Hey eveyone,

I have never flown any type of RC plane before but I saw some dude flying one the other day at the local park and it looked pretty sweet. I've been doing some research on the net, checking out online shops for different types of airplane, and scanning this forum for some helpfull tips. I know I want to get a plane pretty soon but I have some concerns/questions.

1. Would it be best for me to buy a 4-channel trainer and get instructions right from the start or should I start by flying solo on inexpensive 3-channel park flyer and build some experience before getting into a nitro trainer w/ instructions.

2. How do I go about getting instructions? Do I just show up at a local club and ask for an instructor? What else do I need to know about working with an instructor?

3. How receptive are club members to newbies. Am I going to look like an idiot showing up with a new trainer having zero flight time?

Thanks in advance for all the help.

1. Would it be best for me to buy a 4-channel trainer and get instructions right from the start or should I start by flying solo on inexpensive 3-channel park flyer and build some experience before getting into a nitro trainer w/ instructions.

I recommend starting with a good 4 channel trainer and an instructor. In the long run, you will save yourself much time and money. Park flyers may actually be more difficult to fly than "real" trainers, and may also teach bad flying habits. Park flyers are also very hard to fly in ANY wind, and may get a newbie into trouble by being too close to bystanders and property. The parks are also usually venues for other activities which may clash with airplane flight. You might consider getting a simulator. Those help a lot.


2. How do I go about getting instructions? Do I just show up at a local club and ask for an instructor? What else do I need to know about working with an instructor?

Go to your local club, introduce yourself, and tell them you think you want to learn to fly R/C. Most clubs are very friently and welcome new members. Most also have instructors and/or training programs. If there is someone with a club trainer or a personal trainer, they may let you take a couple of test flights. The only thing you need to know about working with an instructor is DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU. He will be a very experienced pilot who can usually save your plane from mishaps. Always remember that he is not paid for instructing, and he takes time out of his own day to teach newcomers.


3. How receptive are club members to newbies. Am I going to look like an idiot showing up with a new trainer having zero flight time?

No. Most newbies start that way. In most clubs, instruction is free, but you will be asked to join after a few visits. Your instructor will take you through the steps, including engine tuning, basic plane safety, and local and AMA rules. That being said, to join most clubs, you will be required to have an AMA membership. Among other things, the AMA provides a nice magazine on R/C, and a healthy insurance policy. There will be a wealth of knowlege, information, and flying experience in most clubs.

Welcome to R/C. I've been in it over 20 years and loved every minute. It's fun and educational. It's a clean and safe hobby that many whole families participate in.

Keep asking questions BEFORE you do anything. There is a lot of experience in this forum, and we're always glad to help.

Dr.1

I AM AN INSTRUCTOR I'D BE MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP YOU OUT I'M SAYING THIS BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY MOST CLUBS ARE OR SHOULD BE. SHOW UP TELL 'EM YOU'RE NEW AND WANT TO JOIN THE CLUB (BE HELPFUL IF YOU HAD YOUR AMA MEMBERSHIP PENDING, REQUIREMENT FOR 99 PERCENT OF CLUBS)
AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF CHANNELS, GO WITH 4 FROM THE GIT GO. IT'LL BE HARDER TO LEARN AILERONS IF YOU START WITH A 3 CHANNEL.
TO FLY WITH AN INSTRUCTOR ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS HAVE COMPATABLE EQUIPMENT (TRANSMITTER) THAT THE CLUB HAS A BUDDY BOX FOR. MOST HAVE FUTABA AT LEAST. A WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN, AND THE TIME TO DEVOTE (WEEKLY) UNTIL YOU SOLO.
I RECCOMMEND THE SIG LT-40 KADET AS YOUR TRAINER. DO YOUR SHOPPING AT TOWER HOBBIES ON LINE. GET A PRICE AND SEE IF YOU LOCAL HOBBY STORE WILL MATCH IT IF NOT ORDER FROM TOWER
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN

1. Get the four channel trainer. Get an instructor, unless you are a prodigy, you'll need one. Get a simulator, Get a simulator, Get a simulator, Get a simulator, Get a simulator, Get a simulator, I can't say that enough.

I'm going to hang myself here, but I'm self taught. The simulator did most of it. I am also an instructor at my field. I'm 25, been flying for two years, and everybody at my field is amazed how far I have come. Self taught does happen, but it's rare.

2. Show up at the field with your gear. Heck, on any given nice Saturday, there are at least 10 guys at the field flying, all at varying levels of experience. Someone will want to help you. If you even show up with an unassembled ARF, and most of the building materials, you will have five guys fighting to help you put it together.

When it comes time to fly, LISTEN to your instructor, and DO NOT be afraid to give control back to the instructor. He or she will save you $$$$$$$$$!!!! and frustration. A buddy box of your own helps if you don't have a radio compatible with some one elses system. Otherwise, a buddy cord should be all you need to get setup with a buddy box system. At our field, we still hand the radio back and forth on some occasions. I do carry a buddy cord with me at all times, it's in my radio case.

3. Clubs love newbies! Or at least they should. And NO you will not look like an IDIOT showing up and asking for help and having no flight time. You WILL look like an idiot showing up and NOT asking for help and destroying your investment.

Welcome to R/C!!! I wish I was in Cali, it's freezing here in the Mid-West, but we fly anyway. Get some help and have fun! Congratulations on a new addiction/ hobby.

I disagree with all due respect. I was a park flier for 3 years and I would get to the park early in the day and have a ball with flying several electric planes. People sometimes get in the way but so what, I fly my glow plains on a reservation and people still pop up time to time. Point and case, you are new weigh the odds of equipment cost, travel cost to the club and cost of power source , then decide what kind of plane you want to fly. Yes an instructor is a must as far as saving money, but GLOW is not. I have been to several clubs that don't welcome electric planes and I have recently been to a club that, with out a doubt, welcome electric planes. Personally if I were you I would spend $69 - $100 on a plane and would try to learn on it just to see if I would keep interest. Then I would move on to the bigger stuff whether EP or GLOW. GL

I disagree, because that is how I learned. Please understand flight is basically the same for all size airplanes gas or glow. You can learn to fly in a park with an instructor just as well at a club. When I went to a club one day , what scared me was everybody was zipping around the sky and landing how ever they wanted. there really was any kind of control. This not to say all clubs are this way .

I'm going a different way here,,after all it is a very diverse hobby...I started at a local school yard with a GWS pico stick...if the park flyer was "sweet" than a .40 glow trainer maybe be bigger than you want ...I fly 1/2A (.049) planes at my club field,,most dont recommend them for training ...I dont go with the simulator crowd either..you can find FMS and do a free download of a sim and use your keyboard buttons to fly it...you should have asked the guy that was flying what it was ,,he may have been glad to let you try his or helped you with your questions anyway...it can be costly to start,,check with your local club they probably have a club trainer so you wont need to show up with one.....clubs are like any other groups,,you may run up on a group of snobs (it happens) or meet some new best friends (it happens too) maybe run up on a "knowitall" that can't fly (look for repairs)....some people like to teach and others dont, so ask at the field if they have someone designated as the trainer,,but not while their flying..I have seen people carry on conversations while flying and others absolutely cannot answer yes or no questions, it just depends on the person..read more threads,,read,,read,,read....check the parkflyer forums too.....Rog

Fiend,

"People sometimes get in the way, but so what..."

That is a very irresponsible statement. What if your park flyer had hit someone? Granted, there's very little chance of bodily injury, but... Even if there was no bodily injury or property damage, you could be successfully sued. Don't laugh, it's happened. R/C would no doubt be banned from that location, and there would be another black eye on the "big boys with dangerous toys". Club flying fields have been lost for less. Flying an R/C plane with people or objects close downrange is foolish and dangerous. Remember the AMA Safety Code.

1. All model flying shall be conducted in a manner to avoid overflight of unprotected people.
4. At all flying sites a safety line, or lines, must be established, in front of which all flying takes place.

Nothing wrong with park flyers, just with irresponsible park flyer pilots. Park flyers are ok, IF they are flown safely. The very name "park flyer" makes that difficult to begin with.

Dr.1

As an instructor I recommend the following.

Start with a 4 channel plane but don't go wild on the expense level.

Before purchasing anything, seek out a club and find an instructor(s). Discuss your goals and finances with them and get some recommendations from them on what to purchase.

Make your purchase by either mail (internet) or the LHS. The internet will probably be slightly cheaper but avoid EBAY because you are not wise enough to judge what is for sale there, yet. A lot of "wrong" stuff there for beginners.

Have your instructor train you on a buddy box system, even if you have to buy the box. The box is cheaper than the next plane will be.

ALWAYS ask as many questions as you can think of. This will save you time and money and show your interest to your fellow fliers. The question you don't ask may be the one that causes an accident.

Don't EVER worry about looking like an idiot. Hang around your club for a while and you may find out that it is being run by idiots. Or at least it will seem that way at times, We're all idiots at times, so just come join the gang. [sm=bananahead.gif]

no but i guarantee a large 4 channel nitro trainer flyine full tilt is alot more difficult to control that the average little electric parkflier in the size of a football field. I said guarantee, not for certain. Ive flown both, and large nitro planes are, at least as far as im considered, a much bigger and badder animal than a park flyer

Thanks for all the good info

Sounds like most flyers would be pretty welcoming to a newbie. Can I just show up at a local club prior to buying a plane and start asking questions about flying and getting instructions?

Seems like most you recommend staring out with a 4-channel trainer as opposed to the park flyer. I really like the Hanger 9 P-51 PTS. Kinda sounds like 2 planes in 1: a trainer, then dump the speed brakes and the leading edge things (forgots the tech name of them ) for a more advance plane - I think it comes with a simulator and buddy-cord too. Any thoughts on this as a trainer. Any thoughts on other good trainers that wont get too boring after I get some hours under my belt?

As I said before, talking before buying is best.

As for the P-51, there have been mixed reviews on it. Some like it and some hate it. You can look for some of the threads here on RCU. Although I have not flown one yet, I have seen one fly and was not particularly impressed with it as a trainer or an advanced plane. I guess it falls in the middle IMO.

I would rather see you in a more traditional trainer such as a Nexstar of Alpha 40 or 60 plane (or one of the other "real" trainers. Plenty of time to move on later and it is always fun to have a trainer in the stable if it survives training. Hopefully you can get through the training phase on one plane with proper instruction but sometimes "dumb thumbs" just happen or some other unforeseen demise like a midair. You WILL crash, the idea is to delay it for as long as you can

Dr.1 , I have to challenge you a little , but before I do I have to let you know I respect your wisdom.

First, I would like to know if you ever have flown any electric planes and if yes have you ever flown in a park ?

I had AMA before I bought an airplane to fly . I definitely know there are rules to follow in order for AMA to back me up in the event of an accident. I personally never fly over people walking , kids playing or traffic moving. When I said so what , I didn't mean to make it sound like I didn't care. But I have to say it again so what I fly were people can enter the field , so do club fliers, but just because they call it a club they forget the family members , other fliers, on lookers, etc that can easily be hit by an out of control airplane. Safety is an attitude, and allot of people have came across my path when I was trying to take off or if I am flying I immediately land and have ask why ? I simply tell them about AMA and show them the card and explain I have to honor the rules that allows me to have this card.

To sum up my thoughts , AMA doesn't force any one to join a club, although the most uneducated person knows this is the easiest way to get started in this hobby, but advocates you protect the hobby by flying in a safe manor for you and other people.

Sounds like a lot of good information here so I won't repeat it, just add a couple things.

1. Go to a field anytime and just ask questions and get to know the folks there, listen to what they say and learn.

2. When you finally decided to join a club and get an instructor ( at least I hope you do ) listen to what he says he's only trying to help.
3. While working with an instructor : Try to set up instruction times -- Then MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THEM. if you can't, let the instructor know and ASK him to do the same.
ENJOY !!! RED

So I looked on the AMA website for some local clubs and I found 2 near me. I checked out their websites and I noticed that in order to join the club I would have to pay the $60 annual fee (hopefully they'll pro-rate it), $10 payment for key and badge, and a onetime $150 runway fee. Should I expect to pay a runway fee at all clubs or is this just a scam? $220 to join a club sounds like a lot of $ (even more when I add a $300+ trainer on top of that) especially when I dont even know if I'll get hooked to this hobby.

Any thoughts?

I have seen annual dues range from $50 to $125 in my area. I have heard about first time fees but not that much. The club I belong to has an annual fee of $75 but no other charges.

Rob

Some clubs around here have initiation fees or application fees of up to $200 plus annual dues of $150 to $200, maybe more.

The club I'm in has $40 annual dues and no other fees of any sort. Our dues year runs January-December and we do not prorate; but new members who start coming to the field after July 31 do not pay dues for the current year.

We do not have the amenities some clubs have such as air conditioned clubhouses, running water, vending machines, etc. What we do have is a club member who owns the property where we fly; and he allows us to play in his back yard. He does nearly all of the maintenance on the field and will not even let the club pay for the fuel his tractor uses. We have a 650 foot grass runway that is very smooth, a shade with picnic tables, field stands; and a great group of guys.

every club i know of charges some kind of fee plus annual dues. it covers the cost of gas for mowers, seed, fertilizer or sealing and painting for asphalt training is usually free so still a bargain if you arent sure about this great hobby go to the field ask questions and watch you'll know within a few minutes if this is your hobby if you watch and then want to fly in a few minutes this is for you
good luck

salo, we have 2 fields at my club we have a one time joining fee of $25 dues are $75 but there is a $25 late fee if you pay after the 1st of the year..both fields have a porta-pot and an overhang for shade..and it takes a LOT of $ to maintain 2 fields ...2 or 3 years ago it was $5 to join and $40 for dues...lots of things have gone up in the past few years...this is also a reason to go the parkflyer route ....this is also the reason you should have stopped and asked the dude about his plane..the hobby can be expensive..in fact with a good radio even a parkflyer,,once you add Li-Po batteries, brushless motor, an ESC for the electrics, a decent charger...it can be every bit as much as a whole glow trainer set up ...I would still recommend getting a membership in the AMA....Rog

AS an instructor and 35 year R/C'er I'd recommend you start with a 4-channel conventional trainer like the Alpha 40..DO NOT GET THE MUSTANG PTS,,,,,I REPEAT NO, NO, NO. Get an AMA membership and contact the local club for an instructor and listen to him/her. They may have a preferred trainer so it is best to get your contacts before you buy anything. There are lots of good trainers out there but also some junk. Getting LOCAL HELP BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING WILL SAVE YOU $$$$.

Acobra

If you go to one of the local clubw that you mentioned there is a chance that they will allow you to fly/train for a period before joining to see if this your hobby. Ask them, this is one of many questions that you need to ask THEM.

Club size and amenities and how well a field is maintained as well as property lease expenses and other things determine membership costs.

And don't forget that you are in California where everything seems (to me) to be expensive. That said, the costs you stated are not outrageous but not cheap either

Where in Ca. are you? If your near me, maybe I can help you find a club. The kind of fees & dues your quoting actually sound very similar to three of the clubs I know of that are all within 30-45 min. of my town. I ended up with the club right here in my town. 1. They are very close to home, 2. They have a real runway, not grass, 3. They are the most reasonable by far! Their dues are just a flat $55 for the first year, then $30 a year from then on. They do have a club membership limit though. I assume this is to prevent over crowding & insure that all dues paying members are afforded ample flying time. I can't think of any other reason for it, so that is my guess. I just started visiting all the clubs around here like these guys are telling you to do. I started meeting new ppl, & asking questions. Was greeted with open arms & invited to join & learn allmost immediately by all four clubs. The one I chose is of course full of members right now, but I'm on their list to get in at the first of the new year. In the meantime they let me guest fly while I'm waiting to join, & pretty much treat me like a member allready as I have become a regular. They are teaching me to fly on my 4-Ch. glow powered Trainer, my progress isn't as rapid as I hoped it might be, but I'm getting it a little at a time & my Trainer has never suffered a hard landing yet, much less the high speed nose slam it would have if I tried to go it alone, without the help of an experienced pilot/instructor.
Feel free to pm me if you want to, if you're in my area I'll do whatever I can to help ya get started.


Mark

P.S. The AMA has a trial membership available now that is like $ 19.99 (or close to it, don't remember for sure) but it will give you 90 days of AMA coverage & benefits to see if your gonna stay with the hobby. If you decide it is for you, contact AMA by phone before you trial membership expires and you will get credit towards your full open membership. Then you will only need to send them an additional $38 & change. That's what I did, it makes it a little easier to get started that way. Good Luck, & welcome to the desease.

Why do you strongly oppose the P-51 PTS?

salo, that plane hasnt been on the market long enough to get reviews here..if there has been a magazine review it will get the obligatory "excellent "review since they pay for the mag ads...anyway your looking at a warbird with spoilers and airbrakes basically a fast plane with a parachute to slow things down....I doubt anyone would recommend it for a brand-newbie....maybe a second plane....Rog

I agree with acobra. Start with the Alpha, Arrow, or any good RTF high wing trainer. As stated before, getting a free simulator is a tremendous bonus. The PTS can be flown by a beginner with aid of an instructor, but all those I know of owned by new members at our club are no longer in flying condition, if you get my meaning. I know of three that were crashed first flight. Gain confidence with a trainer and qualified instructor, get your "wings," then get the "hot-jobber" we all hope to fly.