Tom Wright 2 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 The HOBBY ZONE CUB does a good job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klippy Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Hi Jeremy, If you're under 40 you stand some chance of teaching yourself. Otherwise join a club, or if you can, go to a professional teaching institution, you'll yourself many thousands. I wish I had! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Get yourself a simulator and you will "teach" your fingers how to react and its easy to rebuild after a crash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy williams Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Hi, thanks for the advice. Can anybody give me a good recommendation for a good 1st trainer. Also could anybody recommend a good club which is learner friendly, in the vicinity of Harrow, middlesex. I dont mind travelling. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidan mcatamney Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 hi there, i can highly recommend as a very good first trainer the hangar 9 alpha 40 rtf. thats what i bought just shortly before xmas and its fantastic and i really love flying it everytime i take it out. i taught myself to fly multiplex electric models all of ten years ago and thats all ive ever flown up until now that is. i got a really good deal from inwood models on the alpha 40 rtf, half price in fact. i joined a local club here in n.ireland where i live so that i could use there runway for take offs and landings as the field i usually fly from is only good enough for belly landing electric models. this is my first ever nitro plane and ive only had 6 flights with it since the middle of january and i can take off , fly and land perfectly everytime without any problems. this plane comes complete with an evolution engine installed which starts everytime and idles beautifully. the only two things i did change on this engine was to take off the 3 blade prop and replace it with a master airscrew 11x5. i also removed the heavy flywheel on it replacing that with the standard prop driver. i get 8 to 9 mins on every flight and it is so stable and such a joy to fly. the lads at the club i joined thought it was a fantastic plane for the money with all servos installed. you cant go wrong with this plane. im 47 years of age and i would buy another one in a heartbeat if anything happened it. u will love that plane if u decide to get it. it also has a very nice bright orange colour scheme which is so easy to see. the best of luck with whatever u decide to do. aidan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy williams Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Hi Aidan, Many thanks for your fine recommendation. I defo like what I have read on it, and pleasing on the eye as well! Andy, I think I may take you up on that offer...problem is, I would possibly want to stay!! Happy landings chaps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Jeremy, the BMFA have a list of clubs on their website. They're just beta-testing a new map-based display of clubs - see it here, alternatively the old county-based lists are still available here. Edited By Tim Mackey - Administrator on 06/02/2011 21:42:58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon hack Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 how hard is it to find a flying instructor in liskeard cornwall i have spent many hours searching the net with luck ihave sorry had a cessna 177 cardenal from tiger thunder as a crimbo pressi got to eager to get her in the air and ended up crashing it thankfully not to much damage its a lot harder than it looks ,i have now got a radion elec glider its much slower and i find it easer to handle . i would eventualy like to fly nitro would be gratefully for any advice simon h cornwall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Sorry lads - had to get a little barbaric with some of the posts which screwed up the formatting. Hopefully it should now read OK for everyone. Andy Renn said... Hi all, Aiden I think you hit the nail on the head with your last sentence “the best of luck with whatever u decide to do” We all seem to know what we want and with the amount of really good information in this forum the average “U” will know what he wants. As for me, I know what I want and I am enjoying achieving the challenge. In my 3 years of learning to fly I have stuck to electrics mainly because I can go out at first light get my hour of flying in then get on with all the other great things that come with retirement. A week ago I purchased a FMS 1.4 mtr wingspan Cessna 182, this has got to be the best plane I have had to date. All those hours of trying to fly tiny (under 1 Mtr wingspan) planes, picking up the pieces and gluing them back together has been worth it. The Cessna was easy to put together (just as well because the assembly instructions are rubbish) with just a few little niggley things to watch out for, and at $300 approx 150 quid a very worthwhile purchase. I had watched other more experienced pilots tearing up and down our air strip in awe wishing I could do the same, now I can. All those hours of frustration and learning are now paying off with a very capable aircraft, I can take off, do aerobatics, and complete three point landings where I want them, this trainer has given me the satisfaction I have dreamed about, onwards and upwards for me. Jeremy, as for a club in the vicinity of Harrow and the fact that you don’t mind travelling how about our club in Rockingham, Western Australia, only a day each way, you will love the sunshine. LOL Good luck mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Posted by simon hack on 06/02/2011 18:12:48:how hard is it to find a flying instructor in liskeard cornwall i have spent many hours searching the net with luck ihave sorry had a cessna 177 cardenal from tiger thunder as a crimbo pressi got to eager to get her in the air and ended up crashing it thankfully not to much damage its a lot harder than it looks ,i have now got a radion elec glider its much slower and i find it easer to handle . i would eventualy like to fly nitro would be gratefully for any advice simon h cornwall Simon try searching the BMFA clubsite list for a club near you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prop Nut Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I'm sorry to read about some peoples' bad experiences with clubs. I may just be lucky, but my local club could not have been more welcoming to me, as a 50 year-old novice and newcomer. Twelve years on, there is still a strong training scheme and everyone is encouraged to pass the A Cert. I, too, have heard the term 'cliquey', but this is often no more than a group of members with an interest in a particular branch of the hobby, or longer-term members who have years of shared experience. As a regular soldier, I experienced the difficulty of breaking into a new unit, where the old sweats stuck together and were wary of newcomers. The answer seemed to be to keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open, and stick with it until they realised you were going to be a valid member of the unit, when they would quite literally be prepared to lay down their life for you, and you for them. Good advice in most situations, I think. It is possible to learn to fly as a loner, but the difficulties and risks are much greater than having all the accumulated knowledge of club members and instructors to draw on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EZ-Hawk Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 Hi guys, wow what a long lasting thread I am new here and to RC flying but have always wanted to!. I have had no choice but to learn by myself as I live in a very remote place!. However that also means there is no-one else around to laugh heheh!. I have a High wing cheapie cessna jobby which I struggled my first few flights with (before I got a pc sim too!) Then I got a Dynam EZ hawk and I am delighted with it! Its obviously a beginners plane but it is fast, will do a few basic stunts and glides beautifully! It has been perfect for me as I have added the extra channel (rudder) myself so was interesting researching, purchasing and fitting all the bits needed to get it working (which it does a dream!) Where I live there is normally some kind of small breeze and the EZ handles any wind no problem. I actually prefer a bit of wind now to play in!. I would eventually like to move onto some kind of war bird and my ultimate plane is a large Edge 540! (Air race fan!) Anyway on to read some more threads, just thought I would say hi! Cheers............Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carno soarer Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I am sorry to read all about the right and wrong way to fly whether that be club man or go it alone man, When I think of all the enjoyment I have had in teaching my self to fly. The highs, lows, bleeding fingers,belly splitting laughs, day dreams of the perfect fight while doing those um-drum daily tasks I found that I have made very good friends from land owners that I have approached over the years to ask for permit-ion to fly on there ground .I have found myself helping harvest lambing fencing and even driving tractors not to mention the fantastic home cooking I have sampled within the farmers abode ! I'm not saying that you may not experience any of this at a club I guess you may but what I am saying is do what you do for enjoyment don't be so serious if you are in it just to learn to fly then ask yourself what will you do when the day dawns that you know it all or you can go to one person for all the answers! I was once told "If you can't afford to crash it don't fly it"For even the experts crash and if you find yourself in this situation this will then rank you along side them ( EX an unknown factor SPURT a drop of water under pressure)= EXSPURTFor flying is a art and a art worth your learning for men are born so not made so but please remember to get some third party insurance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Swann Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hi Guys I've just started with R/C flying again after 37 years I learned to fly on my own first model was a caprice free flight glider last seen heading north east at an altitude of about 1000 feet and climbing after being launched from a club at Shirebrooke it was then I bought a set of os max digi 4 radio gear first R/c model was a high wing electra then a firefly pylon racer stunter erm wonder if I can still remember how to fly or have I finally lost the plot if there ever was a plot to start with and whats this about having exams and tests all about is this a new compulsory thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hi Brian, no there are no compulsary tests - and certainly no exams! IN fact in R/C nothing - excepy having fun that is - is compulsary. However, there are a few things that are desirable! Some of them very desirable indeed! The first is insurance. Not a requirement under any sort of law but in the age of "Sue, Grabbit & Run" (that well know firm of compensation solicitors!) a highly recommended extra. INsurance is cheap. If you join a club it will be in the club fee. If you "go it alone" its available through BMFA just £31 per year for over £10m in cover. Gotta be worth it! The second is tuition - a bit lower down the desirability scale but good none the less. As this thread testifies you can do it yourself - but you can probably teach yourself fee fall parachauting as well - but I wouldn't recommend it! You notice a lot of changes - many technical ones are for the good. A few social ones are not so good. One of them is the increased pressure on flying sites re noise. Being in club you're represented, on a recognised flying site and you get free tuition on a buddy lead if need be - I'd recommend it. You'll save the membership fee in models in a matter of weeks. Finally, there is an achievement scheme. Maybe not a "must have" but I personally think pretty good. In England the levels are rated A, B and C with A as the basic competance test, B more advanced and C somewhere in the stratosphere as far as most of us mere mortals are concerned! Its totally voluntary but it does give you something to aim at achievement wise. Although some clubs will require that you pass the most basic level of test (ie the A) before you can fly solo. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 07/02/2012 16:50:23: Hi Brian, no there are no compulsary tests - and certainly no exams! IN fact in R/C nothing - excepy having fun that is - is compulsary. However, there are a few things that are desirable! Some of them very desirable indeed! The first is insurance. Not a requirement under any sort of law but in the age of "Sue, Grabbit & Run" (that well know firm of compensation solicitors!) a highly recommended extra. INsurance is cheap. If you join a club it will be in the club fee. If you "go it alone" its available through BMFA just £31 per year for over £10m in cover. Gotta be worth it! BEB, I was pretty sure that the previous goverment had made it compulsory to have insurance if you flew in a' public place or a place where the public might reasonably have access'would love to Know I am wrong, so heres hoping.JamesEdited By Highlander on 07/02/2012 17:26:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 James - you'll be pleased to hear then that you are wrong. Though personally I think you'd be mad to fly without insurance, it isn't a legal requirement. And BEB, the cover is now "up to £25m" - though you're technically right as £25m is certainly "over £10m"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hi Highlander, no as John says there is no government legislation here - and long may it remain so! What you do need to bear in mind is that some clubs, flying on local government (council) land under a lease arrangement, may well have a clause in their lease that requires anyone flying to have insurance. But that is a different matter of course. BEB PS I can't keep up with the increasing insurance - I think I remember it being £100,000 once upon a time - am I imagining that? If so, its scary how times have changed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Now you've got the old grey cells stirring, BEB! I reckon I can remember the magazine ads for insurance cover up to £100,000. That would have been the MAP insurance, before the BMFA/SMAE really "took off" (excuse the pun!) and probably back in the 70s when I was first involved in aeromodelling. The BMFA cover was £5m for quite a while, then went up to £10m either last year or maybe the year before, with the increase to £25m coming in this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclicscooby Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I learnt to fly both Heli and plank on my own, with the help of Reflex XTR sim.. My poor ol' Zoom 400 heli did crash a couple of dozen times, but rather that, than the scale bodied baby I fly now.. Then, cuz Heli training was tense, I decided to play with the planes on XTR, only to get hooked, and here I am today, with 2 Heli's and 7 planks... Only crashed one plane, into a tree, but that was bad visual judgement, not ability.. Never used, or want to use, a buddy lead, and don't want to join a club, as I fly from my garden (On a farm in the country, 7 miles, as the crow flies, from the nearest club) I appreciate i'm VERY lucky flying from home, even having a mown strip, but why not if you can.. Luv Chrisie.. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Posted by John Privett on 07/02/2012 21:01:29: Now you've got the old grey cells stirring, BEB! I reckon I can remember the magazine ads for insurance cover up to £100,000. That would have been the MAP insurance, before the BMFA/SMAE really "took off" (excuse the pun!) and probably back in the 70s when I was first involved in aeromodelling. The BMFA cover was £5m for quite a while, then went up to £10m either last year or maybe the year before, with the increase to £25m coming in this year. That's right - that's how I seem to remember it, as mag adverts and yes it was MAP. Ah, happy days - I could dream all day of the models I'd eventually have and droll over adverts for "full house propo systems", but in reality settled for a rubber powered KK Flying Scale job - if I was lucky! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly boy3 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hi Brian, its like riding a bike, you never forget. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Swann Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hi all , Thanks for all the information I hope your right about the riding a bike bit Fly boy3 lol mind you I've got loads of carrier bags for bringing the bits home in , I remember the MAP insurance if I remember rightly it was £5 per year with £100,000 cover and membership to the plans service you got a book with all the plans available and updates on new ones and it cost £1 plus postage for each plan, Actually still got one or two of them and some plans that you got free with Aeromodeller and rcme of the day we found them when clearing stuff out in an old battered box thats gone round the country with us over the years when we have moved had forgotten what was in it , thats whats started me off wanting to take it up again Cheers all and happy building and flying with luck may get the chance to meet up at some event or other Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Cornell Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Like some others, I've been itching to get back flying again; on another thread, I mentioned that I was lucky enough to get a chance to fly my newly built trainer, all electric, at an airfield local to me, yet my nearest r/c flying club is nearly 35 miles from me! So to help me get back into it I decided to go for an r/c flight sim, it only cost me £20 plus postage and it really is excellent value for money. I would recommend this for anyone as it not only hleps improve your flying experience but it really does cut down dramatically the bumpy landings and near misses! I've got the Reality Craft R Plane Master Plane Flight SImulator, works extremely well on the pc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Turner Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I've just got back into flying after a 15 year lay off and I am re-learning with a parkxone micro mosquito! Yeah its twitchy but if all goes pear shaped I just shut the throttle off and if floats gently to the ground! I have also bought a "proper" brushless powered corsair but I won't fly that until I am proficient with the mosquito! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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