I'd love to get into model flying, but how?

Making contact with a Model Flying Club is probably the classic way to get involved in model flying. How do you do that? There are two very simple ways, firstly if there is a model shop near you they will direct you to your nearest location or secondly you can go into the web-site of the Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland www.maci.ie and you will find a list of all the various Model Flying Club web sites in the entire country usually supplying a contact point.

There is a very friendly helpful attitude imbedded in most if not all clubs - they love to see their hobby thrive, thus they love to see new prospective members arriving on the scene. You needn't be shy, if you are genuinely interested (I didn't say committed, that can come later) they will welcome you whenever you drop in.

Model flyers are welcoming friendly people, but there is another element - they are gently serious about their hobby too. They need to be serious because they are handling lethal weapons. A model plane coming towards you, out of control, can either kill or seriously injure you if it "decides to get to know you better" That is the 1st reason why modellers take their hobby seriously - the all important safety reason, the 2nd reason is the old more economical one:- this writer was watching a beautiful model gracing the Clare skies recently and passed a remark to the pilot:- "that model is a credit to you" - back came the laughing reply:- "oh yes it's a credit alright - all ?2,200.00 in credit!!" I thought that is a lot of flying euro to be having a love affair with a tree or worse still with one of us two-legged fragile mammals!

Is it expensive? Dear Beginner, don't worry, you can get up there where the birds fly for about a sixth of that money (i.e. a sixth of the €2,200 above referred), and would you believe it, in real value for money terms the cost of a basic kit (I mean radio gear, plane, engine, starter motor, hand fuel pump, glow plug battery, and a few little etceteras!) has actually come down (in real terms) over the years, not up. That said, with all the advances in model engineering and electronics, the sky is literally the limit if you're a Celtic tiger on a spending rampage.

There is another expense: - clubs don't run on fresh air (they do fly on it of course!) so depending on the club there will be an easy annual fee (around €80 or a little more depending on the club and its facilities). Then the all important matter of Insurance: - this is provided through the Club by MACI (Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland) at a cost of €60.00 p.a., currently. Club membership and MACI insurance cover is a must really. To fly or even attempt to fly without it is an absolute "no-no" unless that is you won the European Lotto and wish to get rid of it fast! - but even if you did win it, no Club will entertain you as a flying member without MACI insurance anyway, and the normal way to obtain that cover is via Club membership, which in turn implies an acceptance and willingness on the member's part to abide by the Club rules and discipline. Safety has many sides to it, not least the safety of our fellow member flyers.

How do you acquire a plane? You either buy or build. Unfortunately planes don't grow on trees, and while they have a close affinity to trees and love to head for them they don't grow there unfortunately! Buying: your local model supplier will stock models ready to fly and sell you a package to include everything you need; you can buy one almost ready to fly (ARTF) where you will have a minimum input such as installing radio gear or an engine or both and maybe some other accessories.

Or you may find your Club has a second-hand model suitable to your requirements. Building: The alternative to all that is to buy a kit from a supplier and build your own plane, however building a model from supplied bits and pieces following a detailed plan is a skill all on its own and indeed can truly be described as a hobby in itself. In computer terminology it's the "snail-mail" entry to model flying unless you are an already experienced model builder. There was a time when that was the only way to get into model flying but fortunately not so anymore with the advent of ARTF. So to sum up you should contact your local Club and take advice from experienced members leading to your acquisition of a plane, club and MACI membership. Then with help from your club learn to fly.

Acquiring the skill: In Ennis Model Flying Club experienced members voluntarily roster to take turns at helping intending pilots acquire the necessary skills. The club has a "buddy-box" facility whereby the novice has his own transmitter in his hands (or one supplied by the club for beginners) connected to a master transmitter in the hands of the master pilot. Initially the master pilot will taxi and control the plane during take-off and settle it into an elevated flying pattern before gently handing control over to the novice; thanks to the buddy-box facility that control can be retrieved instantly by the master pilot, thus experience is gained by the novice leading to confidence building based on skill gradually acquired with the novice eventually controlling the plane from taxiing to landing. Essential instruction is also given on preparing the plane on the ground for safe flying, etc.

Flying a model plane safely is an acquired disciplined skill which like the city of Rome of old "is not built in a day". The basic controls which enable a model plane to fly replicate those of the full size airliner, with the exception that the pilot on the full size airliner is supplied with a panoply of instruments alerting him to all possible difficulties or problems arising and usually in advance of those problems physically manifesting themselves, whereas the model pilot only becomes aware of a problem after it has visibly manifested itself and then has to take instant action and can't wonder will he take this course of action or maybe an alternative course of action. Part of the skill acquired in learning to fly the model plane is the skill of immediate instant response or super-fast reaction to emergencies as they arise and before another "love affair" with the nearest tree!

Finally, there is an element of maintenance involved in model flying:-generally, one will spend a lot more time maintaining one's plane on the ground than one will ever spend flying it, but that is all part and parcel of the joy of model flying.

The creativity and skill enhancing aspects of model flying:-It is a wonderful, many facetted hobby, where one acquires new skills, becomes more creative while learning to hone one's reactions to ever emerging crisis situations. One is introduced to the fascinating world of radio, mechanical engineering, aeronautics, and not least social skills. Home domestic economics (the promoting of the culinary skills so essential for "fry-ins"!), husbandry in the form of landscape gardening and the intricacies of lawn mowing (to include the environmentally friendly disposal of waste cuttings) turn model flyers into desirable spouses! One becomes expert in the maintenance and installation of electric fencing, not to mention timber cabin maintenance and preservation. Model flying while raising ones thoughts to the blue yonder yet keeps ones feet firmly planted on the ground; many a modeller becomes expert in afforestation and learns to distinguish between oak and ash, chestnut and spruce having clambered all in search of fragmented models grafted onto each of them!! One modeller was heard to claim that his skills in orienteering and abseiling were fostered after being introduced to model flying – this story like the fisherman’s “one that got away” story is more fanciful that real!

Welcome to model flying!