I understand wanting to do things on your own. I also agree that this stuff doesn't seem that hard. Theoretically, it's not. Things are always different in real life though. I'm pretty good with engines and cars and stuff, so I figured I'd at least start mine up on my own. I did lots of research and thought I knew exactly what to expect. It was different enough that I stopped the engine and waited to get some help. Some of the things we listen for are pretty subtle, and without ever hearing it before (at this pitch, volume, etc) it's easy to miss.

As for flying the plane, I took the advice and waited to join a club and got an instructor. I spent two days flying with my instructor, and was flying alone on the third day. It is a nice piece of insurance that the plane will make it home and back to the field a second day. I also crashed my Nexstar after having it for a few months. I was trying some crazy stuff and got disoriented. IT HAPPENS FAST! Crashing a plane and going home with a messy garbage back full of splinters really isn't fun. People only suggest joining a club for the extra insurance that you will have a good time and keep coming back. No one here means to be judging your skills or abilities by suggesting a club and trainer; we suggest it to everyone as it's the easiest and safest way to learn the hobby.

Joining a club and getting an instructor works for thousands and thousands of people. Learning on your own can be done but the odds are not in your favor.

My club is pretty cool; lots of great guys, all different. I've made a couple really good friends, one of whom is a pilot and FAA inspector and who takes me flying Cessnas on a regular basis. Other guys I've met and ended up going to shows and stuff with. Others are fun to hang around and talk about planes with. We get together once a month in the winter to talk about planes, hang out, etc. It's all a lot of fun and totally worth it.

There are a great number of self taught flyers out there. Some of them are even good. I know one man who never used an instructor a simulator or even a "how to" guide and he is a terrific flyer. For every one of him there are 100 with Monokote bags full of balsa shrapnel thrown in a corner of their basement never to move again. Don't get me wrong maybe you are one of the lucky gifted few who do this successfully and inexpensively and maybe not. If you are going to do this alone use that sim until you have flying inverted and flying towards you down to an instinct. One wrong move at low altitude by reverse controlling and you have re-kitted your airplane. One of the members here has a tag line I love. "While inverted, down is up and up is expensive." We are not trying to wet your charcoal here. Our desire as fellow modelers and flyers is to see you succeed. If indeed you are AOK on your own an instructor will turn you loose quickly.

Anyway we all know free advice is worth every penny you pay for it. Enjoy the hobby however you choose to enter it.
Best of success.

Cheers

Gord

hz super cubs are cheaper than sims and they work way better

I second psb667. I started with a 3 channel super cub, it's a great plane to learn with. The best part is a repair kit is available at pretty much any office supply store (clear packaging tape). When i first got into the hobby, I started with the 3 ch SC then moved onto a $100 POS elec 4 ch corsair from ebay. The corsair taught me to use the ailerons the right way without forgetting the plane had a rudder (common mistake). After beating the crap out of those to planes, I moved up to nitro power/balsa construction. I used the alpha 40 RTF to learn with. There are huge differances moving into a larger scale nitro plane. After that, I was comfortable with almost any sport plane and warbirds. Bips still scare me a bit though (snap too darn fast). Take your time and enjoy yourself. You seem pretty certain about teaching yourself, so I would definatly reccomend buying a cheap foam electric plane just to get your crashes over with.

take all the gizmos off don't need them.like the rest said get a instructor at the local club.here in australia it is illegal to fly at a park or oval. (person in sydney new south wales is doing 10 years for manslaughter for killing a person with a r/c plane). was a accident but the law is the law. plus no liability insurance. plus if want to learn on your own it is alot harder and take a garbage bag with you for all of the broken parts. better off and alot safer to find a club jion and get a instructor

So I looked up the AMA local club when I first joined the site. There are a mass of forums here to say the least. Can someone give me a link to where I need to go to look the local club up again. I looked over the AMA website itself from the AMA forum sticky but still didn't see it. I'll probably call the guy I know who is the head of the local club here and see if I can get stuff rolling. I'm guessing they will be flying in december/Jan it will be pretty cold. Also can someone give me the background on the AMA. It seems as if I'm not a member of this mystical orginization then I'll have to go play by myself. Who made them the boss etc, is the sorta vibe I'm getting from reading this. Not to diss or say bad things about them, It seems like they do provide good services. I'm just wondering why things are the way they are.

Its really mostly a insurance thing you cant drive a car most places without insurance. well slinging a 8.5oz chunk of metal around requires insurance to. the field i fly at dosnt require it because state parks here cover emergency services in the park.

So I tried to contact the local club here.. I have yet to get a responce by email or phone. The only others close are about 45 miles away. Do most people drive that to a field? What should I do in my situation..

Edit: Also question on AMA insurance. I thought this was only good at AMA certified fields or whatever?Is that not correct? If Ijoin the AMA and fly in randomguy01's backyard are they going to cover me whenI crash into his car? I can see how it would be very useful if you live in the city where there is a field certified or whatever if that is the case. But it's harder to justify if they only cover certain flying spots because I'm not close to any of them it seems.

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http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx

AMA is a good thing. They help clubs get started, people get started, etc. Most clubs won't let you fly without the AMA insurance. Planes get out of control and there have been countless times here where they ended up out of site and on people's property. If something happens, it's nice to know you were responsible and shouldn't have much to worry about.

Yeah, I used the club search and the next closest is like 45 or so miles. Do most people have to drive that distance to a field to fly?

I am a begginer also and have joined a club/ fly with the buddy cord and I must say I am glad I did.
I have a lt 40 trainer plane that must be one of the slowest and most forgiving plane for a begginer if the rates of the surfaces are reduced. (yes raduced rates even on a trainer)

I put 20-30 hours on the sim before flying on the buddy cord and when I took the controls for the first time myself thought "how hard can this be to do basic flight". (Iam quite confident at most things I do and generally pick things up quick.)

The answer is not very if the plane is set up right and 3 mistakes high, its very easy to get over confident.

BUT then you get low to try land and it all changes, easy to get in a position where you should not be and there is no time to think, push the stick left or right to raise that wing? no air speed so you stall! dead stick when taking off! running out of fuel!

Also will add taking off is not what you expect/easy for the first few times asthere is more factors than you think happening all at once. In fact my plane that I built with almost anal attention to detail and trimmed by eyeto perfection on the ground took off and flew almost straightup on take off by an experienced pilot and also rolled a bit, watching it Iknow that I would not have saved/trimmed it as it was a hand full.

I have only flew about 20 times on the buddy box in a month and I think I could have crashed about 1-2 times already without help.

Good on you for looking for a club, someone will take you under their wing and you will belearning take offs and landings in a afew weeks if you put the effort in.

You will most likely be in this hobby alot longer if you get help.

Enjoy the hobby its very addictive.

My club is about a half hour drive, and I think it's considered pretty close to most, but not all. I have friends in other states that drive 45 miles.

I keep a folding chair in the car and bring a cooler. There's almost always someone else there, if not a few people. I've become friends with these guys (it's a club!) and look forward to seeing whoever shows up, playing with the dogs, etc.

On weekends there are canopies, 20-40 airplanes, barbecues, etc.

A flight takes roughly 10 minutes, and with glow fuel or the proper electric setup you can get quite a few flights in one day. Space them out, tweak your plane, see what the other guys are doing and flying...

One thing I'll suggest is a checklist. 45 minutes isn't that bad, but it is when you've got to the field and forgot your ______ .

In a nutshell, AMA is an organization started by modelers who wanted to get together to promote the hobby. They do that by helping clubs and fields get started, insuring the hobby, lobbying and advocating for the hobby, and regulating the hobby to keep things safe and organized. Truth be told, 90% of the dedicated flying fields in the US would have never been built without the AMA's help, and many would have closed by now had it not been for the AMA's continued help. So yes, if you're not an AMA member, you are cutting yourself off from the vast majority of resources available in the hobby.

I have been already doing that with RF5. I also was practicing the many hazzad thing it can do randomly. I was able to land the planes all but the time the radio range thing kicked in. I really just didn't know what to do and the plane flew until it finally touched down on the ground and just ran out of sight. I've been flying with about 7-10mph randomly on different flights. That way it's not always "the same" type of deal. ALSO good news is that the local club guy finally emailed me back and it looks like their having a meeting tonight. So I'll be going to that and joining. Ialso joined the AMA (which of course this local club requires) so I should be ready to go once xmas gets here.