Rookie Tips


The RC hobby is a potentially dangerous hobby that can cause physical harm and damage to others. Each RC pilot
participates at his own risk. These tips  are especially helpful to new pilots. This is a lengthy document that you
need to read more than once. There is more information here than you can possibly retain in one sitting. The
content is not to be construed as an all-inclusive instructional document pertaining to all RC topics. The intention
is to provide the beginner with something to read that hopefully encourages questions and discussions with
instructors and experience  members. No one person can teach you everything you need to know.  The RC hobby
is a fun ongoing learning experience that encourages interaction and fellowship with fellow hobby enthusiast.
Get involved, ask questions and begin the learning process .

disclaimer: This is not  an original article. I have gathered this information from several sources and added my own
experiences, mistakes and input.

FIRST STEP

The most important thing you can do is find a flying club in your area.  Go watch them fly. Introduce yourself and
tell them you are interested in taking up the sport.  Find which one is considered to be an expert  model builder.
Spend time talking to him. You will find that most modelers are very friendly and more than happy to give you
plenty of advice. Do this and you will save a lot ot time, aggravation, money and avoid a lot of mistakes.  to find
a club in your area.

You can find a club in your area here ------->  Locate a flying club

RULES

RC is a great hobby that is wonderful fun but it can also be dangerous if we neglect safety.  This means we all
have a mutual responsibility to look out for each other and to help keep the sport safe for everyone. The rules
of the club where you are flying were put into effect for your safety and enjoyment. Take this matter very seriously.

ASK FOR HELP AND TAKE ADVICE

 Each time you go to the field you should learn something new about the hobby. If you aren’t learning it’s because
you aren’t asking, or paying attention. Any question you don’t know the answer to is a good question. All you have
to do is ask. From time to time we all wonder why someone didn’t tell us about this or that. Remember, you need
to be patient and assertive in seeking out answers to your questions. Some of us are more stubborn than others,
which usually is revealed by the number and variety of mistakes we make. Eventually we learn to swallow our pride
and listen to the years of experience that is made available free of charge. We can’t tell you how many times we all have said the following. “You know what, he/she said was right.” So, once you ask the question and get a good answer, pay heed to it. It may very well keep you, or someone else from losing an airplane, damaging property or becoming injured.

 SIMULATOR TRAINING

Before working with an instructor, many of us first learned how to fly on a simulator. Some of us didn’t. Those that learned on a simulator will tell you that it makes the learning experience more fun and overall less expensive. Instructors will tell you that money spent on a simulator will pay you back in spared airplanes. If you can save just one airplane from the garbage can you have paid for the simulator. Simulator training can be used day and night regardless of the weather, or wind conditions. The benefit of using a simulator is stick time, stick time, stick time. There are several RC simulators on the market. Ask Rob Baker at Hobbytown, USA in Mobile, or ask one of the instructors for simulator product recommendations before you buy anything.

BUYING AN AIRPLANE , Field Equipment , ect.

Don't make the mistake I made. I decided I was going to get into RC Airplanes. So I went to  the local hobby store, told the clerk I wanted a "good" kit to build. Well, to make a long story short, he sold me the wrong plane (wrong for me) and the wrong radio equipment.  A year later I still have not flown that plane.

This is the time to seek out an instructor, or experienced Flyer  for help. Do not buy anything without first talking to someone that knows what he is talking about. Seek help from  an expert builder. Each has an opinion on which trainer, engine, receiver, transmitter and servo selections are the best. So, it’s always good to compare ideas and suggestions by talking with more than one person. In the end, you have to make your own decision. After all, it’s your money. Buying new or used is a matter of preference and budget.  The important thing is to make sure you are getting good value for your dollars by asking for help in selecting a good quality product at a fair market price before you buy. After gaining experience with a trainer you will want to move up to a more advance second airplane. Again, this is the time toseek experienced help. You need someone to guide you who is familiar with your flying skills and hobby preferences before you select your next airplane. There are different airplanes for different kinds of flying. A qualified instructor, or experienced member will be glad to help you select the right second plane for you.

Airplanes are generally classified as high wing, low wing or bi-plane. All trainers are high wing because they are much easier and more stable to fly. So start out with a trainer.

FIELD EQUIPMENT

Selecting the right field equipment is as important as selecting the right airplane. Here again your preferences and budget will greatly impact the direction you take. Here are a few basic tips to get you started. As you watch the members fly at the club you found, learn to recognize their equipment and accessories, such as field box, battery, starter, refueling setup, glow starter and extra glow plugs. It is also recommended that you get a medium sized fishing tackle box to use as a toolbox and for storing your extra parts and pieces. Many people use fishing tackle boxes because the design is perfect for storing volumes of small things in multiple compartments. You don’t get the same design and layout with a standard toolbox. Smaller tools and flight line required tools easily fit in the field box. You will need an assortment of fuel tubing, wheel collars and spare props. You will also need packages of various screws, nuts and bolts. You should include but not limit the following items in your tool kit: Scissors, Exacto knife, extra # 11blades, tape, small drill and drill bits, small flashlight, small measuring tape, #64 size rubber bands, thin and thick CA glue, epoxy, accelerator, Goop, blue thread lock, Dremel tool and accessories, hex head set for standard and metric, wire cutters, small crescent wench, small hammer, needle nose pliers, very small to medium flat head and Philips screw drivers. This is not conclusive, but it’s a start.

 WHERE DO YOU PURCHASE WHAT YOU NEED?

This is a good question each of us is confronted with when we get into the hobby. Do you purchase items from your local hobby store or from an online discount hobby center?

    * Local Hobby Store -  The benefits here are immeasurable, especially if you don't know exactly what your need,  such as an airplane,glue or a propeller. I shop at HobbyTown, USA in Mobile and Rob Baker is an expert in all phases of RC airplanes. He wants you to succeed in the sport and to be repeat customer. Likewise, returning faulty tools, equipment and defective products is no problem. Not that you encounter defective items often, but when you do, it sure helps to have someone local to deal with.

    * Online - If you know exactly what you want, you can often save a lot of money by purchasing online, such as lipo batteries. If you are purchasing from overseas, be prepared to wait sometimes 3-4 weeks for delivery. And do not count on customer service.

HAVE EVERYTHING READY

This is pretty self-explanatory. Have your stuff ready to go. Nothing ruins a potentially good flying day than being pestered by the little things that can go wrong when equipment is not properly maintained, charged, cleaned, organized and ready.

BATTERIES

Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), and Lithium Polymer (LiPo) cells are currently the most commonly used, but each needs to be charged, discharged, and stored differently. On top of that, each model may require a different cell count or battery configuration as well. To determine what pack configuration you will need, check the owner’s manual of your particular model for more info. The battery you will need should be listed in the “Items Needed to Complete” section of your manual.

NiMH cells have many advantages over their NiCd counterparts. With the removal of Cadmium from the cell, the NiMH cells were able to fill the need for industrial and hobby-grade batteries all over the world. NiMH cell manufacturers were also able to offer significantly higher capacities in cells approximately the same size and weight of comparable NiCd cells. NiMH cells have an advantage when it comes to cell memory too, as they do not develop the same performance issues as a result of improper discharge care.

Lithium Polymer (LiPo) cells are the newest and most revolutionary cells to come to market. LiPo cells typically maintain a more consistent average voltage over the discharge curve when compared to NiCd or NiMH cells. Add to that the higher nominal voltage of a single LiPo cell (3.7V versus 1.2V for a typically NiCd or NiMH cell), making it possible to have an equivelant or even higher total nominal voltage in a much smaller package. LiPo cells also typically offer very high capacity for their weight, delivering upwards of twice the capacity for sometime ½ the weight of comparable performance NiMH cells and packs. That’s right, with LiPos you can often achieve higher voltage and power output, with more capacity, in a lighter weight package.

With all of these benefits, why aren’t LiPo packs more widely used? With so much energy packed into such a small space, there are some important safety measures to take when dealing with LiPo cells. A LiPo cell needs to be carefully monitored during charging as overcharging a LiPo cell (to beyond 4.2v), or the charging of a physically damaged or overdischarged cell (discharged to below 3.0v under load) can be a potential fire hazard.

If you are going to go the LiPo route, use a charger that can correctly charge them (using a constant current, constant voltage method of charging as LiPo cells can not be “Peak Charged”), such as the Vision Peak Ultra (DYN4053) or the E-flite Celectra 1-3 Cell charger (EFLC3005). Not only must care be taken when charging LiPo cells, but when discharging them as well. You should never over-discharge a LiPo pack to below 3.0v per cell under load, and you must use an ESC programmed to provide the proper low voltage cutoff for your pack (for example, a 9v cut off for a 3 series LiPo pack). Also, you should never dead short a LiPo pack, even if only for an instant, as the large amount of energy stored in the small package can catch fire quite quickly as a result. While these seem like major deterrents to using a LiPo battery, these usage guidelines are quickly becoming well known as they are typically well outlined in the instruction manuals included with most LiPo packs, ESCs and LiPo chargers. However with all of their performance benefits, there is little doubt that lithium polymer battery packs are currently the future of battery technology for electric powered models.

Discharging and Storage:

Discharging and storage really go hand in hand. For NiCd packs, you should completely discharge them, to 0.9v per cell, before you store them NiMH packs should be stored with roughly a 50% charge in them for best performance. And before you charge a NiMH pack for the first time in the day, simply drain the pack completely on a discharger or in the model and you are then ready to charge the pack for use throughout the day.

LiPo batteries are completely different when it comes to discharging and storage. Depending on the output voltage of your pack, you should only discharge your pack so far. For example, during use, a 7.4V LiPo battery (also known as a “2 series” or “2S” pack) should never be discharged below 6.0 volts under load (3.0v per cell). For storage of 2 weeks or more, LiPo packs should be stored at approximately 3.8v per cell to prevent overdischarge or imbalance from developing among series cells in the packs due to differing levels of each cell’s self-discharge rate. In the case of a 2S 7.4v pack, the pack should always be stored at 7.6v. You should also store your LiPo batteries in a fireproof container or cabinet and never store your LiPo, or any other battery for that matter, in the model itself.

Pehaps no other item has quite as much effect and influence on our hobby as rechargeable batteries do. There are almost as many different theories and misconceptions out there about rechargeable batteries as there are individual battery sizes and types. Just remember that knowledge is key when it comes to batteries, as is consistent charging, discharging, and storage. Whether you are in the hobby shop or at the flying field, feel free to ask questions of those around you who may be more experienced. That is one of the best ways to learn and grow in the hobby.

There are now several different kinds of batteries on the market. Some are newer than others. Some have been proven with much club experience while others haven’t been tested with time. You will find that most RC pilots use Nicad batteries. The recommended method for charging your receiver and your transmitter battery is to place them on the manufacturers recommended battery charger the night before you plan to fly. Basically you are looking for roughly ten to twelve good charging hours. Most chargers have a charging indicator light, which should light up if you have a good connection. If you have a charging light and it doesn’t come on, you aren’t charging your batteries. Certain battery chargers will shut down after detecting a full charge. Avoid overcharging batteries which results from letting them stay on a charger for days at a time. Once the charging cycle has been completed, use a BATTERY TESTER to check the charge level. Most receiver batteries will peak out around 5.4 volts with a full charge being 5.2 volts. Check your batteries again at the field as part of your preflight check.

Note: Nicad batteries are like water in a bucket with a hole in the bottom. If you leave them off the charger for several hours they will begin to lose power even if you are not using them. Always make certain your batteries are fully charged. It is recommended that you check your battery charge level after each flight. The receiver battery will usually drop faster than the transmitter battery. Check the receiver battery after each flight or at least after every other flight. Avoid flying with a receiver battery below 4.8 volts. Some pilots stop flying at 4.9 volts, but no pilots fly below 4.8 volts. You can purchase a field quick charger. These small charging devices connect to a 12-volt car battery and can recharge your receiver and transmitter battery in about forty-five minutes. Not a bad idea for an occasional quick charge if needed at the field, but not recommended as a common recharging method. Special note: there are different schools of thoughtregarding whether or not you should cycle your batteries. It is the general opinion that Nicad batteries do not need to be cycled though you certainly can do so. Also, the life of a well maintained quality name brand battery is approximately three years. Change your batteries at three-year intervals or less.

 

FIELD CHECKIN


If you are using anything other than the new 2.4 ghz transmitter,don't ever turn your transmitter on before first signing in at the field and securing your transmitter channel pin from the transmitter pin board. If your transmitter channel pin is not available DO NOT TURN YOUR TRANSMITTER  ON FOR ANY REASON WHILE AT THE FIELD. If you are not certain you understand this subject ask any club member for further explanation.  To fly at a sanctioned club field, you must first be a member of the AMA and then you must join the local club.

PREFLIGHT CHECKS

Always check your receiver and transmitter battery charge levels with a tester before flying the airplane.

Make sure all wiring connections are secured.  

Cut and install a short piece of fuel hose over each clevis. This keeps the clevis from opening under pressures applied to moveable surfaces when flying the airplane. This little piece of hose can save your airplane and avoid an injury. After a relatively short while the fuel hose securing the clevis will begin to crack and split. Change all cracked and split fuel hose strips before flying the airplane.
 
Check to be certain that all clevis connections are tight and secure. Special Note: When using a metal clevis with a metal fully threaded push/pull rod, put a drop of CA glue on one of the rod end threads where the rod end makes contact with the clevis threads. This will keep the rod and clevis from spinning loose due to engine  vibration. Apply CA glue to one rod end only and not both ends. This will enable you to keep one end free for  adjustments.

 Check hinge security - The moveable ailerons on the wing, rudder on the vertical stabilizer, and elevators on the horizontal stabilizers are all secured in place usually with nylon hinges. Other materials can be used for hinges, but most trainers will use a nylon material. When building the airplane, the hinges are secured with CA glue. The hinge works as a wick, allowing the CA glue to freely flow and be absorbed into the balsawood and nylon hinges  simultaneously. Once properly positioned, glued and cured, the nylon hinge and balsawood become as one. It   should be so hard to remove the hinge that you actually pull pieces of balsawood with the hinge when attempting to separate. The point here is that all hinges should be tightly secured when doing a preflight check.  Do not fly the aircraft if any hinges slip freely in and out of the hinge slots

 You can install short length pieces (1/8”) of fuel hose on the axel between the wheel hub and the landing gear  strut to create a friction break. When tightening the hex screw on the axel to tighten the wheel hub in place, first  press firmly inward on the wheel hub to tightly position the hub against the fuel hose strip on the axel. Then  tighten the hex head screw in the wheel collar to hold the wheel hub in position. This creates a friction brake. You know you have it tight enough if the wheel does not freely turn or spin multiple revolutions. You don’t want too much friction. The friction should be just enough to stop your plane within a few feet after freely giving it a firm  push and release on the taxiway. (Engine is off of course.) When pushing the aircraft, make sure the aircraft rolls in a straight line forward and not hard to the left or right. A little right and left movement can be controlled with the rudder and or nose wheel. The benefit to you is that you have created a friction brake that will help to keep the aircraft from freely rolling forward when at slow idle. This will also assist you in stopping the aircraft more quickly if you are coming in a bit too hot on your landing approach. Note: After a few takeoffs and landings you will want to check how more freely the wheels roll.This is the result of the wheel hub wearing down the rubber fuel hose on the axel. This can vary a good bit, but the brake fuelhose strip should be changed after roughly fifteen flights.   Special Note: When securing the wheel hub to the axel, using a wheel collar, use a hex screw and not the setscrews that come standard with wheel collars. The head on setscrews easily strip making it next to impossible to securely tighten the collar to the axel. This can result in losing a wheel on take off or landing. Use hex screws so you can  torque down when tightening. A small drop of blue thread lock is fine.  Check your prop to make certain it is tightly secured as a standard preflight check. Many pilots use a locking washer to add extra security. Use a crescent  wrench and really torque down on the nut securing the prop.

Check engine mounts and muffler screws for tightness. Engine vibration will cause these fittings and fasteners to loosen and fall off, or out in a very short time. Engines do fall off. Mufflers do fall off. Landing gear has fallen off. These things happen all to often. Use blue thread lock and be certain that all fittings and fasteners are tightly  secured. Also, it is recommended that you coat wood screw holes with a coating of thin CA glue after threading  the wood hole with a proper sized screw. The CA glue will help reinforce and strengthen the wood around the hole to provide a more secure fastener. After threading the hole it is recommended that you allow the CA glue to cure over night. When you’re ready to place the screw in the hole you can also put a few drops of thin CA on the screw threads, which will work like thread lock. Be careful to not get CA glue on plastic or fiberglass canopy and cowling parts. Debonder used to remove epoxy and CA glue can discolor clear, colored plastic and fiberglass parts.

 Before mounting the wing, check inside your airplane to be ensure that all wires connecting the receiver to the servos, and the battery to the receiver, and the on off switch are thoroughly secured. Again, use Parsons Clips where appropriate. You can also use thin wiring ties to secure wiring and to keep the inside of the fuselage neat without clutter. Lookfor signs of connection ware and sliding wire pins within the wire connection housing. These wire pins are held in place, with a very thin piece of plastic. These can easily bend and break. When this occurs it can allow the wire pin connection to slide freely in and out of the connection housing. If this should happen, you will lose servo connection to the receiverresulting in loss of aircraft control and imminent crash. If you detect wire pin slippage you should immediately change the wire with the bad connector before the next flight.

 The battery and the receiver are to be neatly wrapped with foam rubber and secured inside the airplane. A loose battery or receiver flopping around inside the fuselage can obstruct servo function or cause wire separation resulting in total control loss and imminent crash.

 Check for signs of a fuel leak. This is usually first detected by observing blue or pink fuel stains in the foam  material wrapped around the battery, receiver and the fuel tank. If you see any signs of a fuel leak, you should immediately removethe fuel tank and correct the problem. Leaks most frequently occur at the stopper, seams, hose connections or from holes in the fuel hose. Special Note: Unfortunately, many ARF stock fuel tanks fail within the first fifteen flights. If you are flying a trainer with a stock tank you should change it out immediately. It is highly recommended that you purchase a Dubro or Hayes tank as a replacement. A fuel leak can severely break down the adhesive strength of Epoxy and CA type glues. Even the most basic fuel leak must berepaired. Check all fuel lines for cracks and leaks. Make sure the fuel tank is foam covered and not making contact with airplane structural elements, which results invibration. Engine vibration is of the leading causes of foam in the fuel tank,    which negatively effects engine performance.

 Look for any signs of external / internal wing or fuselage cracks. Check all servo, servo horn screws and throttle connections for tightness and free movement. Check to ensure that nothing interferes with the free movement of servos, push/pull rods and throttle movement. The inside area of the fuselage should be neatly packed and secured. Specialnote: Wing halves should be secured with epoxy to avoid wing separation. Many trainers are designed to hold the wings together with two small wood screws and a small metal plate on the bottom of the wing. In addition, you may find that the manufacturer recommends tape for additional support. This is a problem waiting to happen. Vibration will cause the screwsto come out and tape is not a sufficient fastener to hold a wing together. Use an ample supply of epoxy to coat the bare wood areas where the wing halves join the wing together. Be careful to not get epoxy on any moveable control surfaces or control rods inside or around the wing.

 Programmable radio model verification – If you are usinga programmable radio, verify the recalled program model number selection with the plane you are flying. Verify that trim settings are in the same position as the previous flight. On manual radios the trim settings can be easily changed by someone innocently fooling with your radio, or by something brushing against the manual adjustments. This can greatly impact the control functions of your airplane resulting in severe unanticipated directional control movement. If you’re not confident in being able to reset trim settings to the previous flight levels, you should ask an instructor to do a test flight on our airplane to trim it out for you. .

 Verify wing alignment and the center of gravity ( CG ) This a critical procedure for all pilots on all airplanes. It is especially critical for new pilots with new airplanes because you may not understand the importance of having a properly balanced airplane. Never fly an airplane without checking the center of gravity ( CG ) of the airplane. A properly balanced airplane will have a slightly nose heavy attitude when CG is checked at the proper CG balancing points. This is usually several inches behind the leading edge of the wing close to the fuselage. CG balancing location points vary with each airplane. This is why you need your airplane directions booklet to locate the CG balancing points of your airplane. A Plane that is slightly nose heavy will fly just fine, but a plane that is tail heavy won’t fly. Aligning the wing in the wing saddle is fairly self-explanatory. Verify that the wing is secured in the wing saddle with no gaps and that wing tips align left to right of the center of the fuselage. When using a    trainer with wings secured by rubber bands, use nothing less than 8 and nothing smaller than #64 rubber bands to secure the wing in the wing saddle. No less than three rubber bands on each side. Chriscross the 7th and 8th rubber bands to keep the others from slipping off from vibration or breakage. Special Note: Most pilots throw away the rubber bands at the end of a flying day. Oil from fuel exhaust will gradually break down the rubber bands causing failure. Some pilots store used rubber bands in baking or talc powder to absorb the oil and then reuse thebands. Your choice.

 Verify moveable surface directional movement to be accurate. A good habit to develop is to always check surface movements using the same verification procedures. Many of us like to use ‘right’ is ‘right’ on the ‘rudder’ and ‘right’ is ‘up’ on the ‘right aileron’. ‘Back’ is ‘up’ and ‘forward’ is ‘down’ on the ‘elevator’. Perfect practice makes perfect performance. Get in the routine of always checking your controls in the same manner with the same routine each and every time. You areless likely to forget by developing good habits.

 Conduct a range test. A range check is required before you fly your first flight at the field even if everything checked out and worked perfectly on your previous visit. This can be accomplished by placing the airplane on the ground with engine off. With the transmitter antenna in the full down position and the transmitter and receiver in the on position, walk away from the airplane while working the controls. You should be able to walk away from  your airplane at least fifty or more paces before you notice any flutter in your controls. At about 50 paces, or more it becomes more difficult to see surface movements and flutter. A spotter can be a big help with this pre-flight function. Special note: metal-to-metal contact within your airplane will create a signal interference, which may result in control surface flutter, and, or erratic control surface movement. A common example of  metal-to-metal contact is when a metal screw, used to insall a cowling, makes physical contact with a metal engine part. Another example is when thecontrol rod connecting the carburetor to the servo makes physical contact with the muffler, engine or metal mount. (This is not to be confused with mounting bolts going through a metal engine mount when mounting the engine. The difference here is a very tight fit connection with no tolerance between the metal parts, where as the example of the push rod making contact with a muffler is a loose intermittent contact.)

 Be sure all covering seams and edges are secured with minimal chance of covering material separating from the airplane structure during flight. A trailing section of covering material trailing behind your airplane can potentially obstruct moveable surfaces or jam servo functions resulting in limited or total control loss.

STARTING YOUR ENGINE

Keep everything clear from the prop. If you have a question about this maybe you should consider a different hobby.  Seriously, many of us have gotten careless at one time or another and accidentally stuck a finger in a moving prop when adjusting engine settings. Trust me, it hurts and the cut can be very serious. Likewise, loose drawstrings onjackets or loose clothing can easily become entangled in the prop jerking the prop quickly into your face or around your neck. This is one very good reason why you shouldn’t fly at the field alone without someone there to help you inthe event of emergency.

I was alone one morning flying an electric. I was holding the plane with my right hand and had the transmitter on a strap around my neck. As I bent over to place the plane on the ground, I brushed the throttle to open and the propeller ate up my forearm. No help, no first aid kit and 25 miles from the nearest hospital. Bleeding like a stuck hog. I grabbed some paper towels and held them tightly over the cut. In a state of panic and shock, I luckily was able to drive with one arm to the emergency room. The cut required 16 stitches. Do not repeat my mistake.

 The most common contributors to engine start failure are a dead or low charged glow starter, bad glow plug or the power switch is in the off position and the throttle is not responding when you move the throttle stick on your radio. A dead or low charged field starter battery can also make for a bad field day. Again, have your stuff ready for a fun day at the field.  Fill your fuel tank – Some of our best and most experienced pilots occasionally have memory lapse and fail to refuel their airplanes before attempting to fly again. On a personal note, I usually refuel as soon as I land for two reasons. First it’s a good habit to develop. You are less likely to forget to refill your airplane if you develop consistent good habits.

I usually do this. But one time I did not.  45 minutes later, assuming my plane was full of fuel as usual, I took off. Result, I soon ran out of fuel and lost $450 in Mobile Bay. Simple mistakes can be costly.

Secondly, you will eventually learn that there are better times to go up than others. Maybe you like to fly when less aggressive, or fewer pilots are in the air. If you wait to fuel your airplane just before your flight you may have missed the opportunity to fly at the best time for you. Sometimes the field can be very busy, which means you had better be ready to go. Have everything ready to go so all you have to do is pick your time, start your airplane and go. Special note: When refueling your airplane take extra care to avoid getting fuel into your eyes. This can easily happen when a fuel filler line pops loose spewing fuel on your airplane and possibly in your face and eyes. If this should happen you will know it instantly because it burns like crazy. You should immediately ask for help. The club probably keeps  fresh water in the pit in the area near the first aid kit. You should familiarize yourself with its location for the benefit of everyone. Use the water to immediately flush your eyes, or to help an injured flyer do the same.

 When starting your engine the front of your airplane should be facing in towards the pit area and not out towards the field. Be careful and considerate when revving your engine in the pit area. The prop blast from your plane can potentially damage other airplanes and throw debris and exhaust at fellow pilots andspectators. No one should ever be standing in the direct line with your prop when throttling up to even partial or full power settings. In the event the prop should separate, or come lose from the airplane, serious injury and damage can occur. This is especially important when trying to run the last remaining drops of fuel out of your engine at the end of the day. It’s easy to develop a bad habit by starting the engine and then throttling up to full power with your hand holding the fuselage and your face and eyes inches away from a prop that could disintegrate in your face. Keep everything clear from your prop.

Positioning habits are a good thing. It is recommended that you kneel off to the right side of your airplane withyour left hand securely holding the fuselage so that your right hand can be free to hand start, or to use a field starter. Obviously if you are left-handed you will reverse the process. The point here is to encourage the routine in the process. Many of us prefer to use a small foam knee pad that you can pick up at any lawn and garden center for the purpose of positioning your knee on the ground without being in direct contact with the hard asphalt. Others use a small stool to sit on and still others just lean on their knees and deal with the discomfort. Once you have successfully started the engine you can easily put the starter down, while holding the airplane securely with your other hand. Then simply slide the hand, holding the airplane, back towards the tail as you move around (keepingclear of the prop) behind the airplane to begin your taxi out to a flight station.Special note: Now you will appreciate the small piece of fuel tubing on each wheel that works as a brake. At low idle the plane should sit in place without movement if you have the idle set right and the fuel tubing brake set up right. If your airplane moves backwards the engine has backfired and started in reverse. This happens now and then. Kill the engine and restart the engine. Pull your plane by the tail away from the pit area and position it outbound for your taxi to the flight line. As you begin your taxi, it’s a good idea to again check control surface directional movements and radio settings. Be sure your transmitter antenna is fully extended.

OK, LET'S GO FLYING

Please refer to the club rules for take off and landing protocol and flying rules. There are verbal pilot alerts you need to become familiar with and use. Make sure you are heard and listen for other pilots calling out their flight intentions. Develop your peripheral vision and peripheral hearing ability to avoid a midair collision. Yes, midair collisions happen more often than any of us would like. It’s a big sky that can become crowded and very small when everyone wants the same airspace. Give way to slower airplanes and especially new pilots. If a midair collision happens, well, then it happened and that’s the end of it. Mid-air collisions are not something to worry about. Fly your airplane. Just be alert when doing so. Learn how to land and take off left-to-right and right-to-left. As you become more comfortable you will want to fly in light wind conditions to learn more how a little wind makes flying actually easier especially when landing. As soon as you can you need to be prepared for a dead stick landing. It’s only a matter of time until you run out of fuel or your engine simply quits while in flight. No problem if you
understand what you should and shouldn’t do. Ask an instructor or an experienced pilot for help on this subject.
Special note to new pilots: When flying your airplane it is highly recommended that you fly more in-bound rather than way out on the outer edges of the field. It’s much easier to see your airplane. This will help to avoid potentially becoming disoriented which is a common cause of crashes. If you should experience a dead stick, and you will, you are more likely to get your airplane back to the runway for a good dead stick landing. When you are way out on the outer edges of the field, possibly flying dead stick into the wind, well, sometimes it’s a long walk. You will also want to become familiar with the or weathervane effect caused by a crosswind when taking off and landing. This is more of an issue with smaller tail dragger airplanes, but even larger airplanes, and those equipped with a nose-wheel are impacted by a crosswind. The weathervane effect is best defined by the effects of the wind on take off, or when landing in a crosswind.  On take off, or when landing the effects of a crosswind will blow on the airplane tail surface, pushing the tail in the same direction the wind is blowing. This can happen in an instant with devastating results.  In the event you should lose control of your airplane remember that safety is the primary objective. You can always build a new airplane, but an injury caused by an out of control airplane can be fatal. Crash the airplane, but never fly into the pit, or spectator areas trying to save an airplane. Special note: New pilots should observe how more experienced pilots take off and land in a crosswind.  With tail-dragger airplanes, a very slight bit of up elevator will help keep the tail wheel on the ground for added control. The amount of rudder and elevator control required will vary with each airplane and crosswind speed. The weathervane effect can drive even the most experienced pilots into the fence if they are caught off guard, and not paying attention to wind direction and wind speed.

LASTLY THERE IS NO DISHONOR

in asking for an instructor to get the trainer box out to work with you even after you have soloed. Go at a pace you feel comfortable with. Never hesitate to ask someone to help you get your airplane down when the knees begin to shake. We all have been there. You might also want to ask an instructor, or a fellow pilot to be your spotter at the flight line until you become more comfortable with your airplane and the field. A spotter serves as a second pair of eyes and ears. This is not the time to socialize and joke around. You need to keep your eyes and attention on your airplane at all times. When in flight never, never take your eyes off your airplane.

Ok, gas her up and let’s go flying. It's a great hobby and sport. Enjoy it and have fun.