I am new to this hobby and some advice. I plan on buying a Hangar-9 Alpha .60 trainer, but i do not have access to an instructor. My town dosn't even have a hobby shop anymore. I would like to know if anybody has any advice on learning. I already know that the main awnser is going to by find an instructor, I would if there was on in my area but i just don't have access to one. I was thinking a simulator might help and I think the alpha .60 comes with one. I am ready to do some repairs to my plane and spend some money. If anything the repairs would give me something to do at home.

What other town is in your region? The only Kootnay I could find on a B.C. map was the National Park

If you wont a simulator theres a free one at http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index_e.html i advise using a controler as it gives you a real feel of wot it will be like but if not just practise with da keybourd

I'm definitely not a proponent of self learning. There is much to be learned from an experienced instructor. This includes proper plane setup, safety, and good flying habits. However, if there really is nobody around you to learn with then it's either go it on your own, travel to someplace where you can get help, or don't fly.

Rather than starting with a large trainer, you might consider a smaller and slower plane to begin with. Something like the GWS Slow Stick is easier to fly and much more able to survive the mishaps that will happen. The smaller, lighter planes seem to be able to survive mishaps that would cause significant damage to larger ones. Even if you have to replace parts, they are cheap. Once you master something like this, move to a slightly faster and more agile plane. Keep following this cycle until you build the skills needed for larger and faster planes. This, combined with lots of time on the simulator, offer some chance of success combined with a smaller potential expenditure.

The slo-v is also a good plane for self theachers and has 2 settings which helps the beginers and then after practising going onto the Advanced mode allowing you to perform barrel rools and loops its made by park zone as well and can be flown in small areas indors eg barns

Here is a list of 828 members living in BC. Unfortunately you are the only one listed in East Kootnay but perhaps you will recognize a town close by and contact a member for some assistance in learning.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/community/...els=0&pageon=1
I wish you all the luck in this.

I succesfully trained my self how to fly and i can tell you it was an interestig experience. Given your cirumstances this is what i would do.
First buy one of these
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHCJ2&P=ML
It flies like a POS but gets the job done really well. It flies so slow and it turns so slow that you just can't mess up LOL.
Also, I recomend a a coumputer radio for starters, something like this will do
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHCR7&P=ML

When you can fly the slow stick i would then move to this plane
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXE586&P=7
I learned to fly on this and i can assure you it is very durable. I actually crashed it about 50 times. LOL. Most of them were either landing off the runway or runing off the runway. I went through god knows how many props LOL. I had 3 big crashes with it. 1 at fuel throttle nose in and the other 2 at half throttle. The final and worst crash, wich was a result of radio interference at the field i now fly at, i had mearly cracked the wing and cracked the egine mount. Every thing else was in beautiful shape. Don't be scared away by the words KIT in the box. It isn't actually a kit or and arf but kind of inbetween. The fus is made of PVC and a aluminum U channel. The taill feathers are balsa wood cut to shape. The wing is a aluminum reinforced foem wing. The wing and the tail feathers have to be covered but i assure you it is not that difficult.

I have since moved on from the place i flew to a local flying field. I can tell you that I would have learned faster with an instructer and the field is so much nicer. I could have very easily set everything up wrong and never gotten in the air. Fortunatley, i had alot of luck and got into the hobby.

Good Luck
Cameron

My brother and I are self taught. I recommend the Multiplex EasyStar. It's not nitro but for just learning the basic I think it's great. The plane is almost indestructable. It flys slow, very forgiving and like I said you almost can't detroy it. It repairs quickly if needed with some CA glue. It's fairy cheap as a RTF from Hobby Lobby. I've started flying nitro but I still fly the EasyStar form time to time. Just one mans opinion Good Luck!!
chopper man

If you are going to go with a glow engine for training on your own I would suggest a US AirCore trainer. The plane is heavy but extremly tough. Its made of what looks like cardboard dipped in wax. I would not suggest you go with the 60 size trainer thay you were looking at. They are heavier than 40 size and will need to land a bit faster. If you don't like the Aircore, at least go with a lighter 40 size trainer.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXKH24&P=ML [8D]

another one who wants to learn on their own. your prepared to do repairs? good -you will gets LOTS & LOTS of practice.you will likely crash & not understand WHY it happened which will increase the likely hood of it happening again.and again. and increase the frustation level. sef taught can be done --with the right park flyer, sturdy birdy, glider etc as a first plane.it is WELL WORTH YOUR TIME to seek out some one even if you must drive some distance.

I don't totally agree. I think if you purchase the correct type of plane (not balsa), do some reading to make sure you understand the basics of flight and take it slow you can learn and have a great time doing it as well. This is where I think electrics are best, because you don't have ot worry yourself with everything that is slightly more complex with nitro. When My brother and I taught ourselfs we crashed very little, did very few repairs and had a great time. Our careers are in aviation so I don't know if this made a difference. I will agree that this way is not for everyone and yes if a instructor is aviable that might be the best way. I was successful and don't regret going about it in that way. Just one mans opinion[8D]
chopper man

please take the time to visit an instructor. even if you have to take some time off. 3 flights a day for a day or 2 would be alot better than nothing think about it

I am new to RC Flying and began reading a lot of magazines and trying to find books to tell me what is what about the planes. I then new there was no doubt that I was going to buy a plane. So for Christmas my wife bought me the FS ONE flight simulator. It is expensive $209 but it was well worth it. I comes with a transmitter similar to what you would use at the airfield and when you get ready to buy a your plane your transmitter can be used on the simulator.

I then went to a RC airfield and began to talk to the guys and a member asked me if i wanted to fly and said he got a new training transmitter and wanted to try it out. I jumped at the chance and told him I have never flown a plane before. He smiled and said no biggie I will teach you.

He ran me through some of the pre-flight tests and off to the runway went. Anyways, to make this lonnnnnng story short. He told me to do some turns and then asked. "You have never flown before?" I told him, "No, but I have the FS ONE flight Simulator and fly that a lot." He said, "You will have no problems flying."

My point as I am sure you probably have figured it out. The flight simulator helped me a ton. I read some books and magazines to figure out what the planes do and what the parts are practiced with the simulator. It was amazing how realistic the simulator and actually flying was.

The video and realism is amazing. Here is the website: www.fsone.com

Good luck

Hi

To have any chance of flying yourself you need somthing that virtually flies itself 3 channel rudder elevator which you can still learn a lot from. and it needs to be trimmed nicely.

prob best to get 2 or 3 such planes and travel however far to get somone to set them up, trim them and at least give you 1 or 2 lessons.

A simulator would be a great help to.

Simon

When I went to my LHS and asked about flying fields all I got was"go to any park or football field". Not really much help. I was so anxious to fly after I got my EZ Star for Christmas I went to the school down the street and proceeded to learn on my own. The EZ Star proved to be a great learner and easy to repair. I am now on my second fusealage and have had many good flights. The first day out I did have one decent flight but you have to watch yourself making dumb mistakes like operating the elevator the wrong way. I talk to myself: pull = up, push = down. If the plane is coming at you push the stick toward the low wing to get it to level out or turn the other way. I was doing loops and stalls on the third time out and having a blast. It really is a great plane. I get a good 20 to 30 minutes of (slow, low throttle) fly time.

Forgot to m ention , the EZ Star has a pusher high mounted motor which keeps it oout of harms way on hard landings. Still on the original prop. Also, whatever you fly, the center of gravity is important and will change on hard landings if the batteries move so be sure to reset them in the correct position and check the wings for movement. Just a few of my lessons learned.