From: paulm@storcon (Paul Moreau)
Subject: Re: R/C Flying: Part 1 of 2/rec.models.rc FAQ
Organization: Storage Concepts, Inc.
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 17:52:46 GMT


In article <Bu0CHt.2n1@storcon>, paulm@storcon (Paul Moreau) writes:
|> 
|>     I do a LOT of flight instructing and I am a firm believer of making the first plane
|>     either an all wood ARF or some used trainer.    Most beginers are very nervous
|>     especially if they just spent weeks or months building thier first plane.   I find
|>     that the time it takes someone to learn to land is proportional to the amount of
|>     nervousness they feel.   If they are flying a plane without a great amount of
|>     emotional investment they are not nearly as nervous.   I normaly have someone
|>     landing an old beater within a couple days.   I have others that I know could do
|>     it but are so nervous that weeks later they still can't land because they think
|>     they'll dork thier plane.   And maybe they will, but that's why I believe in
|>     AFS or beaters for the first plane.....
|>     I try to ween the student from depending too much on the instuctor as soon as I
|>     have them flying horizontal figure 8's without gaining  or loosing altitude in
|>     the turns.   I don't like instructing a student to land with a buddy cord but
                                                               ^^^^
    Sorry, make that WITHOUT ... :^)

|>     if they INSIST that it's OK then I do.   Most of the students that do insist have
|>     the right frame of mind anyway to do thier first landing.
|>     Several times during the first landing I'll say to try and get the plane lined
|>     up for the landing and I'll take over and do the actual landing.   This relieves
|>     the student and makes the approach without being too nervous.   Some have done
|>     such a good job that I talk them through the landing without letting them know
|>     they are still in control.   They make nearly perfect landings then I tell them
|>     that I never took control and that they did it them selves and they go 'No Way!'.
|>     Yes way Dude!   I tell them that the key is to relax and feel the plane.   It
|>     still takes a while for them to really relax but now they're on the right track.
|>     It normally takes a few more bumpy landings before they solo but they're not nearly
|>     as nervous doing it because now they know they can.
|> 
|> -- 
|>           _____________________________________________________________
|>           -                *                      _______   _~;       -
|>           -            Paul Moreau               |       =_= /        -
|>           -    Sr. Diagnostics Software Eng.     \   USA    /         -
|>           -         Irvine, California      --->  *-_  ___ /          -
|>           -     UUCP: ..!uunet!storcon!paulm         \/   \\          -
|>           _____________________________________________________________
|> 

-- 
          _____________________________________________________________
          -                *                      _______   _~;       -
          -            Paul Moreau               |       =_= /        -
          -    Sr. Diagnostics Software Eng.     \   USA    /         -
          -         Irvine, California      --->  *-_  ___ /          -
          -     UUCP: ..!uunet!storcon!paulm         \/   \\          -
          _____________________________________________________________