This section is not intended to teach you the mechanics of flying an aircraft. That is left to the instructors. Rather, it's purpose is to give you an overview of what to expect, what you should know, and the sequence to learn.

It is expected that all student pilots fly with more than one instructor. Each individual instructor has his own methods and techniques. What works for one, may not work for another. It is wise to get exposure to several and decide for yourself. Remember however, the basics of aerodynamics never change.

Most students can expect to fly 2 or 3, 10 to 15 minute flights each time out. Most can expect to have 5 or 6 of these sessions before earning their "wings". Don't get discouraged. Some students struggle along until one day everything just clicks, and then it's: "Hey look, I'm doing it!"

Familiarize yourself with the transmitter. Practice at home. You should be as familiar with it as you are with the location of the controls of your car, or a ten speed bike.

Likewise, before any flight instruction, familiarize yourself with he "Field Procedures" and "Flying & Safety Tips" in this manual. Make safety your number one priority.

Here's an exercise any combination of pilots can try. It works best with an instructor and two students. One student holds the aircraft while the instructor works with the other student and the transmitter. As the student on the TX works the controls, the student holding the plane maneuvers it. This is great for "coming at you orientation". And if he doesn't level out those ailerons, just keep rolling until inverted. This saves a lot of aircraft from needless repairs! Try it, it works. And don't forget to hang up a frequency tag while doing this exercise.

Note: There are computer model aircraft flight simulators available. They may, or may not help you in the leading process. The general opinion still remains that there is nothing like actual "stick" time. Simulators are probably better suited to help you experiment with more advanced maneuvers after you've soloed.

Basics of Pre-Flight: Refer to "Aircraft Check Out Guideline"

• Check receiver battery
• Fill fuel tank to full
• Frequency tag on board
• Transmitter on
• Receiver on
• Check controls
• Start engine
• Range check
• Check engine vertical running
• Check engine idle and shut off
• Carry aircraft to pilot station line
• Full extend transmitter antenna*
• Final check controls

Post Flight Shut-Down:

• Taxi to pilot station
• Shut off engine
• Turn off receiver
• Turn off transmitter
• Carry back to pit area
• Reset any controls as necessary
• Transmitter off again
• Remove frequency tag from board**

The time has come to start putting this all together.

Ground Taxi:

Student may practice on his own. Suggest developing skills with wing off. Especially practice "coming at you" orientation. Practice running up and down the runway at higher speed. Suggest moving aileron stick at same time to develop association.

Straight & Level Flight:

Instructor will take off and trim the aircraft. He will hand off to you to teach you simple elevator and aileron usage. He will re-trim aircraft as necessary.

Turns:

Apply up elevator to maintain altitude. Do not exceed 30 degrees of bank. Coordinate with slight rudder. Get comfortable just driving around in the sky.

Oval (Racetrack) Patterns:

Practice a combination of previously learned skills. Develop consistency by repeating pattern. Practice both left and right.

Figure 8 Patterns:

Practice maintaining altitude while developing left to right, and right to left transition and coordinate.

Rudder Only Turns:

Develop ability to pilot aircraft should ailerons ever fail. Practice previously learned maneuvers.

Slow Flight:

Practice previous maneuvers at reduced speeds. Learn how to re-trim the aircraft. Learn how power settings affect altitude and elevator controls.

Approach & Go-Around:

Learn the flight pattern. Practice low flight line fly-bys. Left and right hand patterns required.

Stalls:

Learn the proper recovery from power off, power on, turning stalls. Learn to recognize the situation before it happens.

Take-Offs:

For the first several take-offs, student to stand behind the aircraft at the end of the runway. Straight out departure until gaining sufficient altitude before turning. Practice trimming aircraft after climbing to a safe altitude.

Simple Aerobatics:

Exposure to loops and inverted flight by instructor. Student will help develop his own confidence while learning recovery techniques.

Unusual Attitudes: (Not to be confused with a weird sense of humor)

Experience recovery from inverted flight, spins etc. Instructor to demonstrate. Student should be able to recover from an inverted situation.

Landings:

Practice proper entry into the pattern and develop judgment skills; power vs. Altitude. Left and right patterns required. Instructor to demonstrate simulated dead stick from a distance out. Be careful not to bank too steep in the pattern at low speed, especially from base leg to final.

Advanced Aerobatics:

Optional, but recommended. Learn aileron rolls, barrel rolls, sustained inverted flight, immelmann turns, « cuban eights. For the brave; split-S and spins. You've already learned some of this recovering from inverted. Develop better coordination skills and build your confidence.

Turbulence Flying:

The day will come when you say to yourself: "I shouldn't be up here!" That thought usually occurs soon after you've soloed, just after pattern departure, and you suddenly realize you're already over the canal. Don't panic. Keep your cool. Although not required, it is a good experience to go up with an instructor on a turbulent day. Scary as it is, it teaches you how to stay on top of a situation where the aircraft is almost out of control. A windy day can blow you too far away for orientation, or turn you inverted in a heartbeat. Keep you bank shallow on windy days. Landings require partial power on, especially crosswind.

Thank you for choosing the Palos Radio Control Flying Club for your model aviation experience. We look forward to many years together. Remember, shinny side up, greasy side down!