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Learning To Fly
All trainees need to register with the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). The AMA is the governing body for R/C flight and provides all of their members with some nice features such as insurance. Our field is an AMA chartered field, which means that the AMA approves us for flight operations and the field is also covered under an insurance plan. Since we are an AMA charter, all pilots operating off our field, trainee or otherwise, must possess AMA Membership. AMA membership Runs from January 1 to December 31. You have 2 options: you can pay the full yearly rate of $58 for the remaining calender year or you can get a 3-month "Trial" membership for $19.95. Either one is completely valid for learning to fly at our field. If you join during the last 3 months of the year your membership is good for the remainder of that year plus the entire next year. If you are under the age of 18, AMA offers 2 discounted Junior Memberships. If you want to receive the monthly AMA Model Aviation Magazine, membership is $15/year; without the magazine it's only $1/year. See links below for access to the AMA Website. NEARC does not have club trainers at this time. All new pilots are asked to supply all needed aircraft, radio, and field gear (fueling/starting equipment). A good way to determine what you will initially need is to spend a few days at the field before buying anything and talk to the pilots and get some recommendations. Don't be shy, introduce yourself to the guys flying and tell them you are thinking of getting into the sport. Most will be more than happy to give advice on getting started. Sunday afternoon is usually the best time to catch the most pilots at our field depending on the weather. We have encountered persons from time to time that want to skip the trainer and learn on a more advanced plane so they can save some money. This is not a good idea for most people. Trainers are called trainers for a reason. Most people stay on their trainer for a while even after they solo, so it's not like you'll solo and then immediately be ready to move into a higher-performance plane. You have to crawl before you can walk and walk before you run. Your instructor could be someone you meet at the field while gaining general information before you buy your plane. If so you can set up a time when you can both be at the field. Most people just bring their plane out and train with whoever happens to be there. There is never a charge for being trained. Your instructor will be able to use a feature on most radios called a "trainer" or "buddy" cord if your radio is compatible with theirs. The trainer cord allows the student's radio to be plugged into the instructor's radio. The instructor will be able to give and reclaim control of the aircraft instantly by flipping a switch or button on their radio. This saves valuable seconds should you get the aircraft into a situation where normal flight needs to be re-established. It is also very helpful when learning slow and low level flight and landing techniques. At NEARC, the majority of our pilots fly Futaba radios. Most Futaba and Hitec radios can be connected by trainer cord. The trainer cord is not required for instruction, but it is a nice safety net. Some instructors don't use a trainer cord and compensate by having the plane at a higher altitude where there is more time to pass the radio to the instructor when the student gets into trouble. Basic checklist for trainies:
Steps To Becoming a Pilot 
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Scheduled
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Copyright © Northeast Aero RC Club 2011; last updated January 2011 |
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So you want to learn how to fly. We'll be more than happy to help teach you. Northeast Aero has numerous members qualified to serve as instructors. There are some basic requirements and rules that you'll need to be aware of: