First Flight = ???

[ace184]

Success!!!

Just made my first ever flight yesterday. After hours on the sim, I decided to just go for it. I have a sport cub s with a dx6. My phone said winds were 8mph constant with 15+ gusts. Probably too windy, but if I don't learn to fly in the wind, I won't get to fly much. After shuffling my feet for a few minutes and doubting my decision, I just went for it. I only flew in beginner mode. I hand launched it and off it went. After spending the first battery learning its characteristics and handling, I quickly learned to adjust to the wind. The second and third batteries were spent doing fast sweeping turns with the help of the wind. I flew pretty low to keep the plane out of the stronger winds and getting away from me. 3 batteries and about 20minutes of flight time(averaged about 70% throttle to counteract wind) later, no crashes and I am now officially hooked. Went home, charged the batteries, picked up my son from school, then went back flying. The winds were a lot calmer but still a little gusty. My son recorded a video, but a 6yr old chasing a plane with a phone while recording doesn't translate very well, lol.

I want to focus on military planes when I get further into the hobby. I was a mechanic on the C17 stationed in Charleston, so my love of planes has always been with me.

Looking forward to learning a lot from everyone here.


Jon

[crxmanpat]

Congrats Jon. Welcome to the addiction!

[Alpha]

Thank you for your military service to our nation, Jon, and welcome to the addiction! Crxmanpat used the perfect word for this hobby. Begin making space in your garage ;)

I encourage my students to practice touch and gos as part of their flight circuit. Many new pilots overlook this skill, but I'd say if you incorporated it early into your RC flying career, you'll be better for it.

[crxmanpat]

I encourage my students to practice touch and gos as part of their flight circuit. Many new pilots overlook this skill, but I'd say if you incorporated it early into your RC flying career, you'll be better for it.

This is sage advice. Even with 10 years of flying experience under my belt, I try to do a couple flights of just touch and goes on new models after doing the initial trim flight, so that I can get used to their takeoff and landing characteristics. Then I go have fun with it!

[danloc78]

Congrats John! (from one new pilot to another). I've been flying a Champ for a couple years but I just had my maiden flight for the Parkzone Sport Cub an hour ago!

I'm also on the warbird track so I'll keep an eye out to see what you end up getting.

Take care,
Dan

[ace184]

I plan on doing a more thorough control test with touch and gos on a calm day. I didn't even bother trimming with that wind. I'm looking at getting another park flyer in the next month. Was looking at the UMX Pitts. When I do get a warbird, most likely during the summer, I will get a p51. I am a p51 nut.

[PappaBear]

Well done Jon, congratulations. Its a lot easier to learn to fly RC today than it used to be a few years ago.

Practice flying a figure of "8" course. In doing this you will always fly a left and a right hand circuit, and you won't get used to just purely flying in one direction. When landing and taking off, always practice both directions, from the left as well as the right.

Martin

[ace184]

When flying on the sim, I always found myself making the same directional circuits. So since I was in a ball field yesterday, I made it a point to try changing directions along with trying to make myself move and changing my sight lines.

[Grossman56]

Way to go Jon!
Man, every time I hear of someone taking the first flight jump, it reminds me of mine. Your never forget your first girlfriend or your first R/C flight, am I right?? (Don't tell Mrs. Grossman!!)
I can't offer any more than an agreement with what the guys said before, learn to fly the plane, circuits and landings. Learn to pick a reference point at which to turn so that you come out of the turn to final lined up with the runway. You'll see it vary according to how much crosswind you have and which way it tends to push you.
You are on the threshold of an amazing hobby and you're off to a great start!!

Grossman56

[ace184]

I'm just happy my first flights went so well. Now all I want to do is fly. I want an endless supply of batteries, lol. I went to fly before class today, but the wind was way to strong. It had one of those big American flags almost stiff sideways. I know my limits :)

[Lon]

Sweet!!!! Way to go. I can tell your hooked....

[boomer108]

Welcome aboard Ace 184

Congrats on your first flight. I would suggest if there is a local club you can join its a good idea. There is a lot of experience and help if you need it as you advance. Have fun and good flying!

Roy B.

[doctormike]

Welcome, Ace 184!!! As they said when I was learning full scale...T&L, T&L, T&L! Doc

[ace184]

Flew 2 batteries this morning in a slight breeze. I am completely comfortable in beginner mode and will now start flying in intermediate. I did flip to advanced a couple times while in the air and noticed a big difference in how the plane reacts to my inputs. Kind of startled me for a second so I flipped back to beginner, lol.

[danloc78]

Jon are you hand-launching or taking off from the ground? Or both?

[ace184]

Right now I'm just hand launching since I'm flying at a ball field that is real divoty(if that is a word). I can land just fine until I hit a divot. When I do take-off/land on a paved surface I'll do it in beginner for awhile and just switch while in the air.

[danloc78]

Sounds like a good plan. I am thinking of getting that plane so my son can fly and I can buddy box...assuming I can figure out how all that works!

[rc4ever]

Sounds like a good plan. I am thinking of getting that plane so my son can fly and I can buddy box...assuming I can figure out how all that works!

Welcome to the Hobby, better start making a list of excuses for your better half......LOL building them is almost the best part....anyway glad your here

[ace184]

My wife has gotten used to me watching rc videos and talking about it. But ever since I had a successful maiden and subsequent flights, it seems my obsession has kicked into overdrive, lol. Now my time is spent researching and watching even more videos. All I can think about is flying again. I even "borrowed" my son's battery from his mini quad that uses the same one so i could get those few extra mintues today, lol.

[Grossman56]

Yep,, picture a fish with a hook in its mouth!!

Grossman56