I am aware that a begginer should NEVER attempt to learn to fly by themselves. Lets say that a begginer has no option.How should they go about it. I have read that you should simply taxi the plane and full throttle it; when the plane begins to life simply lower the throttle? Does this work?

I can tell you from personal expierience that it is not a good idea to do this, for several reasons, 1. Model airplanes can be dangerous and people have been killed by them. 2. you will crash on your first try 9 out of 10 times. Buy a good flight simulator. I learned on one and it saved me months of training. I can recommend Great planes Real flight G2, but there are others out there. The great thing aboout G2 is that it can grow with you, and you can learn almost every trick from basic touch and go's to hovering. If at all possible find a club. Theyll usually be happy to help you get your wings. Whether you get the simulator or not, try not to fly until you get some help. It's harder than it looks.

Check for clubs in your area here.
http://www.towerhobbies.com/rcwairclub.html
just check for penssylvania

I agree completely with beavertail about the real flight g2...but...there's always a but. There is no way you should try to side step having an instructor for your initial flights, even if it's real incovenient and you have to go out of your way to get hooked up with one. If you go on your own it will almost certainly cost you.
Just my opinion.....good luck

Yetti,

I know it's tough when there isn't a local club, but it will really save you a lot of grief, time, and money to learn with an instructor. Even if you have to find someone an hour or two away, you would be better off spending a few flying sessions with an instructor. If you are motivated, and start with a good trainer aircraft, then after a few flying sessions you would at least have a good shot at landing without wrecking your plane, and would have some goals for your continued progress. I have never tried a simulator, but if they are realistic enough, it sounds like a great idea.

Good luck,

banktoturn

I also would recommend finding an instructor somewhere. Trust us...it helps. If that is absolutely out of the question though....make a SPAD. Easy...durable...and most importantly...easily replaceable. Try out www.spadtothebone.com.
Either way...good luck.

Ty

You read my mind, i was just going to inquire about spads!

yetti,

I was in the same position as you, absolutely no clubs in my area and the nearest other town was 350 mile away. I practiced taxiing up and down the runway at near takeoff speed to learn to steer the plane and then eventually decided to just take off. I flew nice and slow and eventually crashed although it was minor.
My advice to you would be to definitely build a SPAD. You will have more confidence to fly it and therefore learn quicker. Fly it to its death and then give your trainer a go.
Buy the simulator if you have the money but like most people no doubt you've already spent all your savings on the plane and its equipment. I personally would rather spend any extra money on building a spad and perhaps buying a motor and some servos for it. (Alternatively use the motor and servos you already have)

Regards,

Troy.

Hmmmmm....I do have a club... In fact, I have two within 15 miles ! I had a plane before and so many people were there I could barely fly :/ I'm just very anxious...I may indeed get a spad...I'm not very sure...

Just build a spad with a thick coro fuz. Taxi -crash, replace prop, taxi-take off , fly crash, replace prop, take off fly for 10 sec longer, crash and replace prop. Or get G2, then SPAD

Ryan,

I know what you mean. It's a hassle waiting around to fly, and a little nerve-wracking to learn with a bunch of people watching. But once you start flying, you don't notice the other people so much, and there are probably some quiet times at the field. Worst case, after you get up to speed, if you still don't like flying at the club, you can go find your own field ( maybe ), and know enough to fly successfully. Best case, you will get to like the club, and stick around. Either way, you come out way ahead learning from an instructor. I really wanted to do it on my own, and I did for a while. It wasted quite a bit of my time.

banktoturn

How much can I get a spad for? I've flown before, but only twice...I was good though, and the guys let me come down for a mock landing....maybe i'm too cocky!

Have FUN!!

Coroplast: $10
10' gutter pipe: $6
Cutting board for firewall/engine mounts: $6
Bits and pieces (screws, fuel tank, wheels, etc...): $20

The coro and pipe will five about 4 or 5 planes, the cutting board, about 20 firewalls, and you can re-use the tank/wheels/radio/engine until you feel they need to be replaced. In other words, each plane is only about $5 after the initial investment.

Get Real Flight and learn to fly everything that has wings.
You should have the skills to fly a trainer after that.

www.realflight.com

this is what happend to me when I tried to teach myself.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...67&forumid=144]

I too had to learn to fly on my own. If you must, you must. Your success depends on a number of factors. First, you must have a high wing trainer plane that is light. Many are not. The heavy ones must fly at unnecessarily high throttle just to stay in the air. Fast means the beginner is always behind the plane. Your concentration can't keep up with the plane.

Next, you must have very good throttle control so that you can throttle back to cruising speed reliably, so that the engine will keep running.

Next, it helps if you have no restriction as to whether you can fly behind your flight line. If you can fly around yourself safely, and this depends on your flying site, just fly circles around yourself to the left. Left is always easier. Take off with full throttle but as soon as you get say, 50 ft up, throttle back to half. A lot of this depends on whether the airplane is trimmed out properly. You do know what that is don't you? Plus, depending on the design, you may have to add more downthrust,,, most trainers don't have enough.

If you need to observe flight line rules, you can get disoriented too easily when the aircraft is coming toward you. In that case, turn your body and point the antenna in the direction that the plane is going. Look over your shoulder if you have to. Keep the plane in sight but always point the antenna in the direction the plane is traveling.

Finally, don't do it if you can avoid it in the least. Many clubs can be intimidating but if you hang around with your plane a few times, hopefully, someone in the club will approach you and offer to help. If not SHAME on them.

Or, get or practice on a flight simulator. A shame to need to do this,, they ain't cheap.

PS

Learning by flying left with no flight line is a bad habit you will need to unlearn when you do fly at any club field. Still it may keep your plane in one piece for the initial number of flights. When you have left flying and left-handed approaches mastered, be sure to learn all over agin to the right. Thereafter, do all your flying as though there were a flight line.

A flight line? i can only guess what it is...

Where is Shavertown?

Near Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Ryan,

Most clubs will have a designated runway. The flight line is where the pilots line up to fly. Both Canada's MAAC and your AMA forbid flying behind the flight line for safety reasons at chartered club fields. If you fly at an uncontrolled field, and if safety permits, you can fly "around yourself". It is hugely easier to do this than observe flight line rules. That's why it's generally not a good idea to learn this way as you don't develop the instinctive skills right away.

Keep in mind that as the plane comes toward you, it appears that the controls are reversed. Practice taxiing and you'll see what I mean. Matter of fact, I neglected to mention this very important aspect of learning to fly on your own. That is, to taxi around, back and fourth, applying throttle up and down just shy of taking off to practice keeping the plane straight. As you get very comfortable doing this, it takes the fear out of going fast hell-bent for leather, no point of return. At one point, to take off, it's just a matter of not cutting the throttle and just letting the plane do it's thing, (take off). Thereafter, you just keep it straight till it gains sufficient altitude to make a turn. Make your first turn left,,, it's much easier.

Keep in mind that going left is just so that you don't re-kit prematurely. As you gain confidence, practice right hand turns and also right hand approaches to the runway. Good luck.

Hey, thanks for the info. You guys have been really helpful. These flight clubs seem like they ruin some fun. I'll stick with them until I learn to fly, but once i'm soloing I'm breakin and hittin up some fields near by!

Oh yea, what is the likelyness of being "shot down" I know you should be at least 6 miles away from any flight club.

Ryan,

No, please, don't get the idea that clubs might ruin the fun. Individuals in clubs can do that but like in any society or group of people that is something you can control. I'd be willing to bet that you'd make some great friends in a club and that certainly will enhance your enjoyment of the hobby.

Many of my tips can apply even when you are being instructed. Like looking over your shoulder etc.

I live in a small mining town with something called tailings, mine effluent that settles like a salt flats. These are in the middle of nowhere with nothing but squirrels and the occasional moose. This is the kind of private flying site that could be considered safe for a rookie to try and learn to fly from on his own. If your site is a school football field, park or other such public site, please don't do it. Go to a club. Even if you have AMA insurance, you don't want to take any chances by flying near, or heaven forbid, over people or buildings. These places are suitable to fly from only with slow, small, electric, park fliers.

I'm trying to make it clear that I'm not encouraging you to try and learn to fly on your own. Just if you can't do it any other way for some reason and ONLY if you can do it safely.

Well, I know that my club made it more fun than flying alone, and I got to meet alot of guys who are now really good friends that are good drinking buddies too. Dont close your self off, at least give it a shot. you wont regret it.

Joey

THanks for the input. I am looking at the Tower Trainer 40 RTf as well as the Avistar. The tower comes with a .46 abc and is ten bucks cheaper.haha......what are your suggestions? the avistar would keep my attention longer since it has the semisymetrical wing , but the .46 is appealing..... any suggestions ?

Hey Ryan,

My suggestion is to go with the Avistar....it was my first plane and I absolutely loved it. Because of the semi-symmetrical wing it does land a bit faster, but nothing you can't handle if you are careful. And you can also put a .46 in it later when you get comfortable with the plane and want more power. In the meantime the OS .40 LA is a good running, dependable engine. Not a lot of power but but they run great.
Like I suggested in my previous post.....get hooked up with an instructor, they will help you avoid a bunch of stuff you don't want to happen.
Also, do a search in this forum on the Avistar and the other planes that you think you may want. There is a ton of information on this.

Good luck..happy flying

Rick
Albuquerque R/C Club