About this time last year, I decided I was going to get into this hobby. I did it for multiple reasons and I can honestly say it has improved my quality of life. I was spending too much time being consumed with work and computers in general so I needed something to get me out of the house.

I just wanted to share some of my experiences for the people just starting. Yes, this is going to be a long post so grab a cup of coffee just in case it gets boring.

For Christmas last year (2004), my parents gave my brother and myself R/C Hummers sort of as a joke (he was 29 and I was 31 at the time) since we had joked a couple of times they could buy us a real one for Christmas. Well, R/C airplanes were always something I was interested in but time and money usually kept it out of reach and out of mind. I started thinking about it again on that day and made a conscious decision I "needed" it in my life. Working too much during the week and spending 12+ hours each weekend day on the computer video gaming was unhealthy. I had become a recluse for the most part and my friends had gone on and gotten married while I traveled M-F for my job.

So, after returning home from the holidays I purchased Real Flight G3. At first, I was really disappointed. I couldn't keep anything in the air! Determined, I trudged onward. After a week I was doing "ok" and decided yes, I WILL learn to fly no matter how long it takes. I was a silent lurker on the forums here so I read all of the posts about "learn the right way". So, I contacted a club in my area and in the mean time drove out to the field and just watched people fly without talking to anyone. The more I watched, the more I wanted it. So the time came to buy...from Tower Hobbies I ordered a Nexstar ARF, OS .46 AX engine, Futaba 6 channel computer radio, a combo pack of field equipment. I was ready! Well, so I thought... Not knowing anything about assembling planes, I consulted this forum quite a bit and within a week I had it assembled but it had been a struggle. Part of the reason it took so long was it seemed I was making a trip to home depot every single night. See, I didn't own any tools - figured I just needed basic tools to complete the plane. Heck, I didn't even have a drill!

The planes first flight I learned a few things. The instructor took it up and showed me how to start the engine. Proper safety techniques and how to make corrections mechanically to the control surface trim after he had landed (so that trims would be zero next time it went up). I learned so much that first day and I didn't even fly. The next weekend, I finally got to fly but it was with a different instructor (our club has 2). The sim practice showed but it was definitely different. The planes seem to fly faster, there are more distractions, wind, and other planes in the air...something a sim cannot prepare you for. However, the sim taught me not to over control, not get crossed up when the plane is headed for me and general turns. We went up 3-4 times that day and I left with one of the biggest smiles I've had since I was 13 years old.

After a few weeks my instructor told me to go ahead and buy a second airplane and he would help me. He said he knew it seemed soon but to do it any way. I bought a Tiger 2 from Goldberg at his suggestion and assembled it while continuing my training. After about 3 weekend we began landing. He tricked me into my first landing which saved my nerves but the plane really bounced. That whole weekend we did nothing but approach and land/approach and land. I think I did about 30+ landings that weekend and kept bouncing!!!!! Then, I went home to practice on the sim. I could land on the sim just fine, no problems at all so I had no idea what was wrong. The next weekend, I made a landing that was perfect and the light bulb went on. On the sim, you can 3 point. No bounce whatsoever, the plane just plops down nice and easy. That is what I was trying to do with the real plane - my flair was fine but I was letting the nose drop just before touch down causing it to landing on the front wheel and bounce. For those starting out, do not let the sim fool you into thinking you can land "correctly". It gives a false sense of security in that area.

The next couple of weeks we worked on aerobatics - snaps, rolls, loops. At 6 weeks, I soloed. His response was that I had been ready for weeks but *I* didn't think I was so we kept going. The next day, I also flew my Tiger 2 for the first time. I enjoyed it and looked forward to flying it. Over the next 2 weeks I got in about 3 months worth of weekend-only flying by going out after work. I then started flying my Tiger 2 full time. By this time, I had learned a few other things. 1) Get a seperate glow driver, not one that plugs into your flight box. The cord can get tangled in a prop too easily. 2) Low wings REALLY do fly differently than trainers - they are faster and more precise - not as mistake friendly as a trainer.

I continued to practice on the simulator following how my instructors had showed me the correct way to do certain things. I also bought a Hangar 9 Miss America Mustang. I figured I wouldn't be ready for it but I started on it. I finished it in May of '05 and my instructor (still call him my instructor even after I had soloed) said to bring it out. He had me maiden it! Keep in mind, I had been flying AT LEAST 3 days after work and every weekend (both days) for a month and a half - thats quite a lot of stick time. The maiden went great but I learned more about retracts than I ever wanted to know in the days ahead. As a newbie, listen to these guys when they tell you retracts are something you do not want to worry about when you are getting started. Yes, I'm a member of the "Are both gears down? Nope, just one!" club...and that was on a dead stick landing.

By this time, I had replaced lots of things that I had originally bought. Radio for one - my 6EAX just didn't do some of the things I wanted it to do so I upgraded to a 9C Super. My starter wasn't enough to turn over the Saito 100 in my P-51 so I upgraded my starter. Also, I ordered one of the RCAT lithium glow drivers - I have only had to charge it once since I got it this summer. Now, when I go to the flight line, I take my plane - a self contained starter, my radio and glow driver. No field box so my back feels much better now

In July, I ordered a Vectorflight Edge 540. Wonderful airplane! It flies like I've wanted to fly - does everything exactly like I tell it to with no fuss but you know, it's scary to not have a plane that self rights even just a little bit.

So this brings us up to date..sort of but I'll get to that a little bit later.
Just some additional tips for folks. Don't take off thinking "hope I don't dead stick!", you will panic if it happens. If it happens, fly the plane down. Don't give up on it and concentrate on the task at hand. Your instincts will kick in and you will be ok most of the time! Practice! Fly as much as you can - for real and on simulators if you have one. ALWAYS ask questions, its the only way you learn anything other than through experience and questions can sometimes save a bad experience. Be courteous to your flying friends and you will have a wonderful community of support. Take your time - don't try to keep up with the Jones'. Everyone learns differently and at a different pace. Don't trouble yourself with what everyone else is doing - enjoy what YOU are doing. Set up a practice routine - it helps you guage yourself. Also, the reason I mentioned I upgraded things is because they helped me on a level of convenience. Don't expect to have to uprade your radio or equipment just because I did. Use what works for you and what gives you the greatest satisfaction in the hobby.

Also, I went to or worked every single club function and missed only 1 meeting the entire year. Not because I felt obligated but because I wanted to say thanks to the people who gave me the opportunity to do this. There are great people out there flying - get to know them! They can teach you things just through chit-chat without even knowing it.

So here we are, one year later...I'm sitting here looking at a plaque I received from the club that reads "Rookie of the Year", I've made wonderful new friends, I have somewhere to go to spend my time instead of sit behind a computer on gorgeous sunny days and I can say something that gives me one of the best feelings..."I can fly!" So, thank you RCU- Minnflyer, Bubbagates,RCKen and many others for all of the answers to questions and the information, encouragement and guidance provided here. I'd also like to thank Ken Atwood and Dick Tonan for their instruction and putting up with my numerous questions and emails - I wouldn't have my wings today if it wasn't for those two folks. I'm starting now on my first giant scale airplane and looking forward to this new year!

Shakes 268, first off , Happy New Year to you . Now what a wonderful report, Ifound it such an enjoyable read i even forgot i had the recommended coffee at hand. Congratulations on all your achievements throughout the past year. Even though i am an instructor half a world away, it still makes me feel good to hear how someone has achieved the skills to fly these models through dedication and correct training, and is now going on to bigger and better aircraft, enjoying life to the fullest .
May the next hundred years of flying be as enjoyable as your last one
the_madgenius , instructor down under , Australia

*tosses away plug in glow driver*

*modifies field box circuit board*

shakes268,
Sounds like you're enjoying the hobby just a little bit!!!

Ken

Congrats shakes268 nice post for us new comers

A very nice post indeed. And you're very welcome Shakes!

This is a great encouragement for all the newbies out there.

And for you newbies... As Shakes said, your experiences may vary, but this just goes to show that when learning is done properly (IE, Good Trainer plane, Club, Instructor, Sim) you can advance at a very rapid pace (Providing your wallet can keep up with you! )

I thought I would share my story after enjoying the other.

I am guessing it was a little over 16 months ago that I first went flying with a friend. He had glow only, an aero princess and a world models mach 2. They may have been others but it was so long ago and he goes through so many planes it's difficult to remember!

I must admit, I got hooked that first time out. I did some looking around and decided that electric was the way for me to go. I work in that field and it didn't really pose too much of a learning curve to start. I picked a slow stick, an optic 6 and scoured websites and the GWS site and started building it on Thanksgiving.

As cash is and was tight I stayed with the slow stick for quite some time. I put a brushless setup on it and learnt what over powering does to that wing etc. etc. I started venturing into glow and built a BUHOR spad - a mistake - and whilst that was going on I also bought a foam slimer kit and converted it to electric. It was a small piper cub.

After spending a huge amount of time on the kit I went out to maiden it and did my first takeoff and flight with something other than slow stick. Everything was going fine until it just died, there was no response from the control surfaces or anything. After I had picked up the pieces (landed on the only piece of road for miles) everything died down for a bit until 6 months or so later I dug out the bits to have a look what had happened. I am fairly sure the motor either had a failure or was overpropped because the wires to the ESC were melted as was the ESC itself. So I started again with a GWS formosa. That was fun! I learnt a lot about flying with that.

Then I started to get curious about glow again. I got the SPAD out and started going to training at my local field. The spad constantly needed way too much trim each time it was put together and after a couple of sessions I lost perspective and it augered a foot deep hole in the field. It just come straight down. Needless to say I wasn't buddied up at the time.

At that point I almost quit. There was a guy at the field who said he had an Arrow and all I needed to do was take my engine apart and clean it and pop it on. After 30 minutes or so of deliberating I went for it. Another friend cleaned my engine for me (EVO NT 40) and I put it on.

The EVO engine was appaliing (long before the crash) now I can attribute all the problems with it to trash in the carb. It wasted my precious days at the field. I will never buy another Evolution engine again because of this.

So back to training. All buddied up the Arrow was great. I flew it and after two trips out I was landing. Then next time out I solo'd. That was in Oct 05 - just gone. After a while of flying the Arrow I bought a World Models Mach II with an AX 46. Wow, what a difference! Still having a lot of fun with that. A $60 plane and $110 engine.

Then in quick succession came a Hangar 9 80" cub and a 60 size Ultrastick. The most fun by far is the Ultrastick, I have a Magnum 91 four stroke (swap meet purchase) and it is just out of this world.

Recently I decided a Spitfire was in order, but I didn't want a 40. There is just too much wind in Texas! I found and bought a World Models 60 and that is almost together now. It will be powered with a Saito 100. This is my second "new" plane. The cub, Arrow trainer, Ultrastick were all second hand bargains.

So to recap!!!

Slowstick x 4 (one is still together on floats)
Foam Cub conversion (RIP)
Formosa (need to sell)
SPAD (RIP)
H9 Arrow EVO 40 (Sold and is still alive)
WM Mach II OS 46 AX (Fast and fun)
H9 80" cub (need to sell - didn't enjoy flying it)
Ultrastick 60 with Magum 91 (will fly it until expiration date)
WM Spit with Saito 100 (already nervous about the maiden!)

I happily recommend the Hangar 9 Arrow as an excellent trainer (and more fun than the Nexstar/Avistars) and the World Models Mach II as a second plane. In fact World Models make a Mach I which is a high wing trainer and this looks also to be excellent for the price!

So not quite one year but almost.

p.s.

solo'd at the end of October

Great post. I think I'm at about the 3 month point into the same rapid ascention into R/C as Shakes.
My first plane was a Parkzone Typhoon (I know, not exactly a trainer) At least I learned how to repair foam well.
Bought Realflite simulator & put in what seems like hundreds of hours practicing.
Then I bought a Nexstar, (just solo'd sunday)
bought a GP flatout (Flatana) & struggled to build it right.
bought a Tensor flat bipe & had fun building it. Flew the snot out of it until crashing bad on a much too windy day for it. (trying to resurect the flatana)
I just finished building & am now covering a Sig Somethin Extra kit.

I am however running out of creative way's to get $ out of the wife. I'm using all of my lunch money for parts on my Sig now (I'm hungry after skipping lunch again today) . My poker budget & golf budget have been completely diverted to R/C. I absolutely love this hobby & feel like a kid again. (I'm 32)

BTW, RCU has been a huge help to me!! great site

** Edit
BTW, prior to buying my Nexstar I also joined a local club & worked with an instructor. It's a lot more fun than flying by myself in a field.

My story is not quite as glamorous, but it is my story none-the-less.

For me, my inspiration to get into RC came from my love of full scale flying. The trials and tribulations of learning to fly was a path I began to travel at 16 years old. I soloed at 16, got my private license at 17, and instrument and commercial shortly after. Making that happen was no easy task, especially for a kid in high school and early college.

One definite advantage that I had in that regard was that my father owned an airplane. I paid him for fuel only, which at the time worked out to about $35 an hour. My parents helped pay the instructor during my private training, although I took care of the next two ratings almost entirely.

However, as I got into college and the non-discretionary expenses (as a kid, all your money goes to play) began to kick in, my money began to flow out as fast as it came in and sometimes faster. With my parent’s divorce and my father moving about 80 miles away and taking the plane with him, I continued to fly but not nearly as much as I had used to.

Enter RC:

RC is something that always felt unattainable. It was for the elite and/or the retired guys with lots of time and money, or so I thought. However, when the bug really hit me (May of 2004), the same motivation that saw me through my full-scale experiences, kicked in again. I was a gnat’s hair away from buying a cheap little electric plane on e-bay when I discovered RCU. Money was a concern, of course, and I felt really guilty shelling out over a hundred bucks on a RC airplane that I knew nothing about ($100 bucks on RC stuff, a thought that I laugh at now). However, at the recommendation of folks here on the board, I purchased an SIG LT-40 kit for $72.99 – I could handle that. I would just acquire the other stuff as I went, and by the time I finish the kit, I’d have it all.

Without further ado, I began construction of the LT-40 kit. Taking my time, stopping and clarifying at every juncture, posting pics here on RCU when needed, learning about everything – and I mean EVERYTHING as I knew NOTHING when I started, in addition to limited time and intentional pacing due to the cash flow required to get the engine, radio, servos, etc, the build took me from late May 04 to Jan 9th, 2005. But, man had I done a good job, it was damn near perfect, with many upgrades to boot.

On Jan 10th, the day before school began again, the airplane was flown for the first time. It wasn’t me at the controls, although I got to get some stick time that day and was surprisingly good – I think my full scale knowledge helped there. Watching that thing fly, my baby, after all that I had put into it made me want to, as the poem goes, “reach out and touch the face of God”. In my mind, having built that thing with my own hands that was capable of the magic of flight made me feel like I was somehow more “in-touch” with the whole field of flight…I could create the power of flight with my own hands – it made me feel more worthy to call myself a pilot.

Here’s my biggest downfall to date – I was scared to death to crash the thing after the work I put into it and the way it made me feel to see it fly. And, to date, a year later the airplane is still as good as the day I finished building it – but that’s because it only has 11 flights on it, and that’s all I’ve done all year.

In an attempt to build a little fleet so that if I did, God forbid, crash the thing, I’d still be in business, I acquired another kit (Goldberg Chipmunk – still in process), Modeltech Piper Cub ARF, SIG EP42, and a GWS slow stick. But for some reason, none of these newly acquired planes are ready for flight, although 2 are not far from it.

So, up until 12/31/05, I had built a kit, and had done a REALLY good job of it, btw, partially built 2 ARFS, started another kit, and had made a few friends at the RC field. Not bad….but all in all not good enough.

I think my biggest problem with RC is fear of crashing, seconded by the fact that I have always been a quiet and conservative guy, not too honed on social skills. And frankly going out to the RC club is a slight overwhelm to me…I’d rather fly by myself, frankly. BUT I AM FIGHTING THIS, as I know the social part is a large part of the hobby.

So this year is going to be different. I have just purchased and installed RealFlight G3 and am practicing and getting stick time galore. I am actively finishing the two ARFs that are on the bench right now. When they are complete, I’ll have 3 flyable airplanes. Then, I am going to head out to the club again and really push myself to a solo. I’ll continue to hone my skills until I am comfortable and confident with my ability.

As was said earlier in this thread, everybody has a different story, and everybody moves at different speeds. I have been having a really good time with it; that is when I am doing it. But something has to change to push me to the next level, and I think the G3 simulator, getting the other two planes flyable, and frequenting the club and meetings more often will be enough to push me over the top.

Boyden, May I ask what happened to the BUHOR, SPAD? Why was this one a mistake? Im asking because I just built one that I have put one flight on so far and find it a decent plane. Just curious.

ahh I read the remainder of the post now and I see the trim setting were an on going issue. So your buhor became a fence post. Im hoping the trim issues don't haunt me, but if they do I have three other planes that are ready to fly, Im just too chicken to maiden them.