Learn to Fly
Flying an RC airplane looks easy, but only because most of the people you see flying have been doing it for years. You can learn basic piloting skills by using a simulator such as RealFlight, but there's no substitute for live instruction at the hands of an experienced pilot. KCRC provides instructors free of charge to persons interested in learning to fly.
To inquire about pilot training, either come out to the field some weekend (on warm weekends, there's almost always someone there) or contact any of the club officers listed on the Officers page. We'll be happy to answer any questions you have and hook you up with a qualified instructor.
KCRC can't provide an airplane for you to train on, so you'll need to bring your own airplane to the field. If you haven't purchased an airplane, we'd recommend buying a Hobbico Avistar. You can order them online from companies such as Tower Hobbies, or you can buy them from a local hobby shop such as HobbyTown in Turkey Creek. The Avistar is stable and durable, it flies great, and because it has a semi-symmetrical wing, you won't outgrow it as quickly as you might a more basic trainer with a flat-bottomed wing. You can buy the Avistar by itself or as part of package that includes a 4-channel transmitter and other equipment needed to get started. You can also buy it in RTF (Ready-to-Fly) form, which means the airplane can be assembled and ready to fly in as little as an hour.
We do our training on buddy boxes to minimize the risk to your airplane. Your transmitter is attached to the instructor's transmitter by a cable, and you have control of the airplane when the instructor holds a spring-loaded switch. If you lose control, the instructor takes control back and restores the airplane to the proper attitude. In the old days, beginners often crashed a lot of airplanes learning to fly! Today, most people earn their wings without losing a single airplane.
Below are links to some documents than you can print out to help you during your training. You'll find directions to KCRC on our Maps & Directions page. We look forward to seeing you at the field!