goirish

Our club will be having a discussion as to how many flights does a new person get on the club trainer before they get their own equipment. We had a couple of trainees last flying season that flew several flights on the trainer. Do you do an introductory flight to see if they are going to like it.

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

We let them use the club trainer until they are ready to solo, then they have to use their own equipment to solo.

Brad

mclina

We don't have club trainers, but I would probably cut them off when it's time to learn landings. That's when things start to get busted. If the club trainer is in the shop, then nobody can fly it.

rgm762

My Feedback: (4)

our trainer is mainly for introductory flights, and it's just one time, then if they want to learn to fly they have to prvode their own equipment

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

All the way to and including the solo flight. While it hasn't come up, I suppose we'd let someone who'd soloed keep on a while if it wasn't needed for someone else. We have a backup trainer, in case the main one needs repairs.

handyman

My Feedback: (2)

i say if you want to play ball than bring your own, we tryed it once and it didnt work, kind of free fun for some who spent other people money, if you but something its not for you, even used its out there

ceecrb1

Its a toughie..
To me it depends on each case...

Some people might genearly abuse the system ...
Others might genuinely need more leasons, and have little cash.... BUT If i was teaching someone and they had that situation, and after a while arrived with their own TX to use as buddy box.... and were actively buying gear little by litte... maybe their own field box and fuel to start the trainer..... i'd have no problems with their continued use of it.
But yeah, for example a month or till its clear they are wanting to continue in the club and with the hobby.

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Well, back when I wa involved quite a bit at one club, we had 1 club trainer, we designated trainer night as thursday, so people would show up with thier planes to be trained, we always had at least 3 guys on tap that donated thier time, I was one of them, why not I was flying right? Well, we also had 1 trainer, just incase somebody new wanted to try it before commiting to the hobby. Well, we also brought it incase something was wrong with a newbies plane and they couldn't fly. We just pulled it out and let them use that. I learned that we were short handed on planes, so I donated my sig senior, of only 3 months old, it was too pokie for me but perfect for the trainer position. So that's how we did it, as long as you needed training, you could use if needed, but if you had your own, bring it and fly that. We did catch some guy's stop bringing thiers so the could fly the clubs, we did mention in a round about way, they could still fly the club trainer, but still bring thiers because it will be enrolled in the training program while they fly the clubs. They usually flew thier own planes after that because they were too afraid of someone else crashing thier plane?!

ohnoucdat

My Feedback: (16)

We give intro flights, after this if they need plane while they are getting there own equipment,student buy's the fuel and fly's with instructor's. No landings,and no solo's. Now there are special circumstances,such as single parent and so forth, I'll provide fuel from my jug if need be, for these students, provided school grades are kept up, and there is a true interest,and dedication to the sport. Kids first year in club is free also. To those who say bring your own or don't play,that doesn't cut it with me. I can still remember starting out, even though I had my own equipment,I was helped,tuning engines,advice,insturction, and so on,and still remember my first solo,thanks to a great group of guys. So I feel it's nothing more than paying it forward,try it sometime,look at the kid while he's flying the club trainer,watch him after a flight,the smiles are priceless. I keep saying kids,but that goes for old farts like myself if they need it.

timcat26

Our Club has 7 trainers and students get to use them (with an Instructor and Buddy box) as long as they need to for Solo qualification, including use of Club fuel. About half the students use the Club gear, the rest have their own. As an Instructor I prefer to fly the Club planes rather than the students as I don't want to see anything happen to the student's gear during training.

One older gentleman has been a student since April and brings his own plane (he's on his third due to an attempted solo flight and one spectacularly bad landing) and fuel. He's still not quite there to Soloing yet, but I do admire his persistence.

KitBuilder

r

KitBuilder

Our club has a glo trainer though with electric so inexpensive these days for a good three or four channel trainer, not sure why we're not going that route. You can get to the flying part w/out all the glo learning up front.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

When I was in a club we had a club trainer and it was used from start to solo, after solo the student had to get his own plane and gear. When I was teaching I had a trainer someone gave me and used it from start to finish and I would let my students fly the trainer as much as they wanted. Then one day it died and I no longer have a trainer but the student that killed it has one that we use for anyone that wants to learn. I have a new student and he has all his own stuff, plane and gear, this is something new and a pleasant surprise.

oldvet70

My Feedback: (10)

When I was our clubs Chief instructor we had upwards of 3 Club Trainers at any time. We gave intro flights, buddy box flights at public events per AMA rules and instruction thru solo all with the clubs equipment, we never lost a trainer to a student. Once soloed the member had to provide their own plane. Sadly over the last couple years the level of instruction has declined significantly in our club and I don't think there is a flyable club trainer left.

jester_s1

My club has a pretty big training program and we let students fly as much as they want but encourage them to work on getting their own stuff. I've never heard a student be told that there are rules on how much he can use the club plane. The young ones that aren't serious and aren't getting their own stuff just fly racetrack patterns and that's it. We look at it as building goodwill with the community and planting seeds for future hobbyists. On training days, flightline time is given first to those who have their own stuff. Waiting to fly is a good enough motivator for guys who actually plan to fly to get their equipment ready.

horace315

My Feedback: (15)

I have yet to find a club in this area that supplies the equipment, I would say if you want to get into RC buy a cheap but sturdy trainer system and join a club. I have found that about half of the beginners don't stay with this sport and the ones that do about half again only last a year or so. For the more advanced fliers the investment is pretty high compared to a lot of other hobbies, and I think cost has a lot to do with it. When I first got into RC there weren't any clubs but I found a fella that would give lessons 20 an hour in 1975 which was high back then. The clubs here offer free training but you use your own equipment and I think that is how it should be.

ceecrb1

I agree with the last few comments..

Since my move to spain i´ve been involved with 2 clubs.
One was more of a social club for the super-rich who only had turbines and big gassers... They were both very helpfull but annoying as they always complained that my trainer should have god knows what lipo, bec, digi servos etc etc.. not necessary!
The 2nd and current club i´m in has zero official training... its mostly done at a technical aspect of setting up planes and helis.. then maybe a buddy box triming session and then people are left to their own devices..
This doesnt bother me personally as I have flown f3f gliders for a few years and really only bought a trainer to make the transition into glow powered flight. Others however in the club have been flying 2 years and can only tail in hover their helis.. (seems rather dull to me).
We´ve JUST built the runway (club is only 2 years old) so planes are starting to appear..... Mine ARE the biggest and most "serious" planes in the club.. a phoenix dolphin and an GP extra 300sp. Mostly its just funjets and such like.
There is one guy who has a hyperion cap.. but he just flys circuits.... I get more out of my low wing trainer than he does... its mad.
We´ll see how people start asking for training/buddy box leasons...
Maybe i´ll put myself forward as the clubs basic trainer for winged aircraft...

2ndly we´re also completely full up. So we dont have and arnt looking for newbies...

In short.. a club trainer also needs club instructor and a club with the interest in training, and people to train.. and ours.. doesnt have right now. Everyone can solo.. (to the level they want right now)

jester_s1

How does a club get full? Are your facilities too small to accomodate more people?

Insanemoondoggie

Wouldn't it be kind of hard to define a rule to club training, such as how many flights and when they should be buying equipment ? If one has the means to buy their own equipment , I would think they would be buying stuff, after the second or 3rd buddybox flight or at least be looking. If not, tell them you need the trainer for incoming students and they need to start getting their own plane,etc.
I had ayounger , new flyer's, good kid, single parent and money was really tight for them. Heflew my trainer till he solo and I gave him the trainer he soloed on. So I went farther than I normally would have be cause of the circumstance's
I think the best way , is to leave it up to the trainer , he the one that has a better idea of whats going on.
Introductory flights are a good way to raise interest in your club . There have been times we've taken up walk ins and have got new members because of it..

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

There's some clubs up here in CT that are given membership limitations, it's a shame sometimes, you'll find that 1/4 to 1/5 of the members are the old timers that don't really fly anymore, it's just a club hangout for them. You show up and unload and they're already there at 6 am setting up thier lawn chairs under the canopy, and dragging the cooler of budwiser out to sit there and watch all day. I don't really mind, they can drink the beer all they want, they're not flying, but come on?! you gotta tie up a position at the club because you want a place to hang out, BS and drink the bud? it doesn't make sense.

goirish

All I can say is "AMEN"

crustychief

My club has several trainers including a jetmatch turbine. I was going to donate a Raptor .30 but ended up selling it. For us it depends on the student / instructor as to when the trainer sessions end. The club trainers are just that, trainers, not rentals or loaners. Intro flights happen but usually they are used to qualify new people to fly at the club.

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

I had no quam over letting newbies use the trainers, at least I knew they were going to spend less time worrying about crashing thier plane and concentrate on flying.

ceecrb1

sorry.. OT but will quickly answer.

A few reasons..
We decided the 33 people was "enough".
There is very limited parking at the club.
The club is new so we´re trying to stay on the good side of the local council and land owner and not be "noisy neighbours" etc... we´d like to buy the land and that needs a happy land owner and a happy council to make the official change of land usage etc.

bruceal

My club is still pretty new, about two years old. We try to encourage people to visit the field and see what the hobby is about. For this purpose we have about five instructors with the AMA's Intro Pilot Program. We have a dedicated club trainer, and a couple of us have our own trainers with a buddy box. The AMA says that a student pilot can train for sixty days without cost or obligation to the student. However I feel that after a person has a couple of " tries" he or she has a good idea whether or not the hobby is for them. While I think this is a good program, I think the club officers should be able to determine the amount of "free" flying done based on the sincerity of the student.