Evening Woodsy,I like training with the buddy box because if the plane is headed toward people ,pit area,houses or the sun I can take control before a major problem arises and someone or something is hurt,also the take over time is so fast that I can let the trainee work out the problems if any should happen,I'll let the plane alone until the last minute before I take control. I find the least amount of times I take control the sooner a student becomes a pilot,each instructor is different,if the student isn't happy with the instructor then get another instructor. Club size doesn't matter with the buddy box,here some of the students bring there own buddy boxes to train on.

Thanks for all the answers guys, i just asked because the USA guys seem so fixated on "must have a radio the same as the local club" where here in Aus i've only ever seen 1. even the biggest club in Victoria (possibly Australia) dosent use them.

i was interested because if the buddy system was "better" i was thinking about setting one up, but as usual no 1 way seems to be "best", for the extra cost i tink i'll stick with Ragland or "here mate have a go of this"

I started learning with the "snatch and grab" method, then started using the buddy box. Of the two, I definitely prefer the buddy box. I believe it allows the instructor to: let the student get themselves in more trouble (and see how/if they get out of it); fly lower etc; be "pushed " to the next stage more quickly; than the snatch and grab simply because the instructor can take control very quickly.... no 2-3 second "give it to me, fumble TX, throttle up, oops too late"

Having said that, the buddy box does have it's drawbacks. After one successful landing while on the box, the instructor told me to taxi it back..which I did. At a very inopportune moment, his finger slipped from the trainer switch and, since he'd left his throttle at wide open anticipating a "go around", the airplane went from fast idle taxi to full throttle, did a sharp 90 degree turn and headed for the pits. Fortunately no one was hurt and the damage to the three airplanes was quite minimal! Made for a few well chosen rude comments from the bleachers, but it did prove that some of the older members can still run if they have to!

Our club is quite small... only about 40 members, but we have boxes for JR, Futaba and Airtronics. If I was starting again, and knowing what I know now, if the club didn't have a box to match my TX, I would give serious thought to getting my own buddy box... at around $50, it's cheaper than replacing an airplane!

I think there is a little confusion on the method I'm talking about.
The Ragland Technique is not snatch and grab but more like having dual controls akin to full scale flight training. The instructor always is able to take full control over the student WITHOUT having to snatch and grab the transmitter, all in a split second. People continue to say that they prefer the buddy-box rather than any other method, everyone except those who have learned with the RT.

Once more, I was able to very smoothly land on my very first real lesson and everyone I've seen this instructor hand the tx over to be able to do the same, on the VERY FIRST RC FLYING EXPERIENCE. I was flying WITHOUT even looking at the plane, that and many other things I was able to do and that no one would allow me to do using the buddy-box.

It's ironic that I've experienced something that the RC industry and beginners so desperately need, but apparently because it works so well, it's worthwhileness is so inconceivable and therefore ignored. Oh well.

nascarjoe

Perhaps I'm confused about this technique then. It seems to me that a buddy box is exactly like having dual controls as in full size (except the instructor can take over directly rather than having to say "I have control" and hope that the trainee doesn't fight him on the controls).

Could you explain how it works ? The one time I tried it, not with Mr Ragland but with someone who claimed to be using the same method, it invoved the instructor hovering on my shoulder with his hand on top of mine on the RH stick. Perhaps it's not supposed to work like that but I can't say was really keen on this guy standing well inside my personal space trying to hold hands with me .

It may be that the specific instructor is critical to success and the method simply doesn't translate well to just any old club instructor.

Steve

Steve,
I have to tell you that it's not "personal" at all. I didn't consider him invading my space whatsoever. He is just close enough so you can hear him give verbal instruction. He stands to your right (mode 2) and has his thumb and forefinger underneath your thumb. There might be a little physical contact, meaning a slight touch here and there, but that would only be for no more than 5 minutes throughout the entire training regimen. After that, he stands a few feet away to give a verbal hint here and there.

Judging from some of the somewhat skeptical responses, and what I am finding out is quite a productive teaching method, I would venture to say that Mr. Ragland has something that the RC industry should be very interested in.

See: http://modelaircraft.org/templates/ama/1098_5.asp

nascarjoe

Think I'll pass on holding hands,to many lawsuits in the good ole USA.