1st US RC Flight School
by Jay Smith
There are numerous ways to bring people into our hobby. An interaction between friends or family, a love of aviation, or encountering someone flying a model might leave us wanting to know more. But no matter how we got started, we needed some type of instruction to allow us to safely pilot our aircraft and learn the basics of flight.
The training we received might have come from the local AMA club or an experienced flier. Or we might be self-taught, using a simulator and stick time on a model. I learned the latter way, starting with a simulator, moving on to small electrics, and pushing forward from there.
I recently found that my flying had hit a brick wall; my skills no longer seemed to be progressing. I found that frustrating, especially since I regularly see some of the best pilots in our hobby put in amazing flights. Lucky for me, I was heading to Dave Scott’s 1st U.S. R/C Flight School in Shawano, Wisconsin, to attend his four-day aerobatics course. The academy also offers a one-week-to-solo course for those who do not know how to fly model aircraft.
I had my first experience with Dave Scott’s training methods when I reviewed Park Flying 1-2-3D. His manual did a great job of illustrating everything from basic flight to aerobatics and 3-D. It uses the crawl-walk-run methodology, with an emphasis on starting slow and breaking maneuvers into steps for easier learning. When Dave writes his books, he envisions the pilot sitting in front of the flight simulator, practicing the maneuver until he or she is comfortable enough to transition to the real thing at the flying field.
After reading this manual, I wondered what it might be like to attend an RC flying school and get hands-on training from an instructor who has trained nearly 1,300 students in 23 years. What could prospective students expect to learn from an accelerated four-day course, with a curriculum tailored around each one’s individual needs? I was about to find out.
I researched the school’s website to prepare for the trip. Shawano is about 33.7 miles northwest of Green Bay. It is a nice, small town of roughly 10,000 people, with a lot of farmland in the outskirts that is perfect for flying models. The fact that the school has its own facilities is a benefit to the student; there are no distractions.
Although the school has its own site, the nearby Shawano RC Flying Club is worth a visit. This friendly group of modelers has a beautiful field. The school’s website provided a list of hotels in town, making it easy to plan the trip. It also featured a handy checklist of what to take.
Day One
I arrived almost an hour before our 9 a.m. start time to walk the field and take a few pictures. I was soon followed by Dave Scott and the other student, Noel Proctor. As Dave unloaded aircraft and began to set up, I learned that Noel was an airline pilot and had attended the 1st U.S. R/C Flight School the previous year. I was curious about his experience and reassured by the fact that he returned, so I asked Noel why he chose to attend.
He told me that throughout his career as a full-scale pilot, he had received formal training—be it to earn his private pilot’s license or to learn to fly commercial jets. Noel felt the same way about flying RC; he wanted accelerated, professional instruction, and he found that with Dave’s school. Noel also realized that after attending, he progressed faster than other club members with more flying time. He decided to return to the school to work on aerobatics and continue to build on what he had learned the first time.
Dave spent the first couple hours going over field orientation and safety. He also discussed the student questionnaire that we had filled out in advance and explained the goals for him and for us for the next four days. The recurring idea throughout ground school was that most fliers think that making corrections is the key to good flying. The best pilots input the correct commands in the first place, thus reducing or eliminating the need for corrections altogether and freeing the pilot to think ahead of the airplane and anticipate the next move.
Next was our orientation/evaluation flight on the school’s Super Stick aircraft. I was selected to start but was quickly given a surprise. Dave asked me to hold the transmitter as if I were flying; I am a thumbs flier, but he asked me to hold the sticks using my thumb and forefinger, which he believes provides greater control. I reluctantly agreed to try it Dave’s way, even after being a thumbs flier for eight years. He let me continue to use my neck strap—something else I have done from Day One of flying.
I was slightly nervous on the first flight; I had to try a new flying style and, on top of that, Dave was evaluating me. Flying was done using the buddy-box system, and he was great about letting us know when we, or he, had the aircraft. I flew a full tank of gas and demonstrated the basics of flight, with basic turns and loops. Dave pointed out that I was making several corrections in my turns to keep them at altitude, which is common with self-taught pilots.
He instructed me to keep turns as simple as possible by providing the aileron input, returning the stick to neutral, inputting up-elevator to bring the aircraft around, and inputting opposite aileron to level the model. Within a few turns, I was making the best and easiest turns ever.
After our flights, we sat down under the covered training area. Dave discussed our flying and reinforced our instruction using a chalkboard and handheld airplanes. We followed this routine after every flight; it allowed us to dissect factors that had an impact on our flying, good and bad. We went on to discuss what new maneuvers we would try and continued to build on those we had successfully demonstrated.
We continued to work on our foundation as we flew sport-aerobatic maneuvers. It was a great first day of school, filled with great weather and a lot of flying. Dave handled all of the models' fueling, starting, cleaning, and assembling/disassembling. It was like having a caddy at the golf course. All Noel and I had to focus on was our flying and having fun.
The amazing thing was how invigorated I felt when we were finished. I had done the most flying ever in one day, yet I wanted to fly some more. I wanted to practice the maneuvers and continue to build on what we learned. Fortunately I brought the new copy of the RealFlight Basic simulator and was able to fly on my laptop in my hotel room.
Day Two
We started again with ground school and reinforcing what Dave told us the first day, such as "Stick your lines," "Minimal inputs," and, my favorite, "Control the aircraft, don't react to it." Noel and I began using effective rudder inputs to counteract not only the wind, but also propwash and P-factor. "P-factor" is the term used for asymmetric propeller loading that causes the model to yaw to the left at high angles of attack.
As he did during the first day of instruction, Dave demonstrated the maneuver a couple times in the air and asked if we had any questions before he turned the transmitter over to us. We began using slight right rudder input in all of our vertical climbs, from loops to hammerheads and beyond.
Throughout each sequence, Dave coached us on ways to perform the maneuvers even better. He focused on refinements and setting up the airplane to transition immediately into another maneuver, if we were comfortable. After the second day, we students had the opportunity to visit Dave's hangar to see his full-scale project: a Pitts biplane. Already 2,500 hours into the project, he spends most evenings working on it; his goal is to get the aircraft flying by midsummer of 2010. He ultimately plans to compete with the Pitts and fly it at air shows.
Day Three
This was when everything came together for me. We had moved from sport aerobatics into intermediate precision flying, and we were piloting a new aircraft: a Yellow Aircraft Edge 540T. We also spent time going over my aircraft: a 3D Hobby Shop 50cc Extra 300 SHP set up with an electric power system, which I had brought to fly.
The morning was filled with discussing model setup and a thorough preflight of my Extra 300. Dave shared some vital tips about setting up models, and the one that stuck with me the most was to set up the airplane for your current skill level. The future is a moot point if you never get there because you damage or crash an airplane that is set up beyond your skill level.
Dave's other point was not to try to solve all your problems with the radio. He is not against flight modes or exponential; his point was that too much programming removes the correlation of control inputs and model response that is so important to precision flying. Keep it simple so you can focus on flying—not which switch to hit every time you set up for a new maneuver.
We continued through intermediate aerobatics, practicing avalanches and Humpty Bumps. I specifically worked on refining both the four-point roll and the slow roll. Noel and I both felt that we had made significant progress throughout the last few days. It was hard for us to believe that we had only one day left.
After we completed that day's training, we headed to the local Shawano RC Flying Club's field. It was an opportunity not only to visit this beautiful flying site, but also to see Dave practice his air-show routine with his Extra 260. The club has a beautiful grass field, with a picturesque backdrop of hills and trees. Members were friendly, and they invited Noel and me to a cookout. The food and fellowship were great ways to wind down while watching Dave put his Extra through its paces.
He is a proficient pilot, and some of the maneuvers in his routine were ones we had been practicing at the school. We benefited from seeing everything we learned, plus a few more tricks, put together to form a choreographed presentation.
Day Four
I arrived at the field early and was surprised to find both Dave and Noel there already. Maybe they felt the same way I did, thinking that this was the last day and wanting to make the most of it. It had been enjoyable the last three days, focusing on becoming a better RC pilot and making a couple new friends.
Our final day left us a choice. We had practiced the majority of maneuvers in both the sport aerobatics and intermediate aerobatics manuals and scratched the surface of advanced aerobatics; we could have further refined what we had learned or worked on more advanced aerobatics. I opted for a little of both.
A nice thing about trying new aerobatic maneuvers or those you are uncomfortable with at the school is that you have a safety net with the trainer (buddy box) system. Then once you have completed the maneuver in training, even if you haven't mastered it, you should feel comfortable trying it on your own, since you know how a model should react.
The second half of the day, we focused on how to transition what we learned to a plan that Noel and I could take home to use to continue to progress and be successful. For me, that came down to the last flight of the day, when I laid it down and put on my own air show.
I asked Dave merely to observe my flying and provide constructive criticism or suggest refinements. To my surprise, he didn't have much to say; I think he was as impressed as I was with my final flight!
Our last day ended with a brief conversation about our flying throughout the last four days, and Noel and I received our certificates showing that we had completed training. Noel shared that he planned to come back next year to work on even more advanced aerobatics.
My eight-hour drive home gave me plenty of time to think about and appreciate what I had accomplished in the last four days. I was able to spend four days immersed in the joys of RC flight during which I, and my flying, was the focus. I put in more flights in those few days than I had in the last several months combined. Most important, I took my flying to the next level. Using the crawl-walk-run format, I strengthened my foundation, learned to fly basic maneuvers using far fewer stick inputs, and progressed my flying beyond the brick wall.
When I made my first flight back home, I had more confidence and flew with more purpose than I had before the school. I wasn't boring holes in the sky; I was flying precision aerobatic sequences and focusing on further refining each segment.
The weekend after returning from flight school, I attended the Fly-for-Tots charity fly-in in North Carolina. I was eager to speak with an accomplished pilot, Seth Arnold, who had also worked with Dave Scott. I shared my experience at the school, and Seth told me that before working with Dave, he had entered IMAC (International Miniature Aerobatic Club) events and finished at or near the top. After receiving coaching and instruction, Seth placed second in his next contest!
I am extremely thankful that I had the opportunity to attend the 1st U.S. R/C Flight School and share the experience with anyone else who has an interest in hands-on instruction. I chose Dave's course because of its location and my familiarity with the teaching methods he used.
We are fortunate to have several RC flight schools for aircraft and helicopters throughout the U.S. A sidebar accompanying this article contains a list of all active schools at the time this article was published. The AMA endorses none of the flight schools listed; it maintains the list for members' benefit.
Jay Smith [email protected]
Sources:
- 1st U.S. R/C Flight School — (715) 524-2985 — www.rcflightschool.com
- 3D Hobby Shop — (830) 990-6978 — www.3dhobbyshop.com
- RealFlight — (800) 637-7660 — www.realflight.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
