Confidence

Alan B · December 30, 2008

Everybody crashes Stephen, no matter how good you are! Anybody who says they haven't - I would suggest are bending the the real truth!

My cure for loss of confidence, As more or less mentioned above. Go and get yourself something like eg: a Prangster or a RC Factory Flash, Virtually indestructable under normal circumstances. Get your confidence back with something like those models - then move back to your other projects when you are ready.

Al

Stephen Grigg · December 30, 2008

To the flying field today with the Boomerang.On my arrival 1 of the senior members had a bag full of matchsticks!He had lost sight in a cloud and brought it down in such a steep spiral that it wouldnt come out and it was destroyed.I waited until it had brightened up and had 2 flights on buddy,with 1 mishap where I turned to sharply but my instructor was there in an instance and I was able to continue until col d fingers cried enough,super day.

Andy Gates · December 30, 2008

Stephen that is great news.

Well done on getting back into it.

David Ashby - Moderator · December 30, 2008

Well done Stephen

, very pleased to hear that.

Hamish · December 30, 2008

Great to hear that and I can assure you that it will come easier.

Again good luck for Thursday and keep us posted

Christian Hollyer · December 31, 2008

Stephen,

Not sure I can add anymore to that which appears above but I'm a relearner who has had a little trouble getting back into it. However, in the last month or so, it "clicked" and I feel a lot more confident. I have to say a lot of that has been as result of helpful club members. I've crashed but nobody tutted and said anything derogatory; they've all been there. I was previously apprehensive when driving to the site but I now look forward to it. I've still quite a way to go but the actual and cyber clubs are a great help.

Stephen Grigg · January 1, 2009

Another trip to the field today and 2 good flights.I think I learnt something else today.Up to now Ive been flying electric and only recently went I/C.There seems to be so much more to remember.I think that because Im new at this, im having to concentrate so hard On minding the prop that by the time Im at the end of the field for take off my brain needs a rest before the flying bit starts,but of course at this point there isno time to pause, so its finding that pause moment that I need to clear my mind for the reason we are there,to fly.

Keat · January 3, 2009

Stephen.

I'd been getting praise from everyone at the club, on how well I was doing.

My instructor would do the take off and landings, and I was flying solo in between, with him stood beside me just in case, after 1 session on a buddy lead. Everyone remarked, that I must have been doing this in a former life.

Then after half a dozen successful flights, I attempted my first solo take off. To cut a long story short, it went home as a bag of matchwood.

I rebuilt it, and 2 weeks later was back on the field, with no confidence what so ever, I flew it like I had never flown before, all over the sky. I gave in after 2 minutes, I couldn't cope, so my instructor landed it, and I went home.

What with bad weather, and family commitments etc, I didn't get back up to the filed until about 2 weeks ago.

Last week, I performed my very first solo landing. Today, I performed my first solo take off. And trust me... I was bricking it. In fact I made 3 aborted attempts, before I finally got her in the air.

In total I've got no more than about 90 minutes flying time, so from the sounds of it, we are both on the same par. Of course, I'm no where near qualified to give advice, but if I could, I'd say " It's only money".

Good Luck buddy, and stick with it.... what a buzz.

Stephen Grigg · January 3, 2009

Hi keat thanks for that Im sticking to the Buddy and thats a great help,and my instructors and club members give me lots of time and help.I need a plane that takes off in 3feet and flies and lands itself then ill be fine.I think its called aJunior 60.

Keat · January 3, 2009

In my experience, landings up to press have been a breeze.

The first one.. it all happened so quick, I don't notice how I did it. What a buzz though.

The second one was easier, then by about landing 6 or seven, it all seems so natural.

Not sure how i'll cope with side winds and dead sticks, but it all adds to the excitement.

Andy Gates · January 3, 2009

Keat

Dead stick landings are much the same as a normal landing. Keep the nose slightly lower during the circuit to keep the speed up away from the stall, and land in exactly the same way. The only real difference is that you can't open up and go around.

If you fly electric, you can actually practice this and if you make a mess of it you can open up and go around again. It will certainly help your circuit and approach accuracy.

Side winds may not be too big an issue depending on your model and how far across the cross wind is, again practice helps but take it step by step.

Hamish · January 3, 2009

Having fun with my Magnittila today and after last landing decided I was attempting to come in too slowly. Made the approach and slowly came down. It was then too slow and dropped the last couple of feet to the deck with no damage.

Spoke to an experienced flier who confirmed my thoughts and said that I should be flying in under throttle control and flaring at the last moment. Will try this tomorrow. Problem was it was a bit of a wind and it just did not want to come down.

Had it virtually stationary at about thirty feet so had some leeway to pull out. As has been said before what a buzz.

Roll on tomorrow

Keat · January 3, 2009

I love this sport.... much more exciting than football or fishing

Gaz Elliott · January 4, 2009

I stoved in 3 models one after the other 3-4 weeks ago. In fact my boomerang is the Trigger broom (Only fools and horses)of the r/c world. I find it great though when i have repaired it and it still flies??? My hanger is more like a hospital ward than a fleet hanger!!

Work commitments and bad weather have made this last year bit iffy for flying so after the 3 crashes my confidence was as low as a snakes belly. My buddy gave me the lift I needed and got me back in the air . I continue to fly slow and reasonably low . I take off and then continually do low fly bys and touch and goes etc ( As long as no one else flying.) I find this gives me confidence. No point getting to the end of a tank and finding can not land .

I have a jumper which is my model of "No love" . It cost £35 ish and is thrown around /repaired ( infact the complete font end all the way down to the back end of the wing is a rebuild) repairs only cost about £5 and The more repair work i do the better it becomes meaning the better skills for a kit build.

Stick to arft cheap seagull models or the travel air etc for low wing and ALWAYS be prepared to lose/throw away what ever you put in the sky cos gravity has a nasty habit of grabbing models and undignifiably bringing them down. Take off is optional , Landing is mandatory!!!!!!!

Christian Hollyer · January 4, 2009

I thought I'd been doing well this week until yesterday morning...pants. A bit of a crosswind so a challenge. First landing OK but a recurring problem with the nose wheel caused me to run into a tool box and a car with no damage to either (but huge damage to pride; running after the model did not look very dignified, apparently). All other landings useless until I dinged the prop and that was that for the day.

Fixed nose wheel last night (often best not to twiddle with tightening this and that; strip it out, re-run rod and make sure horn screw secure on flat). Off to the field soon but feeling a little wary...

Gaz Elliott · January 4, 2009

I found converting to tail dragger reduced the nose wheel problems. Easy enough to do.

Stephen Grigg · January 4, 2009

Ill see how it goes with the Magnatilla and if its better I could then convert the Boomerang Perhaps.

Andy Gates · January 4, 2009

Best of luck guys.

Stephen Grigg · January 15, 2009

ThanksAndy Im taking things slowly and it seems to be working.I think ive advanced qiute a lot since Easter and what im now flying is a lot faster and its probably that that overtook my ability.

J BENNETT · January 15, 2009

Stephen

Get your self a Flying Wings V Trainer and just keep flying it. They are virtually indestructible, endless fun and help you get the stick time which is essential for basic control to become automatic. Despite their light weight they can be flown in 10 to 12 mph winds and believe it or not are also quite good for slope soaring! Like all physical activites the key to success is practise, practise, practise and more practise.

Good luck, don't give up, just get your self something rugged and practise

Stephen Grigg · January 20, 2009

At the strip today mainly to run in engine and trim Magnatilla by my instructor rady for me to fly next time.Another member thrust a glider controller in my hand and guided me with it.I was surprised at how slow and relaxing it was.So much time to do anything
I loved it and have a Green sleeve Im waiting for a speed controller to arrive for it.so I eagerly await visiting the strip with it.

Stephen Grigg · January 22, 2009

Im taking a Greensleeve to the field today for some stick time today to see if this helps.With I/C I seem to spend forever inpreparation for flight then find my cocentration level quite short and therefore not a lot of flying.

Nick Farrow · January 22, 2009

Hi Stephen,

Only just dropped onto this thread. I was so close to giving up a few years back as I started with balsa electric gliders to teach myself (not near a club). Not a happy time, I know now I had an underpower glider that tip stalled. I really nearly nearly gave up, 2 mins in the air, 2 weeks in the shed, I really thought I would never fly and that it was really beyond my skills. I never got close to really learning what went wrong. Then came along EPP - a multiplex Easy Star - easy and veryyyyyyyy impact resistant and if the worst does happen - its just cyno and 5 mins your back what a revelation. This restored my confidence quite quickly.

Then a GWS formosa low wing fairly fast and aeobatic /(comapred to the EZ*). This really knocked my confidence. Although it was foam (no EPP) on the 4 fus rebuild (now braced with balsa) I was really loosing it again. It was on the 5th flight that I realised I was doing nothing and it twitched around the sky before trashing again. So a better rx, now at least I had control. On the 6th flight I trashed it again, but I nearly had it, I realised that the control throws, whilst set to spec were way much to much for me. So the ailerons were set to 1/4. The 6 th crash was the tail snapping off and main wing beyond the spar and ripping itself out of the fuz. Altought repaired I just sat there looking at it really thinking I would never see this fly at my hands. Anyway after a couple of weeks I went, thinking I had nothing to loose by now the fuz looked slightly out of alignment. I launched it, straight and level up she went exactly where I pointed her got some height and tried inverted and rolls and ...... It was absolutley magic. That was 2 months ago and now aside from wrong Tx program I have not had another crash (a few very close calls) and I absolutely love flying my formosa.

I have learnt so much through both of these in flying and setting up. So the tips I would have are

1) stay with cheap elec foamies, after a crash normally the rx/servos are OK, the battery will probably be OK having ejected through the fuz and the motor will just need a new shaft.

2) Try and get a video of your flights. I wish I had as its such a blur its sometimes hard to work out what went on.

3) Use FMS or the like for your model. Its not the same but close enough to get your skills up.

4) I would recommend the mpx EZ* to anyone. Once you've master this in stock you can add more power (300W is

), add a camera, cut the wings down, add ailerons play, try touch and go'es and just have fun in a way you would not do with any of your other planes.

So stick with it, you will get there and the lessons you learn are valuable (i.e not failures).

nick

Nick Farrow · January 22, 2009