Born to Fly
Jim T. Graham | [email protected]
From beginners to pros
In June I was at the 2009 XFC (Extreme Flight Championships), surrounded by the world's greatest pilots. This contest is hosted each year at the AMA International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana, on roughly 1,000 acres of perfect flying fields.
After spending days watching the best model airplane and helicopter pilots in the world, it's easy to forget that all of those people had to start in the hobby as beginners, as does everyone else. I found that many of the well-known competition pilots can't put their fingers on their first flying experiences.
I was in the RCGroups.com golf cart, traveling to Site 4 to see the open fly with Jim Bourke—who owns RCGroups.com, Flying Giants, CrackRoll.com, and RCCars.com, and is the head honcho of Knife Edge Software, which makes the RealFlight G4.5 software—and his fiancée, Annette. Jim is literally surrounded by all things RC all the time. Annette is new to the world of RC but has shown an interest in learning to fly.
At the site, we found Michael Ramsey, editor of MA, who was helping newcomers fly a trainer on a buddy box. Annette decided to give it a try. While the AMA staff members were prepping the official trainer, Michael got Annette ready to fly the pattern.
Watching Annette immediately threw me back to my own first RC flight: the moment at which I first put fingers to sticks and actually controlled an RC airplane. I realized that I was at an event that was chock-full of great pilots who could provide great instruction for those in our ranks who were just starting.
So I went to find some tips for the entry-level RC pilot from the professionals. Following are the top three from each person I interviewed.
Jim Bourke
- Get a simulator.
- RealFlight sessions helped Annette rapidly progress. A simulator lets you train at your own pace, experiment, and practice without the cost of real crashes. I learned most of what I know about aerobatics from a simulator, and I've seen what it can do for a newcomer.
- Get an instructor.
- The best instructor is probably not the flashiest pilot at your local field; he's the low-key person who doesn't need the limelight. He may not know every trick, but he knows how to get you to the point where you are ready to solo. He won't talk your ear off while you're flying or take control just to show off. He also won't hold you back—he'll push you along when you are ready. Fly with many instructors and stick with those who give you what you need; there's something to learn from everyone.
- Get good equipment.
- Beginners are more sensitive to the deficiencies of bad equipment than anyone else. A good instructor will recommend something from experience. I like foamies for learning, and you can't beat the standard .40-size trainer. The [Hobbico] NexSTAR is a good choice; I also like the PTS series from Horizon Hobby. There are many good choices, but I still see people show up with aircraft that are beyond their capacity. Get a plane that helps you learn the fundamentals, and have someone help you set it up so it will fly straight.
- Most people are surprised by how hard it is to learn RC. It's okay if it is hard at first. Give yourself time to learn. Once you can reliably take off, fly, and land, spend most of your time practicing. Focus on putting the plane where you want it at all times. Don't regress to the point where you are just watching the plane—command it.
Bryce Custer (Jim T. Graham's — "Billy Hell" — RC instructor)
- Learn something from each of your flights and from your friends' flights.
- There is valuable information to be gathered and reapplied to later flights whether this is your 10th or your 10,000th flight.
- Altitude and airspeed are a pilot's best friends.
- Make sure you have enough of at least one of them, preferably both, to help you from takeoff to landing. Keep flying the airplane until it comes to a complete stop.
- Relax, have fun, and remember you're not the first to make a mistake.
- If you bust the airplane up, it's a good excuse to go buy a new toy.
Jerry L. Smith (nine-time Fun Fly champion)
- Don't be distracted while flying.
- Never lose eye contact with your plane. Don't try to watch what your buddies are doing; keep your eye on your aircraft. Once you lose eye contact, you can get into trouble.
- Find the type of plane you want to fly.
- It took me two years to figure out what I wanted to fly. Everyone has a preference for a certain look or identity in the airplane they fly. I rely on color schemes to distinguish top from bottom—colors help with correct orientation.
- Keep things simple.
- Keep your setup simplistic and clean so you can track down problems quickly and see an issue before it becomes a bigger problem.
Michael Ramsey (Editor for MA)
- Have a good preflight program.
- I usually do this while cleaning my plane. Check clevises, landing gear, and other wear items.
- Always remember your last command.
- The airplane can look strange in the air and be confusing, but it's easy to remember the last thing you did to it.
- Have fun.
- Flying RC is nothing to get stressed out about. If you feel stressed, take a break—go fishing, enjoy the family, and then come back to it.
Manuel Santos (competitive pilot from Mexico)
- Believe in what you are doing.
- Don't do anything if you don't feel it.
- Respect the airplane.
- The plane always deserves your respect.
- Have fun.
- You will become a great pilot by doing what you love.
Jim T. Graham (Admin Deluxe of RCGroups.com, founder of the Profile Brotherhood, RC event reporter)
- Never give up on an airplane.
- I've been in intense situations where I thought I was going to lose a model, and I always heard my instructor's voice saying, "Fly her 'til she is on the ground." That tip has saved more than a few aircraft. It's also a safety issue—it's your responsibility to do everything you can to land your airplane safely.
- Be safe around your model, even if you exaggerate.
- I started with glow power and have seen people stick their hands through propellers. I overexaggerated moving my hands away from the prop to build muscle memory, which trained me to be safe every time. This applies to electrics as well—respect the model and don't give it a chance to bite you.
- Simulator, simulator, simulator.
- Landing scared me at first. I practiced landings repeatedly on the simulator so that when it came time to do it in real life, my stress level was much lower. A simulator is a great way to try new things before doing them with your real model. It's almost the same cost as a model, but well worth it.
Success! After takeoff, Michael calmly explained the pattern and the points over the runway where Annette could make turns. He flipped the switch, and Annette was in control. After a couple of laps, she had the model under control and a big smile spread across her face. When she got into trouble, Michael would take over long enough to get the airplane straightened out. He remained calm at all times and made it all sound easy.
When Annette landed the model, she jumped in the air in celebration of a successful flight. That excitement is the common denominator for all of us; we simply love to fly RC.
There are many roads to success in RC, but all great pilots have a love for the hobby in common. The preceding tips are good for both newbies and veterans. Take them to heart, learn as much as you can, and make sure you are having a good time. This hobby will pay you back in enjoyment for the rest of your life!
MA
Sources
- RCGroups.com — www.rcgroups.com
- Flying Giants — www.flyinggiants.com
- CrackRoll.com — www.crackroll.com
- Futaba XFC — www.futaba-rc.com/xfc-rc/
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
