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Training

Discussion in 'ALTA' started by Scott Sievertsen, Feb 25, 2016.

  1. Scott Sievertsen

    Scott Sievertsen New Member

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    Hi All,

    I'm a newbie to aerial and unfortunately, I need to get up to speed really quickly. Is there anybody on site that offers intensive flight training? If not, love any opinion on what is the best way to go about what appears to be a monumental challenge? Appreciate any feedback beyond 'you're totally scr*wed', as that isn't really an option for me. Thanks!
     
  2. alex ryan

    alex ryan Member

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    My advice would be to buy a cheap small drone with no gps or automated stabilizing and fly it as much as possible doing figure 8s, nose in flying and sideways flying. Practice forward flight circuits incorporating 45 degree climbs and recents. Also get aerosim rc (a simulator) and get as much flight time on that as possible. This would be a good way to start.
     
  3. alex ryan

    alex ryan Member

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    Also if you don't have experience with lipo batteries read all you can find about how to care for them.
     
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  4. Scott Sievertsen

    Scott Sievertsen New Member

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    Thanks Alex. I actually do have quite a bit of experience w/ Lipo batts. It's the flying thing that's freaking me out. And putting up expensive gear, insurance be damned.
     
  5. Adam Orens

    Adam Orens Member

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    Where are you located?
     
  6. Scott Sievertsen

    Scott Sievertsen New Member

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    Hi Adam - I'm located in Nashville, but I travel any and everywhere these days.
     
  7. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    Try the folks at Quadrocopter.com.
     
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  8. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Talk to the folks at Quadrocopter about purchasing a copy of AeroSimRC -- it's a software simulator that has a flight-realistic model of a Cinestar 8 -- that's the closest thing to an ALTA. The real point is that you need to fly a simulator using the actual radio controller you'd use to fly the real aircraft.

    The thing that's the hardest to master is dealing with control reversal -- when the aircraft (be it fixed wing or multi-rotor) is flying nose-out (the "nose" or boom #1 is pointing away from you), all is good -- aircraft left is your left and you can move the radio control sticks without any problem.

    But if you are flying "nose in" (nose/boom #1 pointing at you), then control reversal kicks in -- aircraft left is your right and vice versa and aircraft nose up/down reverses its effect too. Unless you have trained yourself on a simulator there is a high probability that you will have crashed the aircraft within three seconds of control reversal.

    Control reversal also occurs when you fly the aircraft nose left or nose right.

    Based on my experience learning to fly, you have two choices:
    1. Skip the simulator and try and fly, then, inevitably, crash the aircraft and wish you'd learned on a simulator.
    2. Learn on a simulator and fly for 10-20 hours until handling control reversal is hard-wired into your spinal cord and you don't have to think about.
    Certainly flight training with a "buddy box" (and instructor who has a duplicate radio controller and who can take control of the aircraft when you panic -- and, yes, you will) can be a great help, but the simulator is probably the better way to make dealing with control reversal a no-brainer (literally -- to the point where you don't have to think about it.)

    As has been said above, it's also a wise move to buy a trainer aircraft. And the day you get it, in your mind, write off the cost. You won't mean to crash it, but you will. As a wise young man said to me (are you out there, Casey?): "Never ever fail in love with any aircraft that you're flying via radio control. You will crash it. It's just a question of when." To which I add, "...and how big a hole you make in the ground, and your wallet."

    Doubtless you've heard the phrase "the sky's the limit." Wrongo. The ground is the limit(tm).

    Well, so are the trees and other sticky-uppy things that point up into the sky. Nobody has ever crashed by colliding with the sky.

    These may sound like trite aphorisms. Write'm on Post-Its and stick'em on your refrigerator door. Let me know when they come true for you. :rolleyes:

    Hope this helps
    Andy
     
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  9. Mike Gentilini Jr.

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    We just launched our latest Drone Tutorial Series for Filmmakers v2.0 which you should find helpful. You can learn more about the series on our site: http://learnaerialcinema.com
     

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