Can Of Worms
 

OK this will really open a can of worms


WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHANCES ARE OF SOMEONE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RC EXPERIENCE AT ALL EITHER WITH A FLIGHT SIM OR INSTRUCTOR LEARNING TO FLY RC (either fixed wing or helis)

And on top of that have ZERO,NONE,NADA one crash.

Can Of Worms
 

Speak better english, I'm having a hard time understanding what youre asking... :confused:

If the question is "do you think its possible to learn RC without an instructor or flight sim training?" Then I would say maybe. Depends on the person... I've seen "nintendo" kids solo on their third flight with the instructor. On the other hand, It I'm a slow learner, and took me a full year to solo.... My dad is taking a very long time to solo as well...

If the question is: "Do you think its possible to learn RC with an instructor if you have no airplane experience?" Then I say Absolutely! You will just need a little ground instruction before you get in the air. ;)

Is this what you meant to ask?

Can Of Worms
 

ZERO,NONE,NADA for helicopters.
I've seen it happen once with a fixed-wing. :)

Can Of Worms
 

I've heard about moving mountains,also on this very forum I've heard people tell stranger tales.So if you can believe one then?????

Can Of Worms
 

Like Coulter said, I think it is possible. However, doing it without a single crash- I would say nearly impossible, especially if you are doing it alone w/o the aid of an instructor. Good luck either way.

Can Of Worms
 

When I learned to fly there where no instructors or SIMs. My R/C started in 1953 with equipment I built in an electronics class. The radio equipment then was so poor back then that you didn't know if the crash was radio related or pilot error. I managed to learn but it took many crashes/repairs and several planes.

Having said that I will say that it is possible by why? You will break up your plane as sure as the sun rises in the east if you go alone.

I agree with vinnie about helicopters a school is only a few hours away from me I am still reluctant to try them (I have only one eye and worry about depth perception).

Can Of Worms
 

den1tjb,

Comment on your signature: Landings are optional......


A long, long time ago in a land far away...(England to be precise)

I flew with an instructor who insisted on flying so high that the plane was just a spec, the plane flew into the sun never to be seen again......as far as I know it might still be going...

Funny thing at the time was, the whole club was staring up at the sky for what must've been about 10 mins or so, as if the plane would somehow just materialize.......

Question
 

Dean

What I ment to ask was exactly what I asked. Do you think somone can fly a fixed wing or a Heli Rc controlled aircraft the first time without crashing. And doing it ALONE with no INSTRUCTOR, or prior help , instructions or anything?

The DiBo :rolleyes:

Can Of Worms
 

Without a crash in what period of time? I don't know anyone that's been in the hobby that hasn't had a mishap. They happen.

It's possible, but I think it takes years of preperation and commitment to learning the hows and whys of aircraft. I did it, and it did take me years to do it. I grew up playing with hand launch gliders, making hundreds of paper airplanes, moving on to little Guillows kits, learning engines with control line, RC basics with cars, and devouring every book I could about aviation and models from age 10 or so on. By the time I was 18 or 19 RC was a natural progression for me, and I successfully taught myself how to fly. I didn't have a crash until 40 or so flights had gone by.

All that said, I think it was foolish and incredibly stupid of me to try it. I didn't know any better, and had no one around to tell me any better. Now with the internet and forums like RCU, there's a bevy of resources for finding help and instruction. Take the advice that's given by people who have been there and done that. Like many things in life, it's much less painful to learn from someone else's experience.

I do think it's quite possible to learn helicopters without an instructor. Not too many buddy box helis, and provided you've got the RC experience and mechanical sense to get the set up right you can do it. Granted, it's a whole lot slower and more expensive than using a sim and getting first hand help.

I get it.
 

Dennis, am I the only one who got it? I think so. :)

Can Of Worms
 

Yes. If it's a perfectly calm day and you've got unlimited room to put it down, and you're flying a motor glider type plane such as a Butterfly. I'm interested in the follow up to this thread...the part where you say "well I did it"...because if you did, it will make for some interesting reading, and a lot of new pilots wanting to know your story! It's becomming increasingly popular for new guys to go it alone with coro planes...but they smack em up along the way too!

Can Of Worms
 

I have learned in this world that ANYTHING is possible. So I would not say with absolute certainty that it is impossible for someone to complete a flight, from takeoff to the pattern to landing, alone and unassisted with no prior experience. I mean, people actually win the lottery too. But, that is highly unlikely.

Then again, your post said nothing about landing, only flying. Kinda like a few guys did back in 2001, all they needed to know how to do was FLY THE JUMBO, NOT LAND IT. So in that light I would say yes, it is a certainty that someone could fly totally alone... until crash time, then they are no longer flying. :eek:

Can Of Worms
 

define "crash"

If you are good, lucky, very careful, and can keep the plane upright and moving forward, all you will be worrying about is some scuffed wings, perhaps a bent/broken landing gear, and a bunch of broken props.

CLARIFICATION
 

I just want to clarify this. I am and instructor. And I, as almost every instructor i know give there time freely so is not a question of trying to drum up business. I had a previous response to a thread I had started that a few individuals said they started to fly with no help at all of any kind both for Fixed wing and for helis. Seems both these individuals fly both. And they never had a crash while they were teaching themselves how to fly. I just want to make sure to the novices out there that flying and RC aircraft is not difficult, either is driving a car, flying a real plane, riding a motorcycle, and anything else.BUT YOU NEED INSTRUCTION before and there is a learning curve which once you achieve it is like riding a bike. But to advocate that you can do it by yourself with no instruction is only guaranteeing crashes for a new comer. And why would you want to when there are many clubs around and people that are more than willing to help you.

The DiBo :drowning:

Can Of Worms
 

Seems you are posting this question over and over. I am pretty sure I answered one an hour ago with a different title. Was the exact same question. Was it you who wrote it?

What I said to that one was I give the plane 8 seconds before it is re-kitted, that is if the guy doesn't cut a finger off trying to start it. If he has no knowledge of flying or setting up the plane, he will crash it bad. Might take a couple more seconds, but not many more.

Can Of Worms
 

Dennis,
I just skimmed over your profile (I apologize for not doing it before my first post), and with that many planes, either you already know your stuff pretty well....or you have a lot of money to unload....but my money would be on the first. however, please correct me if I am wrong.
With that said, was your question out of mere curiosity, or have you seen it happen before? Sorry for the irrelevance, just my own curiosity.
Ty

Can Of Worms
 

I apologize again. I let the computer sit idle too long at work without refreshing and I didn't see your post. Disregard my last post.
I do agree with you that beginners do need some type of instruction. Unless you are one of the very few naturally talented people, you are going to crash and get discouraged learning. It took me about a year to solo with the aid of an instructor, and I still got discouraged many times. If I were going at it alone, I would have most likely put the plane away and never experienced the fun and excitement of building and flying on my own.

Can Of Worms
 

I am an instructor myself, and have plenty of students that I have taught to fly. And I have seen all types of beginning flyers. From those who pick it quickly to those you can't teach if you pound it in their heads with a hammer, and all in between. If the 2 people you are referring to say they taught themselves to fly both planes and heli's without crashing, I'd tell you to climb up on a table or get some tall boots, because it's getting deep (if you know what I mean). And if by some unbelievable stretch they did do it, well I want them picking my lottery numbers (because they are the luckiest two on the face of the earth).

Just my 2 cents worth

LADDER
 

Have been on a 8 ft ladder since I read that.
I just wanted to make sure I was not being to critical
The DiBo :spinnyeye

Can Of Worms
 

I've seen a kid once who took the sticks on a buddy box and it came instantly to him. He took off on his second flight (still on the buddy box) and landed. His 4th flight less than an hour later was his solo. He did it with a second hand Goldberg Falcon 56. Within a week he was combatting with us. We were amazed, and he didn't think it was all that. The only time he crashed was when his old second hand battery pack failed and he had a flyaway. Other than that he never crashed from pilot error, not once. Then he met a girl, left for OTS, and quit the hobby. It's too bad, he could have been one of the best.

Even this kid though, needed training time. Yes...he learned almost instantly, and was a natural...but...he still made initial mistakes on his first training flight that would have put him in the dirt had he not asked for someone to help him the first time.

Can Of Worms
 

To those who say that you "CAN'T" learn to fly R/C without an instructor, that is total bull. I taught myself, and have never been on a buddy box, so dont tell me that it cant be done!

NOW, having said that, let me also say that I would not recommend self teaching to ANYONE who asks me about learning to fly R/C aircraft.
I was lucky and only rekitted two airplanes. Most of my minor crashes happened in very tall grass, so there was minimal damage. Cant remember how many props I broke, and how many times I straightened landing gear. Both of the planes that I totalled were planes that I shouldnt even have been flying as a beginner (contribute that to my hard head). When I finally got smart and bought a trainer, things started going a bit easier. But I still had my fair share of mishaps. I fly full size aircraft for a living, and that doesnt mean a thing when you start trying to fly R/C. The only advantage it gave me was knowing the aerodynamics involved in flight, period!
Unless you have an unlimited amout of money to throw into this hobby, sport, whatever you want to call it, you are much better off to seek out a competent instructor who can help you during your first flights. Even if it takes you two weeks or 6 months to solo, it is better than shelling out the bucks every time you fly because you keep crashing every time you fly. I am now to the point that I fly pretty well. Not nearly as well as I want to, but I keep flying and learning. But looking back on my experience, I would not have done it this way again.

Any one who says that self taught R/C CANT be done is fooling theirself. It is just not the best way to learn.

Can Of Worms
 

pipeline551,
I wasn't saying that it is impossible to learn to fly by yourself. All I was saying that it's really hard to believe that they learned to fly planes AND helis by themselves, WITH NO CRASHES!!!!

I know it's possible, because my dad taught himself to fly. But he also did a lot of repairs and rebuilds on his trainer before he finally got the hang of it.

that is what I was trying to say

Can Of Worms
 

I agree with RCKen. We never said they COULDN'T do it, we just said it was almost impossible to do without crashing once or twice....or maybe 3 dozen times. You even agree with that.

Oh well
 

I guess some only read part of the thread. No where in the original question did it say you could not learn to fly RC by yourself. We all know people that have taught themselves to fly with out and instructor or buddy box. The Question was," what are the chances of doing it without a SINGLE Crash." WHEW

The DiBo :spinnyeye

Can Of Worms
 

DiBo:
1. I did read all the thread. Maybe you didnt read all of mine. I know perfectly well what the "original" question was. I'm not the one who got us off topic here, but felt the need to respond. We got off topic a ways up there. I dont believe for a minute that anyone learns to fly without a SINGLE crash! Lets get real here.

RCKEN, Den1:
I guess I shoud have clarified. I wasnt saying that you guys said it was impossible. If I need to imply that a certain person says something, I will put your name in my post and quote you. BUT, I have heard many many R/C pilots tell newcomers that it IS impossible to learn on your own, and it just isnt true. Now, as far as someone saying they have learned without ever crashing a single aircraft, I dont believe that for a second. And I SURE dont believe that someone learned to fly heli's without cracking one up!