Mode Survey - Results

[Plummet]

North and South 'ampton?

 

What an interesting name, amp-ton.  I think this calls for another survey about if there is a surplus of electric flyers in the 'amp-tons.

 

I know,

 

Shutup Plummet

[Myron Beaumont]

Just to throw in another wobbly (as is my wont) I wonder if being left or right - handed is a factor worth consideration . Not sure about modes 3 & 4 but are they  mirror images so to speak of modes 1 & 2 ?    I suppose real (full size) pilots who are left handed hold the joystick with their left hand

[Kelly]

When I first started out in the 1970's, no formal local club existed ,just a group of people who gathered together to fly,no formal instruction or certification then.

 

No such thing as a buddy box was used. If you had not flown before one of the more experienced flyers would get your model in the air, trim it  take it up very high then hand you back the Tx and leave you to fly, the same would land it for you if you asked (or shouted in panic).

 

My first flight with an  rudder only R/C model was on my own .

 

In the 70's you had no choice but to build your model,no ARTF in those days.

 

This is why I class myself as self tought  because I had no formal training. 

I am also self tought the second time around ( 30+ years later)  and fly on my own.

 

Interesting survey.

 

Mode 2 rules .

 

Kelvin

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Now now Kelvin - Timbo will tell me off if there is any partisanship!

 

You certainly sound self taught to me Kelvin. But I do think Timbo might have a point with some flyers. Suppose someone goes along and has 2-3 flights with a mate to show them the basics. Then they went on to learn on their own. But even those couple of informal lessons may well have heavily influenced their choice of modes. So were they "self-taught"? Mmmm, tricky one!

 

BEB

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother on 02/02/2010 23:33:23

[Tim Mackey]

Sorry but that doesnt class as self taught to me. I decided one day passing the model shop in Cheltenham to buy a model aeroplane - the shop sold me what I needed which included an early Futaba mode 1 tx and I went home and built it entirely myself using nothing but the instructions - I knew no-one who flew model aeroplanes. I had seen modles flying in the sky not far from my home so drove over to the field one Sunday.

I had almost the exact same "training" - a guy who had been flying a long time, checked out my  "Cotswold Square One" and flew it off the deck, 3 accidents high he hands me the box and wrestles it back off me a few seconds later. Same thing is repeated a couple more times, then he wanders off to have a fag. I run out of fuel, and shout at him - he casually wanders back and takes the sticks when the model is about 15 seconds from death, and "lands" it.

I refuel, he makes me take off - which is a scary sight, and then talks me through a landing which results in a broken model.

I go home, repair the model, and ring him up later in the week - he is not available, so being young and reckless, off I go to the field on my tod. I take off, wander about for about 2 or 3 minutes reasonably well, until inevitably fly her too far away, and eventually  recover the bits from the industrial estate yard some 3/4 mile away.

Rebuild again ( yes we did know build / repair almost anything in the good ol' days ) and more erratic solo attempts with more repairing inbetween.

6 months later, after banter and advice etc from other flyers I am on my 3rd model  ( a Wot 4 ) and pass my A test.

About another 2 or 3 months and the B is mine.

I am NOT self taught.

[Kelly]

Does it really matter (bored)

[Tim Mackey]

Of course it doesnt really matter - in fact I suggested as such on the original idea, but BEB took the time and trouble to compile the data, and then the question on what was really classed as self taught was raised, as this was part of the data.

BEB suggested that some folks who claimed to be self taught may not really be so, and this led to someone asking for the definition of self taught / versus instruction.

You then went to the trouble of explaining your definition - I merely retorted.

[Kelly]

We agree to differ then

[Tim Mackey]

I can agree to that

[Malcolm Fisher]

I consider myself to be really "self taught".

 

My first radio was single channel installed in a Boddington "Apprentice" built purely as a slope soarer without the optional power pod.

 

I didn't do well with this and built a modified KK Chief increasing the size of the rudder tab to make a useful rudder. With this, I eventually learned to fly and land more than once per outing. Later, I obtained two channel gear, built another Chief this time incorporating an elevator and made much more progress. All the time I was flying alone - initially because the "Minimac" outfit suffered interference if anyone else was around with radio control.

 

Later still I had to learn to fly power as I was the only one in the club I joined at that time who had any R/C experience. Other members asked me to test fly their creations and, as these were power models I had to buy one for myself and learn to fly that - mostly flying the tank out and landing "dead stick" as that was what I always did with my gliders some of which had power assist.

 

BTW, I am now living and flying on "borrowed time" as I have passed the allotted "three score years and ten".

 

Malcolm

 

[Kelly]

I am, according to this threads definition "self tought"  when it comes to flying my paramotor

 

Waldo Pepper of the Yorkshire skys .

 

Kelvin

[Chris Curry]

You may find that the mode 1/2 bias is age dependent.  I think the younger guy's will go for mode 2 as it's easier to get hold of.

[John Rowlands-Jones]

Hi Forum,

 

Sorry this is late but all of us at Abergavenny & District Model Flying Club use Mode 1

 

Regards,

Groundfly.

[John Rowlands-Jones]

Hi Forum,

 

Sorry this is late but all of us at Abergavenny & District Model Flying Club use Mode 1

 

Regards,

Groundfly.

[Mike Rondel]

Have left it deliberately late to provide input as I wanted to see the comments that would appear.   It would be interesting to make comparisons amongst the serious competition fliers, specifically aerobatics - F3A and IMAC - to note if the type of flying will have influenced the choice of mode.   And additionally, if there was a significant difference amongst, say scale competition fliers.   Were there any regular competition fliers amongst those who responded to the survey?

You could go on forever, however the national average result did not surprise me.

Mike R

[nasa_steve]

now timbo i would say that you were self taught the guy who helped you clearly did not instruct you.

 

to instruct by definition;   .to furnish with orders or directions; direct; order; command:

 

which from what you've said the guy took off and left you to your own devices so by definition he did not instruct as such. so i would in that case say you were self taught

steve

[Tim Mackey]

Ah well, its just my modesty Steve...something I am well known for

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Hi Steve,

 

generally I would agree with you. Reading Timbo's description I would have usually said he was "self taught". But....in the context of this survey it was probably appropritate for him to describe himself as "instructed". This is because, if you think about it, even a very few "lessons" would interfere with the mode choice as its almost the first thing you do. This would then prevent it from being truely random, influencing it one way or the other. The fact that Timbo hales from the West Midlands, which is an area in which Mode 1 is popular, and he does indeed fly mode 1 would tend to bear this out. Not conclusive of course - but consistent.

 

The original reason for asking the question was to see if there was any evidence that totally self-taught fliers exhibited a random mode distribution, or if there was indeed any evidence of a "natural" mode amongst them. Either of these could be concluded from the evidence we have gathered. For this to work it really should have been made clearer by me at the outset that any instruction - no matter how little - would mean you would have to go into the "instructed" camp.

 

BEB

[Tim Mackey]

Timbo lived in the West Midlands for approx 10 years, but hales from - and like an elephant - returned to and now lives again in Llandudno! 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Hey, we are talking about you Timbo - not to you

 

It may have only been 10 years - but were they not "formative" in terms of your flying? Mmmm, methinks so!

 

BEB

[Tim Mackey]

Oh yes, very much so - its where I "learned" R/C ,  at the WMAC.

Just wanted to clarify my birthplace

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Posts in Welsh language removed. Sorry folks, as we've said before - use English please. No exceptions. 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Sorry

 

BEB

 

PS I know it doesn't matter - but just for the record neither Martin's or my posts were in anyway rude or insulting - humourous yes, but pleasantly humourous 

 

But I understand the ruling David - fair enough.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Thanks for acting on my request - even if you didn't understand it (mind you - neither did I really...courtesy of http://www.translation-guide.com/free_online_translators.php?from=English&to=Welsh )

 

Must admit I expected the response from Timbo!

[Tim Mackey]

Sorry lads.... I no speakie the lingo - I have only just worked out what ARAF means on the road ( slow )