Has anyone who began flying radio control ever spent the money and attended a RC Flight school??
I did it was 1st US RC FLIGHT SCHOOL in Shawano Wisconcin. It was a great course and Dave Scott is a outstanding instructor.Iam planing on attending his Arobatic Flight School in June. Anyone have any views on the matter of Flight Scools to help out the new beginners out there.Lets hear them!!!
NEDYOB

I spent allot of money on my flying education, unfortunately it was replacing and fixing most of the airplane s that I have flown, at least until the last couple of years :spinnyeye . Being a bit on the stuborn side, I refused help from my 'no everything' friend and learned to fly 'eventually' on my own. What helped me was subscribing to RC magazines such as the modeler and plane news. Those magz are plum full of info and really helps you imagine what to do well before you get to the field. Would suggest a magazine subscription to any and all beginners. :sunsmiley

Based upon the general response to this question when asked on other forums - eg rec.models.rc.air - the following view will be considered "heresy" by the "you owe it to the hobby", "join my club / hobby and get free training", "paying for R/C training is a rip off" crowd.

I, in fact, learned to fly R/C as the sole modeler in the wilds of northeast Thailand back in the 70's ... so I know it can be done with little or no help ... professional or otherwise ... just not very efficently ... as the previous poster notes.

One of the best pieces of advice you will see from experienced R/Cers who counsel beginners on this and other forums is: "the more air time you get and the shorter the interval between sessions, with the same instructor, the sooner it will be that you are capable/proficient". And this wisdom applies equally to advanced / aerobatic skills as well.

This is where people like Dave Scott and his 1st US Flight School come in. They offer concentrated, one-on-one, fly as much as you can take in X number of days training that will leap frog you to the next level ... whether it is just learning to land ..... or to perform a flawless rolling circle.

But, of course, that high a level of intensity, with places, people, and equipment to provide the venue for it, costs money. And that fact seems to rankle a lot of independent minded R/Cers the wrong way.

After an extended absence from the hobby, I too availed myself of the "luxury" of driving to Shawano to take a six-day concentrated aerobatic course from Dave. Yes, it was expensive in terms of time, tuition, travel, and living expenses while there. But it was also a very nice vacation spot ... the lakes and country side in upper Wisconsin are beautiful ... and a visit to the nearby Oshkosh/EAA Musuem, with the thrill of being able to actually take the controls and fly a real Ford Trimotor, is an experience I will not soon forget.

I also came away from the six days of intensive flying at Dave's school, with his leading and correcting my mistakes every step of ther way, with a new found confidence in my abilities as an R/C pilot. Worth every penny.

Bottom line ... if you can afford it in terms of time and money ... don't hesitate ... just do it. You will not regret the experience.

And ignore all the nay sayers with their "move the stick to the low wing" rules-of-thumb, applied in short once a week sessions, that are no substitute for competent training methods combined with practice, practice, practice.

VERY WELL SAID!!!RCSHIRLEY.I DIDNT KNOW IF I WAS OPENING A CAN OF WORMS OR NOT.JUST SOMETHING FOR THE BEGINNERS TO THINK ABOUT AND FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT FLIGHT SCHOOLS ARE A OPTION.
NEDYOB

Since we are on the subject, do you have web sites for such schools and how much would you pay?

I can't afford to take the class but I ordered the training manuals from 1st RC flight school and I am very impressed. There is a wealth of information to be had in those books. I wish when I trained a couple of years ago my teachers would have shown me some of Dave Scott's technique's. Now I find it seems i'm learning all over again the proper way. You can find these at
http://www.goflightschool.com/

A few years ago while managing a hobby store I had many people sick of the going to the field and waiting all day for a couple of flights W/ 4 different instructors.
At that time I began to offer intense one on one instruction at a time that was convient for the student for a fee. The students all learned at an accelerated rate and learned well. ALL my "for pay" students felt it was a bargan and often recommended it to frustrated students at the various fields. Some of the local fliers were very offended that I was charging for my time. Others thought it was a great idea. I wish that this type of deal was avialable to me when I was learning. Instead of taking a season or two (this was before simulators) my students were soloing in about 3-4 weeks and all were and cont. to be very very happy.
MY 2 cents
Brian

actually, where i learned, if you had an instructor he or she was forbed to charge you a cent in order to spread the hobby.
i think that rule is pretty kool, every club should have it!!!
lots of good flyers ( think i have never seen better than them) learned to fly in that basis and are happy to teach anybody to fly

Guess I got lucky. I was trained at a local field by a very patient and compitent intructor. Thanks Harry!!
He spent a lot of time with me with the pass the box method with no mishaps.
Since then I have trained many new pilots using a cord and I do feel I owe it to the hobby.
There are good schools and better techniques. If you want to fly, there is a school close and have the $$ go for it but you may miss out on making a new friend.
I am and will always will be a friend to Harry since he spent his time with me.

Mike

I tried to learn to fly myself with a air core trainer which had a bent wing & a old worn out engine. After spending half the summer crashing, I joined a club and learned from a great instructor & good guy. He drilled in my head fly with a purpose.

I am sure that Dave Scott teaches with a buddy cord.. This is the best way by far.. I went to a school in CA. a few years ago. The individual teaches without a buddy cord.. Only one radio with two sets of hands on it.. Breaking your finders while doing it. Not the right way. Schools help.. The right one of course...

How much does this cost, and is there one in north NJ?