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Reprinted from Modelflight

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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,

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:

    1. David Scott's One Week to Solo manual;
    2. Clarence Ragland's Tactile Technique.
    3. FMA's Co-Pilot, not to be confused with the NexStar's OEM stabilization system and
    4. 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.
 

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.'

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.