bkdavy is spot on.

donxavier,
When others got rough with you it was to get you to think about what you did. You view it as an accomplishment and that you flew great. You are a beginner so I understand how great you thought it was, but please listen to what we are saying.
You think you can fly but you cannot. You do not know what coordinated flight is. Clubs and instructors do far more than just teach how to fly, they teach rules, safety, how to tune the engine, and a lot more.
We're glad you are excited about flying and we want to support you but please do it safely. It's not only you that is at risk, but if you hurt/kill someone then the entire hobby is at risk.
I hope you follow through with an instructor and post updates on your training.

Good luck.

I'm not going to comment on your flying, I think it has all been said, but I would like to comment on the folks who post on this board.

Most of the guys who post on this board, and everyone that has replied to this thread, do so because they truly want to help people in this hobby. I have been reading this board for 2 years and rarely does somebody get out of line with their advice or criticism. Once in a while a beginner will come along with a post like yours, asking for advice and then ignoring the advice they are given. Sometimes they have a "succesful" flight, but much more often they destroy their plane and exit the hobby.

Like others here, I hope you find a safe place to fly and learn how to fly properly. If you succeed, I guarantee that in the future you will look back on this thread and cringe.

Good luck.

I don't think Allstate would cover me hitting someone with my plane. When did homeowner's insurance ever have liability coverage?

Wow just wow! Congratulations on taking the plane off and landing it with little trouble. That is great news but like someone said already, you werent good you were lucky. It really has nothing to do with an instuctor(although most will tell you get one) it has to do with perception. Since this was your maiden flight your mind was on being able to complete one task......Take the plane up and bring it down with minimal damage. Your mind didnt think about all the requirements or pre-flight checks one should do before hand. These are long and necessary. This does not equal flying. Being able to hit spots, turn where u intend, make complete circles with no change in elevation, STRAIGHT FLIGHT, being in total control of the aircraft is what you need especially in a place like you were in. The guys who have posted earlier have been through this and are trying to share their experiences so that others might understand the CORRECT way to get started. I know plenty of guys who fly without instructors but they, at the very least, understand the how-to. Does a full scale pilot take off from an airport without clearance from the tower? Does the pilot go full throttle when he sees obstacles in his way? The only way your going to learn is to remember YOU ARE A PILOT. Take pride in that fact and youre on your way to better understanding what we are talking about. Dont just come here to gloat about your wonderful first flight when you broke all known rules for safety. You sound like a linebacker in the NFL talking smack to somebody he laid out with no pads on! Real man!

Actually at first I posted because I came for some advice, I posted Need help taking off about a week ago. Some people were helpful and some just made jokes about taking a bag (for wreckage ) because it was impossible yada yada yada. I only posted again to explain that I had done it and that it was possible. This was my first nitro flight but I have had this plane for 7 months. I read up on it ALOT. I got a sim and flew for well over 50 hours and I have two park flyers that I fly all the time. Not the same I know. I may have been a little irresponsible in choosing my flight location and yes I do admit that, however it's not as bad as it seems or everyone is making it out to be. I wasn't just lucky. I controlled that plane for over 12 min. and flew it were I wanted. It didn't fly me. I flew controlled 8's and circles and it was pretty windy. I wasn't just wingin it. Your are right about the perception in the sense that my landing wasn't great. I didn't land exactly were I would have liked. I am a humble person and wouldn't gloat like an NFL linebacker. If that is the way it came off then I apologize. It's just not easy to take some of the harshness that has been dished out (without the total story) and remain humble. I do appreciate your feed back and I thank you. I did post that I was joining a club but that I was having transportation issues that will be resolved next month but I mentioned a word that was inappropriate and it was removed. I am not just saying it cause it sounds good either as someone mentioned.

Look, if I came across as overy harsh, then I'm sorry. I do, however stand by the comments that I've made, and to which others have added.

Taking off and landing in such an area is just plain unsafe, regardless of experience level. For someone who is struggling to take off and land it's just foolish.

I maidened an new Alpha 60 last night at our flying field and had significant problems. The plane was enough out of trim that it was just about all I could do to keep it in the air, much less do that and adjust trim at the same time. One of the other flyers came over and made trim adjustments while I concentrated on keeping the plane upright and level.

Please......find a safe place to fly. If you refuse to find an instructor to help, at least that way the only thing really at risk is your plane.

There is a reason that most AMA sanctioned clubs will not let a new pilot fly alone until he is signed off by an instructor One reason is to keep the pilot's plane in one piece so they actually enjoy what they are doing and don't lose a plane worth 200 or 300 dollars. The other, and most important is to ensure the safety of people and objects in the close area.

Do this, and you will have the support and congratulations of everyone here.

Good luck, and please....be safe.

I except your apology and do understand your point and believe it or not thinking now on what could have went wrong I have to agree with most of you if not all.
Bob, sorry for the sarcasm, I'm sure you meant well, no hard feelings....

Didnt mean to be an a-hole. Just dont know why you started your thread with "it can be done" moniker. Anything is possible, but should you do it? Anyway have fun and welcome to this hobby. Youre gonna have a lot of fun!!

Great!

This is not exactly true. Your AMA insurance coverage is based on following the AMA Safety Code plus obeying any local regulations that might apply. The safety code does not say your flying site must be "AMA Approved," but it does have guidelines for what constitutes a safe flying site.

Ladies and Gentlemen...A moment please..I firmly believe that donxavier will be a great pilot...He has admitted that perhaps his judgement in flying sites wasn't the best.....neither perhaps were his choice of words...It can be done......
I also believe that if an accident had of happened it would have reflected badly on all of us.....
However let's not cursify him too badly for his youthful excitement...
Look at what has happened because of this post.....he has said he's joining a club.....there have been apologies made on both sides of the argument...and donxavier seems to be a big enough guy to see the other side of the argument...
Seems to me this post has accomplished it's purpose....
by the way I know there isn't a sole that has read this post that can't remember something they did that perhaps they shouldn't have due to excitement or bad judgement....
Good Luck Don

Putting aside the safety issues (I think that point has been covered) congrats on getting your feet wet. I had one instructor session before I "broke the law" and flew by myself. It was a blast, but not as much as the next 3 lessons (which was all I got). I have dumb thumbed a few planes, but I learned what a stall was and ehat to do when flying into the sun, but they were electric and no instructor around. I CAN say that my trainer is in the same shape it was when I bought it and I attribute that to my instructor. By no means am I a great pilot or anywhere near the pilot I want to/should be, but I plan to change that by hooking up with an instructor. I figure no need to re-invent the wheel. If you can, find someone to teach you.
If it is not possible, find a place where you can concentrate on flying.. not dodging cars and people

I was thinking about this post today. I newer pilot at my field just bought an electric Katana, and was flying it at a school by his house. Fairly large area, considering it was a smaller electric plane. Well, he took off, made a few passes, and the plane started acting up on him. He brought it around to try to bring it in, the plane dipped, climbed, and took off on him, over the trees, flying beyond his sight and totally off over the trees. No one knows what happened to this plane, but he said he thought he heard it hit something, though he doesn't know what.

It happens.

Yep, I can pretty much make a spot landing and put the aircraft anywhere in the sky I want but still wouldn't fly in the lot. Why? Because unforseen events do happen - Murphy could strike at the worst moment.

Yes. The car that pulls in AFTER you take off and blocks the landing area is a good example. As are the swarm of kids that show up and start asking "Hey Mister, Is that an airplane?"

I notice in one part of that video the model is obscured by trees. That violates the AMA "Line of sight" rule. As does the "landing" on the far side of a knoll that obscures the view. Just my luck there'd be two teeny-boppers on a blanket and I'd blind one and be sued for millions.

Once again I didn't fly near those trees. I took off from the lot and flew at the field next to it.
This place is in the middle of no where. The field is used for college events, soccer and such.
No kids around that area to ask "does it use gas?"
No car pulled in the lot. It was already there.

I shouldn't do this because there will be some other things that I will be told I shouldn't of done but what the hey.

Where I stood and flew: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTEsIrgyZrk

Well congrats. But I have to say I learned quick not to fly in a bad area. My friend and I bought $30 harbor freight planes. We tried flying in his neighborhood. First time up made a big circle and went into a tree. We got it down and put it up again and it pretty much went straight into a neighbors car. So then we went to a school field. Flew for a few minutes then started losing control. It ended up landing in someones backyard. Now these were small planes. I couldnt imagine what would have happened if I tried that with the nexstar. Anyway I quickly joined the AMA and found a very nice sanctioned field about 15 mins from my house. Been flyin for several months and still have my planes...

donxavier,
That video of the flying site didn't show much. How about a 360 degree shot. This hobby involves a certain degree of judgement to be used to maintain the safety of those around you. You seem to lack that judgement. AMA membership is desirable primarily for the liability coverage it provides. You don't have to belong to an AMA chartered club but you do have to abide by the safety code in order to be covered. On the take-off video, you went near a parked car. If you had accidentally hit that car, could you afford to pay to fix the damage? Two words for you. Reasonable. Prudent. Question: In taking off and flying in that area, were your actions reasonable and prudent? Answer: No. Please try to temper your enthusiasm with a little discretion.

Ya know, we've beat this poor guy up enough I think. Lets not chase him away from the hobby or RCU. He knows, and has admitted, that his chosen area was less than acceptable. He has already stated he will be looking for a club and or a more suitable location for future flights.

So, I say instead of further berating him till he is sure we are all a bunch of grumpy old fun killing farts, lets just let this be and hope he comes back with a tale about how the club he joined is great, or the new location meets the AMA code etc..

In short, give the guy a break, he screwed up, got lucky, admits he should have chosen more wisely, and wants to continue with the hobby and this site inspite of the criticizm he's recieved. I have to say I would have left long ago if I got hammered this hard AFTER admitting I was wrong.

Thank you sooo much Adui! I was starting to believe you were all a bunch of grumpy old men but you have demonstrated that maybe there is still hope for me yet in the realms of RC universe After all I'm quite sure that there are people that have viewed this thread that have such skeletons in their closets from days of their youth.

My other babies:

Besides, you guys should know that you can't tell a teenager what to do.

Ok, I think that this thread has gone on long enough. I'm locking thread thread.

Ken