I have been flying small electrics (2 chanel) and gliders (3 Chanel) for a while with my unkle. I just got my first gas trainer. I have no body to buddy box with me...is the transition from electric/gliders to gas very difficult? I am worried about the take off, as all my previous flights began with some sort of launch, not a runway take off. any tips for a successful transition would be great.

Also if anybody knows of a flight club near Fairfield California that would be very helpful. There is the VacaValley RC club but their websites are down and I can't find a way to contact them.

thanks,

John

Don't worry about take off, worry about LANDING! LOL

Go to the AMA website and look up that club, there will probobly be a contact person.

http://modelaircraft.org/templates/a...791D6B4B644DF4

I am not terribly worried about the landing as I have lots of experience crashing, I mean landing smaller planes. It was also kinda tough to get the engine adjusted to run right without help. I spent an hour yesterday just taxiing up and down the runway trying to get the feel of piloting on the groung.

Will your glow plane have a tail wheel or nose wheel for steering? Nose wheel is a lot easier.

It is the Avistar from Hobbico, so it has the nose wheel. I am still at the point of doing a lot of taxiing...and having a lot of fun doing it. This weekend is a bust for flying here in CA. We have a really bad storm (bad in CA is good anywhere else) blowing in. So I will have to put off an actual flight for another week.

Youve got a great trainer plane, but, still need to find an instructor, this will be nothing like the elecs. IMO.

I transititioned from a Merlin to an LT-40.

The time on the electric DID NOT prepare me for the size and speed of the gas trainer.

You will probably be able to take off, but you're going to find landing much, much harder. It took me about 12 flights, the first six on a buddy box to land successfully.

Don't get impatient, find a club and an instructor.

That is the plane that I learned on and I would not trade it for anything when it comes to learning to fly. I would recommend that you glue the wing halves together and not just use the joiner with the two screws. Other than that, enjoy!

John,

Check out this link....They just got their site up again.

http://www.vacavalleyrc.com/

Also, there is usually someone there flying on any nice weekend. Just stop by anytime. The gate will always be closed but if someone is there (but the lock and chain will be off the gate opr just hanging from the gate unlocked), just unlatch the gate, drive through and then relatch the gate. Follow the dirt road to the field. The flying site is off of Cement Hill road near Peabody. I hope this helps!!

Mike