I think the getting off the water quick is a good idea, esp with a 3ch on 2 floats, it's just not going to high speed taxi very well, so just get off as quick as possible once you have enough speed to not stall.

Control reversal is a pain, It is probably the single hardest thing to learn in RC flying. A couple of pointers to try that helped me when I was learning solo with a seaplane:

Try not to fly directly towards you, this is when the tendancy to do the wrong thing is the most strong. If you fly in a big oval with you on the long edge, then the plane will always be flying away from you as you initiate a turn. Remember what stick movement got you into the turn, and use the oposite direction to get back out if needed. Since it's a 3ch with dihedral, it should self correct somewhat.

When you are flying towards yourself, or at any time when learning, avoid big control inputs, give a small input, see if it starts turning the way you like, if not, reverse the control. This is not a normal feeling, but it saved me a lot when I was first learning. I learned on alerons, rudder will be slower to respond, so may not work as well. The main thing that kills novice pilots, is they try to get out of a turn with the wrong control, which makes the turn into a dive, and they crash with the stick buried the wrong way. As you learn, you will become much more aware of your plane responding to your inputs.

Fly in dead calm air. That way you won't be seeing gusts as controll inputs, and you won't need as many tiny corrections that you might get wrong. I fly on a lake around a lot of trees and hills, this chops the wind into lots of little bumps, up drafts and down drafts, which makes flying tricky, esp with a slow trainer. I am a much better pilot in dead air, and it makes seeing your plane respond to your inputs much easier. At least around here, Morning and evening are the best times to fly.

Best of luck, and don't stop when you crash, everyone flying RC crashes once in a while, the only ones who never crash have stopped flying.

When you do get the plane up, just try to climb out level for as long as possible before turning around. This will get you several mistakes high. Then do as gentle and shallow a turn as you can. When you get turned around and the plane is heading toward you, remember this if you get in trouble with the bank angle- "Stick towards the low wing!"

Itaught myself to fly with the Super Cub LP, and thePheonix simulator. There isn't another plane I've flown that was easier to fly than the Super Cub. I flew it off the water very early in my "self training" and it was fairly simple to handle.

Once you have it on the water point it in the wind and accelerate quickly, use about half up elevator and you will be in the air. It handles very smoothly in the air you can fly at half throttle. But when you make your approach for landing, it is easier to bring it in under power, don't dead stick it,I have tip stalled 2 times trying to bring it in dead stick and ruined my reciever twice doing so.

Another hint is to place a piece of tape over the vents on the battery door, Iuse duct tape and that keeps the water out.

Good luck andhave fun

Hi ClearedForTheApproach
I hope you have noticed that your post has drawn a lot of attention. This is probably because most people will crash on their maiden flight if they choose to do it without an instructor. You have also received a lot of advice from experienced R/C fliers, including myself. Here is some more advice. I have seen many J3Cub crashes. MANY. Eventually I got one, a Sig kit with a 71" wing span. An old timer in our club built it for me. I was already a very experienced R/C flier. After a few flights with the J3Cub, I too crashed it. It happened on landing. I then recalled that most of the many crashes I had seen with this very same kit, were during the landing. After I repaired it I took it up higher and simulated landing at a safe height. Well, the plane would snap roll during the simulated landing. I tried many things, but eventually I crashed it 2-3 more times and then scrapped it. I then decided to build the same kit, since I just loved that model. During the build process I noticed that the wing had no torsional strength in it. Anything and everything could twist the wing. (I am a retired Mechanical Engineer so problem solving is my bread and butter; I love a problem). In particular, the wing struts could easily put up-wash in the wing tips(more positive angle of attack at the wing tips). I knew then what was causing all of the crashes during the landing. The wing tips would stall with NO WARNING. I therefore adjusted the wing struts to always have some wash-in at the wing tips(some negative angle of attack). I NEVER had one snap roll stall during a landing with that plane. Eventually I totaled that J3Cub when the plastic clevis at the elevator broke. The clevis is the one that came with the kit. I now use only Sullivan steel clevises with a locking clip. Good luck with your maiden, and do write us a report. It can be done without an instructor, but I know I would never have done it myself. I had an instructor for about two lessons and then had to finish it on my own. I believe my trainer plane had close to 50 crashes when I stopped repairing it because it could no longer get off the ground. I hope you will also read my earlier post here.

Hi ClearedForTheApproach
It has been about 5 weeks since your last post. Anything new?

Hi ClearedForTheApproach
I found this very interesting and have wondered why you have not posted further information. I guess I'll just give up.

I think the problem here is Over thinking and over planning.
As I said earlier, I learned to fly by myself. Had I stuck to my plan of High speed taxi runs to “get the feel� of it, I would still be taxiing around.
Fortunately on my first high speed run a guy next to me said, “OK, now give it up elevator.� So I thought, “What the heck� and I did.

If you read my earlier post, I built a plane from a kit and let an “Expert� check out my airplane before I flew it the first time. He crashed it.
The first time I took it out after repairing it, I flew and have been flying ever since.

They respond differently on the ground, or water than in the air. (in fact, I think it’s easier to fly than to taxi) So I say, if you’re going to fly, then FLY. You can get all the advice in the world and read a million books (or the 7 pages in this thread), but until you actually give it up elevator, it will never fly and you will never be a pilot.
The longer you put it off, the harder it will be.

From what I can tell, it has been over a year since this thread started, so that really looks like we are beyond the point of no return, or the Point of no fly anyway.

However one final bit of advice. If you do in fact have a first flight, and if you crash, don’t post the video. All it will do is allow the naysayers a chance to say, “I told you so.� But if it's a successful flight, then be sure and brag about it

If he attempts his first flight and crashes he will simply be a normal human being...bucking the odds..
Been there done that,

Self teaching means crashing, especially without simulator time ..
been there done that..

Love of airplanes means you rebuild and retry..
Been there and done that as well...

Well, it's been over a year since he started this thread.  Whatever was to happen apparently has happened.
I hope he was successful. 

I think he drowned.

I started thinking of this CLASSIC old thread and how we never got pics, video or even a good post out of this grand adventure.. Dangit.. Maybe someone knows him and can fill us in !

Still picking up pieces...an yes its hard to fix servos that are stripped. Or he is blaming the radio. It did the strangest thing..

how big is your pocket book brother???.. get some help!!!...

Sorry, I don't see the relevance.