defining: beginner, intermediate, advanced, pilot

[geoffbeneze]

I flew for a bit about 15 years ago, then a new baby, time and money constraints caused me to put my toys in the attic.

When I started, every publication said you "need expert help" as a beginner. There was none to be found, so I flew anyway. The only time I got "expert" help, the guy flew my glider into the ground off the winch. I'll have to admit the wing explosion was spectacular.

So, again, I few on my own, Electric power, gliders. All three "beginner" planes I built are ready to go and flyable. Got a couple dozen flights out of each at that time. Picked up a el cheapo RTF for christmas and flew it yesterday, no sweat.

NOW. I'm interested in the F-27 Stryker by ParkZone. It's been touted as an intermediate plane and "beginners" should not apply.


SSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO The REAL question.

What consitutes a Beginner? What an Intermediate, what an "experienced?" How does one measure such experience and how does one "graduate" one for the next level?

I'm suspecting (well, actually betting the model) that I'll be able to take my soon to arrive Stryker and fly the silly thing, just like I did the original planes - despite the dirth of "expert" instruction.

I'd be interested in a discussion on this topic.
geoff

[miraclesailor]

Maybe the answer lies in how proficient you are in repair? If you can fly any kind of plane you can you can fly all of them. The matter lies in the speed in which you can get in and out of trouble. As an initial rule you can bet that fast planes will usually be fast trouble.

Add extra channels of controls one at a time, if you are planning to go "full house". If you are used to elevator and rudder control it will probably be an easy transition to go to ailerons and elevator or even elevons. You will have a bit more to handle by trying to figure out how to use ailerons, rudder and elevator all at the same time, as you
would for 3D flying.

In the end I think proficiency in flying comes from your willingness to fix what you are about to break in trying something new. It will break in your pursuit of expertise. Make lots of planes and you will be less intimitated to have one on the repair table if you have another to fly.

Later,
Dan

[geoffbeneze]

In the end I think proficiency in flying comes from your willingness to fix what you are about to break in trying something new. It will break in your pursuit of expertise. Make lots of planes and you will be less intimitated to have one on the repair table if you have another to fly.
Later,
Dan

Thanks for the reply, Dan.

If the above is the case I should be a Master already (VBG). I've built, in one form or another, mostly scratch, since I was 10'ish, so the desire and ablity to create and repair is certainly there! After a career in nursing/medical computing, I started a small fabrication business so one of us could be a "full time" parent.

The biggest motivation for the question was the perception (for years) that the standard dogma is "You can't learn to fly on your own" in view of the fact that I built and flew my own with little problem.

After my hiatus, I look at planes I'd like that are rated "intermediate" or "expert" and wonder "gee, can >I< handle that one?" I STILL see the eternal chant of "you've got to have help, you can't learn to fly on your own."

Makes me wonder if I've been the Loan Ranger out here, even though I KNOW that's not realistic.

[Franco Gozzi]

After a number of years in this hobby I have finally landed
in the big planes area. I currently fly a 220 cm wing span Extra 230.
These planes are defined as "for very advanced pilot". That's wrong!
Flying such a model is very easy and relaxing.
The model can be virtually seen from any distance, it flies as slow as you want, the engine never quits (unless you can fly longer than 30 minutes and run out of fuel), there is plenty of power to take the model off any situation and landings are very straight and predictable.
There is just one problem: just one single little mistake or glitch can cost you as much as two months salary.
My conclusion is:
Since the best way to learn is out of mistakes, the designs for beginners are the ones you don't regret to crash. :)

[Straick]

I'm in the same boat as you. When I started to fly, it was with a repaired Aerobird Challenger. Getting it in the air was easy. Flying it when you didn't know what to do, that took time. Now I'm flying a F27 Stryker with replacement electronics in it(the originals didn't give enough control or speed for what I wanted). I'd say that beginner, intermediate, and expert all refers to how big your wallet is so that when something breaks, you'll have an idea of how much it will cost to replace.
All in all, help would have been nice, but then I would have been limited by whatever the person teaching me said could be done with the planes.

They fly bricks, the Spaceshuttle.

[Franco Gozzi]

That's right Straick,

the person who teaches you matters. He can teach you how to fly but he can unadvertisely teach you how to crash too.
The way you hold the radio, for instance, can make a big difference on how safely you'll fly afterwards.
The problem is that the moment you have learned, and picked up a specific habit, you find yourself beyhond the point of no return already.
I have a question about this subject: how do the best RC pilots hold the radio? In which mode the fly, 1 or 2? Do they move the radio sticks between two fingers or just using their thumbs?
Interesting, isn't it?

Cheers,
Franco