anything else that is better done BEFORE flying!!

Instructor Rule #6 - HAVE FUN!!!!

Being an instructor is one of the most rewarding things you will do in this hobby! It will offer you MANY challenges that you have never dreamed of!! You will make new friends, and get a better relationship with current friends!!! If you are showing that you are having a good time, it will spread to others! And that is what this hobby is all about!!!!


Last note in this message, you will come upon a time when you will have to give bad news to a student. Always find a way to get the message across without making them take it personally!!! And when you do have to criticize a student, try to find something in their performance that they did well in and inform them of it!! It is always easier to take some of the bad with a little good!!!

Being an instructor is a very fun thing to do! I have been doing it for a few seasons now! There is so much that I have learned that I don't have time to go into in one mesage here! Just always be open, honest, and helpful; and you will do well!!!


Just my thoughts,

Reg

PS One of the things to being an instructor is to be helpful, so if you run into something you need help with, don't be afraid to ask!!! We are always here!!!

Thanks for all that info reg you made some very valuable points there and i will do my best to take note of all of them

I am looking forward to my first "Student" and i hope i can do as well as my instructor did with me.

Thanks again for all of your advice Everyone Cougar.