Final Preparations
Before going to the R/C field for that first flight I needed to make one more trip to the hobby shop. I had to go get what is called "field equipment". There are multiple items needed to get that engine on your plane running. Since I was new to this and trying to keep costs down I purchased just the basics I thought I would need. These included
* Glow plug clip
* Glow plug wrench
* Spare glow plugs
* Gallon of Fuel
* Hand Crank Fuel pump
* 1.5V Battery
* Box of #64 Rubber Bands
Thinking that was the last money I would be spending I totaled up what I had spent. I was in over $300!!! But that should be it. Done. No more expenses. Little did I know,,,
I put all this into a cardboard box and was finally ready to fly my plane.
The Big Day has Arrived. I'm going to fly an R/C plane!
I packed up everything into my car, and off to Mile Square Park I went.
I was nervous but very excited that this would be the day I had dreamed about for so long. Every Saturday at Mile Square Park was very active. The area in use was laid out in a big triangle. The R/C field was on one leg. The model rocket crowd were on another leg and the land-sailors were on the last leg. The rocket area I learned was known as "SAM alley". (This was a reference to an area in N. Vietnam that U.S. Flyers tried to avoid during that conflict because of the numerous Surface to Air Missiles (SAM)). If you overflew the model rocket airspace some of the rocketeers liked to fire off a rocket or two. They always claimed it was an accident but,,,
I picked a Saturday as a couple of the guys that would be there enjoyed instructing newcomers.
After arriving I walked around checking out the planes and people who were there and looking for a space to set up. On Saturday's the pit area would be very crowded. Finding a spot I brought out everything and and using those #64 rubber bands I put on the wing and strung the antenna out to the tail. I fueled up the plane and went looking for an instructor.
Flight Prep
I approached one of the guys that I knew liked to help newcomers and asked for his assistance. He said OK but it would be awhile as it was almost his turn to fly his plane. I showed him where I was set up and went back to wait. On the walk back one of my other choices for an instructor asked if he could have a look at my plane. This was so he could assess the build quality and make sure of its airworthiness. This was always done before a first flight of a new plane. Whether a newcomer or old-timer it was always a good idea to have someone other than yourself do this as they might see something you didn't. He went about pulling and pushing on the control surfaces, saw the clevises had keepers, he undid all those rubber bands so that he could see the screws for the servo arms were tight. He sighted down the wing and fuselage to make sure the were straight and not warped. He looked to see that my radio frequency was not in use and called out "Radio Check" and had me go get the frequency pin. He proceeded to work the controls to make sure the rudder, elevator and ailerons all moved in the right direction and were centered and that the throttled opened and closed completely He asked if this was my first plane. I nodded "yes" and he said "I'm impressed, you did a good job, I don't see anything that needs to be changed". That was a relief as I had seen many new planes that hadn't passed one of these inspections and the owner had to fix them right there or at home before that plane was allowed off the ground. Since we still had the frequency he said "let's fire it up" and proceeded to put his thumb over the opening to the carb, and gave a couple of flips to the propeller. He then connected the glow clip (with the battery attached) to the glow plug on the engine. He grabbed the front of that plane tightly and gave the propeller a flip. It roared to life. He adjusted the carb and held the plane nose up and rev'd it up. Placing it back on the ground he stepped over the plane and placed his legs on each side of the elevator. He rev'd up the engine again and worked the controls. He had me hold the plane as he walked away for some distance all the while still working the controls. He walked back and shut down the engine. I guess he thought all was good as the next thing he said was "fill it up, let's fly".
First Flight
I filled that plane up fast. He did the same as before to start the engine-thumb, flip, connect clip, flip and that engine fired right up. Since I was set up near the edge of the pits he just taxied that plane out to the runway. He took his position on the flight line with me right next to him and gave it full throttle. That plane went straight down the runway and took off after only about a 40 foot run. He took it up to what is called "3 mistakes high" and flew around checking out the planes reactions to his control input. Apparently satisfied,
He flew it high,
He flew it low,
He flew it fast,
He flew it slow,
He flew a loop,
He did a spin,
And then he did it all again!
Bad poetry but that's what happened.
He took it back up high and asked if I wanted to try it and handed the transmitter to me. I took the transmitter and even though he was coaching me to "give it a little right stick" I of course promptly over controlled the plane and it stated for the ground. (That's why it's called 3 mistakes high) He took back the transmitter and got the plane leveled out and again asked if I want to continue. I shook my head "no" (my hands and legs were shaking bad) so he flew a minute or two more and then he landed my plane and taxied it back to the pits. I remember shaking his hand and thanking him profusely. He smiled and found it all amusing. Later the first guy I spoke with came over and this time I did a little better. He had a different style. He stood behind me and placed his hands over mine and help me use the control sticks. It was still nerve wracking but much easier controlling the plane. He took over and landed the plane and that was the end of my first day of flying.
Epilogue
I continued getting instruction and could soon take off and fly around without much help. I was practicing landing approaches but landings were still being done by the instructors. One day after about 10 visits to the field I found the place empty of all flyers except for one of the guys I knew to be a real jackass. Growing impatient waiting for someone else to arrive I decided it was time to make my first solo flight. I started the engine and taxied out to the center line. I gave it full throttle and took off. Climbing out I made a right turn, leveled off, made another right turn but things were going too fast. I got disoriented and lost sight of my plane. Frantically searching the sky I heard to my left and rear, the engine, followed quickly by the sound balsa wood and metal makes when it hits the ground at high velocity. Once again like the first attempt at C/L, there was no survivors,,,
Utterly deflated and thinking about all the money I had spent, I started over to the crash site. Looking at the transmitter I saw that the throttle stick was in the full throttle position. In the excitement of my first solo flight I had not brought the throttle back to the normal flying position after takeoff. Things didn't just seem to be going faster during my flight. They WERE going faster as I was at full throttle. The plane was destroyed. The only intact piece was the elevator. That Enya engine that I was so happy to acquire had a big piece of the engine case missing. Pulling out a plane recovery kit (hefty, hefty, hefty) I removed and set aside the radio parts, picked up the pieces and put them in the bag. I did keep the elevator and engine(?), gathered up my field equipment and started for home. Remarkably the radio components survived the crash unscathed. I took them in to Hobby Shack and they tested everything and found no problems. My solo flight would have to wait.
Next up - More planes, an R/C car and then on to LDRS! (Google it)
Before going to the R/C field for that first flight I needed to make one more trip to the hobby shop. I had to go get what is called "field equipment". There are multiple items needed to get that engine on your plane running. Since I was new to this and trying to keep costs down I purchased just the basics I thought I would need. These included
* Glow plug clip
* Glow plug wrench
* Spare glow plugs
* Gallon of Fuel
* Hand Crank Fuel pump
* 1.5V Battery
* Box of #64 Rubber Bands
Thinking that was the last money I would be spending I totaled up what I had spent. I was in over $300!!! But that should be it. Done. No more expenses. Little did I know,,,
I put all this into a cardboard box and was finally ready to fly my plane.
The Big Day has Arrived. I'm going to fly an R/C plane!
I packed up everything into my car, and off to Mile Square Park I went.
I was nervous but very excited that this would be the day I had dreamed about for so long. Every Saturday at Mile Square Park was very active. The area in use was laid out in a big triangle. The R/C field was on one leg. The model rocket crowd were on another leg and the land-sailors were on the last leg. The rocket area I learned was known as "SAM alley". (This was a reference to an area in N. Vietnam that U.S. Flyers tried to avoid during that conflict because of the numerous Surface to Air Missiles (SAM)). If you overflew the model rocket airspace some of the rocketeers liked to fire off a rocket or two. They always claimed it was an accident but,,,
I picked a Saturday as a couple of the guys that would be there enjoyed instructing newcomers.
After arriving I walked around checking out the planes and people who were there and looking for a space to set up. On Saturday's the pit area would be very crowded. Finding a spot I brought out everything and and using those #64 rubber bands I put on the wing and strung the antenna out to the tail. I fueled up the plane and went looking for an instructor.
Flight Prep
I approached one of the guys that I knew liked to help newcomers and asked for his assistance. He said OK but it would be awhile as it was almost his turn to fly his plane. I showed him where I was set up and went back to wait. On the walk back one of my other choices for an instructor asked if he could have a look at my plane. This was so he could assess the build quality and make sure of its airworthiness. This was always done before a first flight of a new plane. Whether a newcomer or old-timer it was always a good idea to have someone other than yourself do this as they might see something you didn't. He went about pulling and pushing on the control surfaces, saw the clevises had keepers, he undid all those rubber bands so that he could see the screws for the servo arms were tight. He sighted down the wing and fuselage to make sure the were straight and not warped. He looked to see that my radio frequency was not in use and called out "Radio Check" and had me go get the frequency pin. He proceeded to work the controls to make sure the rudder, elevator and ailerons all moved in the right direction and were centered and that the throttled opened and closed completely He asked if this was my first plane. I nodded "yes" and he said "I'm impressed, you did a good job, I don't see anything that needs to be changed". That was a relief as I had seen many new planes that hadn't passed one of these inspections and the owner had to fix them right there or at home before that plane was allowed off the ground. Since we still had the frequency he said "let's fire it up" and proceeded to put his thumb over the opening to the carb, and gave a couple of flips to the propeller. He then connected the glow clip (with the battery attached) to the glow plug on the engine. He grabbed the front of that plane tightly and gave the propeller a flip. It roared to life. He adjusted the carb and held the plane nose up and rev'd it up. Placing it back on the ground he stepped over the plane and placed his legs on each side of the elevator. He rev'd up the engine again and worked the controls. He had me hold the plane as he walked away for some distance all the while still working the controls. He walked back and shut down the engine. I guess he thought all was good as the next thing he said was "fill it up, let's fly".
First Flight
I filled that plane up fast. He did the same as before to start the engine-thumb, flip, connect clip, flip and that engine fired right up. Since I was set up near the edge of the pits he just taxied that plane out to the runway. He took his position on the flight line with me right next to him and gave it full throttle. That plane went straight down the runway and took off after only about a 40 foot run. He took it up to what is called "3 mistakes high" and flew around checking out the planes reactions to his control input. Apparently satisfied,
He flew it high,
He flew it low,
He flew it fast,
He flew it slow,
He flew a loop,
He did a spin,
And then he did it all again!
Bad poetry but that's what happened.
He took it back up high and asked if I wanted to try it and handed the transmitter to me. I took the transmitter and even though he was coaching me to "give it a little right stick" I of course promptly over controlled the plane and it stated for the ground. (That's why it's called 3 mistakes high) He took back the transmitter and got the plane leveled out and again asked if I want to continue. I shook my head "no" (my hands and legs were shaking bad) so he flew a minute or two more and then he landed my plane and taxied it back to the pits. I remember shaking his hand and thanking him profusely. He smiled and found it all amusing. Later the first guy I spoke with came over and this time I did a little better. He had a different style. He stood behind me and placed his hands over mine and help me use the control sticks. It was still nerve wracking but much easier controlling the plane. He took over and landed the plane and that was the end of my first day of flying.
Epilogue
I continued getting instruction and could soon take off and fly around without much help. I was practicing landing approaches but landings were still being done by the instructors. One day after about 10 visits to the field I found the place empty of all flyers except for one of the guys I knew to be a real jackass. Growing impatient waiting for someone else to arrive I decided it was time to make my first solo flight. I started the engine and taxied out to the center line. I gave it full throttle and took off. Climbing out I made a right turn, leveled off, made another right turn but things were going too fast. I got disoriented and lost sight of my plane. Frantically searching the sky I heard to my left and rear, the engine, followed quickly by the sound balsa wood and metal makes when it hits the ground at high velocity. Once again like the first attempt at C/L, there was no survivors,,,
Utterly deflated and thinking about all the money I had spent, I started over to the crash site. Looking at the transmitter I saw that the throttle stick was in the full throttle position. In the excitement of my first solo flight I had not brought the throttle back to the normal flying position after takeoff. Things didn't just seem to be going faster during my flight. They WERE going faster as I was at full throttle. The plane was destroyed. The only intact piece was the elevator. That Enya engine that I was so happy to acquire had a big piece of the engine case missing. Pulling out a plane recovery kit (hefty, hefty, hefty) I removed and set aside the radio parts, picked up the pieces and put them in the bag. I did keep the elevator and engine(?), gathered up my field equipment and started for home. Remarkably the radio components survived the crash unscathed. I took them in to Hobby Shack and they tested everything and found no problems. My solo flight would have to wait.
Next up - More planes, an R/C car and then on to LDRS! (Google it)
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