First of all I must thank the airplane Hobby lobby Skimmer. Great plane and very easy to fix. I am self taught and just got it figured out yesterday. I had a great flight, powered up and glided down and powered back up and flew around until the power line got in the way,wow, the plane did a cartwheel in mid air. I really had it flying for the first time though. When I first started I crashed this thing 6 times right into the ground not more than 10 feet away, then after reading treads on this site and lots of epoxy i learned a few things. The plane must be balanced perfectly, the control surfaces must be smooth and perfect, and easy on the controls let the plane fly, don't fly the plane. Anyways to all beginners yes you can teach yourself. However,I enoy rebuilding the plane and and a cold beer after a quick crash helps ease the pain of hours of work destroyed in a 5 sec crash. oh yea, It helps to throw the plane off something like a hill or tall building that way it takes longer to hit the gound at first. IT"S JUST TOO COOL WHEN IT SOARS THROUGH THE AIR THE FIRST TIME!

Great site! thanks everyone for the info on everything!

But why would you want To?

For the feeling of true accomplishment for one!

Justin,
I must admire you spirit and fortitude, but to most people(Myself included), that kind of torture(crash, repair, crash. repair) is not acceptable. I wouldn't have stayed with the hobby if that were my first experiences. I went to a local club and had an instructor help me out. I really don't think your flight on your own was any more satisfying than my first solo. But hey, here's to your stick-to-itivness

I guess you will really never know hu?

It wasn't that hard... left right up down


next is ailerons


look no offense to anyone, but if the wright bros waited for an instructor....

I just dig figuring things out for myself and theres more out there like me too.

AGAIN THANKS, For all the HELP I got on this site.

The INTERNET is definitely the " information highway" of many things including fight instruction.

Thanks again, Justin

Bummer about the power lines. If you think those few seconds without crashing was exhilarating, just wait until the first time you bring your airplane home undamaged.

You sound really talented so who knows, you might be able to pull it off with only three or four more crash / repair cycles.

Right on MJD3,


I think your on to something.

however, i was in serous trouble the other day and had to power down quick and the dang thing landed and was alright.

Landing is cool !!!

well done justin. im thinking of teaching myself to fly mainly coz everytime i go to the field to get someone tho teach me there is no-one there(this has happened several times already and im sick of making the 45 min drive only to turn round and head home

I think my sarcasm might have been too dry.

Your from NY, we expect that sort of thing

Are you going to stick with sail planes or do you think you might make the leap to powered flight?

I have several cousins in chandler. I used to go there often when I was stationed at DM in Tucson. I used to enjoy going tubing down the Salt River Canyon with a couple of cold ones in tow.

I haven't been out to the salt in a while. Too bad for me hu?
That can be alot of fun! A few beers in tow and the famous show me your t**'s. HA HA

I've just about got this glider figured out, I'm going to pratice up some more and then I was thinking about a "Dandy" from mountainmodels.com or the dandy sport with ailerions.

It's starting to warm up here in Chandler yesterday it hit 100 degrees.

I found buff bluff to be rather entertaining at times. 100 huh, sounds like Spring has sprung.

I think the Sport would be a fun plane; the ailerons would give it a little more maneuverability. Pair it up with a Hitec Laser 4 and you're in business. What radio are you using now?

Thats the cool part I bought my radio used off the want ads on this site. A futba attack4 with a MCR 4a receiver. It has the bec and the esc built in, all for only 58$ shipped to me. I had an old RC car charger for 6 or 7 cell nicds so I bought a new battery pack of 7 scr cells for 26$ and the skimmer was 35.99$ and prop 6.99 and 05 motor 12.99. ultra cote and glue 20$

All up and going for 159.97$


The receiver has adjustable pots in it which were all pre set from the guy I got it from, lucky for me. Do these ever need adjusting and if so is it difficult to do?

just dig figuring things out for myself and theres more out there like me too.

AGAIN THANKS, For all the HELP I got on this site.

Sounds funny "myself" and "THANKS, For all the HELP" are different terms. Anyway you are polite!

HELP, I think I need an "instructor" to show me some grammar rules before I try to post a thread agian.