killakelz44

I am new to this hobby, and wanted to get some help with my new helicopters. I looked around for some rc clubs in my area and found a few. All say that you'll need you AMA license, along with a fee to join their club. Also on their websites they state that they have experienced heli pilots, and they are always at the field. With that said i have been to all of my local rc clubs. All of them are just a bunch of airplane lovers who have no experience in helicopters and are pretty much not interested in my questions. One thing all of them have told me is that they have a few heli guys in the club and they only come to the field on saturday mornings. Ok, so i go to the fields numerous times and not once have i seen a person with a heli or with knowledge of helis. Meanwhile the field officers for these clubs are constantly trying to get me to cut them a check for membership!!!! To hell with these fools! Ive been going with this whole hobby by doing my own research, and trial and error! Im not rich but i have no choice if i choose to indulge myself in this cool hobby. Is there anyone else here that is feeling/felt my pain? Please comment....

jrelkins1

First off you should join the AMA for the insurance alone.  You will find there are lot more airplane guys than helicopter pilots.  But the helicopter guys are growing.  Why not join your local club and start a trend.  Because you decide to fly helicopters does not make the members of your local club "fools".

iRabb

Please forgive my ignorance—what is an AMA license?

Ben

jrelkins1

Try www.ama.com.  Gives you a million dollars of liability insurance if you are flying at a sanctioned field should you hurt someone.  Well worth the $50.

nothinbetr2do

i say to the op, go to the club's and tell them to put you into contact with the heli guys. i'm sure they could give you a phone number or e-mail to them. this way you can talk to just them, and not the plane guys. tell them, if your willing. that you'll get the ama and pay their dues. if they do have heli guys in the club that can teach you. just be honest, nice and don't let them push you around.

Mack66

Sorry to hear you're having a bad experience at the start.

Maybe I got lucky, but once I decided to go to a large helicopter, I knew I would need to join an AMA sanctioned club if for nothing more than safety. I contacted the VP of our local club (North West Radio Control Club here in Houston), and he put me in touch with the most experienced RC helicopter pilot in the club. That guy worked with me and is still working with me as I learn to fly (and fix) my 50 nitro Hirobo Sceadu EVO SWM. In fact he helped me find my (used) helicopter! We have more than a dozen heli pilots out of a total of 70 members here. Fixed and rotary pilots get along very well (although a lot of teasing goes on between us) and we all fly at the same time.

Most important thing to do is to find a mentor at a club. I haven't met a heli pilot yet who isn't happy to help, provided you are willing to put in the effort to learn to fly and to learn to repair.

Don't give up!

Mack

iRabb

There is no web site attached to this link—what do the letters stand for? I'll Google the web site.

Ben

MattE71

The local club air field here has a horrible reputation. Iknow what you mean. One guy I talked to said that he had to get his pilots club licence and it would cost him $700 per year. This guy even agreed to do it. He repeatedly tried passing the flight test and they kept on failing him, even though he could literally fly as well, if not betterthan some of theother club members. Finally he gave up with frustration. Maybe this hobby attracts the arrogant a-ho*les! Life is too short to be a miserable human being! I've decided to buy a T-rex 500 and a Phoenix sim and tough it out on my own. I met a guy in my area that is learning on a Blade 120, we might share experiences. Maybe some of these guys only have RC toys in their life and nothing else.

sportboater

My Feedback: (6)

Academy of Model Aeronautics

K44-You might want to dial it back on the way you approach local clubs.I understand what you are saying, but it is a matter of seeking out a few heli guys on some of the forums (RR, HeliFreak,etc) and arranging to meet with them at a local field. You may have to drive a little bit, but once you get into a loop, you''re problems and frustration will go away.

tomdavid

DocYates

My Feedback: (102)

I believe the website you are looking for is www.modelaircraft.org
That should take you to the Academy of Model Aeronautics.
Good luck.

killakelz44

well getting my ama license was one of the first things i did. i didnt have a problem obtaining one of those because i have a nitro heli and would prob need the insurance anyway. as for starting a trend, i wouldnt mind doing so, but ill be starting something with only the knowledge that i have. i wouldnt want new members coming to the club expecting me to teach them anything because im learning myself. dont get me wrong ill eventually get up to that level with practice, but i need hands on help myself right now from someone experienced in this hobby.

B.T.D.T.

It's kinda cold and with snow on the ground, so finding people at the field is hard. Seaview Rotary Wings is the only all Heli club in Brooklyn. Our web site is currently going thru changes. PM me if your interested.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Thanks BTDT, I was trying to think of the name of that club! My buddy used to live up there and fly there.

Killakelz, when you find the right bunch of guys you will know immediately why it pays to belong to a good club.

drobin

Our local hobby shop has a helicopter night once a week. There are experiences helicopter people there to help you.Maybe contacting your local hobby shop will get you in the right direction.

tdmoss61

Sorry to hear that you feel that way about clubs. I joined my local club abouttwo years ago, and it was the best thing I ever done. I fly planes now, butonly flew helis before I joined, and was required to get my AMA licence and have an instructor sign off on me before I could fly solo with either. Theguys at the club help me with anything I ask, and are happy to do it. They are passionate about flying, and they feel that helping me and/or anyone else that needs it, notonly brings me into the hobby and makes me want to stay, but they will also feel safer sitting there watching me fly, and not having to dodge a30lb plane or heli LOL. I understood that there were only a few heli pilots there when I joined, and that90%of the club only flew planes.If I wanta one on one with a pilot, all I have to do is callhim or talk to him at theclub and make arrangements to meet him there. I know that although these guys love this hobby,they do live normal lives, and only come to the field when they get the chance. That is probably normalwith any club I guess.

My main reason for joining the club was to belong. Aside from the vast amount of experience that surrounds you every time you visit the club, it's the comradary, just sitting andshooting the breeze all day, sometimes not even flying, asking questions allday, participating in club events, picnics, ect, all of which makes this one of the best places in the world to be. Pleasedon't hesitate to join a club. It will be the best move you will ever make. Some people are not so lucky as to have a club toeven join. Get the AMA licence, get in the club, and start enjoying this hobby. You won't regret it. The small amount that you pay in dues is nothing, what you will get in return is priceless. Good luck!

killakelz44

ok not that i can work with, and sounds a bit more practical. But as for my local clubs. stop trying to get me to cut u a check, and u cant gaurantee that ill be getting help from experienced ppl at my disposal. for that matter ill just fly in my backyard. Plus you dont even need to be a member to fly at t these fields. you just need an ama license. they want you to join the membership to help pay for their parties!

jmm6293

I`ve been lucky as far as clubs go,at 42 I was the youngest at my club... by far!!Most of the guys were retired gentlemen,with a few WW2 vets including a french resistance fighter,I would spent most of my time at the club listening to stories instead of flying,had one heli flyer with mad skills who helped me a lot,hopefully there is another club in your area that you can join as there is more to rc flying than just flying