Hi, I am looking into getting an RC airplane and I have a question about intructors. - are they absolutely necessary and if they are, what sort of fees do they charge. I have looked around a lot on different sites that seem like they know what they are talking about and I get a lot of mixed opinions. Some say yes, some say know, others are indecissive.

I have messed around with flight simulators (not for RC's, but computer game type things) and know a bit about the laws of flight (I've flown private planes), given those circumstances, what are your thoughts.

a Flying instructor is VERY MUCH EXTREMELY SUPER HIGLY RECCOMENDED, find a local club and ask around im sure there will be someone there willnig to teach you for free (or for a cup of coffee and once youve had a few lessons with an instructor you can fly solo and then get something bigger if you feel up to it

http://www.modelaircraft.org find a club.

Most offer free instruction when you join the club, the dues money goes to lawn mowing, building repair etc.

If he or she saves your plane once you've covered the cost of dues many times over, ours is 36/year and a 20 dollar initiation fee. We usually get a "real pilot" show up once or twice a year, wave off any one that tries to help and takes his plane home in a dust buster, flying RC is different, there's no "feel" to the plane or controls and it takes some getting used to, that being said, you should be on your way quickly if you take your time and get some help.

Instructors are a very nessasary evil. {insert goulish halloween laugh here} Seriously though I started flying R.C. 3 years ago, and said to my instructor, "I used to fly real planes when I was a young teen." That was 25+ years ago. What the plane does and how ir reacts might be the same, but when you are looking out the windscreen, verses watching from a fixed point on the ground is totally different. Is the plane going towards you?{planes left and your left are not the same} Stall speed on take off or landing much easyer in the cockpit than out. A GOOD instructor will help you through this learning transition which will make this hobby more enjoyable and keep it affordable till the full addiction sets in {again insert the laugh here}. My instructor still gives me little pointers, but most importantly, I still have my original trainer in one piece, to use to teach my son.

There is more to rc flight than just knowing which way to move the sticks. Safety, trouble shooting, going over your plane, etc.

As I was building my trainer, I hit the sim hard. Saved a lot of time towards soloing, but it was the instructor that kept me from trying to start my trainer with a dangling transmitter strap dangling from my neck

Who better to teach you to fly, than someone who has previously learned to fly.

Sure, you can become a paralegal by learning from home from some Sally Struthers course, but you'd be better off learning from a real instructor!

Did you learn to fly the private airplane solo on the first outing?

Did you know what to ground check and did you run through the preflight just from ideas that popped into your head as you walked around the airplane and sat in the pilot's seat? Or was somebody showing you what to ground check and was there a preflight checklist with the airplane?

Guys show up for their first instructions with airplanes that suck. They're trainer ARFs that will fly excellent when the rigging is correctly done, but it's not.

Guys are usually amazed when shown how to get the engine cranked if they've tried by themselves beforehand. And they're almost always baffled when you show them how to set the needle so the engine will run through the entire first flight without seizing, or so it'll pull with sufficient power.

They are not required to take off on that first flight before they've had any chance to get the feel for how sensitive or dull each stick is for their particular airplane. Nor do they have to deal with the runway conditions that most sims don't come close to duplicating.

And I ain't even gotten started............

I'll have to agree about the sims I have never had a real world landing anywhere near as tough as the sim
something is lost trying to get a 3d world on a flat screen
I got my sim to pass the time instead of sitting in front of the tv but haven't found real flying near as hard as the sim
don't get me wrong I like messing with it but I'll take the real thing anyday

I taught myself how to fly. It wasn't that hard. But i had alot of experience with nitro rc cars so i already had a good understanding of perspective and nitro engines. I then moved up to a slow stick which basicly taught me the up and down part of rc planes . Soloing my duraplane trainer .40 was a piece o cake. It can be done but if you just jump into rc planes with no prior experience in rc you will have a hard time getting your radio, engine, and plane setup to fly. So in your situation, if you go nitro defenitly get a trainer. If you want to teach yourself at your local park, get a slow stick.

BTW, when you buy the plane get at least a 6 channel computer radio that is heli and airplane capable. You will be so happy in the long run.

Hey, for those of us that are blind in one eye, a 3d world on a flat screen is as real as it gets! lol

I agree that an instructor is the best way to learn BUT-

A lot of us learned on our own. I learned on my own and think I have done pretty well for being a self taught newbie pilot. If you pick the right plane, use a simulator (RC not video game) and dont care if you wreck a plane or two, there is no reason you cant teach yourself. Some people can do that fine, others cant.

I flew a SIM for 2 weeks before taking my .40 size trainer to a field to fly. That is the only reason IMO that I could do it. I broke a few props landing, bent some gear, and now fly that and my semi-symetrical with no problems (aside from a recent tree incident). I could have avoided some cost of repair and frustration with an instructor, but having it to do again, I would still have taught myself. I am just that type of person.

So- Sure you can teach yourself, but be prepaired for a lot of repair and the added expense. An instructor is the proper way to go, but not a must.

Ryan

I started out like most people who try to teach themselves to fly. I went to the local hobby store and got talked into an Avistar with an OS 40FX, an intermediate level plane that was way too fast for a beginner. I was no kid, so I didn't need a beginners plane right? WRONG! I promptly tent pegged the thing on the first flight. (at high speed of course) I realized I needed something slower that I could react to more easily. I purchased a Graupner Ikarus and installed an .049 Cox. With just two channels I could get familiar with the right stick and because of the speed and weight it was difficult to damage. When I went back to the four channel plane I could familiarize myself with the left stick by practicing on the ground, taxiing. This made flying my repaired Avistar much more enjoyable. This time, after I took off, I knew what to do and how to react. Eureka! I'll never forget the elation I felt, after that first successful flight with a real, four channel plane! I was on top of the world for the rest of the day! I guess the moral of my story is, if you go it alone, start with something light and slow. Ross

My experience has been just the opposite. Must be I sim different models? Or own the wrong "real" ones.

Get a small biplane and a good crosswind. Or a downdraft at the treeline when you're coming in low. Or when you took off with 10 mph wind from the west and minutes later it is 25 mph out of the north. Also seems that someone has mowed the whole world in sims and there's never a fence or field of ragweed or corn to catch a wheel or cause a ground eddy in the low winds.

One thing an instructor can do is to teach you engine techniques. I have only played with crude sims (Dave Brown's RCFS2001 and FMS) but I don't believe they get into tuning for a good reliable run out of a glow engine. I've also never experienced a tip stall on approach with any sim model except the WWI bipes, and even then they are s l o w instead of half-a-heartbeat like some will. Also seems most sim low wings just slow down and glide forever at idle on approach (and never konk out) instead of dropping at 45º like mine seem to.

Just go fly. After you crash and destroy about $1000 worth of equipment, then decide if you want to "stay the course." If not, an instructor just might help! Flying a private plane does not do a darn thing and simulators are helpful it's not the same. When you crash a simulator, you hit restart and do it again. When you crash a plane, you go retrieve it with a garbage bag.

I don't really care either way. Shortcuts will catch up to you.

Back to the original question(s).

You don't need an instructor. An instructor will only save you thousands of dollars and hours of wasted frustration and keep you from developing bad habits that will continue to frustrate you, enough so you will probably give up, but they are not necessary. No more that they are needed for a full size aircraft. The Wright Brothers never had an instructor and they flew. If you are careful you can teach yourself to fly a private aircraft. If you live through the first six flights or so.

Fees? I could get paid? There are places that will train for pay - you go like a seminar - but in this area you join a club ($50 to $60 per year plus $58 to join A.M.A. and possibly a one-time buy in fee depending on the club). Or, you befriend someone who knows how. Most L.H.S. around here have bulletin boards that highlight local clubs or the owners can supply names.

Experience with real aircraft is of relatively little use in R/C. Think of landing while facing the tail and looking at the airfield in a mirror. You're looking at the plane, not facing forward out of it. No horizon to line up with, no ground objects to reference turns on. No instruments. A 15 mph wind to a real plane behaves like a relative 60 mph wind to a 60" wingspan model. It certainly will help with concepts of aerodynamics and flight surfaces.

You don't "NEED" an instructor but it is the best way.
Basically what you you WILL need is either an instructor or a large trash bag. In most likelyhood you will crash and destroy your plane if you try to fy on your own. You may be one of the fortunate few who gets by w/o an instructor but the odds are way against you. As a full scale pilot with @2000 hrs I can tell you that other than aerodynamic theory there is little that transfers to RC.
Please use an instructor and enjoy this hobby.

Some of us may sound like a group of wise *****'s but with a question like that, I sure would question your background if you were a medical doctor. I flew helicopters for 20 some years in the Army. I was not about to laydown $1500 for a Raptor and take it out for a spin.

It's one thing when your way out in the sticks with no stores or resources to help you out, so you do the best you can and ask people what may work the best for your situation. If your in a general area and help is available and you feel your above that, well then I guess people get what they deserve.

Thanks for the advice y'all. I'm not "above" asking for help, I was just curious if I should go out of my way to get an instructor or not... I'll definitely be taking this advice, though, and I found a local club that I can tap into.

Thanks,
Russ

Thanks for listening. Have a great time and let us know how it's going.

I am a Private Pilot and if I hadn't had an instructor I would have never gotten off the ground and if I had, I would have crashed in the first 15 seconds. There is a total difference when you are in the cockpit and on the ground. I had a month on the Nexstar simulator. It's close but not the same. GET AN INSTRUCTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gibbs

Even thought I'm self taught and didn't destroy my first plane
I will side with the get an instructor gang

I went through the same situation about a month ago. My dad gave me his Avistar that we got him about 2 years ago--it had just been sitting collecting dust. I insisted on him getting an instructor and he never got around to it. I used his controller, got a USB interface, and downloaded FMS. After spending 20+ hours on the simulator, I decided to give it a go without an instructor knowing that it could be ugly. I've had nitro cars since I was 12 (I'm 26 now), so engine tuning wasn't a problem (much easier on a plane!). After reading everything I could possibly about flying, I gave it a go in a 10 acre lot. Had some problems getting off the ground (should have hand launched), but once I was up, felt just like the simulator. Made a couple laps around then brought it in for a landing. Came in too hot on the landing and broke the prop. No big deal, happy with my first flight. So, the next week I got a Yak 55 and a 6 channel computer controller. More reading and more simulator time later, I had my first flight. Went perfect except I felt my hands trembling on the sticks. Just kept it high and once again, felt very much like FMS (I downloaded the Yak 55 for it). Since then, I've had 1 mishap where I lost it in the sun, but that was a stupid mistake on my fault. Tonight I had it flying inverted, doing stall turns, and barrel rolls--had the controller on high rates the whole time.

Of course I have much much more to learn. Of course I'm a n00b. But you guys seem to have underestimated one trait of young people who grew up playing video games--fast reactions and fast teaching of muscle memory. Of course, there are other traits that hinder learning in young people-- lack of patience (not only young), arrogance (it can't be THAT hard), and once again--lack of patience . I think if you have discipline, fast reactions, are good at video games, have put MANY hours on the simulator with a real RC controller, and buy a semi-beginner plane...you're likely to have success.

It certainly can't hurt to get an instructor, just sharing my thoughts from the past month of flying. I also can add a bit of experience that I see with other newbies. I know the value of not rushing and being beyond your limits. I've been riding dirt and street bikes for 11 years. I've seen newbies in both. Newbies that don't know the limits get an expensive ride in a helicopter. So to me, planes are a fun and very safe sport (compared to what I'm used to). It's only money and time to crash (if you're in an open field and don't hit anyone). Still a pain in the ass, but to me, it's not THAT serious! Just my take [8D]

squeky - Nobody said it COULDN'T be done. We said the odds were against him and they still are. If he gets with an instructor and turns out to be a natural, like you claim to be, then the instructor will turn him loose as quickly as possible. Meanwhile he will learn in a safe environment, away from those who just go out and fly recklessly and hope they don't hurt someone. he'll also met a group of great guys who also enjoy the hobby.

squeky,
Bruce is right on the money. While I congratulate you on learning to fly on your own, there are a few cautionary things that should be said. As Bruce said, it's not impossible to learn on your own. But you are the one successful case. There are hundreds of others that have tried and were not successful. The odds are against a person doing it themselves. Also, you said in your case you knew how to tune an engine properly, but once again you are in the minority here. Most that try have never seen a glow engine before in their life and have no clue how to tune it properly. This can lead to the engine dying in flight, or burning up the engine if it's set too lean. Learning to fly on your own also can leave a pilot without a lot of other information too. Things such as proper plane setup, repair tips, deadstick procedures, help learning aerobatic maneuvers, and help down the road when you move to your next planes are just some of the things that having an instructor provides. And lastly, in many times the student-pilot relationship usually leads to great friendships. I know that I'm still good friends with almost all of the people I have trained over the years. Flying an airplane is actually just a small part of "going flying". The social aspect of being at the flying field is a lot of times something that a lot of pilots will say is better then actually flying the plane.

So what's the post of my rambling here? Simply put is that the odds are stacked against a pilot learning on his/her own. And for one person to encourage somebody to "go for it" because they did it on their own can actually be reckless advice. If you're that one in a thousand prodigy who is a natural born pilot, then by all means go for it on your own. But if your the other 999 out there find an instructor.

Hope this helps

Ken

Good points guys. I guess I was just trying to convey my success in not crashing an airplane right off the bat when it seems like everyone is stacking all the odds against the new guys (and for good reason). I'm no natural by any stretch, I always put a ton of practice in everything I do to become halfway proficient. I guess that main point of my post was that I give all my learning credit to the simulator (and how us "kids" are with video games, it was relatively easy to catch on). I really was horrible when I first started on it. Little by little, I caught on. Of course, the simulator is with a perfectly trimmed and balanced plane with no other variables thrown into the mix (as you guys mentioned).

I also totally agree about the social aspect. For me, I'm just very busy and it's a fun hobby in between me being busy--not a time consuming hobby that I would like it to become . I've met one person with an interest in planes and he's the nicest guy and wants me to meet another plane guy in my town. In that respect I totally agree, you guys sure are some very nice people. I just don't have the schedule for the social aspect of it. I drive 3 minutes to a field and have fun, then pack up and come home.

Sorry if you guys thought my post was reckless, I was just hoping to help someone who was in the same situation as myself. And with a post count of 1...... If I came across as arrogant, sorry as well. I have a ton to learn and I've always been willing to hear what others have to say.