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Greg Shane is a modelflight reader who runs a model flight
training school in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. Here, Greg tells us about
his school and the methods he uses to train his students.
The
Story of 2nd R/C Flight School
by A. Greg Shane
It all began with
control line model airplanes over 45 years ago, then I bought the first
R/C airplane in 1981, while living in Amarillo, Texas. The "learn to
fly" technology was not as advanced as it is today. The instructor was
passing the transmitter back and forth for learn-to-fly training, and to
make matters worse, it was awful windy in the Texas Panhandle!
The NexSTAR set-up
We are using Polk's Hobby Tracker III transmitter,
Seeker 6 receiver, Hi-tech 325HD BB servos, and OS .46
AX or FX's with O.S. A-3 glow plugs. We currently have
eight identically equipped Nitro and two electric
NexStars in the fleet.
The
Nexstar, with training flaps and droops installed, flies
well at 1/3 throttle or less. We recommend coupling
(mixing) ailerons and rudder, and using aileron
differential to eliminate adverse yaw!
The NexSTAR trainer was featured on the
December 2006 issue of modelflight,
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Retirement came
in 2001, and in January 2003 the decision was made that it was time to
get back into "flying". I joined a local R/C club in North Little Rock,
Arkansas and "learned" all over again from a former customer, who turned
out to be a great instructor! I soloed very quickly because we trained
10 weekdays straight! Thanks to a mild Arkansas winter, I was able to
fly almost every day, for the next 18 months. During that time I trained
and soloed several students.
Several club
members and a local hobby shop encouraged me to start an "R/C Flight
School" in November, 2004, and with their help and support it came to be
in early 2005. The first class was held in May 2005.
The most
effective training methods and aids, in my opinion, have been
incorporated into the flight school. They are:
- David
Scott's One Week to Solo manual;
- Clarence
Ragland's Tactile Technique.
- FMA's
Co-Pilot, not to be confused with the NexStar's OEM
stabilization system and
-
Hobbico's NexStar Trainer.
Here's how the
flight school uses the chosen training aids:
David Scott's One Week to Solo manuals have tremendous diagrams,
so they are used during class to help to place emphasis on positioning
and the student is given evening reading assignments for preparation for
the next days lessons.
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Last month's
postbox carried two very contrasting views regarding
the 'hands-on' and 'buddy box' methods of tuition, and
Roger Stone's comments re American flyers gave rise to
Malcolm Logan pointing out that what Roger may have seen
on the web does not represent what happens on the club
flying fields of the USA, where flying R/C is 'fraught
with rules, regulations, safety officers, field
marshals, fences, enclosures, barriers, no fly zones,
frequency control, radio testing, noise abatement, no
alcohol, insurance, litigation, etc., etc. They don’t
have a BMFA type test system but they do have strong
enforcement of their field and flight rules. Second to
none in my experience of RC flying on 4 continents. And
all or most members participate – it’s dinned into them
at meetings in order to preserve their field insurance
cover for one thing. Step out of line and someone will
point out your transgression – if you do it again,
you’ll be reported to the field safety officer of the
day. Continue transgressing and you’ll be banned.'
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Clarence
Ragland's Tactile Technique is used during the first few days of
training*, so that the student can actually
feel how, when, why and how much to move the control stick. This
technique cuts hours off a student's initial learning curve. I have
found this technique to be far superior that the buddy box trial and
error method. The instructor is able to "save" a plane during takeoff
and landing, something also impossible to do with a buddy box.
FMA's Co-Pilot
is used continuously though out the course. The Co-Pilot allows a
student to correct his own mistakes, thus providing a stronger learning
experience. During the early stages of training, the Co-Pilot's
assistance is "high" and as the student becomes more comfortable the
sensitivity is reduced and finally discontinued. The majority of
experienced r/c pilots dislike the FMA Co-Pilot, because it makes the
sticks "feel" strange. Note: the Co-Pilot uses infrared beams to find
the horizon and not ambient light used by the NexStar RTF.
And last, the
Hobbico NexStar ARF. Again, the majority of experienced r/c pilots
dislike the NexStar with training flaps and wing droops, because it
makes the plane fly "differently". However, with training flaps and
droops, the plane trimmed at 1/3 throttle flies very nicely for a
student. The "training equipment" is designed to make the plane fly slow
and stable. Instructors must realize that trainer aircraft are supposed
to feel and fly differently for them, that's why it's called stable. The
best example is a bicycle with training wheels, it's only awkward to the
experienced rider!
The bottom line:
the combination of all four training items removes the "panic" and
frustration associated with mistakes and allows quicker learning with a
lot less stress!
So far over 75
students have been or scheduled to attend the school since 2005 and thus
far our oldest pilot has been 85 and youngest at 11! The third year is
already off to a terrific start!
Visit 2nd R/C Flight School website at
http://www.2ndrcflightschool.com/
*I
found this comment interesting. The current issue of RCM&E
carries a good article directed at instructors and, although showing the
use of a buddy box during on-going flight training, also advocates that
initially, in order to help new trainees to understand the
'proportional' nature of the transmitter stick movements, 'it's best
that you hold the sticks at the same time (as the trainee) so that he
gets a feel for the amount of movement required'. It seems that there
might be more use being made of this 'hands-on' technique than has
previously been realized. |
