We finaly got some good weather in Northern Indiana, so I finished picking at the details of my assembly of the Duraplane Trainer. Thanks to all of you on this board who helped:cool: . Took the plane to the local club field (Whitley County Barnstormers), what a great bunch. We had a cook out, hamburgers, hotdogs, _jon_ brought those and the rest of us brought the chips and dips and stuff, it was great. Anyway on to the flight.

I had asked Dave (the safty officer) if he would help me get it in the air (do the buddy box thing). He was more than willing to help;) . He gave the plane quite a going over as it had never been flown before. Then he tells me he has never flown a Duraplane :( before (got my nerves on edge). The plane checked out well, he seemed pleased and of course so was I. Again that is with a lot of help and advise from a bunch of you on this site. So I fueled it up started it and Dave taxied it out. He put it on the center of the runway, brought it up on it's pipes and off it went. "IT REALLY FLIES" :eek: ! It needed a little up on the stabalizer (you remember, it's a little nose heavy), otherwise no trim required. Once Dave got it up and trimed out, he leveled it off (about three mistakes high) looked at me and said "your plane". He just had me doing laps around the field, then he wanted me to do some figure 8's. Near lost it a couple of times but I knew all I had to do was say "your plane" and he saved me. The joy of a club and a valued instructor. We ran three tanks of fuel through her and I got to bring her home in one piece. All told my first day of flying was a great one that will long be remembered:D .

FreeBird

congratulations!!! welcome to the addiction... err... world of R/C flying. :D

OK you other beginners, take notes! This is the way you want to do it!! A great day of flying, and the plane is in one piece! This is a huge testament to NOT trying it by yourself!

Way to go!

Feels pretty cool, huh?

I crashed mine 4 times in 6 flights, mostly do to impatience. Joined a good club, got some training and haven't crashed it since. Been soloing a couple of months now.

I've found that joining the club and getting help does more than just save you a plane. It builds confidence and good habits, not to mention new friends.

Now my knees don't knock quite as much before every flight....

Have fun!

Man! I wish I had that kinda luck!:o

"if man kind evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?"
~FB-Flyer~

Nothin' better than burgers, dogs and rc airplane flyin'.

CONGRATULATIONS Freebird ! on your first flights and welcome to the club. You are officially hooked now, no lookin' back, LOL.

Make sure and tell the better half thanks for all the goodies she brought out to the picnic.

Jon :)

The better half says "your more than welcome" she loved watching that plane fly. Remember she bought it. She enjoyed your wife comming out too:D . It's to bad more of the guys didn't bring their wifes:( . Maybe if the club took some of that chain-link fence out of the back of the truck, we could build a child cage:p , maybe that would help.

FreeBird