[RCcanuck]

Ya..lots of great ideas. This one worked for us. As long as i can get a bud flying...im happy.

[fliers1]

Quite a few years ago, I gave a demonstration of my teaching method for the Canadian Ajax RC flying club.
I had several beginners learn to takeoff, fly very weill and land, all within a few minutes each of my instruction.

Of the hundreds that I trained over the years, one gentleman wrote a testimonial on the RunRyder forum. http://www.runryder.com/helicopter/p...pcinc#p1463695

fliers1

[fsone]

Clarence i have no problem with the way you teach your students.I just don't understand your need to push this way on others.I personally was taught without a buddy box.But now that the buddy box system is available this is the way i teach my students and for me it works very well.You will also find people who have been trained by the buddy system who are quite pleased.If you are saying that teaching without the buddy box is a better way i am not sure i agree with you.As they say to each his own.By the way Clarence i would like to commend you on teaching these individuals to fly! We always need instructors who will take the time to help others get involved in the greatest hobby on earth.

[fliers1]

Originally Posted by fsone

Clarence i have no problem with the way you teach your students.I just don't understand your need to push this way on others.I personally was taught without a buddy box.But now that the buddy box system is available this is the way i teach my students and for me it works very well.You will also find people who have been trained by the buddy system who are quite pleased.If you are saying that teaching without the buddy box is a better way i am not sure i agree with you.As they say to each his own.By the way Clarence i would like to commend you on teaching these individuals to fly! We always need instructors who will take the time to help others get involved in the greatest hobby on earth.

I don't know why you think I'm "pushing" my method on others. I'm simply letting beginners know that there is a more productive means to learning how to fly. What I don't understand is why only those who already know how to fly more times than not seem to have a problem with me trying to help more beginners to learn and the hobby/sport to grow. Yet I have had tons of beginners thank me for doing so.

Did you see the videos and the testimonial? Did you notice how windy it was in the videos? This was their very first ever RC flying experience. All those I trained learned to fly very skillfully and land on their very first lesson. I don't think that's the norm using the buddy-box. I used to use the buddy-box many years ago, but I nor anyone else I know were able to achieve such success using the buddy-box. As you can see, I give the student a few minutes hands-on help then back way and only occasionally give a word or two, now and then of verbal instruction. Not pushing, but simply "sharing". I would gladly teach others how to use this method.

Funny thing though. Even locally, veteran fliers in my area who personally witnessed me literally instantly solo hundreds of beginners within an hour or two (same day), all seem to not like what I am able to accomplish. Why would that be, I wonder? I use my airplane, fuel, time and all for free, yet the old hands go out of their way to keep beginners from coming to me. Ironically, none of those old hands has any inclination to teach. I wonder how many beginners out there have been waiting very long periods trying to earn their solo wings?

All you newbies out there, how would you like to come to the flying field and learn how to fly within an hour or so, on the same day? It doesn't matter if you had any previous RC flying experience or not, in fact, you would learn faster if you didn't have any previous lessons.

fliers1

[bcsaltchucker]

buddy box sure. Great for the newbie who shows up with a brand new 1400mm T6, especially. We have some who did it that way, others just passed the transmitter back and forth.

Alternative: have the newbie buy a micro Cub or similar micro trainer. The can fly all they want at the park till they get used to the controls and orientation. The plane can crash 20x and still fly, maybe a little CA here and there. Then they graduate to park flier cub trainer, and not long after that they will be ready to try their warbird.

[RCcanuck]

I think its great what your doing fliers1. Keep up the great work!

[fliers1]

Originally Posted by RCcanuck

I think its great what your doing fliers1. Keep up the great work!

RCcanuck,
Thanks for the kudos. My main focus and only purpose to be in this hobby/sport is on the big picture part of growth in the hobby/sport. For example, I once spent 7 hours giving over 100 cub scouts RC flying experience. It was my wife, a friend and me. The scout leader tried to reach several clubs to put on a demonstration but didn't even get a reply from anyone except us.

As a result of my post on this great forum, several beginners from your side of the border has already set up dates for me to get them in the air and on their own asap. I explained that they don't even have to bring an airplane if they don't have one, but if they chose, they can bring their own.

fliers1

[rckmc]

I'm definitely a hands-on learner but have benefitted greatly from buddy box particularly when I could see how the instructor would operate a plane in a certain way especially in windy conditions.

[fliers1]

This is a testimonial from someone I trained in 2 days several years ago.

I have to chime in and tell you al of my experience on this subject. First a little bit about the RC hobby and myself. I have always had an eye for RC Heli’s but never had any exposure to the hobby. Last July I bought a used Raptor 50 and met with an experienced Heli guy at the local field to check it over for me. He set it up, checked it over, then started to teach me to fly it. I was doing Ok until I tried hovering in my backyard and crashed it pretty good. It was way too tight an area for someone as new as me to be flying in. After this, it was suggested to me to pick up a trainer plane and learn to fly it and it would help in learning to fly the Heli. I got an already set up complete LT 40 Kadet. I started on the Buddy Box and could fly around at a fairly high altitude, but could not take off or land. This spring was a continuation of that. Between my work schedule and the wet spring we had here I didn’t get as much box time in as I would like to have. Now it’s been close to a year and I can’t fly on my own at this point. I have had a couple of different instructors on the box but never seemed to progress to the point I hoped to be at. I read a post from fliers1 (Clarence Ragland) here on RR stating that he could teach anybody to hover in a couple of hours. I PM’ed him and after a couple of exchanges Clarence stated he could not only teach me to hover but also fly on my own in 2 days. Talk about skeptical? I made arraignments and met up with Clarence to take him up on his theory. First day, the wind was blowing 20-25 mph and I figured the day to be lost. Not Clarence. He got me up in the air and started on taking off and landing approaches in the wind. We did this for a while then switched over to the Heli. First flight out, I’m a nervous wreck. My knees were knocking and the sweat was just pouring. I couldn’t even think about controlling the right stick. We ran a tank of fuel with me trying to hold a steady altitude and the nose straight ahead while Clarence controlled the right stick completely. The next thankful went a little better. I managed to be able to think about the right stick and control things somewhat with Clarence assisting when I got things out of whack. None of the flying with the Kadet or the Raptor was on the Buddy Box at all. I used my radio with my thumbs on the top of the sticks (something totally new to me) and Clarence reached under my thumbs and controlled the stick when needed (a technique Clarence calls the “Ragland Technique”). He was in continuous communication with me every minute I was in the air. This gave me a positive feel of how much stick movement was required for each move. At the end of the first day, I was further along in my flying than I have ever been in the last 10 months. I still had doubts about hovering and flying on my own by the end of the 2nd day so I extended my check out at the hotel I was staying at one more day.

Day 2, I started off with the Heli and hovered 2 tanks of fuel with minimal assistance on the second tankful. We switched back to the Kadet and did take off and landings one after another. The wind was not blowing as hard as the day before, but kept changing the direction as it blew across the field. Clarence worked with me on all the different areas of flying effected by the changing winds. We worked on throttle control, upwind legs, down wind legs, landing approaches and take offs. At this point I was getting mentally overloaded and we took about a 2 hour break. I cooled down, re hydrated and freshened up back at the room, then had a little lunch. I met Clarence back at the field and started right in on the Heli. It all started to come together. I hovered a couple of tankfulls with minimal assistance. I switched back over to the Kadet and did take off and landings one after another. He even had be do a dead stick when he didn’t believe me when I told him the crazy beeping was telling me I’m about to run out of fuel. Spent the rest of the afternoon practicing take offs, landings from both directions and figure eights crossing at midfield. Fired up the Heli one more time and hovered the entire tank without assistance. I was able to control it, fairly stable, and recognize and make corrections when needed. Mission accomplished! I was comfortable with all aspects of flying the Kadet and hovering the Raptor. I cancelled the 3rd night and went home.

Having been through both the Buddy Box and Clarence’s method, I have to say the “Ragland Technique” is far more effective. I would recommend getting hooked up with Clarence or anybody that teaches by this method to anyone that wants to learn how to fly either planes or Heli’s. It’s very effective with both. Since my instructional time with Clarence I have flown at my field a couple of times. I hooked back up to the Buddy Box the first time up to make sure I could get oriented at my field and be able to pick out my marks for landing. Next time out I completely went Solo. I flew 6 full tank of fuel all on my own. Then I fired up the Raptor and hovered 2 more tanks of fuel completely on my own. Everyone was impressed with what I had accomplished in 2 days. I even got a comment from a member that used to fly heli’s on how steady I was able to hover in place.
Sorry for such a long post, but I just had to share my experience with everyone. I’m not trying to knock the Buddy Box system at all here. After this experience I have to say it’s not the most effective way to learn. I have seen a number of folks at my field learning on Buddy Boxes and they are still on them.
Drop Clarence a note if you want to learn to fly (even in the wind). His e-mail is fliers1@aol.com
Here is a link to an AMA newsletter about Clarence teaching people that never touched a radio before.

http://www.amadistrictii.org/column/...9%20Column.pdf

Now flying on my own!!!!!

Peter Cinotta


Clarence,

I had to drop you a note and let you know how I have progressed. I also wanted to let you know I wrote up a big post on RunRyder under the Buddy Box revisited thread and it disappeared into cyberspace before I got a chance to send it. I will rewrite it tomorrow and get it posted.

Thursday I flew on the Buddy Box as you suggested to get my bearing and landmarks at our field. Great suggestion as I told you ealier I botched the take off with no elevetor. Regrouped and the rest of the day went well. I did 4 -5 flights, all good with no help from my "Buddy". Sunday I went flying again on the Box. I figured one more to get bearings down good then go solo. It didn't happen. I got hit with the Buddy Box teaching method of whose got control of the plane now? Two flights and same as we were talking about how Buddy Box teaching goes. He flys it around for 6 -7 mins tells me I got it and next thing I know I'm trying to slow down and turn and the plane is powering up and going into a vertical climb. Tells me "I thought you wanted me to take it" I got so pissed off, I packed it all in and went home. Figured it would only get worse if I stayed and kept flying under those circumstances.

Today, Monday, I figure I would go to the field and hover the Raptor for a little bit because Mondays are usually pretty quiet at the field. Great day. My "Buddy" couldn't make it and another friend that I have done very well with was there. He was getting ready to leave but would stay for a while to get me flying. I went up on the box with him and hit all the marks perfect. Great"scale" take off, figure 8's crossing directly in front of me and nailed the landing with the plane ending smack in front of me. Fueled her up, unhooked the box, took my radio and asked my friend to just stand beside me and talk me out of trouble if I happened to get into it. Perfect flight again. The whole thing. Landed and took off 4 more times all perfect. My friend said,"looks like you got it, you don't need me. You just keep practicing what you're doing". He left and one other guy and myself had the field to ourselves. I hovered the Raptor 3 tanks. I had to set it down on the first tank 1/2 way though then the next 2 complete tanks start to finish with out setting it down. Nice hovers in about a 5 foot square. The end of the last tank I had it glued in the same spot with out moving at all. It was like it was glued in midair. Set it down and quit on a great note. Went back to the Kadet and flew the wheels off it- - - alone. Did 5 more completely solo flights doing figure 8's and nice big squares. Each flight was a perfect take off and a perfect landing. On the last one I floated it in nice and slow and dropped it in on the wheels like it was a Heli being set down on a hover. Cleaned everything up and called it a day. A Great Day!
It all felt good. I wasn't nervous at all with either the Heli or the Kadet. I think it all finally came together.
Once again a big THANK YOU to you. It was definately stressful but I had a great time learning from you. I can't wait to get out again.

Thanks again,
Peter Cinotta

[fsone]

Great job John well done!!!!