by Sid Sideslip » Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:22 am
I first learned to fly rc over 30 years ago on my own, starting with a simple high-wing glider and a bungee cord type "winch" (well, I did until a bloody cow ate it - the elastic that is). I lived on a farm then and had a huge field to fool around on. Then I put a motor on said glider and all went well...until I pulled a too tight inside loop and the wings folded up.
I went on to build a series of biplanes, all running on a .19 Enya glow engine with no throttle...flat out until it ran out of fuel. Hairy stuff, but fun and I was young with quick reflexes then. All two channel radio btw.
I also got right into slope soaring on a beautiful fibreglass sailplane that went like the clappers. I never pranged that once.
Now I'm an old fart and I have found the best way to get back into it properly is to use a high wing trainer (I'm building one, but have been using the club's .60 Boomerang in the meantime) and an instructor with a buddy box radio set up where he can take control if I get into trouble. My main problem though was just getting used to mode I again as, having flown full sized stuff in the meantime, I found the mode 1 layout really weird...lots of practice on an RC flight simulator helped cure that problem (the reason I'm using mode 1 is that all the instructors at my club do, and most of the other members as well...it's the norm in Oz and it does help with landings, as the elevator and ailerons are on different thumbs).
So, my advice would be to join a club if possible and get proper instruction from an accredited rc flight instructor. It really does take away most of the drama and you don't fall into bad habits. Also, he will make you fly proper circuits with real 90 degreei turns at constant height (just like learning to fly the real thing)...which is surprisingly harder to do than just taking off and punching holes in the sky. It's good discipline. It also teaches you how to set up a landing with your plane positioned correctly for a drama free touch down (even in windy conditions)...or decide to go around and try again in good time. At home, get a rc flight simulator and practice every night until you can do those circuits and land every time....without over-controlling, as people tend to do when playing video games.
Learning with a suitable, docile, high-wing trainer and an instructor means that flight stabilisers really are not needed.
Just my 2c. And all the best!!
Last edited by
Sid Sideslip on Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
What goes up...better bloody stay up (until I say otherwise).