learning without an instructor
 

I think as you have a 600mile trip to the closest club you dont have any other option than to do it on your own.

I would try hard to find out if anybody local has got a plane, help will be invaluble.

Im also a new to flying and there is NO WAY I could land consistenty without crashing (after 2 flights on my friends trainer)

The chances that you will be able to get an out of trim plane up and down are pretty slim. If you do manage it then hats off to you :)

I think the best advice will be to try and read as much as you can on this forum (especially the crash section, then the building section for repair tips)
Fly the simulator, it might not be perfect but its not going to hurt..

If you do find that you keep crashing then you might want to look at the SPAD topic, I think in your case when your pretty much guaranteed to crash you will want the most crash resistant plane you get get.

Post how you get on, should make interesting reading anyway :D

Most of all, GOOD LUCK and have fun :D

learning without an instructor
 

you can do this by yourself !
filter through all the bull and give it a go
step 1 1/2 keep the antenna on your transmitter pointed in the direction the the plane is traveling, ( helps avoid control reversal )
Step 2 throttle back to half or less ( its easier to fix slow crashes and you might keep up with the plane)
Step 3when in doubt throttle off ... land
any good RC simulator will help. but it is different in the air with a plane

even rcpilet had some good thoughts
in a funny way

I have flow for years, Today I had my first flight with an IFO
in my front yard..... what a rush

I still am partial to a good 40 size trainer

ARF or Stick Built

remember your'e doing this for fun

learning without an instructor
 

Troy,
Hopefully you'll be able to discern the great advice you've been given, and ignore the sarcasm and doomsayers.

Please also note that I am someone who religiously recommends an instructor. But, if you can't, you can't. :(

A small, foam park flyer is a fairly good idea. It may save you money in the long run. (I'd suggest a GWS Slow Stick. It can use standard Rx and servos, so there's less long-term cost.)

Foam repairs more easily than balsa, and these things fly much more slowly than 40 size trainers. You get more reaction time.

A Slow Stick costs roughly $35 to $50 complete with motor, so it's not too bad.

The flight sim (especially if it's RealFlight) will help a LOT. Landing often with it WILL help, but is not all that close to real. The biggest aid will be with orientation in the air. AND with "finger memeory" that someone else mentioned.) His was good advice by the way.)

In any case, get to it! (And let us know how it goes please!) :D
Dennis-

learning without an instructor
 

Wow,

After seeing a new post to this thread appear in my unread posts, I was amazed to see that I had originally started this thread around 10 months ago.
Well for those that may be interested to know what ever happens to these newbies who come on and ask questions such as "Can I fly without an instructor?", heres how I went.

After reading as much as I could on this forum about rc flying and practicing taxiing up and down in the yard at work I bit the bullet one day and went out to our remote flying field. I started up my 40 size trainer and took off down the runway and into the air. The plane climbed rather steadily and I must admit I was a bit surprised as I suppose all the commnets I had read such as those from "RCPilet" 2 pages back, had made me think that these things will just dart about uncontrollably in the sky. The plane probably needed trimming but i was that nervous I didnt bother and just flew it at half throttle around in very close circles above me. I actually dropped the throttle to much and came in to land in the grass but I kept it on its feet and it didnt suffer any damage.
Since that day I had flew a couple more times by myself before meeting someone else who flys and was qualified enough to give me some pointers and help me out. Now almost a year later he has left town but the club we started now has 5 members and I am still flying my orignal trainer (although its a bit scarred these days.)

Heres our website.

www.westnet.com.au/htsbme

Regards,

Troy.

learning without an instructor
 

That is pretty cool. Glad to hear you are doing well. I am amazed when I hear of stories of people learning on the sim and then doing it with the real thing. I would have said no way but after seeing a kid do it one day, I was amazed. The sims are a wonderful tool.

learning without an instructor
 

So, I did it again. Got sucked into replying to an ancient post by somebody resurrecting it! :stupid:

Glad to hear it all went well for you Troy!
Dennis-

learning without an instructor
 

If there is no one around and all else fails... I would say invest into the real flight sim for your computer... it will at least get you used to the stick movments... I was flying solo after first day after tons of hrs on the sim trainer... its a great investment and will save you tons of agravation...

learning without an instructor
 

Troy,
Thought your name looked familiar, and locale too. I haven't been on the Universe for awhile, so thought your post was a new one!
Good good good!
It CAN be done, as evidenced by the uh, who was that? Oh yeah- THE WRIGHT BROS.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jetts

I would be interested
 

It would be interesting to see who exactly is so eager to prove you can learn on your own.

I mean, is it a macho thing, or a young thing, is there some commonality.

When I first started (I'm 40 now) I was pretty timid about going out to a club full of guys I didn't know and looking stupid. However, I had a friend a few years back who put together a glow trainer, drooled over it all winter, then the first nice day he took it to the field, the instructor didn't show up, so he started taxiing around until he broke ground.

Ten seconds later, he found the ground again. As far a I know, he never tried again.

So, I think its bad (yes bad) to encourage ANYONE to try flying a glow trainer without an instructor, no matter how much sim time you have.

So, I would be sincerely interested in finding out if the "You can do it yourself" is an "X-games" mentality, or if there is some other commonality.

From what I've seen, it doesn't seem to be age-based, but its hard to really tell from these posts.

Does anyone who did it alone want to provide some demographic data?

Tim

learning without an instructor
 

It is not impossible to fly without an instructor. I learned it all by myself. Had some experience with aerofly simulator but other than that flew by myself. Make sure you know about glow engines and safety. Other than that flying is easy if you have practised on a simulator but I assure you if you go all by yourself without even simulator experience then 99% chance is that youll crash.

Re: I would be interested
 

I'm teaching myself to fly. Due mostly to language barrier. ( Hard to concentrate with someone yelling in German) I practice on sims. I do dry runs ( have my wife hold plane and start to bank or pitch, I then counter with control input.) I bought a small two channel electric to practice orientation and get a feel for watching something in flight, I'm pretty smart about flight characteristics and what keeps an airplane flying.(from flying full scale) so I am trying to set myself up for success. BTW, I'm 26, I'm in the military and we use a method called crawl, walk, run. That's what I'm doing with this. I'm not out to hurt anyone. (I fly at a very remote field) It's kinda like being a pioneer. Someone had to do it. Will I crash, probably. But I think it will promote faster learning. Instead of having someone take control at the Slightest sign of trouble. Maybe I'm just pig headed, but it's the process that makes it exciting. Just my $.02

learning without an instructor
 

[B]

Ghostbear,

If you read my original post on the first page you would know that I did not learn to fly without an instructor by choice. I live in the North west of Australia in a town with a population of only 14000 people. When I started I did not know nor could I find anybody (and believer me i looked by placing ads in the local paper and putting up notices on local notice boards) anybody that could teach me to fly. What was I to do, just forget about the hobby altogether? Luckily there was enough people on this forum that gave me good advice and above all the confidence to know that its not entirely impossible to learn to fly alone. If I had listened to all the "You must fly with an instructor" comments I would probably be posting a message to the rc car forum right now as I wouldn't have learnt to fly.
I have not read one post on this thread that doesn't recommend trying to find an instructor or some other form of help, but they do understand the predicaments that I was in and suggested ways that I may learn to fly without an instructor.
These days if I see a newbie post with the same situation I was in and having no-one to instruct them, I will always make sure I tell them my story and offer encouragement so that they wont give up without even trying.

Troyp
 

I should have left out the editorial comments.

I really wasn't trying to pontificate on the evils of trying to teach yourself to fly (at least not this time). :-)

I really am interested in seeing if there is some sort of profile for the "do it aloner".

I would like to be an instructor (one day), and having taught community college, I've often found my perspective different than many of the instructor pilots who frequent these boards.

So, if there is a type of student more likely to try it alone, that would be a valuable thing to know.

Re: Re: I would be interested
 

Absolutely!

But also, unfortunately, a lot more expensive!

:)

-DC

Profilr/demographic
 

Jettstarblue-Self employed genius visionary, self taught flyer, thrill seeker!

Started in R/C- 15 years ago
42 now

Only two people of maybe 25 people that I couldn't teach to fly.
One was on major medication, the other lost interest before he really started.(my Dad, got into ultralights instead!)

Major Independent.

Couldn't find a club that was willing to teach, or really invite anyone new, only talk down, and be a bunch of good old boy know it alls. -this is wrong, go home and do a minor adjustment. Can't we do it here, it will take two minutes? No, take it home and come back NEXT WEEK! ECT.
Plus we need AMA membership money, club intiation fees, field fees, monthly dues, ect!!!!! Come on.

Married w/four Teen aged children-all girls! They fly on occasion, one since she was 8.
Fly full sized planes, and a major motorcycle fanatic- I own the only known running "Capriolo" Bondone in existance!
Anything else you'd like to know?

Jetts

Not an "X games type"- I can barely walk, thanks to an uninsured drunk driver.

beginner
 

An additional buck two ninety of assistance. The use of a simulator can be a huge advantage. I was short of cash and chose to download the free FMS simulator on the web, and then used a simple joystick for control. You can hook your transmitter to the PC but I did not do that. What a difference that made for me. I also downloaded free software of other flying Spads (cheap plastic planes) from that site and had more models to use on the sim. By the way the idea for a cheap plastic plane took much of the fear out of learning away for me and I progressed quickly in learning to fly. a good on you mate

learning without an instructor
 

I taught myself how to fly off g-2, however, I was always all over the sky and never really learn the discipline part of flying by teaching myself. it took me 3 days of day, and night on g-2 and 20 minutes to land the 1st time. I kept coming in to hot and with a trainer that will never come down at anything hot. in the course of learning I hit a pole, a building (dead stick) there is a easier way g-2 and a instructor....


http://members.cox.net/krayzc/

Re: Troyp
 

I taught myself how to fly alone.

I am brilliant( according to me).

I own an arsonal of weapons (according to Diane Feinstein) , 4000 rounds of ammo and 1 year supply of MRE and drinking water in my basement. I keep hearing voices of God in my head and I like to be alone all the time. I hate everyone!

P.S. I hate ARFs!

:D :D

learning without an instructor
 

What a good post to read. I have spent some time with an instructor and I think it could have been rcpilet, ha ha. I now am trying it on my own and I know it can be done. I just want to be safe about it.

learning without an instructor
 

I taught myself how to fly alone.

I am God (according to many)

I own an arsenal of lightning bolts (one reserved for Feinstein).
I keep hearing voices in my head....of first time fliers without instructors.

P.S I hate last second prayers.

:D :D :D

Re: Re: Troyp
 

My long lost twin, seperated at birth!!!!!!!!! :eek: :D

learning without an instructor
 

GhostBear,

I think the go it aloner is usually someone who does this out of necessity more so than by choice, but not always. Heres my top 5 reasons why people go it alone.

1. They live in an area without any clubs or instructors that can teach them to fly.
2. They have visited a local club and were given the cold shoulder treatment by the "Good ole boys club." (Thanks for that one Jettstarblue).
3. They are a full scale pilot, computer games expert or NASA aeronautical engineer who thinks that RC flying looks easy so they don't need an instructor.
4. They are someone who is to impatient to wait until they can get out to the local club for lessons from an instructor, so decide to fly on their weekend visit to uncle Eds farm out in the country.
5. "My plane didn't do that on the simulator...."

Actually I think I might post a poll in the clubhouse with these reasons and see what sort of answers we get...


Troy.

Triplets?
 

Three,
That makes three.

Jetts

learning without an instructor
 

Try Quadruplets, as long as one of you is 6'6" (2 metres) tall and bald as a cue ball!

Ghost,

I was 38 when I decided to fly RC, didn't like to local club because they sure seemed indifferent to new members, even ridiculing my brother for doing something that made perfect sense and none of them could really explain why it was wrong.

I figured if the firdt guy to do it could do it, I can do. I crashed and destroyed three planes in the learning process and got alot of build time. A clear cut case of perserverance overcoming intelligence...

Ed

OK...I'm not God
 

Sounds like our government...

The so called "instructors" at my field like to have the tag with " Instructor" on their hat but don't want to get up out of their chair or put their beer down long enough to help the newbies. They don't believe in buddy cords or computer radios and they've been flying "30 years". I do what I can to help but they're smarter.I gotta admit, they do fly pretty ovals. :D

P.S. I'm 42 and like whiskey, guns and rc planes....not necessarily in that order. :p