flying by myself? complete newb.
 

to start.
i have never flown anything. i bought a 5ch cessna (elec) and have worked out "basically"
what the controls do,how to take off and land. i know nearly everyone says to get an instructor
or even a coach but this might not be an option.my question is am i stupid to take it out by myself.
i am pretty aware that it will crash at some stage, and i know it doesnt take much imput on the controls
as i said the "basics". throwing that term around very loosly. i will take it out when there is ZERO
wind and hopefully learn as i go. i know it wont be easy but has anyone got any imput?
maybe someone who has taught themselves? help is appreciated, thanks.
my other questionhttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../sad_smile.gifthe cessna is a 182 rtf, anyway it has flaps and is brushless lipo.
i dont want it for speed but it has a bit of power to get it out of trouble and lands easier with the flaps?
is this true? is it a good plane to learn on?
thanks heaps in advance, sorry for the newbieness.

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

Yes it will crash at some stage, and 99 chances out of 100 you'll crash that airplane the first time you try flying it yourself.

Those are the facts, exaggerated only slightly, like it or not.  Get with someone that knows how to fly an RC airplane.

The power you speak of will only get you into trouble, not out of it.  Everyone climbs the same hill when learning to fly RC - I hope you take some of the advice sure to follow regarding flying with a buddy box initially when you're learning.

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

first get some help to learn your just throwing away your hard earned cash trying to go it alone if you have not flown before, if there is no possability of any help then get a simulator, and practice using that before you take the real thing to the field,there's alot of crashing to be done before the flying begins.

there are several sims that can help with some of the basics of flying a plane,some are very low cost and quite basic, others will run a couple of hundred dollars U.S.
 the intangables are properly trimming the plane for level flight,making sure its balanced correctly, and some basic safety issues that need to be observed.

these are some of the many things that a experienced pilot will know how to check for,that the beginner will have trouble with, by the way just because a Cessna is a trainer in the real world doesn't necessaraly mean its a RC trainer, the concept doesn't always transfer back and forth between the two, the best plane for a first time flyer will have alot of dihedral in the wing so the plane will be stable in the air, planes with strait flat wings are a little more tricky to control, regardless of power.

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

I am also a relative newbie to the hobby, ive only been flying for a year or a little more. I taught myself to fly RC, despite strong recommendations against this by everyone online. It is possible. Thats not to say I recommend it, but it is possible.

One of my uncles gave me an old hangar 9 alpha trainer last summer (glow engine, 4ch, 40 size trainer). Of course, I wanted to fly it. There are a few clubs in my area, and if they had been just a little bit closer I probably would have went to one of them.

But I didnt fly the alpha trainer right away. First, I bought a plane called a Parkzone Ember 2, to practice on. This plane is a tiny 3ch micro size plane that can be had for around $100 RTF. It can be flown indoors, or around your front yard on a (perfectly) calm day, without an instructor. It is nearly indestructable. It is so lightweight, and flys so slow, that it just doesn't take any damage in crashes, even if flown into a wall at full throttle. I used the Ember to learn the basics. Granted, there is a world of difference between the Ember and the Alpha trainer. The Alpha is at least an order of magnitude bigger, faster, and heavier. But you can still learn the basics of RC flight.

The best example of this that I can think of is the reversal of controls when the plane is coming at you. In case you don't know, the rudder/aelierons are "reversed" when the plane is coming toward you. The Ember may be far smaller and slower than the Alpha trainer, but it can still teach you stuff like this. I flew the Ember until this "control reversal" was second nature to me. I am sure this alone saved me a crash or two on the alpha trainer. There are other little things like this that you can learn from flying a small, indestructable plane like the Ember, that will transfer to a larger plane, and probably save you a crash or two on the larger plane.

When I got to the point where I had taken the Ember to its limits, flying loops, limited inverted flight, and spot landings, I decided it was time to try the alpha trainer. But first, I wanted to see what it flew like. So I found a computer simulator, and flew a few flights, and practiced landings. Note that I didn't spend much time doing this. I didn't own the simulator, I just had access to it at school (long story).

Then I prepared the alpha for flight, using the instruction manual and online tutorials to balance it, set the control throws, tune the engine, etc. Then I spent several days practicing taxing it around the yard, which is harder then you might think. In particular, it took a while before I could keep it going in a straight line at high speeds, which is obviously necessary for the takeoff roll.

And then I flew. Man was I nervous that first flight of the alpha trainer, with no one buddy boxing me to take over if I got in trouble. A big glow engine plane, when all I had flown was tiny electrics and a few hours on a simulator. But I managed to not crash. My landings were not very smooth at first, but quickly got better. Speed and energy management was something I had to learn. Unlike the Ember, it is not trivial to get it slowed down for landing. I got a lot of good flights and had a lot of fun with it the rest of the summer. Eventually I broke the front landing gear off in a hard landing, and was never able to repair it well enough to hold up to another landing. I had to fix it after every landing after that, but it was still fun.

I did eventually destroy the plane, but it took a surprisingly long time. Im sure I had at least 20 or 25 flights on it before the fatal crash. The reciever battery died in flight, and it went into a spiral dive. I had charged the battery overnight, but didn't have a voltmeter to check it. It was an ancient battery, at least 5 years old. Actually the whole plane was at least that old. This probably could have been avoided had I been at a club, with an instructor to tell me to get a voltmeter.

Now I have purchased a hangar 9 P51 Mustang PTS MkII, a plane I decided on with the help of people on this forum, to replace my crashed alpha trainer for this summer, and I can't wait. This time, I think I will make the drive to a club, to get an instructor to buddy box me, at least for the maiden flight. Its an expensive plane.

So if you want to know if its possible to teach yourself to fly RC, thats my (sort of) success story. My story may not necessarily be typical however. It is definitely possible to fly a tiny electric like the Ember without an instructor, since it really doesn't matter if you crash it. For a larger, faster plane, like my glow powered alpha trainer, or your big electric cessna 182, its not so easy, but it can be done if you are smart about it.

That said, note that I have been an aviation enthusiast all my life and I am also finishing up a degree in aerospace engineering. So although I hadn't had any experience with RC prior to flying the Ember and Alpha trainer, I did have a very strong understanding of how airplanes fly, which may have helped.

Hope this helps.

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

when i said im sure it will crash i meant more than likely the first run, and</p>

all the other planes in the shop that were "trainers" i didnt like the look of.</p>

the fact it has brushless and lipo is just that the power is there, it doesnt have </p>

all be used. most would be for take offs. the thing is i would probably have to</p>

join a club to find someone right? i dont really want to do that. its easy to say-</p>

find someone its harder to find them. has anyone taught themselves?</p>

i was actually going to take it out today but it was windy.:eek:</p>

cheers  monster. </p>

oh and if i take it out and come back here saying its in bits you get</p>

the i told ya so rights bigtime.</p>

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

lol, I guess you missed my reply. Read my previous reply directly above your reply. Despite the tone of my previous reply, I actually would recommend getting an instructor, I posted my story to illustrate that teaching yourself is possible, but it would still be much less risky to get an instructor.

Good luck!

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

g-day mate
i taught myself to fly :)
i am 16 and started when i was about 10 building and flying bulsa flat wing gliders very simple but they gave me a realy good idea as to how a plane flies , trimming , COG ect ect
when i was 12 i got my first rc plane a very small electric twin engine thing called the {SDM Dragonfly} which is controled by diferent prop speeds on each wing
then i got a 3 channel J3 cub electric still then i took that out and taught myself to fly that one and then i got the Parkzone Typhoon 3D and lurnt to fly that with a small amout of help on my first flight from a guy i met down the park and about 3 years later i got another small 3D plane then a parksone F27-c stryker and then about 6 years from the start i now have me a 60 size katana 3D which i have flown twice and have no troble with it  :)
so im saying it is possible but it is hard and takes a longgg time and a few extra $$$
sims are awesome for lurning get one :)
if you can get help ;)
good luck  and happy  flying

simmo </p>

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

I did teach myself. I started with a FireBird, which is small and light, but very easy to repair and cheap. I crashed it very very very many times. Just replave with anew wing once I was not able to repair it any more and go at it again. If you want to teach yourself i would go with a FireBird, or something to the like of it.

After I was able to go out and fly the FireBird everyday, or close to it, with out crashing and being able to spot land it where I planned on it.I got bored with it and moved up to atrainer glow plane. I should add that I did fly the FireBird for about two years before moving up.

I read many post here on RCU and tried to apply everything to the glow plane trainer. I do not know how many years I haveI had the trainer and how many hoursI had on the trainer before I had my first crash. My first crash was not with the trainer, but was with a war palne after many years of flying.

The point I am making is that yes you can teach yourself how to fly. It may bevery expensive or you make take right off to it and learn tofly. Who really knows without knowing you, but the norm is that trying it alone does not work out because of thecost to fix and/or replace.

If you are going to do it alone just be careful and safe about it. Andas i am sure you already know their is alot more tolearn/know than to juatbe able to fly a RC plane.

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

my post was supose to be in reply to the one above yours but you</p>

beat me to it i guess. this will be my first time flying and the wingspan is 1.2m</p>

so it should be interesting. re reading my posts i think i came across</p>

wrong. i dont just want to get it to fly it fast or do tricks. i have a strange </p>

facination with flight that im sure many of you have,but im sure ill crash regardless.</p>

im just not sure what to do. there is a oval that modellers are permitted to go, near</p>

me .and there is a sign saying "while flying modelers card number must me shown"</p>

fines can apply and there is a dob in number. if i am not being stupid or dangerous with</p>

it surely i cant get fined. it all seems a bit too carried away. thanks.</p>

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

i cant keep up with the posts. anyway the advice is good</p>

keep it coming. heres a pic of the plane i will be starting with.</p>

my hobby shop says parts are easy enough to get i cant wait.</p>

shame the weather looks to be going bad for the next couple of days.</p>

tomorow winds of up to 110kph. more time for procrastinating.lol.</p>

http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/w...n/DSC00272.jpg</p>

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

I hope you can find an instructor. it will save you alot of money and you, anybody or thing will be safe.  If you just cant find one, then  get on a simulator and fly it for at least 2 or 3 weeks until it all becomes second nature, that will help alot.   Just remember that flying a plane is nothing like the simulator, you will just have gotten most of the basic principles out of the way and have them learned.  Forget about the flaps right now. you will be so busy with the other controls that you wont even think or you wont have time to figure out how to use them. Flaps just complicate things for new pilots

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

lol same over here in perth not looking good either :/
nice looking plane by the way ;)
yeah there is a 500$$$ fine if you are flying where your not suposed to be flying but i figer where i fly about 10 other people fly and so far no one has been fined as i know of so i think you will be pretty safe just dont fly if there is sports and stuff on or lots of people arund especialy on your maiden :)

simmo

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

Go back to the hobby store where you bought that good looking
plane. Ask for some help in finding an instructor. A sim will help
also.

If you try it on your own,remember to take trash bag.

Bob

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

what area do you reside in. most clubs here in perth are within about 20 to 30 mins away

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

You have already made up your mind to go it alone, I think you want some one to support your idea...I will...Go ahead and fly by yourself....Never mind that chances are you won't make it to the first turn.....never mind that there are 2 kinds of fliers...those that have been bitten by a prop and those that will.....never mind that the instructor you haven't meet will become a good friend and a source of information....never mind that the club you haven't joined is full a friends you haven't met yet....</p>

I have been to Perth, I found it to be full of the friendliest folks in the world, a beautiful modern city...I bet there are a few clubs in the area with instructors.....stop jipping the club you haven't joined of your friendship and knowledge...</p>

I truely wish you the best of luck......</p>

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

by the sounds of your post you must live near the yokine reserve

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

yeahh there is a few good clubs in perth i fly at waroona but whiteman park looks realy nice just go round and chek them out its worth it ai :)

simmo

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

Monster, I too am a self taught pilot, it is possible. I will suggest though that you do not start with that plane if you're going to go it alone. See if you can find something like a Park Zone Super Cub foamie. It is sold here in the US as a RTF kit, pretty cheap too. About $159.00 with TX and everything. It is light, parts are cheap to repair it, and it comes with anti stall electronics built in (although most people don't like it). </p>

Although it is only a 3 channel plane, it flies pretty stable if there's no wind, and it's not a very fast plane. A much better alternative than the plane you have. I saw your statement about the trainers, and not liking the way they look..........I guarantee you won't like the way that Cessna will look after it munches the ground hard!!!!</p>

Srart off with something geared towards a TOTAL beginner, and your success rate will be higher, and you won't get discouraged. </p>

Now, with all that out of the way, if you do decide to go it alone, some things to remember: 1. Altitude is your friend. If you get in trouble close to the ground, not much you can do but crash. The higher you are, the more time to correct. 2. Don't let the plane get too far away. If it's too far away, it becomes VERY hard to tell which way the plane is going. 3. Don't forget about your throttle. The biggest newbie mistake is to full throttle for takeoff, and forget to throttle back. Very few planes are designed to, or need to fly at full throttle, and the controls are MUCH more sensitive the faster you are going. You will most likely only need about half throttle most of the time once the plane is flying. 4. The most important one..........NEVER, EVER, EVER!!!! Fly over people, cars, buildings, etc. ONLY fly in a completely open space, where there is very little chance of hitting someone or something if/when you crash.</p>

Also remember to check to see that you're not flying on the same channel if there are other pilots flying. If you're using an FM transmitter, and there's someone else flying on your channel, the second you turn on your TX, you will most likely cause the other plane to crash.  </p>

Hope this helps. If you can, find a club/trainer to help, or as someone else suggested, at least a flight sim.</p>

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

if your stuck on training yourself the most proven method is slope soaring gliders.
zagi wing. I have flown 7 hours straight without landing with this thing, there is so much wind were I'm at I had to add 2.5 lbs of balast just to keep in on the hill.
these are nearly indestrucable. with the brushless version Ive thlown it into a chain link fence in a full dive and didn't even break a prop. picked it up and threw it again. Get the glider and some good hiking boots and have a blast chasing it down the hill while you learn, once you do with a good wind you'll stay up for hours

there are a couple problems with these wing for a newb. one you have to learn quick to understand how the thing is going to move becuase control isn't instant, there is no self correcting. Second you'll have to get a computer radio. Yea you can get a 2 channel mixer but the cost of that mixer is almost the cost differance to a low end computer radio.

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

I wouls suggest you get another trainer to start with. That aircraft looks pretty but it is not a "trainer" despite what some may tell you. Speedy72Vega has some good advice. I would heed it if I were you. Good luck and have fun!

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

I'm not the type of person that says, "I told you so." The only reason I posted was to prevent you from destroying an airplane.

I hope you post the results of your first flight. Good luck! And I mean this nicely. </p>

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

Unfortunately most newbies fall into this mistake.

You should never decide against a trainer because of their looks.
They look the way they do for important reasons.

They are designed to help you get through your first flights ( with an instructor ) and have a chance of success.

Don't go it alone. It is well worth the time and effort to join a club and find an instructor...

Even if you have to go way out of your way for your first several sessions, it will pay off for you.

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

RC Clubs in Perth, Australia</p>

This page contains a list of RC Clubs in your area. Contacting them and getting an instructor would be the best way for you to successfully learn to fly. While it's not impossible to learn to fly on your own, it's improbable. It's usually 1 in 1000 that can successfully teach themselves to fly, so are you the 1 or the 999?? And those that do teach themselves to fly don't do it without breaking planes, usually a lot of planes. While most that learn with an instructor have no broken planes while learning (I've been instructing for over 10 years and I've never had a student crash his plane while learning). If you are dead set on learning to fly on your own the best advice I can give is make sure you are not in an area where you can injure somebody or destroy property when you crash. </p>

Ken</p>

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

you mean this [link=http://www.twift.com/RC%20Toys%20&%20Hobby/Cessna%20182%20Skylane%20-%204%20Channel%20RC%20Plane.html]Cessna?[/link]

RE: flying by myself? complete newb.
 

i tought myself to fly on a gws slowstick (ss), it tried a plane similar to the one you have, a gws estarter it was underpowered and faster than the SS</p>

heres the reason i love the ss.</p>

 you can fly it at a jogging pace. this thing gives you plenty of time to react. </p>

its a three channel so theirs less controls to get confused over.</p>

its not expensive (plane is only 21 bucks at tower, ) if you total the airframe its cheap to replace</p>

its durable, dispite its looks, and easy to repair. i have, landed in a tree, hit a chainlink fence, hit mutiple telephone poles (resulting in nose dive crashes from 20 ft high, ect this thing can take a beating and repair's well</p>

</p>

you already have tx, reciever,battery, and possible motor. only need servo's (maybe a motor)</p>

can you show me a pic of your motor and ill tell you if it will work (and prop sizes)</p>

if not their is a simple mod that i can explain/ walk you thouugh on mounting the motor to the plane</p>

i highly recommend this plane. </p>