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Getting Started in R/C Flying 1. Find a R/C club that is in your area. Most clubs have R/C training programs and flight instructors. Some clubs have R/C flight simulators that you can borrow. The club members can answer a lot of questions, save you time, money and frustration. Clubs also have a safe flying site. Cost to join a club costs around $45.00 per year with one time joining field fee of $35.00 Find or join a club before you buy anything major. Canadian Aero Model Clubs can be found at http://www.maac.ca/english/links.html USA Aero Model clubs and be found at http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubs/clubmain.htm R/C Clubs in the Manitoba - NW Ontario area can be found at http://mbz.portage.net/community.html Here is a good site from Britain on getting started http://www.bmfa.org/handbook/
2. You need some money, if you buy used stuff, you can get started for around $350 to $500.00. If you buy new stuff, the cost is $500 to $1000.00. A fair amount but cheaper than a skidoo and about the same price a normal set of golf clubs. R/C club fees are a lot less that green fees. Club swap meets are a good source of used equipment or check out the used r/c for sale sites in the used r/c page. If you buy used, you are taking a chance, will you know what to look for in that plane. Taking a experienced club member with you to buy used may help. Chances are 50-50 that the used plane you buy will be a brick. Good pilots can make bricks fly, newbies starting on a brick will struggle and this extends your training time. Nothing flies better that a light, straight, R/C plane. 3. Knowledge Learn as much about R/C as you can, surf the web, read all you can, r/c magazines and books are in the libraries, learn about nicad batteries. 4. MAAC MAAC - most clubs require that you join MAAC (Model Aeronautics Association of Canada) so that your are covered by their insurance should something go wrong with your model. Cost is round $45.00 per year.
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