RC Model flying from a beginners perspective

Ok not quite a beginner now but close enough to remember what it was like.

This a really fun hobby but make no mistake it is difficult at the start. Don't get put off but try to do it the right way. It will save you money, frustration and make the hobby so much more enjoyable for you!

There are loads of magazines on the market which profess to help you learn to fly. When you open them they are full of tempting adverts for 'easy to fly' wonderful planes or helicopters together with pictures of planes and helicopters doing weird things.

First point; It ain't gonna happen. Yes you will probably do weird and wonderful things with your first plane, or especially helicopter and then you will need a black bin liner to collect the bits.
Second point; If you go to anything but a fully fledged model shop ie a toy shop that sells flying models you will buy a toy that maybe will fly a bit (or probably not). In a model shop the proprietor is probably an experienced flyer who will help and advise you which is worth its weight in gold.
Third point; If you buy a model off the internet having read the stunning reviews remember they have probably been written by somebody who knows how to fly and didn't need the bin liner at the end.
Fourth point; With the best will in the world if you have never flown a model before its a 'black art' especially with the setting up. This is where joining a club helps a lot. After you have built or got your model get an experienced flyer to take it up first time, the chances of getting it down safely are much higher!
How do I know all this, simply because I have done it and paid the price.

So what do you do?

There are really two options, actually not really options. If you can, do them both.

Join a club local to you. DONT BUY ANYTHING just go along see what other people are flying, talk to them and then, and only then, think about buying a plane.

Go to the RCHOTEL Corfu for a week or even a couple (your family will love it as well). Fly their planes on their insurance with their guidance and training. After my first visit to them everything changed for me. I found I could fly reasonably well, albeit in a basic way, almost anything in their fleet. Mind you it also changed what I wanted to do and I ended up doing both planes and helicopters and could at the end of the two weeks hover a helicopter even though I had never flown one before. I was hooked!

Now everybody tries to give advice but they have often forgot what it is like to start from scratch so I thought a few simple facts might help.

Basically planes come in two types 3 or 4 channel. This, in simplistic terms, means without ailerons (3 channel) or with ailerons (4 channel). It is easier to fly a 3 channel plane than a four channel but it is also less responsive which is what you want at the start. A good example is the 'EasyStar' from Multiplex, probably one of the best planes there is to learn with. Its made from a resilient foam which means if you crash, which you will, it can be repaired time and time again. It flys well and it glides.

There are loads of other options but one to think about at the beginning is that generally speaking a high wing plane is stable, a mid wing less so and a low wing, like a fighter difficult for a beginner. At the RCHotel they will let you fly all the types on a buddy box system (dual control like learning to drive a car) which means the experienced instructor can instantly take over when you screw it up, which you will. The RCHotel also runs a Facebook group where there are plenty of friendly people who you can ask questions of. You will get differing opinions but most of these people are either very advanced or have recently started learning like you and I.

You will notice that I have only really mentioned planes. Helicopters are very difficult to master and I strongly recommend you take lessons at your local club if they do it which most don't or better still at the RCHotel where they have a fleet and skilled instructors. In a week of practice with them you should be able to at least hover one and boy is that satisfying. At that point buy one. You will still crash it (I know) but at least not as often!

Now this is meant to be a general blog, added to as time goes on when I will try to cover information from a beginners perspective, planes, helicopters, radios, power systems, building from plans (much much cheaper) and the dreaded technical jargon. Don't expect advanced flying techniques because they simply won't be here.

Last point before somebody asks the obvious question, do I work for the RCHotel the answer is no! I am an 'early retiree' but do their website as webmaster for them because I want to and because I think the place and people are fantastic as does my wife. I recommend it to everybody simply because it is an excellent place to go for the family and certainly for somebody wanting to learn to fly or improve their flying of model planes or helicopters.