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CanoMod . Futaba-RC . A Main Hobbies

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Beginners Corner > How Long till solo?
 
 
splitboarder
Heliman
Location: San Diego, California

Maybe the wrong place to post....but how long should I expect before my first solo?
I realize this is a dynamic question,based on the time Im willing to put in. I am putting in 1-2 hours a night(weeknights,maybe 3 hours on weekends) on the sim learning to hover right now. Have had my sim for about 3 weeks.
Monday nights I get buddy boxed and usually get two flights about 5 minutes each
On saturdays I get 4-6 flights on the buddy box

Of course results will very ...but what is a good expectation? Or how long did it take you?

Thanks
08-21-2008 07:32 PM
 
 
Papa Sal
Senior Heliman
Location: Reno, Nevada- USA

I didn't have anybody to help me, so it took me about one month, every day on the sim, and every day on chopper-1.( little Axe CP) Not a good trainer, but many tail blades later I was able to take off my training wheelzzz.Here we are two years later with my T-rex 450 v2 and my Helimax 450XS (back-up) doing nose in take off's, landings, and flying circuits, Good job young man I'm 52 and I'm a little slower too....NOT Have fun, enjoy your new hobby, TAKE YOUR TIME. Papa

Ahhhhh Master Card...."priceless"!
08-21-2008 07:56 PM
 
 
Heli 770
Elite Veteran
Location: Lemon Grove, Ca. USA.

splitboarder
I think who ever is on the other end of the buddy box should know when your ready.
08-21-2008 08:24 PM
 
 
the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

it's all on you !! some guys only need 20 hours on the sim, some need 50 hours or more,,

but I wull tell you this~ the more sim the better !!

keep at it !!

Jim
Buzz Buzz Buzz
08-21-2008 08:54 PM
 
 
splitboarder
Heliman
Location: San Diego, California

Do you think Im putting in enough time? I see progress so I guess thats a good thing.
I did buy a TRex 600E so I am taking this seriously.

But it does suck when you do good one day on the buddy box and then the next time out Im all over the place
08-21-2008 09:04 PM
 
 
Papa Sal
Senior Heliman
Location: Reno, Nevada- USA

Sim time.....GOLDEN + practice, practice, practice.

Ahhhhh Master Card...."priceless"!
08-21-2008 09:09 PM
 
 
Heli 770
Elite Veteran
Location: Lemon Grove, Ca. USA.

I would Waite till you get consistent on the buddy box. I don't see anything wrong with JUST hovering the 600e.
08-21-2008 09:10 PM
 
 
Fullpitch
Senior Heliman
Location: Deerfield Beach,Florida

I never have been on a buddy box, but I did have my brother-n-law
standing over my sholder telling me what to do and it took me 6 mon.
to learn to hold it in a hover and a year and a couple of mon. to fly
figur eights.Well good luck it will happen soon.
08-22-2008 01:17 AM
 
 
Brunobl
Veteran
Location: Pomerode, SC, Brazil - 26 40S 49 11W

I taught myself to fly a Walkera Dragonfly #4. In the beginning, all I could do was few-second-long "flights" (jumps describe them better), which gradually got longer until a memorable event in my learning curve: one day I flew a whole pack (some 7 minutes) without touching the ground, only landing when the battery time was up. This seems even funny today, but what an achievement it was at the time! That day I really thought I could learn to fly RC helis yet, and seriously considered purchasing a nitro bird (oh yes, bought the nitro, then a gasser and an electric).

The simulator had a lot to do with this of course, so I really recommend that you spend as much time as possible with it. But don't just fly too casually or play around with it, treat the simulator as if it were a *real* RC heli. It will be a lot more useful this way.

Good luck, practice a lot and get ready for the fun you are getting yourself into. You are going to ask yourself what took you so long to want to fly helis!

-------------------
Best regards,
Bruno.
08-22-2008 03:25 PM
 
 
MaxAdventure
Senior Heliman
Location: Boulder, Colorado

Want crash free discipline?

I'm not as good at following the rules, went sim+try it on the heli, but I've only read excellent feedback on this method, and in reading though it I really like it:

http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html

Radd's school of rotary flight!

-da (Max)
AMA 198798
issues? I have subscriptions...
08-22-2008 03:33 PM
 
 
TJinGuy
Elite Veteran
Location: Socorro, NM - USA

On the smaller helis, I am a firm believer in just doing it but take your time, use your head and training gear is required. I started on a King2 and it took me about 3 packs to get it off the ground with any semblance of control. I hovered tail in for about 50 packs before I moved on. Now I am 350 packs in and just about to start inverted hovering. I also spent some time on the sim but not much, maybe 10 hours in total.

On a .50 sized nitro bird where crashes are $200 a pop, I would buddy box it until you can hover a whole tank and do a little bit if ff. I think it will speed your learning by removing some fear of crashing. But at some point you need to take the controls and just do it

- Chris

Variety+spice+life+supporting_paper_towel_industry=
King2+Rex450+Protos+Concept30
08-22-2008 05:09 PM
 
 
rcmadness
Senior Heliman
Location: Midland, Texas - USA

Quote 
Want crash free discipline?

I'm not as good at following the rules, went sim+try it on the heli, but I've only read excellent feedback on this method, and in reading though it I really like it:

http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html

Radd's school of rotary flight!

I second this one, I followed it and I could hover in 12 battery packs.

Finally got past the sweating palms!!!!!!
08-22-2008 11:19 PM
 
 
Smacka
Heliman
Location: Weedville, PA

Best advice ever given on these boards (to me) was to slow down, take your time and enjoy the training. The rest will come soon enough, Young Grasshopper...

Have fun pushing the sticks,
Smacka
08-23-2008 01:18 AM
 
 
TPMX
Heliman
Location: Hanoverton,Ohio

I didn,t have anyone to help me.
I bought an Axe cp and got discouraged right away.
That thing was so hard to learn on.
I bought a Raptor 30 and could hover on the first tank.
I was all over the place but didn,t crash.
On my 5th gallon I took off the training gear and could fly nose in.
I bought a Mini Titan and progress has been excellent with it.
It is fast(at least I think)and it makes you stay on top of it.
I can fly fig 8,s FF turn left or right and fly where I want .
I have several trees in my yard and can fly slowly around them and then back out into the open yard.
I am attempting flying backwards now and want to try inverted.
I get the Rap 30 out now and then and am surprised how much easier it is to see and how much slower it seems to be.
Its kind of like slow motion flying after zipping around with the mini titan.
I did have a MX400 and MX450 along the way but they werent as much help to learn on.
When I first started out I thought there was no way I would ever be able to get the hang of this.
I started last Oct and if you could of read my posts back then you would see how discouraged I was getting.
Now I can,t wait till the Mini is charged so I can go back out.
Stay at it,like I was told back then one day it will just click!
08-23-2008 03:32 AM
 
 
legoman67
Elite Veteran
Location: Nanoose Bay B.C, Canada

i bought my first heli in october of 06, of course living up here that was a bad time to buy, i spent the winter on the sim, then the following summer i went looking for a place to fly, halfway through the summer i met a guy who was able to help me set up my heli correctly, then he handed me the sticks, no buddy box, i hovered it fine. of course it was the scariest thing in my life... but it was also one of the most rewarding.

I would say once you are confident in it on the sim then go for it!

The only thing more rewarding is building and setting up and flying a heli for the first time all by yourself!(but not recommended trying on your first heli ever!)

Watching someone setup your heli is also a very good thing to do, i learned so much in those first few times to the field..

Matt M.
http://www.filepile.ca
08-23-2008 05:29 AM
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Pull-n-Pitch
Veteran
Location: Mt. Dora, Florida (USA)

splitboarder-
I am the brother in law to RR Fullpitch that stood over his shoulder and helped him learn....
NOW HE OUT FLIES ME.....
I guess he learned (better than I did.I must of missed something)
Good luck, the guy on the buddy box will tell you when its time!
Keep pushin' forward....

Pull-n-Pitch
08-23-2008 06:35 AM
 
 
fliers1
Heliman
Location: Lockport, NY

The way I teach, most learn to hold a hover within their first or second ever lesson. I just wish other experienced rc heli pilots would allow me to teach them my method. BTW, none of those I've trained to hover over the years has any sim time at all.

http://www.runryder.com/helicopter/...hlight=pcinc#RR

CCR
08-23-2008 10:42 PM
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
MaxAdventure
Senior Heliman
Location: Boulder, Colorado

Quote 
I used my radio with my thumbs on the top of the sticks (something totally new to me) and Clarence reached under my thumbs and controlled the stick when needed (a technique Clarence calls the “Ragland Technique”).

fliers1,

This is the first I've read of this technique since coming back to the hobby just over a year ago. This is exactly how I learned to fly on planks about 25 years ago. I've always like this, and taught a few people on planks trying to imitate my own instructor.

I have to say to your credit however, I think it ALSO takes a good instructor! I don't think everyone can teach, and I thing there are a few who are naturally excellent at being able to communicate what's needed to a student.

To the methods credit, it demonstrates the correct feel, allowing a very quick learning curve.

I have a feeling I could learn a lot from you with this method, even though I'm starting to explore inverted flight on my own!

-da (Max)
AMA 198798
issues? I have subscriptions...
09-18-2008 05:32 PM
 
 
manny_santana
Heliman
Location: La Quinta, CA USA

How long to solo?

I teach about a 3-5 guys at any given time. I buddy box ("The Tit"every week with them (DX7 Only)and they get about 6 flights on average (no training gear and no crashes). I always make them set goals they can keep.

I don't charge for my help but make them understand that I will help them as long as they put the time and effort. If not then it's taking time away from flying for myself or others.

I'm not a pro teacher but I do encourage the Sim. Goals are timed but mileage does vary. Goals are set as fallowed. Then the cord gets cut, simple.

First month: you should be able to take off and maintain a locked hover spot land, side to side and get use to seeing the heli high in the air within site and land. I push hard on throttle/collective management but no nose in yet.

Second month: The old "Forward Flight" gets a bit shaky. This is where I push Rudder! Rudder! Rudder! "Don't pussy cat foot the rudder" but able to understand the basics of FF (circles, figure 8, ff rt to lt over and over), all 3 mistakes high but always with a escape to regain a back to hover.

Then......CUT! the "Titty" gets taken away and on to solo. If I got you this far with confidence and no crash, you can take it from here. After all what's the first thing everyone says "If I could only hover it I'll be happy".

I hope this was a good reply to your topic "How Long To Solo".

My answer with my method to my students is two months.

Manny

"Whats Right is Right and What Wrong is Not Flying"
09-19-2008 02:31 PM
 
 
splitboarder
Heliman
Location: San Diego, California

Six weeks in and I can take off, hover and land. I do have an instructor but I fly during the week on my own. A couple of hard landings in dirt ( tail rotor blades and a stabilizer replaced).

It was tough the first time but I am building confidence by flying alone.

Im not ready for FF but getting there.

Man this is fun

Looking to buy a trex 450 on sunday so I can fly at home and crashes will be cheaper
09-19-2008 09:49 PM
 
 
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