MA welcomes Scott Stoops

As a nearly 28-year member of
the AMA, it was always a goal of
mine to be able to give back to
the hobby by writing for Model Aviation.
With so many respected modelers’
names gracing its pages, I was honored
to accept Editor-in-Chief Jay Smith’s
invitation to write a fl ight training
column.
My name is Scott Stoops and nearly
everything in my life—other than my
wife and three children—revolves
around airplanes. I work as an airline
pilot for a major airline, fl y a full-scale
aerobatic airplane in competition, and
develop model airplanes for 3D Hobby
Shop. I wrote and published an RC fl ight
instruction manual, and have written
more than 100 articles for various RC
magazines.
I still learn something new nearly
every time I fl y full-scale or RC
airplanes. For me, learning is the majority
of the fun that I have in this hobby.
It is my hope that this new “Flight
Training” column offers not only good
information, but is also inspiring and fun.
To get this column rolling in the right
direction, I want to focus on what I
consider an important subject: safety. I’ll
be the fi rst to offer a mea culpa. I’ve nearly killed myself multiple times in airplanes
and injured my hand severely as a result of a model propeller strike. I’ve also scared
myself probably a dozen or more times throughout the years with both models and
full-scale airplanes.
I certainly never intended to put myself into these situations, but I still did.
You see, the problem with gaining experience with airplanes—either full-scale or
model—is that the test often comes fi rst, and the lesson comes second. If you survive
the test, you get to learn the lesson. Fortunately, we can learn from others’ mistakes.
I’ll share one of mine.
My fi rst substantial exposure to the test, followed by lesson paradigm, was
in a full-scale airplane shortly after I got my private pilot’s license. As a wildly
overconfi dent 17-year-old high school senior, I had recently checked out in my fi rst
aerobatic airplane and completed a basic spin and unusual attitude course.
I was scheduled to start learning aerobatics with my instructor, Troy Hozempa, the
next week, but in my youthful state of exuberance I thought I had earned the right
to go and play a little.
Heck, the last pilot had left the parachute in the seat and all I had to do was
strap up and let her rip. I was, after all, a reasonably accomplished RC pilot and
a competent—if green—full-scale pilot. I could certainly get myself through a
Hammerhead, loop, and a roll, right? Wrong.
At the top of my fi rst Hammerhead turn, I inadvertently entered what can only be
described as the worst, three-turn “hammer-spin” imaginable. Good thing I had some
spin training, because without it, I likely would have been a statistic.
Like a dog caught chewing its owner’s shoes, I nursed the Citabria back into the
pattern with my tail between my legs, knowing that I was neither knowledgeable nor
prepared enough to make that jump without instruction. The reality is that no one is.
So what is the takeaway from
this story? For starters, get help and
instruction. If you don’t know the
answer to a question or correct way to
complete a task, never feel embarrassed
to ask for help.
The AMA is arguably the best
resource on the planet for getting
questions answered through
knowledgeable assistance at the fi eld
or in the shop. Use the organizational
structure available to
you to help ensure your
success in this hobby.
There are multiple
other venues for
assistance, including
fl ying buddies, books,
this magazine, and the
RC forums. In today’s
digital age, there really
is no reason to “fl y
blind” when it comes to
information. Heck, shoot me an email,
and I’ll be glad to help where I can.
For me, the other big takeaway from
this story is that as a group, we need to
treat the dangers inherent with operating
airplanes seriously. Overconfi dence in
one’s skills and equipment is dangerous.
That overconfi dence is dangerous
when driving a car, operating power
tools, and most certainly when fl ying
model airplanes. This applies to every
aspect of the hobby, including building
or assembling the model, rigging the
model, fl ight testing, and routinely
operating the model.
Do you ever fl y at a park by yourself
while there are non-hobbyist spectators
present? I certainly have. It is fun to
show off and hear the oohs and aahs,
but without a spotter you’re putting
yourself, your model, and any spectators
at risk should something go wrong.
I recently had a power system failure
fl ying a model at a local school yard
and had to dump the airplane to avoid
striking a group of teens walking through
the area. Without a spotter, I wouldn’t
have known the kids were at risk until it
was too late.
This is just one example where
respecting the risks inherent to the
hobby and actively managing them pays
off. Know your limits, respect the risks,
and actively manage both.
Now that we’re focused on safety
fi rst and foremost, I’d like to hear from
you which skills and/or maneuvers that
you need to work on. I’m happy to take
requests, and I love teaching RC fl ight
skills. With such a wide variety of fl ying
styles, the different maneuvers that you
can master are almost endless.
Please send your comments and
requests to [email protected] and,
as always, remember that learning is fun,
and fun is what this great hobby is all
about!