Newcomers
Box 40, St. Peters MO 63376
The phrase "Been there, done that!" has been misused, overused, excused, and abused for some time now. It does, however, help individuals express empathy and understanding concerning events that occur in our lives.
Two brief letters I received express elation and frustration; they form the backbone for some observations and responses concerning the problems of learning this hobby.
Herman Burton — Seabrook, Texas
"I just wanted to write you and tell you how much I enjoy your 'Newcomers' articles in Model Aviation. I joined the AMA last year and have enjoyed getting into RC (Radio Control) models and flying. At age 60, I have certainly been exposed to many aspects of life — politics, children, grandchildren, death of parents, etc. — but I can assure you there are many aspects of modeling and flying that are totally foreign to me, both in terminology and the acronyms used to describe them. I sometimes feel like a stranger in my own country trying to understand all that is written about in this one publication.
"For a newcomer to this fun and enjoyable sport, your columns are helping me wind my way through the labyrinth of new and unknown words of flying and building. Don't be misled into ever believing you are writing at too 'elementary' of a level; you aren't. The simple acronym KISS is the perfect explanation for us newcomers: 'Keep it simple, stupid!' (No slam intended toward you, Bob; just an expression.) Keep up the good work."
Thank you, Herman, for the very kind words. It's important for you and others to know that the experiences and concerns I have written about through the years resulted from having made virtually every mistake possible — on my own.
I was one of those individuals determined to teach himself to fly. As a school teacher, available time existed during the summer months. More often than not, the flying field was deserted early on a weekday morning; it was just me, the dew on the grass, and a model.
My first RC model was a Falcon .56. It used a .19-size engine (the upper limit of power recommended for the kit at that time), and the radio system was six-channel reed. That doesn't mean I had six functions; I had three, since two "channels" were required to operate one function. Thus I had elevator, rudder, and throttle.
The functions were not proportional; you would blip the stick (switch), because if you held it on the surface would move to either extreme. The functions weren't simultaneous either; if you tried to give two commands at once, everything went to neutral.
I lavished quite a bit of attention on building the model. It was silk-covered, doped, and painted two beautiful shades — of all colors — green! It blended beautifully with 90% of the trees and shrubs in the U.S.
That model's first flight did not take place at a site in St. Louis, Missouri, where I lived, but at Detwiler Park in Peoria, Illinois, where my parents lived. I got the aircraft off the ground and managed to keep it in the air; however, it began to drift up the tree-covered hillside behind the flightline toward certain extinction. One of the club members, Cal Speerly, made the save. How embarrassed I was!
"There is a need for the ability to link dedicated, concerned individuals to eager, determined souls ..."
The ride home to St. Louis prompted much thought; I determined that the Falcon was "too hot." So I bought a high-wing, almost free-flight-style model called the White Cloud, slopped it together, and used it to fly at the site at St. Louis County's Buder Park. The first few weeks were filled with a number of short trips to Buder. Typically they consisted of one flight (or part of one), then home for repair.
The stays became longer by the end of the summer, and finally the day came when I went home with the model still in flyable condition. Confidence reigned supreme! I invited my longtime friend Bill (not a modeler) to go out with me. After all, I had this thing pegged!
Bill was impressed by my prowess. When it came time for landing, I set up the approach from the north end of the strip. The trees were quite a distance away. As I started to turn on to final, Bill asked, "Isn't it hard to tell how close you are to those trees?"
I assured him that I was well this side of the trees — just about the same time the Cloud clipped a branch and cartwheeled 30 feet into the ground. So much for the Cloud — on to the Falcon.
In the process of learning, I discovered a great club — the Signal Chasers — and developed some wonderful friends who were most supportive and helpful. One of the members, Gil Lindquist, would arrange his client schedule so "just by chance" he could drop by Buder. Together, we taught ourselves.
The second year I discovered competition by accident: a yearly contest had one Pattern class with just a few entries, and I was conned into signing up. I was hooked — big-time!
That was hard in the beginning from the family's point of view. My wife, while supportive, found going to events or the club field a difficult task. Our girls were small, and their attention span at a large, open field with no playground was limited. At least at contests they could spend considerable time at the motel pool.
However, as they became older and activities spread to a national level, the three important women in my life started acting as pit crew, developed a group of friends, and became involved in the administrative activities of the Academy of Model Aeronautics. It became family fun!
Admittedly, it was hard to explain to people how I spent summer vacation. After all, an auxiliary airfield at 100+° in Seguin, Texas, doesn't sound like the ultimate in resort living! On the other hand, serving on a U.S. Scale team and traveling to such places as England, Canada, and France was really nice.
So, Herman, I've kept this column "elementary" because I live in an elementary way at the start. Perhaps the fact that I taught fifth grade for 30 years helps. You are to be commended for your enthusiasm and positive outlook. You recognize that learning stops only with your last breath!
Randolph Dolce — Hawley, Pennsylvania
"I have just returned home from a warm winter in Florida and after reading the January issue of Model Aviation I felt I had to respond. I agree with Mr. Berggren's letter 100%. I belong to a large RC flying club which has two flying fields. I have been trying to learn to fly for four years. I, for one, would welcome paying a fee of $30 per hour to learn how to fly. This is cheap compared to the investment I have made paying for AMA membership, club dues, airplane, radios and equipment.
"Mr. Underwood, you made mention of 17 programs which are available. Seventeen seems like no one is concerned about many Newcomers. One would think that there would be one in every state. Looking for ways to improve ... how many clubs in the U.S. with membership over 50 have a trainer radio? Would you like to learn without one? How many aircraft would you crash, and/or pick out of trees, before you solo?
"I have not renewed my membership this year, and I am just building airplanes. Frustrated, yes! Quitting, no! Well, I hope not; maybe I will find an instructor who will have the teaching skills and patience to teach me this great sport."
Randolph, you voice some valid concerns regarding clubs and the AMA in general. In this column I have published information about well-developed club instruction programs. In like manner, a number of clubs have no instruction programs whatsoever.
While the solution seems simplistic, it doesn't work out that way. For instance, because of the nature of insurance and liability coverage, commercial instruction is not a viable possibility at this time. Not to suggest that methods to overcome this couldn't be worked out — it just hasn't happened.
You asked some questions in your second paragraph that, in essence, I addressed earlier in this column. I strongly discourage anyone from learning RC the way I did! The question for you becomes: how will you learn if your club doesn't have a program, you have no commercial instructor available, and you shouldn't try it on your own? It might be of some help to study the dynamics of the club with which you are associated.
A number of years ago, when I served as AMA Technical Director, I wrote a somewhat tongue-in-cheek profile of clubs that was based on my experience with groups (not just model clubs) during the years. Thinking the column was somewhat frivolous, I was not prepared for the overwhelming response; for more than a year, people wrote, called, and talked with me at trade shows, wondering how I had managed to profile their club so accurately!
I think you can use the dynamics that operate within the club to achieve your goal. While I will readily grant that it should be easier, it can be done. What do you look for?
- Remember the 10% theory. In all groups, 10% of the members are ... Put anything you want in the blank, and it will work. Use words such as "leaders," "argumentative," "workers," "strange," "helpful," "supportive," whatever. The task is to identify the necessary group, and promote the concept of providing an instruction program if one doesn't exist, or improving the one that's there. Become the catalyst!
- Beware the self-styled "expert"! Most clubs have one. This individual will readily share information on any subject, and what this person says will typically be highly opinionated, blunt, and unrelenting. Most self-styled experts are easy to recognize at club meetings because they are usually surrounded by a gaggle of loyal followers. And some clubs have two self-styled experts. Generally, there will not be three or more; if a third takes up residence, one of the first two will move down the road to a new club!
Your task is to locate the quiet, unassuming real expert in the group. It's often easier to do at the flying site, as opposed to the club meeting. You'll recognize this individual by consistent flying, attention to safety concerns, lack of bravado, and willingness to help when you ask for it. That person may not have all the time required to provide all the help you need; he or she might not even be the best instructor. But you can bet that person knows someone who has the time and is good at instructing.
- Find the real club leaders! Almost every group has two sets of "leaders." The ones elected for the year will preside over the meetings. However, several people seated in the audience form the other set. Very often, the second set is composed of the club founders; it may be the owner of the flying site and his close friends. Study how the dynamics of these two sets work; often, if the right person suggests a plan or program, it clicks easily!
Randolph, I realize that this dialogue doesn't provide direct, immediate help for your problem. You seem disappointed in the overall structure and response to your concerns. The makeup of the Academy, by its very nature, makes the club an autonomous body; beyond that level, the AMA is not able to easily provide direct consumer help. There are clubs that do not want to expand; some can't because of their facilities. There is a need for the ability to link dedicated, concerned individuals to eager, determined souls such as yourself. You can help from your end as well.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
