Hello everyone!

I am very interested in the wonders of RC flight. I have been into ground models for some time and wish to venture into the sky.

My problem, however, is I live in a remote area and to my knowledge, there is no club nearby. Is it possible to learn to fly by yourself, without guidance?

Obviously I would read my arse off on the web, take recommendations for my first plane and learn on calm days...but is this a bad idea? Also suggestions for a (RTF) plane from tower would be great!

Thanks everyone!

If you have to do it alone, here's my 2 cents (what I did...)

- read, study, learn
- get a simulator. http://www.flying-model-simulator.com/ is free (I run the "Beta 7 on Windows XP) but commercial ones may be more realistic.
- start with a small high wing electric, built light (light models crash lighter). Build it right. If in doubt, ask questions. Are you sure you are not in doubt?
- go to wattflyer or rcgroups to learn about electric power.
- fly it over long grass on a windless day. Pick a huge field.

Mr Lock ... if you are really certain that its not gonna hit anyone then go with a SIM first BUT the sim and real thing is not the same. It helps on the orientation etc but its not the same at all. Other thing you cannot really learn on your own is SET UP, TUNING AN ENGINE etc. What you need to watch out for is also, CONTROL SURFACE THROWS and CG. Maybe if you want to just try out on your own then something like a Multiplex Easystar would be more forgiving. You can learn to set it up over the net, no engine to tune. Think about it. All the best!

If space is an issue and you only have access to a park or small field then I would highly recommend looking into a stable park flyer, there are tons to choose from, best to hit the electric forums and do some research about what may suit you. I learned to fly on a T-28 Trojan, its a superb plane and Parkzone sell it in a Ready to fly format with everything you need to fly. Just get some foam CA for those accidents, they will happen.

Getting a SIM is a great idea also, I started flying helicopters and use Phoenix, its not the best for planks so I wouldn't recommend it for them but having a SIM is a great way to learn orientation and the practice.

Other than that I would recommend seriously looking around for a club, i Understand you might be in a remote area but if there is a club near by it will great for learning and keeping you in the hobby, always nice to fly with company.

Absolutely!

A sim helps. Orientation is the primary thing and, to some extent, the need to maintain some speed at all times.

A sim will not teach you flight safety either: a prop that is turning can do nasty things to you, even if there's just a tiny electric motor powering it.

It is absolutely possible for you to learn on your own. Loads of flyers have done it.

It is, however, a stony path upon which you embark. If you have a bit of the "quitter" in you, be sure that this task will find it out!

I have no recommendations for specific models. My only advice is to "start easy". In fact, start as easy as possible and improve in increments. Easy flying characteristics, easy weather and easy flying area.

Your reading is AT LEAST as important as your flying time. Don't be tempted to neglect it. One of the finest books is Langesweische's "Stick and Rudder". The style is a bit old-fashioned, but the information is first-class and readily digestible. Certainly, I've read no finer tome. Take anything that you read on forums (even this?) with a pinch of salt. As your knowledge improves, you'll be able to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Free-flight models, with radio assist, were traditionally used as primary trainers. They still perform well in the role. Some of the purpose-designed ARFs may be even better.

Make your initial flights with undercarriage removed; belly-landings are much easier and kinder on the novice's airframe. And, if you can possibly get even a little expert assistance, take it.

Learning to fly with no help is certainly not impossible.

However, that's not the only problem with successfully flying a model. It would absolutely be worth the time, effort, and expense to find an experienced modeler and have him check over your model before trying to use it to learn with or without help.

Sims won't teach you how to insure the CG location won't make the model unflyable. They won't check for warps or control surface rigging flaws. They teach nothing about getting an engine to run or a motor to work with enough power. They don't maiden your new trainer to see if it flies without trim, and as a beginner you won't a clue how bad the trim is, how to deal with it, and how to fix it if you're lucky enough on your 1st flight to get it back to be fixed.

Learning to fly is just one piece of the puzzle to get a model to fly.

It would be a good idea to try and meet with at least one instructor at the outset. Even if that means driving for awhile, it will be well worth the effort in time and money saved on repairing beginner mistakes and learning how to practice. A competent instructor can check over your airplane, teach you about setup, do a trimming flight to get the plane flying well, and show you what skills to practice on. You can land (crash?) the small electrics in tall grass without damage. Once you're good with the stuff your instructor showed you in the first meeting, go meet again and learn to land properly.

I started instructing for my club this year. Here are the things in proper order that we teach.

Preflight checks
Radio checks
Setup (controls and CG)
Engine tuning
Left and right turns
Flying the pattern
Loops and rolls
Rudder control for wind
Approaches
Landings
Takeoffs

Most of this needs to be shown to a pilot. Words on a computer screen help alot, but actually seeing it and having it explained will save you hours and hours of frustration.

I was in your position 39 years ago. Didn't know of anyone closer than several hundred miles that flew RC. Also, no simulators, or internet, just the monthly magazines. I built the airplane and traveled to a club and got three flights in.

I had flown control line for years before, so I already knew how to set an engine and perhaps more important, how to flair for landing. I prepared for the left right control reversal, I watched birds of prey and mentally flew them as they changed directions.

At the field, I arrived very late in the day. Just one guy left, but he look my airplane over, and agreed to fly it. He took it off, trimmed it out, and then gave me the transmitter to fly it. I flew it around until it was time to land, lined up with the wind, and landed it on the first flight. The second flight I took it off, flew around and he landed it. The third flight was solo.

The real learning happened at home. I flew into the side of a school house (didn't know about how hard it is to judge distance), bounced it off the roof of my parents house on landing, flew into telephone lines, hit a fence, spirled into a football field (battery shorted out, so finally a crash that was not my fault).

Anyway, it can be done. However in close to 37 years of helping hundreds of others learn to fly, I've only seen one or two that soloed in one session.

Take the airplane on vacation to a club.

Two great planes to learn with, you can't go very wrong with them. The GWS Slow Stick is nice to get the feel of flying BUT will not feel like any 40 sized trainer. The Easystar is good too BUT it does not come with the girl.

If you really want to learn to fly by yourself, you can. I did it. I started with a 40 size glow trainer. Be prepared to crash a few! The small electric trainers weren't around when I started and I think they are easier to learn with.
The one thing I can recomend is finding a wide open area to fly. I found a turf farm and that helped a lot. I could land anywhere.
Good luck, you can do it if you really, really want it!

Thanks for all the information guys! Very helpful!!

There are heaps of large parks, some with tall grass close to me so that shouldnt be a problem. I am planning on starting electric so tuning the engine isn't an issue either. If I do decide to do nitro, I have a nitro car and assume tuning would be similar.

I may make a trip to the closest club if I have a free weekend, as it sounds like there is a lot that is best shown to me. Otherwise, I will not take the plane out until I have memorised every word on the forum:P

Any suggestions for a plane on towerhobbies? I don't mind RTF or kit. The cheaper the better of course, but something that will be forgiving to a first time flyer.

Thankyou all again.

i too recommend the gws slowstick, its a tough bird, and since it flies so slow when you do crash it only breaks a prop, if that. if you fly over tall grass then it shouldnt be a issue at all. its not easy to fly it in more than 5mph winds, i have flown it in 15+ mph winds but it isnt fun and hard to do. for the first flights make sure their is NO wind.
sims help a lot, but they arnt the real thing.

Tower...
they seem to have a variety of options. Here's a few that I have some familiarity with:

GWS Slow Stick: light and slow: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHCJ1&P=0
GWS Beaver: slow, looks like a "real" plane: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHCL0&P=0
GWS E-Starter: "real" plane with ailerons, more commonly used as a second plane (my first, done very light) http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHCL2&P=0
Multiplex Easy Star: Looks like a big toy but should fly well http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXFXV0&P=0
Multiplex MiniMag: bit like the E-Starter, I think: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXNXV2&P=0

Multiplex uses a tougher kind of foam than GWS

edit:
If you expect to land on grass, leave the landing gear out: it will only get stuck and rip out. Then you have to hand launch, which takes a bit of coordination especially if you don't have anyone you'd trust to do it for you. These planes don't have to be thrown hard. Smooth is better. My first "flight" was an unpowered toss down a gentle slope into the grass to see if the E-Starter would fly at all. As nothing horrible happened, the next one was with power and then I started needing a lot of space... A football field would not have been enough

Hi cksmak,

Where in our great land of Oz are you? If you have to learn on your own I would second the Multiplex Easy Star suggestion. Tower prices do seem cheap but often when you look at the exchange rate and freight it doesn't always work out.

Good Luck,

Colin

Jimmy ... mine had a 200W motor to get the CG nice and you should see her fly! I damaged the wings eventually, pulling too many Gs. Its always good to have a GWS Slow Stick to putter about on a nice Sunday morning. A Pink GWS Beaver is cute.

Mr Lock ... Multiplex EasyCub ... that is another good one! Flies better than the MiniMag for beginners.

hi locksmack, here is another Aussie willing to help you. I have had success helping one other aussie recently to learn the fundamentals of flying , he now has his second model , so PM me if i can be of help to you , regards
Bill,in Queensland

Another good choice would be the Hobbyzone Super Cub LP. It's cheaper than most of the others that have been mentioned and is very stable, tough, and easy to repair. Glue and tape will fix almost anything that can break. It can fly almost as slow as the Slow Stick but has more top speed and will handle a little more wind.

locksmack :

A better and cheaper choice is this: [link=http://www.nitroplanes.com/rtfwiha54el3.html]Wild Hawk - Click me![/link]

Info, setup, upgrades, and reviews available here: [link=http://www.********.com/airplanes/wildhawkplane-about.htm]Click me![/link]

Watch the videos showing beginners attempting to fly it, and the upgrades you can do to it.

Apparently it is sold in your area as well. Google for vendors.

It also goes by other names... e.g. Hobby-People has it as well under another name, google for that too.

I myself have been self taught. I would highly recommend these points-

1. Again, get a simulator and cheap controller. I bought my first sim at clearviewrc.com for 39.99. I picked up a cheap USB controller for 23.99. I also have FSOne, which is much more realistic, but the thing you are going for on a sim is orientation and hand eye coordination.
2. I would highly recommend the Hobbyzone Supercub, Supercub LP or Mini Supercub. I moved from sim to Supercub with little problems. (in addition, a new wing is 10 bucks)
3. Find lots of room...big field with a very smooth surface or road to takeoff or land on. You can hand launch most electrics, but I find it more entertaining to takeoff and land realistically.
4. When ready for a nitro or gasser, dont jump the gun. Keep flying the electric. You need alot of stick time before you move up to the nitro or gas planes. To me, they are easier to fly than some of the aggrevating electrics, but they cost alot more to rebuild/repair.
5. Patience, Patience and forums. A good beginning is to keep on these forums. You will find a tremendous amount of invaluable information on these forums. Most questions are answered by experienced and/or professional folks who have been where you are.

I have had no time with an instructor, and have been flying nitro for about a year, year and a half. I have had my mishaps, but I dont think any more than anyone else does. Lost one nitro trainer due to not thinking ahead. I was paying no attention to the large pine tree ahead of the plane...I have been flying my other trainer for a while now and have had no mishaps. Many people have learned this way, and you can to....it just requires alot of patience...

Good luck and keep us posted!!!

TonyG

Forget the GWS and get the Multiplex Easy Star. It is an excellent aircraft for the beginner. Light, strong and with good flying qualities. Also, it is quite easy to repair.
The Germans know a thing or two when it comes to designing electric powered gliders.

The Wild Hawk is a much less expensive clone of the Easy Star. Both are great first planes for someone "going it alone".

MUCH better than the Cub, etc.

Opjose ... we had the same clone here with a different colour, it flies well. But the one here comes with a nice RTF brushless package. No point wasting so much when you will be trying to fly on your own.

May I suggest the GWS slow stick. It is big enough to not feel like a "toy" but still cheap enough and easy to train on. I am currently teaching someone to fly on one and its proving to be a good trainer. It doesn't handle wind well but take it from me, for your first couple of flights youd try to avoid wind anyway. It flys very well and its lots of fun with a low frustration level.

I learned to fly all by myself and it was not easy, however there are a couple of things to make the journey easier. As stated by the other posters in this forum, get a simulator and practice, a lot.
Read as much as you can.
Join your country's Model flying organisation.
Find a spot to fly where there is the least possible chance of damage to property. The problem with flying just anywhere is the risk of property damage or injury to people. This is one of the most important things of flying. If you cannot do it safely, look for another location.

The most important thing about this hobby is to have fun. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. We love a good success story

Thanks for all of the replies guys!

The slowstick looks to be the favourite for beginners. It seems cheap enough too so I may give it a try.

REQUIRES Speed Control/Auto-cut-off
Battery 2/3 AA cells 270-400mAh or AA cells 600mAh 7.2V
Charger: Timed or peak for 2/3 AA cells
Radio: 2-4 Channel
(2-channel for glider)
Servos: 2 Naro,Micro,or Mini servos
(1-elevator, 1-rudder)

Any suggestions? I don't know what I am looking for at all (as I said, im a car guy).
Links to products on tower would be great!