Pointers for New Flight Instructors - 2009/08

THIS ARTICLE IS aimed at new RC
flight instructors or those who are about to
be drafted into flight instruction. You oldtimers
who have been teaching since the
Civil War won’t need this, except perhaps
to compare notes.
Many large clubs have established entire
squadrons of flight instructors and have
their own systems. However, there are a
number of smaller clubs, some of which
have only 10 or 15 members and perhaps
are recently formed. It is those clubs at
which this story is aimed.
In some instances, clubs must drag an
RC pilot, kicking and screaming, to the altar
of RC flight instruction. Teaching RC flight
is a noble cause, the rewards are many, and
it is satisfying to see a student who soloed a
year earlier do well with his or her flying.
For the purposes of this discussion, I will
assume that the new flight instructor has
arrived at a point where he or she can do
basic aerobatics and recover a model from
unusual attitudes. I will also assume that a
“buddy box” will be used and, if possible,
that the student has been using one of those
magnificent flight simulators.
To ease your mind, most of the unusual
attitudes a student gets a model into will
involve overcontrolling the ailerons and
ending up in a spiral toward the ground.
That’s an easy recovery.
It is crucial that the instructor is fully
informed about checking the trainee
airplane’s control functions and engine
functions, such as finding the “sweet spot”
on a glow engine’s needle valve. If flying
electric, the instructor should know how to
check battery-charge status, electrical
wiring, and the myriad of details necessary
for a successful flight.
One thing to keep in mind with an
electric-powered model is how long it will
fly on one charge. Too many of these
airplanes end up out of power and short of
the runway. If necessary, use a kitchen timer
or a stopwatch.
When I was racing sailboats, someone
told me that winning races was 90% details
and only 10% sailing. This applies even
more so to RC flying.
The ideal demeanor for an instructor is
calm. He or she should be able to recover a
model, coolly return it to a safe altitude, and
continue with the instruction. No kicking,
cussing, or screaming is allowed. Yes, point
out the mistakes, but also explain why they
were made.
When the students do something right,
compliment them. They feel stupid
sometimes, and it is up to the instructor to
keep their enthusiasm up.
Explain to the newcomers what you
count on them to learn or do during a
session, so that they have a handle on your
expectations. Everything is new to them, so
take the time to help them understand even
the most rudimentary tasks. Describe how
the ailerons bank the model and that the
elevators do most of the turning. Some basic
aerodynamics knowledge is needed.
The instructors should let students go
home at the end of the day feeling good
about themselves, in spite of the mistakes
they might have made. Remember that they
Fly in a manner that ensures
the return of the aircraft intact.
2. Know the airplane.
Regardless of model design, its
setup should be “trainerlike.”
3. Know the student. Every
beginner’s unique ability is a
training tool.
4. Teach preflight habits.
Knowing the conditions are
better than assuming what
they are.
5. Fly regardless of the breeze.
Windy-condition flight training
means being able to fly more
often.
6. Keep a positive attitude. The
student will beg for the next
lesson when it’s fun.
7. Frequent flying encourages
learning. Long periods between
training days can’t enforce good
lessons.
8. Encourage practice on the
flight simulator. Using this Ten Tips
for Instructors
Teaching CL is more of a “hands-on” experience. A
dual-handle setup will help the beginner understand
how to feel the model’s needs more quickly.
Practice helicopter training from a safe distance away from the model. A trainee
should be able to hover it from any attitude before learning forward flight.
tool, a student can practice
coordination and procedures
anytime.
9. Always use a buddy box.
This device is the instructor’s
best friend—especially when
learning landings.
10. Learning to fly is a fun
experience. Break up the turn
practice routine with a loop
now and then. MA
—MA Staff
learn from making mistakes. Instructors
can go home and do what they need to do
to relax.
For heaven’s sake, don’t let beginners
build up a phobia about the wind. Say,
“Let’s go up and play in the wind.” Too
many experienced pilots won’t fly if the
wind exceeds 5 mph, and that’s not good.
Following is the routine I use for
instructing new pilots. In comparing
notes with other clubs, I have learned
that it is common practice with
instructors.
Step One is to get the model to
altitude. Once there, the only thing you
want the student to do is make a left-turn
circle. You want him or her to be able to
make those turns without losing or
gaining altitude and, most important,
without letting the wind carry the model
off.
Keeping the flying close allows you
and the pupil to see the airplane better
and teaches him or her to fly the model
and not let the model fly him or her.
Maintain an altitude that will allow you,
as the teacher, to recover the aircraft if
you see it diving for the ground.
Each student will learn at his or her
own rate. Some become skilled in a
matter of days, and some require months.
If you notice that you have a slower
learner, team him or her with one or two
48 MODEL AVIATION
more instructors, for the benefit of
additional points of view and rest from
teaching.
Step two is the dreaded “right turn.”
This is bound to bring on a bout of knees
knocking and the possibility that
everything will fall apart. This is where
the student will need your patience the
most.
To break up the routine, sometimes I
will either do snaps or rolls in the middle
of all this. But if you think the beginner is
up to it, let him or her do a loop or two.
But stick with the basic discipline and
keep the pupil’s nose to the grindstone.
Step three is the figure eight. By this
time, I hope that the novice has almost or
has mastered the basic left and right turns.
For this stage of learning, you need an
object on the ground to use for the center
of the figure eight. Choose something
more permanent than a cow, since it will
move. A building, a tree, or a telephone
pole will do; even where you’re standing
on the flightline is a good reference point.
Since this part ties into the next, it is
important that the student has learned to
make turns smoothly, neither gaining nor
losing much altitude, and can compensate
for wind drift.
Step four involves landing approaches.
If you have a genius on your hands, you
may have let him or her try takeoffs by
this point. But right now, let’s concentrate
on establishing good habits for landings.
Many instructors have found that
teaching a student to take off with a
model can offer delusions of grandeur.
The urge to fly doesn’t always meet an
instructor’s teaching schedule. Then the
student might think, “I know how to take
off; maybe I’ll go out for a quick flight
and hope for the best on the landing part.”
The best doesn’t always happen.
Teaching the landing first reduces the risk
of a solo disaster.
Good landing habits involve a
downwind pattern that is parallel to the
runway and not too high, not too far out,
and with a base leg that is close enough to
keep a good visual on the model, instead
of way out. A landing should also include
a final approach during which the throttle
is used to control the rate of descent onto
the runway. Teaching good power
management is important for good
landings, and power should be backed off
beginning on the downwind leg.
It is wise to keep an aircraft higher for
initial practice of landing approaches and
lower as you feel that the beginner is
building confidence. However, at this
point the pupil should be performing only
approaches—not landings—until he or
she is ready. That will depend on the
person’s ability.
One thing you want to pound (not
kick) into a student’s head is to do a goaround
if the model is lined up improperly
for landing. Many trainees panic when
this happens, and instead of going around,
they end up stuffing their airplanes.
Teach good go-around habits. A good
lineup with the runway and power
management are the keys.
Step five is takeoffs. If your student
hasn’t already done some after all this,
they should be a snap. At this point, the
beginner’s confidence is growing and he
or she should be ready for this maneuver.
The only trick is that some trainers
have marginal power to begin with. The
student will need to ease off of the
elevator as soon as the model breaks
ground, to build flying speed and obtain
adequate airflow over the ailerons.
So, cadet instructors, that’s it! There’s
the basic left turn, then the right, and then
mixing them with the figure eight. Last is
setting up for landing approaches and
takeoffs.
Many younger pilots take to RC flying
like ducks to water, but some of us
duffers must struggle somewhat longer.
I’ve had students who have soloed in a
couple of days and, as I mentioned, others
take months.
However, be assured that you will gain
a sense of satisfaction in seeing your
student’s model take to the air in this
wonderful sport of RC flying. And you
might find that it improves your flying
abilities. MA
Bob Wilson
[email protected]