Green Rookie

[Hippie 64]

Not sure about anyone else but this is how it began for me .



https://vimeo.com/128313050


Bryan

[STOOPIDMONKEY]

RE: Green Rookie

here is how I started

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9KlNT-gLno

and 3 months later

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngf-Fc6wLNU

8 months of flying, and after replacing all of the Airfield/ FMS electronics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egcatq6i_Uw

[Flygirl]

RE: Green Rookie

At least you two were smart guys to get real good planes to start out on! On this one forum I used to hang out on there were so many newbies who would start out with F-86's and collective pitch helis. It was just crazy...

Can't show how I started. They didn't have video cameras and I diidn't have a Super 8 film camera. ;)

[Rocketeer]

RE: Green Rookie

Greetings Gang,

Flygirl, I can surely relate!!

My first RC flight experience went something like this.

A very good friend and fellow astronomer (he also happened to be a senior pilot for Northwest Airlines) and I were driving around in the middle of nowhere, Nevada searching out dark sky locations for our astronomy club when he all of a sudden stops the car, gets out, walks around to the rear of the vehicle, pops the trunk and to my shock and awe, lifts out a small foam electric RC airplane! I had no idea he was into RC planes. Anyway, he mumbles something it being a perfect day for flying and the next thing I know the plane is in the air and flying away! I had NEVER flown an RC plane before and after a moment or two of performing something he called 'trimming' he sent the plane up really high, turned to me and said, "here you go, just try to keep it up high"!!

I'm like, "WHAT!??" In disbelief I took the controller and my entire 20 second first flight experience, as I said, went like this,
Him speaking, "Give it some left"... "Give it some right"... "Give it Some left"........... "GIVE IT TO ME!!!"
That's it!!!

Needless to say however, I walked away from that experience totally hooked!!
If I had been able to video that "Green Rookie" experience, it would surely have qualified as a BLOOPER!!!

I would never have dreamed that a couple years later, I would be getting paid by Uncle Sam to learn how to fly RC Aircraft into simulated nuclear clouds.
Go figure!

Now, in hind-sight, with almost 50 planes in my hanger, I wouldn't have traded that first 20 second "Green Rookie" first RC flight experience for anything.

Clear Skies

Bill L.
in Okla.

[Hippie 64]

RE: Green Rookie

I was fortunate enough to NOT have a camera on during my early , we will call them oops . I remember having the local utility co. bring one of the tree trucks and getting the Pandora down . Another time I took off and landed , then to get rid of the shakes had a beer and a cigarette . Then a few times my nerves were so bad I thought I would pee my shorts . My luck then camera would have been on then .
And lets not forget the time I had one in the tree for two weeks til I cut the tree down . But I still have and fly that plane today .

Nothing like the rush and sweating of early flights .

Bryan 

[Flygirl]

RE: Green Rookie

I'm like, "WHAT!??" In disbelief I took the controller and my entire 20 second first flight experience, as I said, went like this,
Him speaking, "Give it some left"... "Give it some right"... "Give it Some left"........... "GIVE IT TO ME!!!"
That's it!!!

Haha!!!! GREAT story Bill!!!!

(and 50 airplanes??? Yikes! Let me know when you have a yard sale!! LOL)
[hr]

I was fortunate enough to NOT have a camera on during my early , we will call them oops . I remember having the local utility co. bring one of the tree trucks and getting the Pandora down . Another time I took off and landed , then to get rid of the shakes had a beer and a cigarette . Then a few times my nerves were so bad I thought I would pee my shorts . My luck then camera would have been on then .
And lets not forget the time I had one in the tree for two weeks til I cut the tree down . But I still have and fly that plane today .

Nothing like the rush and sweating of early flights .

Bryan 

Ha! You cut the tree down? LOL!!!!!!!!

[Grossman56]

RE: Green Rookie

About the same with me.  Just last year I was contemplating getting my pilots license, a life-long dream. 
but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that a license would be all I'd end up with.  Renting an airplane is expensive and owning one, along with the associated tie down fees and maintenance, was way out of my price range.  Low and behold, I remembered R/C and looked into it, found MotionRC and drooled over the selection of planes and gear.  I hadn't looked into R/C in years and was blown away on how far electric powered foam planes had come.  Wow, no gas to worry about, no noise, this was a dream come true!!
So, I did what 99% of us who will admit to it did.  I bought a warbird (P51D Big Beautiful Doll) then, as I awaited her arrival, smarter heads prevailed and I order a HobbyZone Super Cub trainer.  Then I was off, literally, over the curbs into the weeds and finally into the air, wow what a feeling!!  But I needed more!! (this is called addiction!)  I needed a Pandora!!!!
and of course the rest is history, as you can read in "all us newbies".  Bill was my first responder in that thread, Bill, little did we know, over 27,000 reads and 30 some odd pages later.......  I hope it helped others along the way.

Great times, great friends!! thanks guys and gals for making it an awesome year!!!!

Grossman56

[OV10]

RE: Green Rookie

I'm like, "WHAT!??" In disbelief I took the controller and my entire 20 second first flight experience, as I said, went like this,
Him speaking, "Give it some left"... "Give it some right"... "Give it Some left"........... "GIVE IT TO ME!!!"
That's it!!!

Haha!!!! GREAT story Bill!!!!

(and 50 airplanes??? Yikes! Let me know when you have a yard sale!! LOL)

[hr]

I was fortunate enough to NOT have a camera on during my early , we will call them oops . I remember having the local utility co. bring one of the tree trucks and getting the Pandora down . Another time I took off and landed , then to get rid of the shakes had a beer and a cigarette . Then a few times my nerves were so bad I thought I would pee my shorts . My luck then camera would have been on then .
And lets not forget the time I had one in the tree for two weeks til I cut the tree down . But I still have and fly that plane today .

Nothing like the rush and sweating of early flights .

Bryan 

Ha! You cut the tree down? LOL!!!!!!!!

Hey Lauren,
I know Bill's real hangar count and lets just say that he's close to that fiddy mark but that P-47 he just got ought to be redesignated P-44 if ya catch my drift  ;) . And what is wrong with whacking down a plane eating tree bandit, they make beautiful camp(bon) fires when our club has its annual family picnic in the late summer.

[Flygirl]

RE: Green Rookie

Charlie LOL!!! Okay so if I got something stuck in a tree this summer when I'm up there, I'm calling you! ;)

Did the snow melt on the field road finally?? LOL!

[Rocketeer]

RE: Green Rookie

Greetings Gang,

Now, Now.......

I said ALMOST 50 planes in my hanger......... (a bit of poetic license for the sake of the story)

The actual number is 47 so, I suppose, appropriately enough, the latest acquisition of the e-flite P-47 is literally, P-47... 
What a Ka-Winki-Dink!!

Clear Skies

Bill L.
in Okla.

[OV10]

RE: Green Rookie

Greetings Gang,

Now, Now.......

I said ALMOST 50 planes in my hanger......... (a bit of poetic license for the sake of the story)

The actual number is 47 so, I suppose, appropriately enough, the latest acquisition of the e-flite P-47 is literally, P-47... 
What a Ka-Winki-Dink!!

Clear Skies

Bill L.
in Okla.

Bill - LOL your killing me. You told me your recently completed 1600 Cessna 185 put you at 43 so I assumed that the P-47 was next. I know that a major sell off isn't in the future of the plane monger so as to get ya back to the confines of a hands n toes counting platform where I'm at.   :rolleyes:
[hr]

Charlie LOL!!! Okay so if I got something stuck in a tree this summer when I'm up there, I'm calling you! ;)

Did the snow melt on the field road finally?? LOL!

Lauren - snow's gone and the club field was opened April 25th. Since the opening have been extremely busy maidening all the warbirds acquired while that ugly white stuff was around.

[Rocketeer]

RE: Green Rookie

Greetings OV10,

It's all good, buddy.

I did indeed finish up the 1600mm Cessna recently (43). A very cool plane. I love watching the doors open and close and I can't get over how the pilot turns to the left and right in coordination with the nose gear!

What I didn't mention was when I bought it, the guy I bought from actually had two of them (Cessna's) so I bought them both as well as his Dynam BF-109 and an 800mm A1-Skyraider. Didn't need them but, it was a package deal I couldn't refuse.

Clear Skies

Bill L.
in OKla.

 

[Hippie 64]

RE: Green Rookie

TREES BAD !!! GET IN THE WAY , MUST GO .

It wasn't mine btw :D

Bryan

[STOOPIDMONKEY]

RE: Green Rookie

Not only are trees bad but they are just plane thieves, they stand there looking all innocent when all of the sudden they snatch your perfectly good plane out of the sky and beat it with a stick, then if we are lucky they spike the plane to the ground like a 3 year old throwing a temper tantrum. If we are unlucky they hold the plane hostage for weeks at a time letting old man weather beat on it and destroying our batteries!!... And they get away with it just because we need oxygen. LOL

[Rocketeer]

RE: Green Rookie

Greetings Guys,

Oxygen now comes in bottles....

Mr. Tree.......... meet Mr. Chainsaw!!!  :D

Clear Skies

Bill L.
in OKla.

[Sky Wolf]

RE: Green Rookie

Greetings OV10,

It's all good, buddy.

I did indeed finish up the 1600mm Cessna recently (43). A very cool plane. I love watching the doors open and close and I can't get over how the pilot turns to the left and right in coordination with the nose gear!

What I didn't mention was when I bought it, the guy I bought from actually had two of them (Cessna's) so I bought them both as well as his Dynam BF-109 and an 800mm A1-Skyraider. Didn't need them but, it was a package deal I couldn't refuse.

Clear Skies

Bill L.
in OKla.

 Hello Rocketeer! That is so awesome. I have the same Cessna that I bought from Banana 2 1/2 years ago. I bought it before I knew anything about r/c flying. I was just getting started at the time.

I opened up the box and it scared me so bad that I closed it back up. I didn't know what all of the little parts were for (horns, rods, linkages and screws). It was intimidating at the time, so I just stuck it up in the attic for almost 1 1/2 years. 

After about 30 or so builds under my belt I remembered it was there. I blew off the dust from the box, and it took all of 15 mins to get her assembled. It's a heavy plane, but flies like the real thing. You're right, People get a kick out of seeing the doors and the turning pilot.
I've thought about selling it a few times, but just can't bring myself to doing it. It's a great practice plane for landing with power on! 
Too bad they don't make it anymore. It's awesome that you have two of them. Let me know if you ever decide to sell one of them. I have a buyer for you here in Dallas. He's been wanting one.

Keep clear of those twisters when flying!

[hr]

Greetings Gang,

Flygirl, I can surely relate!!

My first RC flight experience went something like this.

A very good friend and fellow astronomer (he also happened to be a senior pilot for Northwest Airlines) and I were driving around in the middle of nowhere, Nevada searching out dark sky locations for our astronomy club when he all of a sudden stops the car, gets out, walks around to the rear of the vehicle, pops the trunk and to my shock and awe, lifts out a small foam electric RC airplane! I had no idea he was into RC planes. Anyway, he mumbles something it being a perfect day for flying and the next thing I know the plane is in the air and flying away! I had NEVER flown an RC plane before and after a moment or two of performing something he called 'trimming' he sent the plane up really high, turned to me and said, "here you go, just try to keep it up high"!!

I'm like, "WHAT!??" In disbelief I took the controller and my entire 20 second first flight experience, as I said, went like this,
Him speaking, "Give it some left"... "Give it some right"... "Give it Some left"........... "GIVE IT TO ME!!!"
That's it!!!

Needless to say however, I walked away from that experience totally hooked!!
If I had been able to video that "Green Rookie" experience, it would surely have qualified as a BLOOPER!!!

I would never have dreamed that a couple years later, I would be getting paid by Uncle Sam to learn how to fly RC Aircraft into simulated nuclear clouds.
Go figure!

Now, in hind-sight, with almost 50 planes in my hanger, I wouldn't have traded that first 20 second "Green Rookie" first RC flight experience for anything.

Clear Skies

Bill L.
in Okla.

What an awesomely funny story! That was great! I wish I had my first experiences on film too. Oh...wait, I do have one on film, but not quite the first. I started off with the Hobbyzone Champ, and thank goodness for that. No footage of those days though. 

 

[Rocketeer]

RE: Green Rookie

Greetings,

You know, the universe might be expanding at an accelerating pace, but I think our world is getting smaller all the time!!
Maybe, Disney was right on the button, "It's A Small World, After All"!

I think it so cool that you happen to have the same version of the Cessna!!!
To be honest I had no idea this particular version of the Cessna, with its unique little features, even existed until I bumped into these.

You're on the mark with this being a heavy flyer, which I attribute to the massive cockpit.
I have actually been tossing around the idea of selling the other one.
Not sure yet, it's just so damn unique and I may never come across another one, but if I do I will let your know first.

Clear Skies

Bill L.
in OKla.

[Capt. Crunch]

RE: Green Rookie

Great story Bill !!  Hey do you think if you happened to be in the cockpit with him on an airliner,  would he let you take the controls?   Lol

My first experience wasn't near as cool. I did the classic newbie mistake and went straight to a war bird. Needless to say, I wrecked it. But now after lots of time on a sim, and practice on a trainer, I can finally fly some war birds!! :)

[Rocketeer]

RE: Green Rookie

Greetings Capt.

Well, I had been up flying with my friend many times in his Bonanza (again scouting dark sky locations) and he NEVER asked if I wanted to "take the wheel"!!
So, I think I can say with extreme confidence.............. NO!!! ..............Maybe even, Hell NO!!!!

ViVa La Simulator!!!!


Clear Skies

Bill L.
in OKla.