Ground school for new pilots. With a new generation of slow, very easy to set up and fly models at our fingertips, many new modelers are discovering the joy of radio control (RC). For the newcomer, these smallish, backyard-flyer designs have eliminated the necessity of traveling to a local club's flying field where larger, more complicated RC model airplanes are required to fly. We can now fly at almost any convenient field, whether it is a local baseball diamond, a schoolyard, or a soccer field. If you have a fairly large yard, the fun of RC flying can be right outside your kitchen door! But learning how and where to fly safely requires a bit of knowledge and some new terminology. This article highlights some of the considerations that might not be obvious to the fledgling modeler.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD TRAINER?
If you've never flown an RC model airplane before, you might be tempted to buy one that has a lot of visual appeal, such as a scale model or an advanced sport flyer. Though many of those types of kits are fairly easy to assemble, the models can be very difficult to fly if you have no previous experience. Your first plane should be a good trainer—something to cut your teeth on before moving up the performance ladder. A lot of excellent trainers are available. Here are some basic things to consider when deciding which one is right for you.
Repairability
The simple truth is that your first—and maybe your second—airplane will be damaged in the course of your learning how to fly. Knowing this, you should look for a trainer that has relatively few parts that can be easily repaired if they are broken. Wood and foam are high on the easy-to-fix list; molded plastic is more difficult to repair.
Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue, e.g., Krazy Glue and epoxy are the most common adhesives used for gluing wood parts together, and aliphatic resin, Elmer's white glue, is excellent for gluing foam pieces back together.

Parts availability
Sometimes it will be easier to replace damaged parts than to fix them. Try to select a model that has replacement parts readily available from the manufacturer. Some model kits come with extra wings just in case you damage one beyond repair. Parts such as motors, batteries and speed controls get damaged or worn out, so be aware that you can simply replace these parts instead of having to buy a new model.

Stability
Some trainers are easier to fly than others. Talk to people who have different kinds of models and find out how stable their models are. A good indicator of how stable and, thus, how easy a model will be to fly is how much wing dihedral it has and how long the tail moment is. If the model has a fair amount of dihedral angle (5 or more degrees) and the tail is fairly long, it will fly more stably and smoothly, and this will make it easier to learn how to control it.

Control setup
Before you buy a model, check its control setup. Some trainers have rudimentary controls that offer only a little control-surface deflection. Others have a more standard primary-control setup that gives you complete rudder, throttle and elevator control. More advanced designs also have aileron control. For your first couple of models, however, primary control is all you'll need.

Accessory equipment
Finally, check to see whether the model you like comes with all the equipment you'll need to fly it. In the long run, it is less expensive to get everything in one package. Your kit should include all the materials needed to completely assemble the model: a motor, a propeller, an ESC, a battery pack and a battery charger. Some of the more complete kits also come with a radio system that includes the transmitter, a receiver, servos and a switch harness that will turn the radio on and off. Starting out with all the equipment you'll need to assemble your model plane is the best way to get airborne.

WHAT'S INVOLVED?
To be successful with RC flying, you have to evaluate several elements: the type of model that interests you, the area where you plan to fly and, of course, yourself as the pilot. Let's look at what's involved.

• Types of models. Perhaps the most difficult part of the hobby is choosing which airplane to buy. So many planes are available today that it's easy to get confused. Backyard-flyer models fall into three basic groups: builder's kits, where the airplane has to be built; almost-ready-to-fly (ARF) kits that require only a little assembly; and ready-to-fly (RTF) kits that require almost no assembly. A benefit of RTFs is that they are often available as a package deal that includes all the required hardware and radio gear.

The basic builder's kits are less expensive than ARF or RTF kits but require the additional purchases of model glue, basic tools, covering material and the power system and radio gear. If you enjoy building things and are looking for a project that will last a few weeks, then this is for you. You should be comfortable reading a plan and following instructions. You'll need a designated small work area with a table or workbench; cutting and gluing the pieces that make up an RC model can be a little messy, so it shouldn't be done on the kitchen table.

ARFs are basically kit airplanes that have been partially built and covered for you. The fuselage, the wing halves and the tail surfaces come ready to be joined. After you've glued or bolted the tail surfaces to the fuselage and assembled the wing, you'll only have to install the radio gear and the power system. The wing halves are often joined with a metal joiner rod or a brace, so you won't even have to glue the panels together. You simply slide the joiner into a slot or a hole in the wing root, and then slide the panels together. The rubber bands that hold the wing to the fuselage prevent the panels from coming apart. This makes transporting and storing your new airplane a bit easier. With some ARFs, the motor and the servos come already installed. Simply connect the control linkage, and you're ready to go.

RTFs are very popular because there's little to do but charge the battery, strap the wing into place, and turn the radio on. These very durable models are often made of formed plastic and rigid foam. Some RTFs come with conventional controls (rudder and elevator), while others have more rudimentary controls that simply turn the plane left or right. Some feature throttle control, while others have an uncomplicated arming switch that turns the motor on and runs it until the rechargeable battery's power has been used up. Several newer designs even come with spare props and wings so you don't have to go back to the hobby shop if you break something.

Regardless of your modeling experience level, there are several backyard flyers to choose from. Stop at a local hobby shop, and see what best suits your fancy.

• Basic equipment. To assemble most builder's kits and ARFs, you will need some basic shop tools. These include: small flat-head and Phillips screwdrivers, a hobby knife with several new blades, long-nose pliers, an Allen-wrench set, a small adjustable wrench and sandpaper. For some of the more involved models, where you'll need to install the motor and electronic speed control (ESC), you should have a small, 30W soldering tool, some soldering flux and 60/40 rosin-core solder. Most models come with instructions that specify the supplies and tools required to build the model. To save time and effort in the long run, check the instructions and get all your equipment together before you start building your model.

FLIGHT SIMULATORS
A very good learning tool for any RC pilot is an RC flight simulator computer program. Advances in personal computers and microprocessors have enabled simulators (sims) to evolve to a very high degree of realism. Although not a total replacement for real-world flight training, virtual training in the comfort of home does help teach the student pilot's thumbs and eyes to work together. Because of his practice at home, when the student goes to the flying field and has a radio in his hands, he will react more quickly. Less “think time” means more time to correct for piloting errors. Another advantage of flight sims is that they extend the flying season for those who live in cooler climates. You can “fly” all winter long and never leave the house.

list), and they all work roughly in the same way. The sim presents a model airplane image on the computer screen, and the plane reacts to your control inputs. Some sims come with a control box that looks very much like an RC transmitter; other systems provide an interface that lets you connect and use your own radio. You can choose from several models provided by the program, or you can create new models or represent your own.
Most sims offer a choice of flying environments, so you can fly from a typical flying field, the surface of Mars, or anywhere in between. Also, you can adjust weather elements such as wind direction, crosswind velocity and gusts. You can make the flight simulation as easy or as difficult as you like. Most programs also include a few helicopter simulations.

By training yourself with a flight sim, you can greatly reduce the time it will take for you to learn how to fly your model. You can also continue to fly even when the weather isn't cooperating. Bring the excitement of RC flight indoors and have fun