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06-03-2005, 05:01 PM | #11 |
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With regard to trims etc failing and trying to test for that, I think its a bit beyond the scope of what is reasonable. You can never anticipate all situations and never test for all of them....you teach as broad a skillset as possible, experience will take care of the rest.
You can't teach experience, you can only give the toolbox...how those tools are used is ultimately up to the individual. In the process they are likely going to lose a few planes. The other thing about testing very specific skillsets is people have varying degrees of acceptance of what is good and what is not good. My definition of a properly trimmed model or a correct crosswind approach is going to be more strict than someone elses. This is where the MAAC wings fails, its testing is way too specific. |
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06-04-2005, 12:08 AM | #12 |
RCC Supreme Contributor
I am: Gary M.
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Stoney Creek, Ontario
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Great comments guys!
I have read over each post a couple of times and have jotted down some excellent points and suggestions, which I know will help me personally to better evaluate each individual student. Chad wrote:" This is where the MAAC wings fails, its testing is way too specific." Taking a look at the MAAC's wings testing procedure, what would you change/eliminate/or add, to make it more reasonable for a club in doing its wings testing Chad? I assume that the MAAC outline is just a guide and can be adapted or changed to meet the specific needs of each individual club?
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06-04-2005, 02:32 AM | #13 |
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As a student myself, maybe some input from someone in this receiving end might help.
there are many things to learn in this hobby, not just the flying, you have the rules to learn, no fly zones, the impounding the radio, frequency board rules,range checking, setting up the aircraft,servos centred,engine adjusted, wings attached firmly. control surfaces checked being secured. then you have the on field etiquette announcing take off and landings, controlling on the ground safely. avoiding other flyers.and trimming the craft once airborne. Just because someone can fly the craft in the air in a straight line, perform turns safely, can then do it consistently, not on just a calm day, but in winds. Yes learning on a simulator can speed up the process of learning to fly, it doesn't teach you the other safety aspects also needed. It isn't about just being able to fly, it is being able to understand what it is your doing and do it safely for you, and other club members, visitors, and property in the surrounding area. would i like to get my wings in a few flights? damm right i would, means i wouldn't need an instructor. But then would i be a safe operator? Maybe not, as i would more than likely break rules which i didn't know because i didn't take the time to learn. so really what needs to be asked when giving wings, has this person learn all the safety precautions as well. and a few visits to the field isn't enough time to learn that. Alan |
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06-04-2005, 08:54 AM | #14 |
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I think Students should be cleared as soon as the Instructor is confident that the student is flying in complete control of the aircraft.
I find that instructors sometimes do not spend enough time requireing the student to fly specific patterns or on specific headings, to determine if the student is really in control, or just has the appearance of control. It is a fairly common occurance at my club that a student can appear to be flying with good control, until he is asked to make prescribed turns to specific headings and to maintain specific altitudes. It is then that you see that he is keeping it in the air, and keeping it in bounds, but is otherwise just going along for the ride and not truely in complete control. The fact that students are learning the basics very quickly with the simulator offers the opportunity to make certain students are more confident in more advanced areas before clearing. At our club, when a student is proficient from the start with simulator training, we spend a little more time on simple but precise maneuvers, crosswind take-offs and landings, trimming, stalls and deadsticks, etc. Also... although our club uses buddy boxes exclusively, we have added a fair amount of solo flying, under instructor supervision, to the end of the program. This ensures that the instructor can see that the student is flying solo with confidence and control before the final clearing flight... and we can then let the student go off and fly as a cleared pilot, confident that the clearing flight wasn't just a "good day" and knowing that the pilot no longer needs instructor supervision. As a result, we get a more well rounded and confident pilot who is going to enjoy the hobby more, and thus stay in it and be a long standing club member. In our old student program (which was a little hap hazard) students were sometimes cleared before they were fully confident. The result was a few crashes soon after clearing that led to the pilot being overly nervous when flying. At this point the pilot can be too embarassed to go back on the buddy box, and just ends up flying less and less, and not enjoying the hobby. Ultimately, this is terribly unfair to the student. If, as an instructor, you find that your students are not remaining active at the field after clearing, then you know you need to review your methods. So... I think that, as instructors, we have a responsibility to our students to use our experience and not clear pilots until they have the confidence to be successful and enjoy the hobby... but at the same time, I would be disinclined to hold back a student who has gotten to that point, merely on the basis of some arbitrary formula for how long I think people should be flying before they can be deemed proficient. |
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06-04-2005, 08:57 AM | #15 | |
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06-04-2005, 09:17 AM | #16 | |
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06-04-2005, 09:25 AM | #17 |
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I am: Ken Currell
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Whitby, Ontario
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Student training
I am not an instructor but I have spent 12 and 1/2 years as a professional trainer facilitator.
How about checking out this site http://www.rcflightschool.com/ The guy seems to be pretty successful. I'm not suggesting that we charge money for training. Maybe we could learn something to better our training and try to standardize a little more. I know that MAAC is doing this but we can always improve ourselves. Cheers Ken C |
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06-05-2005, 08:33 AM | #18 |
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re- A student going to another instructor to be signed off because one is too strict. In our club TWO instructors observe for the final test and in my case one was the chief instructor/president of the club. And yes, part of the test was having some of my trims offset while flying solo.
Even though I have had my wings for about 2 years whenever I bring a new plane to the field I have an instructor do the maiden flight ( once again usually the chief instructor) and then have him with me for the first few flights until I feel comfortable with it. channel38 Doug
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channel38 ( on FM anyway ) lol "Keep your stick on the ice, I'm pullin' fer ya", R.Green |
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06-05-2005, 06:08 PM | #19 |
RCC Supreme Contributor
I am: Dave Holmes
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Prince Edward County, Ontario (no longer Brampton!)
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I am in my 4th season of flying RC, and still do not feel terribly confident. My instructors were all nice guys, and fairly concientious, but did not (I feel) spend enough time on safety issues.
While no one really likes a hard-ass, at times I wish my instructors had been a bit more that way, at least as firm as Dennis (Propworn) sounds. I do believe his approach and attitude is really appropriate. Even now, I am at the stage of studiously trying to ensure my plane goes precisely where I want it to, ie. I am flying the plane, not the other way 'round, and I seem to be getting there. At times I feel I should take a tack a friend of mine is doing; she has driven for years but is taking refresher lessons to try and eliminate bad habits. Maybe I should sign up with a hard-ass instructor and get good solid pointers.
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Dave Holmes The older I get, the better I used to be! |
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06-05-2005, 07:39 PM | #20 | |
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