Hi!  I’m Grant Sharp, president of the Molalla Radio Control Association  model aircraft club in Molalla, Oregon.  This article was written as an introduction to you as a potential newcomer to this sport and hobby of flying, building, and collecting radio controlled model aircraft.  

We consider it to be both a sport and hobby with a wide range of interests. You might become enthralled with the duplication of a historic plane, replicating the most intricate detail, or you may decide to purchase a model airplane in one of the common formats.  The readily available in these general categories: Ready-To-Fly planes (called "RTFs"); Almost Ready to Fly ("ARFs"); Almost Ready to Cover ("ARCs"); kit planes (which are like giant jigsaw puzzles of airplane parts and materials); or scratch built planes, (which general means that you start out with pieces of balsa wood and an Exacto knife).  All of these, and more are part of the fascinating model aviation adventure that awaits you.

 

 Many of the flying clubs in the area offer a wide range of membership activities, including meetings, field maintenance, and participation in hosting and managing competition events.   The Molalla Radio Control Association is instead focused on the actual flying of model aircraft of all types.  Our club does not hold formal monthly meetings, social, field maintenance chores, or educational activities, but instead hosts non-structured activities at the flight field.  We have many barbeques, potlucks, breakfasts, and picnics, all held at the flying field.   We support the activities of all model aircraft clubs in general, but have chosen to focus our effort on the flying portion of the hobby.

 

We have approximately 100 members, and it is not unusual for nearly all of the members who are able to fly, actually do fly during any given month.  Many may fly as often as two or three days a week.  This dedication to flying models is not typical in most other R/C clubs in the area.

 

Most of our members are capable of teaching newcomers and do so from time to time.  We have not established formal flight training days or named specific instructors.  Many of our group  have “adopted” one or more students, and work with them for as long as it takes until the student can "solo".   I usually have one or two students each weekend, and try to have other members share the fun when there are more students needing instruction.

 

The club owns several  planes including trainers and they are available for your use without cost.  All you need to learn to fly at our club is the time and dedication to routinely practice your newly acquired flying skills.  Frequent practice is the key.  Without it, you'll forget much of what you've learned during the previous lessons, and you'll need to spend a lot of time relearning the basics.

 

I would encourage you to come to the field for a few weekends, look me up, and we’ll talk.  I may be able to teach you on the spot, or if I’m working on a competition event, I can help you find your new best friend among our club members.   By coming around for a few consecutive weekends, you will be able to share some good times with the members, have time to get your required AMA membership, which gets you the magazine, rules, and most importantly, insurance for your upcoming flying activity.  

Membership  in the AMA is required to fly at our field.  It is easy to get by accessing their web address, calling their 800 number (800-435-9262), faxing in a membership application (765-741-0057), or mailing the application in.  (Click here for more information on joining AMA.)  Also, membership application forms are usually at the field in the pantry.

 

Many of you are anxious to buy a plane and radio right away.   This is a normal reaction, but it's a good idea to hold off on your initial purchase.  Instead, come out to the flying field, talk and listen to the people who are going to share this hobby with you, and get a better idea of what will work best for you.  For example, some of us like four-stroke engines, since they're generally quiet, smooth running, fuel efficient, and trouble free, although they cost a little more.  Others like two-stroke engines, which are lighter in weight and usually less expensive.  Come out, look and listen, then you decide what's best for you.

 

Most often we use a “buddy box” training system that ties your radio to that of your instructor by means of a cable (frequently called a "trainer cord".)  This allows the instructor to take control of the student pilot's plane when the student gets into trouble or loses control, which can happen frequently at first.  This system has allowed instructors to save many a student's plane.   Therefore, keep in mind that the radio system that you ultimately decide to buy will need to be compatible with your flight instructor's gear in order for the "buddy box" training system to function correctly.  

In addition, your instructor will also need to be able to “tune” your engine, so it's a good idea to make sure he's familiar with the engine you're considering.  He can frequently steer you toward a more beginner-friendly model and away from some of the more "finicky" engines.  Learning to fly can be stressful enough without the added aggravation of a balky, temperamental engine.  (And there's plenty of those out there, believe us!...)

 

Learning to fly model planes is more difficult than it might appear, mostly because you will need to learn to see your plane, read the little subtleties that indicate changes in turns, banks, or pitch movements that change the attitude or direction the plane may fly.  Also, when the plane returns toward you, the roll axis (ailerons) appears to reverse itself so that left seems right, and vice-versa.  The yaw axis, or rudder controlled function, is also reversed.  Left is always left, but it's actually "left" from the aircraft's point of view, not yours.  This is the basic learning curve of flying, which is  learning to match  the control inputs necessary to make the aircraft perform as you intend.  You have to remember that the plane will do what you actually told it to do, not what you merely intended.   It's largely a motor and visual skill set that can is best achieved by very frequent practice.  Also, computerized flight simulators specifically designed for model airplane flight can be a huge help in practicing the basics over and over, but without actually risking a plane in the process.

 

Club members are usually at the field from 9:00 am until late afternoon, weather permitting.   We have a coffee pot, and usually someone brings donuts.  There is no charge for flying lessons, but we suggest that you bring a dozen donuts to the field as a token of appreciation to the other pilots.  I don’t let them fly when a student is taking a lesson, so if you bring donuts, they’ll have a cup of Pete’s coffee and one of your donuts while you're in the air with an instructor.  You find that they're glad to see new students come and learn to fly, especially when they come armed with Krispy Kremes!