RC aircraft

How it began for me... continued

So this guy (I don't recall his name) had two planes with him. One he called a slo stick (pictured at left) and the other was a little Cessna (similar to the one pictured in header of this page). Both great planes for beginners apparently due to their high wings and somewhat forgiving stability.

He had some hilarious stories to tell about chasing birds and having his plane attacked by a very territorial eagle (which he said was a much better flier than he) but the two things that were prominent on my mind were, how tranquil and meditative the slo stick was to watch and the aerial photography possibilities of remote controlled flight. After picking his brain for some time he referred me to a couple web sites where he said I could get parts and materials very cheap and told me there was a RC flight club in town and that they had an airstrip out at Sara park where they meet and fly almost every day.

Well now I had a mission. I had to find out as much as I could about this amazing subculture that for some reason suddenly had me so enthralled. So the first stop was the hobby shop in town. All three of them to be exact. Two of the three didn't do me much good and frankly weren't all that friendly or helpful. But in the third, I hit pay dirt. It's an RC hobby shop in Lake Havasu called Skyshark. Mike and Angie (the owners) were very friendly and actually spent quite a bit of time answering my questions and initiating me into the fascinating world of radio controlled flight.

It turns out that becoming an RC pilot is very similar to the process of becoming a normal pilot. It begins with education and lot's of flight simulator time. It's not as easy as it looks guys! Then, once you can fly the simulator consistently without crashing your plane, you find an instructor (usually in the local RC flying club) and they can actually train you by plugging their radio into yours and acting as copilot and flight instructor. If you get into any trouble they flip a switch and take control of the plane from you in order to keep you from crashing and burning.

I wasn't prepared for what I was about to encounter

My next stop was Sara Park where the fly boys of Desert Hawks RC Flight Club hang out. I was told they fly almost every morning so I set my alarm and headed for the park around 7:30am. When I arrived, it didn't look like anyone was around except one of the park employees, so I asked him about the flying club. He told me if I were to continue following the road I was on, there would be an airstrip on the right and that they were out there flying already. I was stoked but wasn't prepared for what I was about to encounter.

The planes were huge! Nothing like the little park models I'd encountered in the parking lot three days prior. They were also very different in style. Their wings were lower on the fuselage for one thing. Anyway, the guys were very friendly and inviting. Watching the planes and the aerial acrobatics performed was thrilling and the interaction also provided critical, need to know  information about this amazing sport. If you are thinking of getting involved I strongly recommend you seek out your local RC flight club. It will accelerate your learning curve significantly.

Mike (pictured above) is the vice president of the Desert Hawks RC Flying Club in Lake Havasu, AZ at the time of this writing. He is also the one who was first to arrive at the air strip every day I was there. He is a great guy, an excellent flier, and an absolute wealth of knowledge and he doesn't mind sharing it either. He has a genuine passion for this sport and was apparently a quick study since he told me he has only been flying for about a year or so.

So, it was after that first day at the air park that I knew I wanted to learn this art and become an RC pilot. In fact, on my way home after that fateful first day, I stopped back in to Skyshark RC Hobby shop and purchased the Real Flight R/C Flight Simulator training system, and that night, I spent about four hours training on it.

It had only been three days since my initial contact with the mysterious flier in the parking lot, but I already knew this was something I wanted to learn. It's a good thing I put in some time on the flight simulator too, because the next day, when I went back to the RC airport, something happened that I never expected or could have anticipated.

It was a slow day, only three of us were there, and I was videoing Mike and Jim (above) as they were preparing a plane for flight. Suddenly Jim turned, looked at me and uttered these fateful words.. "would you like to fly my plane"? It's a strange feeling to have both elation and terror course through you at the same time. I actually was videoing Jim and Mike when it happened. I've included the video below if you are interested...

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My Conclusions

I discovered that flying an RC aircraft is not as easy as it looks, and in some ways I'd imagine it is more difficult to learn to fly an RC plane than it is to fly a normal sized plane. In a normal plane you only have the 1st person perspective to contend with. Right is always right and left is always left. But not so with RC flight. Right and left reverse depending on whether the plane is coming toward you or moving away from you. You have to coordinate your aileron, rudder and elevators simultaneously at all times using two tiny sticks and small minute movements can translate into major changes in the aircrafts behavior, not to mention that the wind has a stronger effect on smaller planes. The level of coordination and concentration required is intense to say the least and there is very little room for error.

On the other hand, when you are flying one of these little gems, it's like part of you is up there with it psychologically and emotionally. It's an absolutely amazing experience. Whether you're looking for the tranquil meditative experience of glider flight or the pure fast paced adrenalin rush of a military jet. There is an RC aircraft model built to scale and authentic realism to accommodate you. RC aircraft really do put the joy, thrill and experience of flight within reach of the average person.

As for me? I've rediscovered the thrilling world of flight and have decided to become an RC pilot and see where it goes. So if you will excuse me. I've got to get back to my flight simulator. You might want to check out my first RC plane.

Update May 13th 2009

I was just awarded my Solo Certificate. I'm Official! I'd like to thank Desert Hawks RC Club and my mentor, personal instructor and friend, Michael Lynch for all their support and assistance. Keep flying guys, the sky's the limit.


Article by Mark Hamilton of http://www.mhrcpilot.com
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