Some advice required please :)

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I think that is a really good options for you Chris. I'm sure you will enjoy it and make loads of new friends that are as nuts about model aeroplanes as we all are! A very good and safe way to learn to fly.

BEB

[Shaun Walsh]

Hi Chris

Sounds like your local club is a good one, enjoy the adventure, I know i am.

What i want to know is why doesn't the trainee transmitter of the buddy box pair come equipped with shammy leather grips to absorb the sweat from your palms?

One of life's great mysteries.

[Dave Hess]

I just restarted flying after a 17 year beak. I wanted an easy to fly plane to try to check that I still had the necessary piloting skills for my other planes. I bought the Carbon Cub S+.

Before flying it, I disabled the GPS and selected expert mode. It took off and tracked perfectly, so I was soon putting it through aerobatic manoeuvres as if I had never stopped flying. I started flying again because a friend wanted to do it, and he's more or less a beginner, so I thought I'd let him try it. Before I handed over the transmitter, I set it to beginner mode. I couldn't believe how easy it was to fly like that. If you let go of the controls, it flies straight and true. When you turn, it stays level whether you use the rudder or ailerons. We tried a take off in beginner mode. You only need to open the throttle and it does everything else itself. It must be the absolute perfect plane for a beginner. It also has intermediate mode, which allows a bit more control movement, but prevents it from going into a spiral dive.

In summary, the three modes mean that you can get as much help as you need or fly it like an expert, so it should be able to take you all the way to a fair level of competence.

I wouldn't use any of the GPS routines. They make it too complicated, and if you don't fully understand them, they'll have the plane spiralling in before you know it, like you can see on the various YouTube videos. It's very simple to disable the GPS, which you do after each time you connect a battery.

[Dave Hess]

There's a really informative review of the Carbon Cub S+ here. It demonstrates the various flying modes that I mentioned above.

[paul devereux]

Hi, welcome.

This is my theory, it is recognised by a large number of model flyers.

Learning to fly a plane is like learning to ride a bike. At first it is impossible, then it is impossible to get it wrong.

Get a three channel plane (rudder, throttle, elevator).Preferably a 3 channel foamie sailplane.

Learn to stooge around in the sky.

Then progress to 4 channels and the warbird you fancied!

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

At what stage is it impossible to get it wrong? I don't think I've ever met someone who is immune to the odd mistake and I certainly haven't reached that point after many years of practice!

While the 3 channel route is probably quite viable for self teaching or slower learners, most pupils on buddy leads can make rapid progress on 4 channel trainers and avoid a conversion phase which may dent their hard earned confidence.

Learning orientation can be done at no risk on a simulator.

It's very much a case of what suits the individual but for the majority of learners, my suggestion would be to learn on a reasonably sized 4 channel trainer with enough mass to help learn some energy management.

Edited By Martin Harris on 14/08/2018 17:15:08

[kc]

I think it's worth saying that you should visit all the clubs in your area to see which suits you best. It's not just flying times or how near to you but what the members are like - some clubs are full of wealthy people anxious to show how much they can squander on their hobby. others are full of DIY types who build their own planes for very little cash. Some clubs have both types and everything in between. What should affect your choice is what the members are like who fly at your times - i.e. weekends or weekdays. And of course if an instructor is available at your flying times. Also if you have already flown then check what the club Mode is because you don't want to change and it's better to fly the same Mode as everyone else.

Finally remember that BMFA fees and club fees normally run January 1st to Dec 31st so joining late in the year is less worthwhile.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

BMFA fees reduce later in the year and some clubs follow suit so this could become a factor...

[Dave Hess]

Posted by paul devereux on 14/08/2018 02:29:54:

Learning to fly a plane is like learning to ride a bike. At first it is impossible, then it is impossible to get it wrong.

It depends which plane you get. Anybody can fly that Carbon Cub above. I'm not exaggerating by saying this:

You can just open the throttle to watch it make a perfect take off with wings level all the time, then you can go and make a cup of tea while it flies around the sky, turning by itself whenever it gets too far away, then you come back and press the land button, and it'll fly back to the strip where it took off and land automatically. Watch the video to see what it does. A blind guy with no hands should be able to fly it as long as he can open the throttle with his mouth and bite on the land button before the battery goes flat.

[Geoff S]

... but why would you? There's zero satisfaction or challenge and, after marvelling at the technology (which is impressive), you'd never fly it again with it switched in.

Geoff

[David Davis]

...and it's the equipment flying the model not you.

[The Wright Stuff]

Posted by Geoff Sleath on 15/08/2018 00:52:29:

... but why would you? There's zero satisfaction or challenge and, after marvelling at the technology (which is impressive), you'd never fly it again with it switched in.

Geoff

I think it's worth considering that attitudes and expectations change with the times, not just the technology.There's no challenge in watching a TV programme, but people get plenty of satisfaction from it.

If someone just wants to watch a model fly, with the opportunity to increase their participation in the flight gradually over time, then fine by me...

[Dave Hess]

Duplicate post

Edited By Dave Hess on 16/08/2018 10:20:35

[Dave Hess]

Posted by Dave Hess on 16/08/2018 10:13:36:

Posted by Geoff Sleath on 15/08/2018 00:52:29:

... but why would you? There's zero satisfaction or challenge and, after marvelling at the technology (which is impressive), you'd never fly it again with it switched in.

Geoff

Because you can learn to fly with it. Surely that's's obvious. It's a beginners trainer plane.

First of all, it will take off for you. Once in the air, you can practice turning. It'll keep its wings level and its nose up while you get used to orientation and steering. Whenever you get into trouble, you can let go of the transmitter, and the plane will return to straight and level. Rate of climb and dive are limited, so everything is nice and gentle while you learn to move it around the sky and eventually point the plane at the landing strip. It's the only plane I have ever flown that I would say that an einexperenced pilot could fly on his/her own.

I used to train newbs to fly with and without buddy boxes. I would take off and put the plane reasonably high and then hand over control. In most cases, the plane was in a spiral dive within seconds. Next, it would start flying out of sight. None of those things can happen with the Carbon Cub.

You can instantly switch between beginner, intermediate and expert mode. In expert mode, it will do low knife-edge and inverted passes over the strip. It'll roll and loop. You can do just about any aerobatic manoeuvre with it, except that it lacks power for outside loops, so tends to roll out unless you dive to gain speed first. It is much more aerobatic than any most rainers that I've tried, and I've tried a lot.

In summary, it's a £230 ready to fly plane that can fly itself or become an aerobatic fun flier. Is there anything else that can do that for the price?