I always thought I needed a hobby. The girlfriend always told me I needed one. I built static plastics/metals when I was a kid. Now at 25 and a pilot for United Express, I figured - this is right up my alley! Man was I wrong! Flying RC's is TOUGH! I've gone through a couple of RTF's (with an instructor), and I'm beginning my first kit (house of balsa FW190). I just think it's great how easy access it is to get on this site and ask questions - where the people are EXTREMELY helpful.

To all the guys that have answered my silly questions, thanks - I appreciate it. When I'm done with my kit - I'll post pics to all the guys that helped.

Jesse

I whole-heartedly agree! I was a flight instructor for ultralights and I definitely consider it a handicap. Hang in there - with good instructors you'll overcome...

How about checking out Harold Higley's two yellow books, GETTING AIRBORNE I, and AIRBORNE II. The ARF'S publication is also a great reference book. While I was moving from U-Control to RC, felt is was necessary to do a lot of reading before jumping in to my first model. Even though my career as an aircraft mechanic gave me a lot of training, this RC stuff was something different. After reading AIRBORNE I, I closed up the Eagle II kit, and put together a foam Cessna 150 from Hobby Shack(Hobby People now). There was no way that I was going to build a neat model over a few months of construction to have it in pieces within 30 seconds after lift off from the runway. Flying this 2.5 lb .15 powered model was a hand full, but a lot of fun. Moving into a PT-40 for my first big trainer was much easier after having flown the smaller plane. The newbie I am working with right now commented to me when testing his repaired crashed trainer, "Gee, you do not move the control sticks very much". He has since tried to fly his trainer by himself at a Highschool field, and crashed it within the 30 second time period again. It is now repaired again, and he is taxiing it up and down the road by his house. I believe he will try by himself to fly the model again without being on a trainer cord, and repeat his previous crashes.

I suggest you keep getting your models into the air with an instructor as much as possible which will develop you into a first class pilot in no time at all.

Good luck, and HAPPY FLYING!