View Single Post
  #2  
Old 2009-04-15
Andrew Fernie Andrew Fernie is offline
Past President
First Name: Andrew
Last Name: Fernie
MAAC Number: 30499
WIMAC WINGS: Instructor Multirotor FPV
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,238
Andrew Fernie is on a distinguished road
Mark,
The primary criteria for being allowed to fly solo is demonstrated safe flying. One difference flying at WIMAC versus an open field or sandpit is that you are expected to operate from the runway, and this means learning how to deal with crosswinds on takeoff and landing. So, if you are able to reliably control your aircraft in the wind and land it within a constrained area it won't take you long at all to solo with us. If you are more at the stage of just being able to bring it down "somewhere" it is going to take you longer.

Even pilots in training are expected to have club and MAAC memberships, and if you are going to train someone (including buddy box flying) we will want you to be checked out as an instructor first. Getting used to working with the buddy box and learning how to recover the aircraft from unusual attitudes after taking control takes longer than learning how to fly yourself. If you would like one of the instructors to take your son up with a buddy box a few times to see if he enjoys it, no problem, we would be happy to do this, and if it is planned ahead of time we can probably find a nice stable trainer to use that will make the flying easier. If it looks like he does enjoy it and he wants to learn how to fly then you will need to arrange for the memberships.

Andrew
Reply With Quote