Okay, this post had already been posted once on the thread by antonyall. But i'll post it again as there's no response from the previous. Not your faults folks!! It's mine
I already had 2 lesson which spread in a 2 weeks span and each lesson lasting only about 15 minutes. the problem at the field where i'm flying has only 1 instructor and there's a queue. So a second lesson on the same day is impossible. Moreover I can only go to the field around 5.45 pm in the evening on weekday(6 plus, the sky will start to get dark) as my work required me to work late. I have 1 or 2 days on weekday that I'll go off at 5.00 pm. On sunday, the instructor only come in the late afternoon and as usual, there will be quite a number of students waiting. Even if I'm in the first queue, the most it can last is again 15 minutes. I'd thought on the ideas of making a few friends at the field and learn from them but the problem is that this is a new field and there are no expert flyer at this field. So I'm left with 2 choices which I'd like you guys to help.
1. Get a sim, say G2 realflight and practise at home and at the same time, still learn from this existing instructor. Do this sim really help? I'd not try it yet but i'm willing to try if you guys say yes.
2. Get a personal instructor and set timetable for him or HER(hopefully) to teach me. or
3. None of the above but your advice.
P/s: the cost to buy the sim and to get a personal instructor is about the same.

Get the G-2. You can use it whenever you want, and it is a very good learning tool.

Anything you can do to get stick time is a good thing. Go for the sim for sure, they really can make a big difference. Getting a friend or someone else to take you up once in a while isn't bad either. You might have to be more conservitive than you might with an experienced instructor, but even flying a standard box pattern at a safe altitude is better than not flying.

Good luck. And keep at it. What often happens in the situation you describe is that some of the students will disappear, either because they drop the hobby or because they no longer need the instruction. At least around here, it tends to run in cycles. I'll have a few months with more students than I can really handle, then I'll have a few months of only 1 or 2 showing up at the field.

You didn't state whether or not you are in a club, I will assume that you are. If not then you should join one. most clubs have trainers and a designated day for training only. if you can't make it for the designated training sessions or there are to many people training. talk to some club members about taking you up on a buddy box. most club members are more than willing to help newcomers out.

If this is a club, its hard to beleive that they only have one trainer!

As far as the G-2 simulator goes, I think it is very good in getting you familar with stick movements to control the airplane. We have had people at our club solo the after to sessions at the field when previously using nothing more than a simulator. I feel that you should still have some stick time. Flying the real thing is not like a simulator.

I hope in all my ramblings, i have been some help!

Thanks for the fast response. I might get a sim like most of you here suggest. Propwash,
as i had said earlier, this is a new club and there's only one instructor. I swear. Seems that there's nobody using buddy box here at the club or maybe in Thailand. Anyway, thank you all again for the kind recommendations

Flight sims are very helpful. I played around with Aerofly pro for about a month before my first lesson and after two training flights I am doing everything but landing. I'm suprised you only have one trainer also, at the club I'm at they have training days and many of the expert flyers show up to buddy-box with anyone there that needs it.

Bemyself, Sorry, I must have missed the new club part! I would talk to the club president about getting more people to participate in training new comers. If new members can't get training then two things might happen. They may try to teach themselves, which will in most cases end up with a trashed airplane, leading to frustration and possibly quiting the hobby. Or they may go find another club. Either senario is not going to help a new club to grow. If the officers of the club don't care, or don't want to do anything about it than you should find another club.


just my humble opinion!

If you want to save money you can start by downloading a free flight sim called FMS. Its not as fancy, ie. you can't set wind conditions, but it works well and you can get a ton of free planes for it that FMS users have made for it. I have included the link below so you can check it. Fast!

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index_e.html

I used the G2 until I could do just about whatever I wanted to with the PT-40 trainer. Went to the field on training day and the instructor flew with me on the buddy box for about half a tank. I was taking off, landing, doing stalls, figure 8's, and even a dead stick. He unplugs the cord, hands me my transmitter and says have at it. He stood close by for awhile and then eventually he backed off. I've been solo for about 2 gallons of fuel. I give credit to the time I spent on the G2.

To each his own.

Okay,
I'm into sim 100%. Thanks for all the advice. I'd checked up with one of the supplier that sells the sim. I was told that I need to buy an interface between the Skysport and the CPU. I believe it should be some kind of wiring for the connection between the tx and the cpu.
Another option, I was told is that they can do a small modification to my tx free of charge ( I believe should be modifying one of the channel to link to the cpu) Any of you ever heard of such modification? I need to apologise as my computer knowledge is to a certain level only. Please advise.
Thanks

G2 (the full version anyway ) comes with a controller. For FMS you will need an interface cable that goes from the buddy box port on the back of the transmitter to either the parallel port or serial port (preferred ) on the computer. The interface cable USUALLY runs about $20 - $30 US on EBay. The FMS web site also has instructions and schematics for building/making your own interface cable if you are handy and prefer to do that.

On a personal level, I would avoid having the transmitter modified. Besides not knowing what it may do to it for normal use, it will in all probability void the warranty on it.

Campy,
I agree with you. Thanks alot. By the way, you said G2 full version comes wiith the controller. Does it means it comes with the radio? What is the controller anyway? Please elaborate. I apologise for my lack of knowledge on the RC.
Thanks

The full version of G2 comes with a controller that looks a lot like a Futaba Skysport radio. It is not a radio per se (i.e. cannot use it to fly your plane at the field) but duplicates your radio. It also comes with a cord to plug your radio into the G2 controller. Then the G2 controller only acts as the interface between your radio and the computer. The G2 controller plugs into your computer via USB.

I bought G2 after I solo'd. I felt that I needed more practice than I could get at the field. I only get to the field for about 4 hours one day of the weekend. Any more than that and my wife would be looking for somewhere else to live (without me!). The sim is also good for use during building season (winter months in the US). My first flight after winter would always be shaky until I started using the sim.

if i were u i would just stick it out with the instructor.... but that also depends if ur a fast learner... i learned to fly in 2 days while my dad crashed his avistar in 1. but if the G2 would save u more time use it. (i didnt think u could pay people to teach u to fly[&:])

Nebbie, thanks for the info.
Nitrobasher[(i didnt think u could pay people to teach u to fly ) quote][/quote]
At first, when I started this hobby, I think like you do but after I'm into this hobby, I was told that you have to pay to get an instructor. This is what I encounter at my field. Maybe other field do not have this practise. I'm not sure. But glad that things are bit different at your side.Thanks