Is This Common?
 

I built an Eagle 2 with an OS 60 about three years ago. I decided to join the local flying club at the same time to get help in learning to fly it. Before I tackled the Eagle 2 building project I built two rubber powered free flights ( a Cub and a Texan) to polish up on my rusty building skills. After building three planes in a two month period, in what turned out to be a room with not enough ventilation, I developed pulmonary difficulties from CA exposure. More on that later. So I join the club and although the members seem to be fairly nice people and there are at least 3 helpful instructors around most of the time I find the learning curve to be way to shallow and after about six months I hang up the Eagle. I would say 80 percent of the time I would go to the flying field and there was no instructor there, or it was too windy or there were 3 or 4 newbies ahead of me waiting for help. There were times I would go and hang around all day and not fly once. All this time I am feeling crappy because of the CA lung thing, coughing non stop for six months, pulling muscles in my chest. So I gave it up.

Now I am back trying again, this time learning on my own with park flyers. I am starting with a Firebird Outlaw. After two weeks of success with this limited two channeler I am ready for plane no. 2. I decided on a Leonardo three channel set up and look forward to its simple construction (well ventilated this time with as little CA as possible). I look forward to checking back with questions as I take the second step.

Thanks,

Tim

RE: Is This Common?
 

You need to look into differant CA they make some that is odor free , they could help you greatly. Check it out.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCX52&P=7

RE: Is This Common?
 

try oderless CA, if that doesn't help then go to yellow glue,I have all my students call me when they are ready to fly ,I also call them when I'm going to the field to give lessons,also pick one time a week to meet at the field for lessons if weather permits. :D

RE: Is This Common?
 

Agree with Terrell. Our club requires new guys to contact instructors to set up days and times convenient to both. We use to have "trainer nights", but found the lines waiting weren't working, and the instructors were getting burned out. Now that instructors aren't tied to specific days and times, things seem to be working better.

CA allergies are not unheard of, but aren't terribly common either. Go with the yellow glues and epoxies. Skip the CA.
Dennis-

RE: Is This Common?
 

also, when you go to the field to get help, be active, not passive. I see guys come to the field all the time to learn. The ones that just sit and watch get over looked. I would call an instructor, ask if he will work with you, make appt to meet him at the field and work with him.

I was getting pretty burned out, didn't go to the field much, and one day a guy called me and told me he was new, and wanted some help. I agreed to meet him there, and I didn't even take a plane. We just concentrated on getting him up as much as possible. He actually got me to the field more last year than I had been in the 2 previous years put together. He is doing great and I have a new friend to fly with.

Don't sit back and wait for them to come to you. Go to them and get the help you need.

RE: Is This Common?
 

Our club www.114thrcaerosquadron.com has a healthy training program; I am now what the AMA calls an Intro Pilot. That allows me to have students fly on my card for 30 days while they get their AMA in order.
I've seen the following at our field.

1. New students come out and wants to train everyone looks around and says "the instructor is not here" and they go back to what they were doing and forget about the student.

2. Been at the field flying my Laser 2000 and have two or three students show up. I am working my tail off while everyone else is sitting and watching.

3. Had some students that needed more ground time instruction and more intense flight instruction. If it takes more time it takes more time.

The point to all this is "Don’t sit around and wait" jump up and say something. If my club members are sitting around with nothing to do when I am instructing, I give them something to do. Run up motors, check flight controls, go over paperwork, I usually go from pit to pit hook up the buddy box check the system and fly. That’s what our instructors do teach people to Fly not spend all day rebuilding some bodies plane. It’s an assembly line atmosphere and it works. Everybody pulls together and gets things done. Usually students get three flights of over 15 minutes or until they are tired or need to leave.

I guarantee you students learn faster, solo quicker and stay in the club or go to another club when we teach this way.

So hang in there, find a club that is more into teaching and students and not so much into other things. You can tell just go out and watch them fly in the morning or in the afternoon. You will be able to pick out the guys you want to teach.


Good Luck

JDS

RE: Is This Common?
 

First, I'd suggest something other than an Eagle II for 1st plane, especially with a .60 in it. I had two of these on .40's and had mastered take-offs and flying around just fine, but still working on landings. It takes awhile, it did for me anyway. Part way through this I heard of the Lazy Bee. I built one and first time out to the field had a hard time getting anyone to take it up for its first flight (because it was so different from what everyone was used to). A very capable buddy finally took it up for me and handed me the controls after ~1 minute. I landed it about 2 minutes later. I could easily fly solo with the Lazy Bee that day, before I had landed my Eagle II for the first time. My point is, if you train on a Lazy Bee instead of an Eagle you'll be flying solo very quickly and will not have to go through the waiting. After you've mastered the Lazy Bee you can step up to the Eagle.
Another learning tool I highly recommend is a flight sim such as RealFlight. I have every confidence that you could fly solo first time out if you got capable on the sim first. They're very realistic. Especially good when you don't have a local club to support your learning. It really speeds up the learning curve because you can do a little every evening. I wish we had them back when I got into this hobby.

RE: Is This Common?
 

My experience a couple of years back was similar. I started with a Superstar 60, and had problems getting instructor time. I ended up buying a GWS Tiger Moth and flying at the local park for a while then went back to the field with a 3 channel Ripmax Zephyr which I flew myself despite not being certified solo. Later, I went back to the Superstar, and finally soloed on an LT-40.
Be patient, it can take a lot longer than some people would have you believe.....

RE: Is This Common?
 

Are you kidding? The eagle II has to be one of the best trainers there is. What problems were you having landing it? Pull the power out and pull a little elevator and it will almost land itself.

Can't say as I would agree with getting a different plane. I have taught more to fly on the Eagle II than just about any other plane out there.

as for getting help, it is like I said previously. If you show up at the field, and sit back and watch, you are not going to get help. Get active, talk to everyone there, be friendly, and be forward. Ask them to help, don't wait for the offer. If you wait, you will be waiting all day. If you ask, you will probably fly as much as you can handle.

RE: Is This Common?
 

Everything I read before I started said the Eagle 2 was the trainer to get, easy to build for the beginner, forgiving, and yet a great flying model plane. My first RC learning experience may have not been 100% successful, but it had nothing to do the Eagle. Actually I did learn something. I flew the instructors trainers for a while using just ailerons and throttle, and elevator, of course they took off and landed for me. Next when the Eagle was finished I continued with the learning curve, now with my plane. I actually made it to the point where I was able to take off. I really love that plane and it is still hanging up in a closet in like new condition. I will get back to it at some point, no doubt I will have questions about how to start an engine after sitting up for four years.

I just finished the Leonardo today. Instructions are crap, no, instructions are CRAP! Who knows how it will fly. I probably should have bought a Wingo but I hate the way it looks.

Later,

Tim