YellowHawk

Well, I went to a flying club about a month ago and got some instruction...I was able to make three flights with an instructor. He said I did excellent for my first time and could tell I had been using the flight sim. I didn't takeoff or land on my own though. I have been trying for a month to get in touch with them and get some more stick time but haven't been able to. I think I'm going to say the heck with it and go it alone somewhere close to home. I wanted some takeoff and landing instruction but I can do it fine on the sim.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

Good luck, and keep the Visa card handy.

hogflyer

Good luck. And don't for get to stick a plastic bag in the plane. It'll be at the crash site when you arrive to help you bring back the pieces just in case you forget to take one out with you.

If I was in your shoes, I'd try to get in touch with another instructor. Talk to your club president, explain your situation and see if he'll help you find another instructor. I'm sure there is some valid reason why you have not heard back from your current instructor.



Hogflyer

el_xero

My Feedback: (2)

Thaks God I started on EP foamies! Hey good luck man, but honestly I woulddnt worry too much Have confidence in your self and just take your when flying
Dont go rushing turns etc.

YellowHawk

Thanks el_xero...I'm pretty confident I can do it. I just need to make sure I have a large field to fly in so I have plenty of room to takeoff and land. I'm going now to look around at a field my uncle said I could fly in. If it's large enough, I'm going to try it out.

YellowHawk

I'm not trying to jump the gun or anything, but it's a 45 mile drive to the nearest flying club and I can't ever seem to get in touch with any of the instructors to go fly. I'm dying to get some flying time.

agexpert

My Feedback: (1)

It may help to get your own buddy box for around $20 and find an experienced flyer to help you. Going it alone will likely discourage you to the point of dropping the idea all together.

In my experience, some 'instructors' simply can't fly. I have seen 4 trainers go down in the past year with the 'instructor' at the sticks. Although the vast majority of instructors are competent, well-meaning, helpful individuals with a sincere interest in helping new people learn the basics, there are a few who are just plain hazardous.

Find someone you can trust and who's abilities far exceed those of the average sport-flyer. He/she can be your instructor until you are safe and proficient.

I had 4 instructors and only one of them could really teach. Although I apprecited the efforts of the other 3, I learned the most from the one with the fewest words. He would do things like fly inverted for a while and say 'all yours'; or just walk away for a moment while I was flying at a safe altitude to boost my confidence.

You really need an instructor, but you are not limited to the people who openly refer to themselves as such. Go hang-out at the field and show some interest. You are bound to make some freinds and gain an instructor.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

You want stick time?...order you a GWS Pico stick..any actually flying time will greatly improve your chances... if you already have everything then you will only need the plane and ESC and a couple of mini servo's and a battery...I charged mine with the wall wart charger..find a schoolyard or parking lot and practice....or try your trainer at uncles field...Rog

el_xero

My Feedback: (2)

Your welcomed. I ment to say take your time though. I do agree with the other posts about the instructor honestly.
I know exactaly how anxious you are to get up in the air believe me.
But unlike you I did not have that option of getting an instructor. All I had was a flight sim a foamy plane and loads of guts

I live ways off in the caribbean and my island has zero flight clubs ZERO. lol Id say keep trying to get that instructor like everone else, but I just know your going to go at it on your own. So instead of just discouraging you I say play it safe..

Most of my mistakes when I started out were because of impatience both in the sim and in real flying.... I started with simple circuits touch and goes on the sim over and over every day. And maaaaaan the plane simply would not turn out quick enough for me haha.

I'd really push it, just so i could get lined up and touch and go over and over again.. Thats when it hit me why I was crashing so dang much lol.. soon as I slowed down and took my time it was like wow, this is so much easier haha. So now before I fly I make sure to let all my excitement subside first. I practice a maneouver in my head seeing it happen and on the sim over and over even make sure to go over my check list before the plane is even powered up.

Excitement can be so costly as I relearned last week. Had a lovely landing but hit a pile or dirt at the end of the runway ( these dang things have no brakes- -and where'd that friggin dirt come from anyway? lol) I diddnt realize that one aileron was no longer liked to the servo. I just changed out the battery and let-er-rip again Biiiig mistake. Did not check my control surfaces (I had such a wonderful flight just before and a GREAT landing right what could possibly happen?)

Launch, spin, nose dive and back to the hanger!!!!

Take your time.

Me? I even wrote up my own check list and follow it now!

Got three planes with a fourth on my list of to get soon as the money shows it's self

And for now Im sticking to quick repair foam and electric power hehe I love them!

xero.

agexpert

My Feedback: (1)

OH, in that case, you can try a park flyer like the ones on this site: http://www.chargerrc.com I learned a lot of basic stuff with these. They are the best flying outdoor foamies I have ever seen, they are excellent slow flyers; and with high-rates, advanced 3D machines.

The best part is, they build in minutes...no risk of losing six hours work in a bad crash....and you WILL crash. Just a it of foam-safe CA and you are flying again right away.

The perfect way to practice what your instructor teaches you.

Radcom

Take off and Landing is totally different from the Sim.
What you want to do if you can not find another instructor.
To Take-off
1.Do not give a lot of up elevator. I did it once and the Trainer
did a left roll and crash.
2. Once in the air ,get up high so you will have time to recover.

To Land
3.Throttle back 1/2 in your turn for the runway.
4.Once line up for the runway, throttle back 1/4.The plane will descend on its own.
5.Plane gets close to the ground ,throttle back all the way.
6.Keep plane level with aileron.

Practice a few times lining up for the runway,before landing.
Throttle back all the way if you know the plane is going to crash.
Its Better to go in slow than fast.
I rebuilt my Trainer 4 times until I couldn't get anymore glue on it.
I bought another one,crash it once already.
Well... that's how I do it.
BTW,Keep your cell phone handy if nobody is around to help you,if you should get hurt.
I hope that does not happen.
Its a trainer, they are cheap to repair or buy.

el_xero

My Feedback: (2)

Not to Start a fight or anything, this is just my opin.. I looked at that site and the first thing i saw was that CR-1 Combo

agexpert? and maybe its cuz im good with my hands i say this. but for me spending something like $300 on a flat out plane (and i stil need a radio?????) i just cant justify that.

For me?... noooooooooo friggin way! I'm sure they are great for indoor and outdoor flying and super for practicing 3D and stuff but if i were interested in those. id build it my dang self. no way id pay for a flat out when i can build one. but thats just me

D-LOCO

Sounds kinda like my training experience.

A few flights with an instructor (mostly unreliable), some sim time and I was off on my own. Did OK.

A little damage here and there and a broken prop or two but it worked out.

I've since built two kits and another ARF (to go with my LT-40 ARF) and sucessfully maidened all three.

All 4 of my nitro planes are in excellent flying condition.

Some luck there I'm sure

Dave
AMA 847123

rocknrube

My Feedback: (7)

Hey man do what ya gotta do, you've been with a flight instruction already. A couple of things I can tell you that I have been one of those hard way learners in that I crashed a P-51 PTS Mustang and a Nexstar on my own. But even though it can be expensive to replace your mishaps, it has been a huge learning curve for myself and I have built up a huge amount of CONFIDENCE and knowledge in my own ability to fly. Mind you I practive on the sim everyday practically and only fly in winds of 14km or less, plus I do alot and I mean alot of reading on websites for correct flying techniques.

Make sure you go through pre-flight checks seriously, a BIG TIME importance!!!!!!!!!! QUOTE "BIG TIME IMPORTANCE!"

Range check by taxiing out to the end of the runway a few times. Wehn you take off make sure you gain enough airspeed to let the plane lift itself off the ground then apply a little elevator almost at the same time it starts to lift, you will see it. Once up in the air gain some altitude for correcting your errors. Like maybe 200 feet, take your turns slowly with medium airspeed maintaing the elevator up some on your turns.

On landing, do not cut throttle from say 3/4 throttle until your into your approach of the runway to prevent tip stall, then cut throttle to 1/2 then allowing the plane to descend, then once your a few feet off the ground cut throttle and flare the plane with some elevator.

Good luck and see ya in the skies!

P.S. Once you go at it alone, you will find you become a lot less worried and more RELAXED which gives you a big boost to keep going. Just don't get crazy and try some aerobatics until you can handle figure eights landings and take offs like a pro.

Insanemoondoggie

I taught myself to fly 3 weeks ago. Had went to a few club meetings only to find the members constantly fighting about the airfield. They didnt want to talk about planes,flying, or anything fun that had to do with the hobby. Just fight among themselves. I went ahead and joined, just because the feild is close to my home, but keep my distance with the bickering, not what it`s all about for me.
I had 16 flights under my belt till the snow hit us big time. Last flight a flame out on take off, yup broke a motor mount. no big deal.
The odds are against anyone teaching themselves, but in my case I`m willing to repair a few planes for the price of learning. I gotten more help from these forums, than 5 hours of club meetings.
I wish you luck and yes you can teach yourself to fly. Just depends on how bad you want it and may be a plane or 2.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

Landing a trainer like that will cause you all sorts of problems. An hour with an instructor would be good for you.

formerlyknownasAWB

piece of cake.

its not that hard. I made my first solo after touching the sticks once, when we first took it up to trim her out. The second time she flew it was all me.

I'm not sure what type of plane it is, Trainer? and if its a trainer and you can land a tail dragger or bipe on the sim with the wind turned up, fly the real thing will be simple.

You can't have any fear of crashing.

Good luck

YellowHawk

Today I have found that my biggest problem is finding somewhere suitable to fly...I have a new Nexstar. I flew three flights with a trainer and we got the controls trimmed out right. I looked around today for somewhere to fly. Right by my house is a large field with short grass...great for flying in other than the piles of cow manure everywhere! There are a couple of other fields around that I can fly in but they are fairly small and there are other houses around. I guess I'm a bit nervous about flying over houses and stuff just in case something did happen like loosing control or batteries dying, running out of fuel etc. Needless to say, I didn't get to fly today.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

If there are houses that you'd be flying over, you don't have enough space to fly. You'll only be endangering other peoples' property and safety. Be as irresponsible as you like with your own airplane and health, but don't put others in danger.

YellowHawk

Hey MikeL, that's why I said I didn't want to fly there... also, I don't see where I'm being irresponsible. I'm a very responsible individual...just because I want to learn myself doesn't make me irresponsible. If you can't give me any advice or help then I really don't see any value in the rest of your comments.

gilbertfh

My Feedback: (5)

Flying is not tough. Like others have said get altitude gradually so as not to stall. Fly around and get your bearings and when you feel all straight and your knees are no longer knocking. Do low passes into the wind until you can get fairly straight down the runway. Do low slow passes as if to land until you get tired of it. When you are comfortable doing that cut the throttle and let your plane settle onto the deck. If you are worried you may not be able to do all this in one tank of fuel you should not be flying without a buddy.

gilbertfh

My Feedback: (5)

Please remember that 99% of the time I see people crash it is from the things the simulator cannot teach you. I taught myself to fly on a simulator and had a deadstick on the first day well several deadsticks. I wasn't the best at tuning yet and 2 strokes can be a pain sometimes (sim doesn't help with that). One deadstick my landing gear pulled out and I had to do a minor repair. The next day I went flying again with my plane all ready to go. I took off and it rolled to the left and cartwheeled in on takeoff. I didn't do a preflight ops check a range check or (get this) connect the ailerons. The simulator does a great job at helping you keep your bearings but watch out for the little things.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

You're the one who said "[t]here are a couple of other fields around that I can fly in[...]." The point is that those aren't fields you can fly in. Don't even think about them that way. Sometimes the best advice you'll ever get is what not to do.

bruce88123

YellowHawk - I realize you are having trouble getting to fly and I feel bad for you on that. I still encourage you to do your best to try to get further instruction before striking out on your own. At least get to the point where you can take off and land on your own. Even if you need to buy your own buddy box to accomplish this that is still far cheaper than a new plane would be.

It's been about 2 months since I've flown up here too. Experienced people just don't like to get out in poor weather as much as beginners. For one thing, we recognize hazardous (to models) weather better.

I don't know if you haven't been able to get in touch with your instructors or if they just haven't been going out or what. I've got a couple of antsy students too but they understand when I take the time to explain WHY it's not happening for them.

Radcom

I did a Google search for Neely,Ms.
"Jeepers" Yellow Hawk is in the middle of nowhere.
The only reason Neely is on the map,cause a U.S. Post office
road goes to it. Old Ms -24 Highway is the only road that goes through.
The place is just an intersection,don't blink your eyes,you'll miss it.
Yellow Hawk do what you got to do........
There's lots of fliers out there in your situation,that took on the
responsibility to teach themselves.