Some advice please

[lewis jackson]

right im new to model flying. i picked up an ECO 7 jet ranger with many extras off a friend.

 i also fancy getting a fixed wing, not sure on leccy or fuel.

just wanted to know what the rules and regs are on flying. i have heard you can fly electric anywhere?? and i have heard things like needing liscences to fly fuel?

 just wanted to clear this up.

 regards

 lewis

[Tim Mackey]

I take it you have read this?

[lewis jackson]

right i might be being thick.....i dont get it. u cant fly without an 'a' grade!??

[Tim Mackey]

Where does it say that ?

At most / all clubs you need an "A" certifictae ( check BMFA site ) before you can fly SOLO.

[lewis jackson]

oh solo as in your the only person at the field?

and just to clear up, i have been hovering my chopper in the local park, i wont get moved on by the local council will i??

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Lewis

Just depends on the local guidelines there are some parks where you can and some where you can't - just depends on the local authority or town council etc.. I fly my small electric models on an area of 3 football pitches well away from houses (there are no kids play areas) where model flying is permitted.  

As Tim says, the A cert is required by most clubs (who will help you achieve it) as a standard of safe solo flying at the club site. 

[Ultymate]

Lewis do you have any Insurance at all?

[Royden Baker]

Hi Lewis [img s=60¬50]http://www.modelflying.co.uk/members/images/5044/homer.gif[/img]

I don't wish to sound stern, but you are either very rich or very niaive. Even the toys they sell as aircraft these days can be a lethal weapon in the hands of a novice and you do not sound experienced enough to have procurred an insurance policy that covers you for anything up to £5,000,000.00 or joined the BMFA which I believe is the figure that they cover their members for.

Do you not feel that, as a novice, your chopper might decide one day to veer off into someone's face? Can you afford that?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a novice, but I suspect with a litle more experience of life than yourself. Even a novice who has joined BMFA but is flying without supervision I would imagine would be hard pressed to get them to pay for an accident in the local park, but that is only supposition based on the way I would feel if \i was paying!!

Do you have a club near you, the folk there will be invaluable to you. If you are not sure, go on the BMFA (sorry, British Model Flying Association) site where you will find a list of Clubs around the country.

I am sorry if you find this advice disappointing, and I am also sorry if you have read Timbo's very useful introduction for a novice because I have probably repeated lots of things he has printed. I have searched for it to advise you to read it in case you had not, but unfortunately I cannot find it.

[Tim Mackey]

http://www.modelflying.co.uk/forum/forummessages/mps/dt/1/UTN/1201/last/1/V/6/SP/

I already gave him this link earlier in the thread. 

[Peter Miller]

Flying solo doesn't mean being the only one on the field. it means not having someone standing at your side while you fly.

We don't insist on A certificates in our small club but we do watch over novices until we are sure that they are competent.

BMFA insurance is vital and infact  BMFA membership is the only membership fee that we charge plus a small charge to provide each of our five flying site landlords with a bottle of Whisky and a big box of Quality Street every Christmas.

We have a limited membership and everyone has their own frequency with no duplicates so one can fly all afternoon without stopping anyone else from flying.

Eat your hearts out folks!

[Shaun Ellis]

I am a complete novice to R/C flying but have always wanted to have a go.

I really fancy getting into electric heli's rather than FW and would appreciate some advice on where to start.  I have read Timbo's advice - and yes there is a local club, flying site etc., although a good model shop seems hard to find in South Lincolnshire . 

Whilst I do have some flying experience - I have numerous hours on real gliders, some power flying and lots of rear seat heli's (hence the attraction), I have read the online forums extensively and feel that a sim and T/R would be a good way to start in the winter months before purchasing anything potentially expensive for me to crash. 

If 2.4 is the way ahead, can you recommend a good sim to go with say a Spektrum T/R.

Also, I have seen numerous mention of the 'A' Test, what is the format for heli's?

[Tim Mackey]

Cant help much on the heli side of things...my eggbeater experience is limited to 1 hour in a full size, and a twister bell 47 contra rotating jobby.

Most SIMS simply plug into the trainer socket on the transmitter, and whether it is 35 mhz 27 mhz 2.4Ghz or atomic wavelength  double doppler diggerey doo dah frquency matters not one jot.

Good SIM ? aerofly pro deluxe.

Search the forum as this question about which sim to get crops up frequently.

Oh and welcome by the way  

[Howard Tomlin]

I can whole heartdly reccomend the Phoenix Sim, I fly many hours a week on that!

[David Martin 2]

Hi Shaun,

The heli 'A' test is mostly a competence cert for solo flying and consists of the following...

http://www.bmfa.org/achievement/files/Hel-A-Issue5.pdf   (go to page 13 of this document for a summary).

Hi Lewis, my opinion and advice...

Whether you've got BMFA cover or not mate, sooner or later running a 3-4 foot circular saw in a park ain't gonna make you popular. As soon as you take off, 100% of your concentration will be on the model, not the rottweiler just being let off it's lead by the gate.

At least get insurance, have someone with you to act as your eyes and potential medic each session and be at a permissable, safe site, club or otherwise.

Modelling is massive fun and senses of achievement but there has to be a few ground rules sadly due to it's potential dangers.

Good luck.

[Shaun Ellis]

Hi David,

Thanks.  Any advice on suitable book for the novice heli pilot?

  

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Shaun Ellis]

Thanks Eric but I was thinking of something that does not come in installments!

[Royden Baker]

Hi Shaun

Get friendly with the feature writer, or better still, the Editor!!

[David Martin 2]

Hi Shaun,

I would say the ones I have, but they were both written quite a few years ago and don't cover up to date models unfortunately, not one electric model is covered in either.

Things like flying the model are still relevent, but I would recommend a recently published book or type anything you want to know into a search engine, there's usually a site somewhere designated to whatever model type/size you choose containing setups/flying tips/modifications all 100% relevant to just that model.

Other than that, nip down to your local club on a nice Sunday morning and get friendly with someone whos caperble with their electric model, you may want one just like it..! Or, for electric only, your local model shop may have details of pending sports hall meetings in that area where you'll meet no one else other than electric fliers...generally spectators are welcome and you'll probably see a vast range of what's on offer nowadays.

It pays to get the most current models for spares availability and the common ones have masses of spares available for longer. Avoid the 2nd hand model hanging on the shop ceiling, at least until you know whats a bargain instead of someone elses trouble.

Good luck.

[Shaun Ellis]

Royden,

I only have the last 2 editions of RCM&E so have not seen any series on heli flying. 

David,

Many thanks, I shall keep looking and ask the guys at the club. 

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Shaun

We have a beginners heli' coumn running at the moment. It started in the Nov 07 issue although there has been a gap this month, it'll be back in the March issue.