My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
01-20-2006, 11:25 AM
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My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
Hello all,
This is my first post to this board, but I had to let someone know that my 13 year-old soloed last weekend, after about two hours of actual flying time. I should be next! My excuse is that he is pre-adapted from video games!
We are flying a Hanger 9 Alpha 60 with an instructor at a local club. We both used the FMS simulator prior to flying. That got us off the ground and flying around. My landings (i.e. rudder control) has greatly improved since getting the AFPD simualtor for Christmas. I am no longer at the mercy of my initial approach line!
BTW, I would recommend the Apha 60 RTF highly to anyone that wants to skip the build process for their first plane. Nice and big, leading to stable flight and good visibility. Mine does require all of its elevator to get enough flare, but other than that, my instructor likes it! Pricier than other options, but I have previously been frustrated trying to fly some electric models that were probably underpowered.
Anyway, just wanted to say "Hello" - and gloat a little on my son's solo!
Jeff
This is my first post to this board, but I had to let someone know that my 13 year-old soloed last weekend, after about two hours of actual flying time. I should be next! My excuse is that he is pre-adapted from video games!
We are flying a Hanger 9 Alpha 60 with an instructor at a local club. We both used the FMS simulator prior to flying. That got us off the ground and flying around. My landings (i.e. rudder control) has greatly improved since getting the AFPD simualtor for Christmas. I am no longer at the mercy of my initial approach line!
BTW, I would recommend the Apha 60 RTF highly to anyone that wants to skip the build process for their first plane. Nice and big, leading to stable flight and good visibility. Mine does require all of its elevator to get enough flare, but other than that, my instructor likes it! Pricier than other options, but I have previously been frustrated trying to fly some electric models that were probably underpowered.
Anyway, just wanted to say "Hello" - and gloat a little on my son's solo!
Jeff
01-20-2006, 11:34 AM
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RE: My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
That's great!! I'm very happy for both of you.
Yes, video gaming does seem to make this hobby easier to pick up. I may be 32, but before I started flying I was an avid gamer (probably to the point of addiction) and flying the plane didn't seem to different than hand eye coordination required for a video game.
Keep plugging along and you'll be solo right along with him in no time. Good thing you're using rudder too - many, many people do not learn to use the rudder and it bites them later on with a 2nd or 3rd plane where rudder is really needed.
Yes, video gaming does seem to make this hobby easier to pick up. I may be 32, but before I started flying I was an avid gamer (probably to the point of addiction) and flying the plane didn't seem to different than hand eye coordination required for a video game.
Keep plugging along and you'll be solo right along with him in no time. Good thing you're using rudder too - many, many people do not learn to use the rudder and it bites them later on with a 2nd or 3rd plane where rudder is really needed.
01-20-2006, 12:40 PM
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RE: My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
Congrats to both of you. The Alpha's are good planes. IMO many of the electrics are underpowered which is why I don't recommend them for trainers. Difficult to fly due to constantly struggling just to stay in the air. In all fairness, not true of all electrics but it seems to be true of the ones the beginners always show up with at the field.
01-20-2006, 12:44 PM
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RE: My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
Yes, video gaming does seem to make this hobby easier to pick up. I may be 32, but before I started flying I was an avid gamer (probably to the point of addiction) and flying the plane didn't seem to different than hand eye coordination required for a video game.
--Rich
01-20-2006, 12:44 PM
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RE: My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
Congrats to you & your son. Having struggled with it for along time & just recently accomplishing it myself, I know what a big deal it was for me. I couldn't stop grinning all the way home & pretty much the rest of the day & evening too! 
Don't let his soloing a little faster than you discourage you at all, because I really believe you're right about the video gaming giving kids a big jump up on us old timers. I call them the Nintendo generation. These days they're born with a gamepad in their hands & by the time they get around to giving RC flying a try, they take to it like a duck to water! So hang in there it sounds like you're just a session or two away yourself. Good luck & have fun.
Don't let his soloing a little faster than you discourage you at all, because I really believe you're right about the video gaming giving kids a big jump up on us old timers. I call them the Nintendo generation. These days they're born with a gamepad in their hands & by the time they get around to giving RC flying a try, they take to it like a duck to water! So hang in there it sounds like you're just a session or two away yourself. Good luck & have fun.
01-20-2006, 03:34 PM
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RE: My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
Twenty years ago my 13 year old son soloed on a Goldberg Eaglet. Our instructor, still a good friend today, turned to me and asked if I had started building a second plane. ARF's and simulators were not common then. I asked why and he said "because sooner or later you will need it". Twenty years later we have owned over 60 planes, have 15 or so flyable at all times, and are into electric indoor and out, glow .25 to 150 size, and now gas. This is the greatest hobby, sport, addiction on earth. We love it more every year and every year our dreams expand. Some day we plan to travel to all the big events in the country, many great ones in your area, if not as pilots at least as spectators. I didn't start to fly until he went to college and still am just an average Sunday sport flyer. In all that time we have only totally destroyed 2 planes and have so many great memories of the experiences with each one of them. This is an experience both of you can share for a life time and an experience that teaches many lessons as long as you are in it. Good luck and "fly em like you stole em".
01-20-2006, 03:36 PM
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RE: My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
And you deserve to gloat!!!
My 13 year old also did the solo routine last fall. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_34...tm.htm#3477988
Very big day for the both of us but... no one else was at the field to witness it. You can bet we'll remember it for a LONG time.
My 13 year old also did the solo routine last fall. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_34...tm.htm#3477988
Very big day for the both of us but... no one else was at the field to witness it. You can bet we'll remember it for a LONG time.
01-20-2006, 10:09 PM
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RE: My 13 year-old soloed last weekend!
Jeff,
A solo flight is a very special thing in any RC pilot's life, and one for a 13 year old boy is even better in my mind. Please give him this solo certificate and let him know that they're are a lot of people here on RCU that are really proud of him.
Ken
A solo flight is a very special thing in any RC pilot's life, and one for a 13 year old boy is even better in my mind. Please give him this solo certificate and let him know that they're are a lot of people here on RCU that are really proud of him.
Ken
