I have a 6ch .40 size low wing warbird/trainer (the wing config is trainer). Its ready for its maiden. I am a noob, but know basics of rc flight and have watched people on controls. There are no instructors in my area and no clubs nearby. I am able to fly at an abandoned grass airfield. I want to try to fly this plane without crashing. Any tips?[&o]

I'm thinking I should just full throttle liftoff then a quick landing all on upwind.

I would find the closest hobby shop andhave them help you find a club with a member that will help you. Otherwise, you might just save your self some time and put the plane in a garbage can.

G'day Mate,
I'm sure you don't want to crash, that's why we always suggest an instructor, & I'm going to do the same again, GET an INSTRUCTOR, or at least someone with experience to take it up & trim it for you, make sure they can fly, & not just tell you they can.
The first flight of a new plane is the dangerous one, for the plane, that is, because it is an unknown quantity, & it will almost certainly need adjusting, that's where experience comes in.
So if you have to travel, to find someone to help, DO IT, if you have to ask an experienced pilot to come to you, DO IT.

Well, Been there.. done that!.. If you are prepared for multiple repairs and added expense, it can be done eventually. I would seek out a club/instructor even if its 100 miles away. It will make it more enjoyable, and succesfull. If your vehicle gets 20 miles to the gallon at $3.00 a gallon.. it will cost you about $30.00 round trip ( club 100 miles away). About the price of 2 inexpensive servos! If you like tinkering and repairing and have some extra cash and time then go for it.. just make sure not to injure (or worse) an innocent bystander.[X(]

The only hobby shop within 50 mi. specializes in cars only.

I did a quick search for flying sites for your zip code. http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx

Here a few of the results. No excuse to ruin your airplane for lack of instructors. Best of Luck to you!!!!


HARRISBURG AREA FLYIN SOCIETY
Flying Site Details
4.01 miles 576 75 ROBERT WAGNER
Email Contact PO BOX 60622
HARRISBURG PA 17106-0622
Phone: 717/761-8293
Visit Website
3 Yes
CAPITOL AREA FLYERS
Flying Site Details
5.09 miles 3168 52 ANDREW ZINK
Email Contact 120 NITTANY DR
MECHANICSBURG PA 17055
Phone: 717/691-1101
Visit Website
3 Yes
HARRISBURG AEROMODELING SOC
Flying Site Details
13.06 miles 1459 23 P CARTIER
Email Contact 34 SWEET ARROW DR
HUMMELSTOWN PA 17036-2718
Phone: 717/566-3810
3 No
CARLISLE AEROMODELERS
Flying Site Details
13.77 miles 1424 67 ROBERTS MCCREA
Email Contact 550 SUMMIT DR
CARLISLE PA 17013-3623
Phone: 717-258-8566
Visit Website
3 No
KEYSTONE RC SOC INC
Flying Site Details
20.68 miles 748 132 JIM GEIGER
Email Contact 108 POPLAR LN
ELIZABETHTOWN PA 17022
Phone: 717-361-6113
Visit Website
3 No
MASONIC VILLAGE MODELAIRCRAFT
Flying Site Details
20.68 miles 4730 6 ARNOLD STACKHOUSE
Email Contact 3301 JAMES BUCHANAN DR
ELIZABETHTOWN PA 17022
Phone: 717.361.3880

Go to tower hobbies. Buy a foamie electric for under $200 complete. If you bang it up, replace the plane for 20 bucks. Learn the controls and get comfortable with them before you fly. Make sure no one else is around. You cant hurt them if theyre not there. (They also cant brag for you WHEN you succeed). I fly everything from .40 size up to 62cc. and I just bought one to practice aerobatics on for $152 minus the transmitter and receiver.

If you're so far out in the "boondocks" and can't get to a club, then I would buy a 3 channel powered glider to "teach myself" with. That's basically what I did after smashing the hell out of my fisrt plane (Trainermaster) about 3 times. Of course there were no simulators back then.

you need 1 of 2 things
either a trash bag...or an instructor...
watching someone fly isn't the same as flying...that would be like saying I watched brain surgery on TV I'll remove that tumor.
by the way there are only 2 war bird trainers I know of,
neither one is a very good trainer
Good Luck

You really won't have a chance and you've already made one of the worst mistakes of all.

You want to, "I'm thinking I should just full throttle liftoff .........."

You really need to find an experienced modeler. What you think is a safe test is most often the reason maiden flights wind up badly. The too quickly applied full throttle takeoff kills more models than any other cause.

And you've assumed that you've got a straight model, with sensible throws, that's balanced well, has the right prop for the engine, has a decently running engine.............. and a few more.

The list of clubs is an excellent start. Find out where they are and try to contact someone from the closer ones. They'll be glad to setup a testflight if that's all you want.

You're right next to Harrisburg, Right?

HobbyTown
Union Square Shopping Center, 3835 Union Deposit Rd
Harrisburg, PA 17109
Phone: (717) 558-0345
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.hobbytown.com/pahar

You're just not looking very hard. Yeah, they may prefer cars like mine does but they will know plane guys.

As was posted above, there are 6 clubs within 25 miles of you. The best advice given is to go to a club and find an instructor. If you really insist on doing it yourself the best advice I can give is to take a trash bag with you, that way you have something to carry the pieces home in. I know that may sound harsh, but it's really the plain truth here.

Ken

Your post indicates you have something like a PTS P-51, or maybe the F22 PTS. People are not being nasty, they are trying to help you be successful, when they encourage you to not fly this plane alone. It is suitable for instruction by a skilled teacher.

For self-instruction, a more suitable plane will be necessary. The "Slow Stick" has been mentioned many times, as have other small electrics. I would encourage you to try a simulator, or a 3- or 4-channel RTF high wing electric, rather than the PTS as your first flight. The chances of success are much higher.

Good Luck,
Dave Olson

All of what the others have said is true, had got to the stage of loads and loads of flights without accident with my 4 channel trainer which I can roll, loop, cuban 8's, fly inverted with, thought I was ready to try my warbird again and still managed to take it home in a Bin Liner half way through my second battery and you're a long way from where I'm at !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm the same as you re clubs and it's easier for me to walk 1 minute down the road to a huge field and be home in 40 mins having had a good couple of batteries worth than take a whole afternoon at the weekend which the Mrs won't like and have been though the VERY painful learning curve / crashes that you can't avoid on your own. If you can join a club wil certainly save a lot of pain, it's also the missed flying time as all you'll be doing is putting them back together again which is frustrating in itself.
Another possible to start with if you go it alone is Hobbyzone Super Cub but also a simulator (and would do 20 hrs before any flight) will save you 10 times what it costs in the savings on accident damage.
Good luck !!!!!!!

This won't be real popular, but......

If you can get your hands on a simulator and something cheap like the Aerobird 3...... After a lot of practice and a little luck, ya ought to be in much better shape for your low wing.

I understand the urge to just want to go out and fly. I've done it myself. With the results listed above. If you truely want to find a club you can. As listed above apparently there are many around, you just have to look. If you really want to go out and fly alone then go for it. But i would recomend the powered glider setup for a loner. There slow and give you alot of time to react and are very stable. Although there not anything like flying a nitro trainer, but are the best chances of success. See my thread " Beginnerslogbook? or what i learned today" for a truthful experience flying for the first time.

I never had an instructor. Here is my four step program:

1) Fly on a simulator (FMS or Clearview) $35
2) Fly a simple 3 channel electric like a GWS Slowstick $30
3) Move up to a foam 4 channel like GWS E-Starter $35
4) Fly a 40 sized Glow plane.
Foam is easier and cheaper to repair than balsa. Electric motors require no tuning. You can learn how to fly on electric power and then add glow engines to the mix when you are comfortable.

Good luck and don't give up.

Playntraffic,

I like your formula. Start out with the slowest and work you way up.

I am pretty new to all of this too. Ive been flying for about 3 months and still learning everyday. Ive progressed quickly with a stable of 3 +1 lost in action.

IT IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT for you to find someone to help you for the first few flights. I would say, no matter how far, get an instructor for the first 10 flights. Even if they are just watching you after the 3rd or 4th. It looks much easier than it really is. Even if you intend to do a full throttle lift off and then land....will you be ready to react to a wind gust that might slam the plane down even if its a few feet of the ground? Doubt it.

Save the money...find an instructor. Perhaps post a "post" with...." "-Your town - instructor needed." Perhaps someone will see and respond.

Who's willing to bet that since he has not posted a response in the last day his plane has already succomed to the plastic garbage bag. Might want to look for him over on the crash and rebuild area by now.

hate to say it but that what happens when people don't listen to recommendations.

A rather rash and rude assumption. According to RCU records he hasn't logged on since a few minutes after his last post. Give him the benefit of the doubt for now and make constructive posts or none IMO.

Get a simulator and practice for at least a month. Hundreds of take-offs and landings. Get to the point where you have zero issues landing. If you haven't flown before on a simulator or with an instructor, you will crash.

# 2 and 3, Add $$$ for servos, reciever, ESC and batteries (plus charger if needed) as these airplanes only come with airframe and motor.

A couple of weekends ago I was out at my local club talking to a bunch of the guys. One of them has been in this hobby since before most of the people on this site (including me) were even born. He was telling me stories of how a bunch of them started this group doing control line. When raidos came along they moved onto them. He said back in those days there were no instructors. None of them had any clue how to fly, except how to fly a full scale one.

He said the group of them would fly untill the planes were no longer flyable, take them home, fix them, and do it all again the next weekend. Eventually they learned to fly.

I've also talked to people who told me that the old idea of a "buddy box" was that the instructor ripped the transmitter out of the students hands and desparitly tried to recover the plane before it crashed.

We've come a long ways since those days, with simulators, buddy boxes, and all kinds of inovations to make training easier. I agree with a lot of what has been mentioned above, and feel that it's really a beniffit to the hobby. New students should find instructors, but they can also help teach themselves on simulators. Take advantage of everything you can when learning.

id_ram make everyattempt to find an instructor. If you don't, at least get a good simulator, and be prepared to make a lot of repairs to your plane.

Yeah but nothing is as much fun as watching an instructor chasing a student around the field trying to get the transmitter back from the student. The student "just knows" he can save it without help. Of course he's usually wrong.