Flight Training Curriculum

Welcome Instructors, Students and New Members!!

This section describes the training procedures for the RAMS Club. If you are an experienced R/C Pilot, you are encouraged to familiarize yourself with Phase 3 of this Program as you will be required to pass the Solo Certification Test before flying at the RAMS Field.

If you are a beginning R/C Pilot, you are required to read this section and contact one of the certified instructors who will work with you until you pass the Solo Certification Test. The RAMS instructors are not responsible for your aircraft. The individuals that volunteer their time for the purpose of teaching you to fly, are competent pilots. They will, to the very best of their abilities, check out your aircraft and instruct you in the safe operation of your aircraft. The use of a "Buddy Box" is strongly encouraged. If for some reason, there is a mishap, the repairs are up to you. You need to be very certain that every part of your aircraft is correct.

Purpose of the Training Program
Make every pilot aware of safety issues
Help each pilot become familiar with their aircraft
Teach proper use of Transmitter Impound
Teach proper Engine Starting and Adjusting
Teach the Basics of Flight
Teach Control of the Aircraft
Follow through to Solo Certification

Instructors are encouraged to use their personality and experience in teaching the dynamics of Radio Controlled Flight. Please incorporate Phase One and Phase Two guidelines in your methods. Phase Three, the Solo Certification, is a requirement.

If you are a new member requiring assistance,contact an instructor in the list of instructors.

Before you take your plane to the field for the first time:

Obtain your AMA Membership Card.   You can either sign up for a full years membership, or just a temporarry membership.  At any rate you will need this to fly at our field. Membership is available online,  or by sending in an application by mail.
 Click Here for online AMA information and online Application.

Become familiar with the AMA Safety Code 
Click here to review/Print the AMA Safety Code

Phase One:

1. Aircraft Flight Control Familiarization
- Take student's aircraft up three mistakes high and trim so aircraft will fly straight and level at a moderate throttle setting.
- After familiarizing the student with the controls, turn control of the aircraft to the student.
- Do race track ovals, teaching wide left and right turns holding altitude.
- Teach gentle pressuring of the controls, watching how the airplane reacts.
- Keep the aircraft at a constant altitude through left and right circles, coordinating aileron and elevator inputting.
- Introduce the student to turns using the rudder.

2. Aircraft Flight Control Coordination Maneuvers
- Do Figure 8's keeping altitude constant
- Introduce use of throttle, demonstrating altitude control with both throttle and elevator

3. Ground Reference Maneuvers
- Keep aircraft on far side of runway. No flying over pits, parking area, or freeway.
- Using objects on ground as references, have student fly a pattern.

4. Slow Flight Characteristics
- Fly just above stall speed doing left and right 90 degree turns
- Practice Stall and Recover
- Review use of throttle

5. Flat Figure Eights
- Start turn with Rudder and apply opposite Aileron to keep wings level and Elevator
to maintain constant altitude.

Move to Phase Two when student has mastered sense of direction and does not mix
left and right inputs with aircraft approaching or leaving.

Phase Two:

6. Landing Approaches
- Practice approaches at 50 to 100 foot altitude, lined up with center of runway
- Teach proper go-arounds after missed approaches
- Do lower approaches as confidence and technique improve.

7. Landings
- When ready - Go For It!
- After several successful landings, do a 'dead stick' landing, taking student to altitude,
cut throttle to idle, land not using throttle.

Next Step is to perform the Solo Certification for a Listed Instructor,  and voila,  you ar a Certified R/C Pilot.