Newbee scared to fly, need a confidence boost

[exit 4]

As stated in the header, I'm a newbie. I got my P3A just after the holiday. I read all the manuals 2-3 times cover to cover. I went out for my maiden voyage and immediately had my first oops. Gone was my first set of props. I forgot one of the basics, know your orientation of the copter. I pulled left and it went right. Right into a fence 20 yards away. So now I come across this site and see all the horror stories and I am scared to fly. How about some good stories to give me some confidence.
Thanks.

 

[CCDD]

I recommend that you play around with the simulator for a bit

 

[N017RW]

You don't need good stories, you need patience/practice/experience.

How about play with the simulator for a bit???

 

[exit 4]

How do I use the simulator?

 

[chapsrlz]

p3 is rock solid, dont worry.
you just need to practice in a wide open area, no trees/buildings near in order to gain confidence. dont try to break the distance or height record in your first 15 flights ;-)

89 km in 64 flights, p3 is rock solid!

 

[Cale262]

I've have had a small army of mini quads and this little gem (pictured below) cost me $25 on sale...I have crashed it a thousand times and even put it in the reef aquarium one day where it sat for ten minutes before I was able to recovered it, dried it off and flew it again an hour later. In short, buy yourself one of these and learn to actually fly, it will boost your confidence and you will be a better/safer pilot in turn!

 

[Sagebrush]

Go fly in a big field with the bird facing away from you. Practice flying in a box by only maneuvering with the left stick. Clockwise and then counter clockwise. After you've got that down, fly a circle–without changing the orientation with the left stick.

T

 

[exit 4]

I worked my way up from a mini like pictured above to a syma x5c to a syma x8g. It's just the multitude of flight modes and waypoints and such that are overwhelming me.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Cale262]

I worked my way up from a mini like pictured above to a syma x5c to a syma x8g. It's just the multitude of flight modes and waypoints and such that are overwhelming me.
Thanks for your help.

I wouldn't worry about all the flight modes and waypoints etc. until you are comfortable in your new skin, I think as others have mentioned you just need to find an open space and enjoy the new toy

 

[exit 4]

Thanks for the support. I think I'm going to like this site.

 

[Frankc]

Plenty of practice in an open field, with no one about. Start with the boring stuff first. Take off fly in a straight line. Turn around. Fly back. Then fly in square. Practice using the 'home' button before you need it. Sounds simple until you try it. Once you have done it and you think you have got the hang of it then try the same again but this time fluidly, no jerky stops or height changes.

Everyday I try something new. But always finish with a simple fly in a circle and come back exercise. Still not got it 100%, but getting there.

Dont knock yourself though. Everyone of us has had some sort of crash. Its just practice. One good thing was that you did not hit any public. Take it slow and get to the exciting bit later and safer

 

[AlexSP]

Lots of wise and good advices here already so I´ll just say what my RC mentor once told me when I started - and it stuck: Think of building confidence instead of boosting it Huge difference.

 

[doomclam]

I would recommend looking at threads on this site that are discussions rather than dissecting crashes. In particular, research and familiarize yourself with a CSC[combined stick command] and battery voltages. Those are prime areas that result in disaster if ignorant.

 

[kirk2579]

I worked my way up from a mini like pictured above to a syma x5c to a syma x8g. It's just the multitude of flight modes and waypoints and such that are overwhelming me.
Thanks for your help.

You need not use or even think about waypoints and all the auto stuff for now.

just use the RC and fly LOS in field for now, once you feel good about things then move to next step you want.

I have P3P and have had bunch of P2's and prefer flying it myself vs mission oriented. Others preffer long range etc.
find your flying interest and spent time learning that first.

good luck and have fun flying!

 

[jason]

As stated in the header, I'm a newbie. I got my P3A just after the holiday. I read all the manuals 2-3 times cover to cover. I went out for my maiden voyage and immediately had my first oops. Gone was my first set of props. I forgot one of the basics, know your orientation of the copter. I pulled left and it went right. Right into a fence 20 yards away. So now I come across this site and see all the horror stories and I am scared to fly. How about some good stories to give me some confidence.
Thanks.

Before long you'll be oldbie like the rest of this motley crue.

 

[Dacon Productions]

Books, manuals, videos, simulators are little value if alone. Where are you located?
Post your location and ask our members if anybody close to you and willing to teach you step by stem hands on. Since is winter, buy him a hot coffee and a bagel...a lot cheaper than replacing parts and your skills will improve in one day.

 

[exit 4]

As my name hints for anyone in the northeast of the US, I'm just off exit 4 of the N.J. turnpike. Anyone in the Cherry Hill area, give me a shout.

Thanks to everyone. It's nice to have a supportive group.

 

[J.James]

I forgot one of the basics, know your orientation of the copter. I pulled left and it went right. Right into a fence 20 yards away. So now I come across this site and see all the horror stories and I am scared to fly. How about some good stories to give me some confidence.
Thanks.

Thats one that happens to a lot of people esp when they are new to flying. esp with a quad were its looks the same no matter what way its pointing.

But thats one thing I find that course lock is a good thing for beginners to use. So that nose direction dont matter and it will still go the direction you want it to based on what way it locks in as being forward.


and Id recommend the same as others to go in a nice open area and give you self plenty of room from any thing that you could possibly run in to and hit and just practice some slow lazy flying just getting used to all the controls and how it reacts. and keep it in gps mode. But if you have lots of room and dont try to do any thing to sudden or jerky on the controls you should have plenty of time to counter react if you make a mistake and state going left when you meant to go right. Or what ever. also keep it low enough to not have any problems but also be sure to keep it a few feet off the ground so you dont hit the ground if trying to make any sudden moves.


The real good thing is that the p3s are freaking stable as heck and they pretty much fly them selves you just tell it what way to go if you want it to move. and they are a heck of a lot more reliable as any of the the other older phantoms before it. Even with some horror story's out there. Its not a big %age of the amount of them out there. Even with lots of people who got p3s and never flew any thing before and have not had to many major mishaps may even have to do with how much easier they are to fly and more reliable then the others. Which even they are not to hard at all to learn how to fly and mostly its just the take offs and landings. That took a few tries for most people till they had it down perfect. But even the p3 when takeing off or landing manually its a lot easier to do a nice tip over free take off or landing with p3s then with the p2s and p1s.

Give it a few more flights and a few hours under your belt and you will be flying that thing the confidence. Tho there might always be that what if ?? Or wonder in some peoples heads and some apprehension any time they fly. Hoping that nothing goes wrong. But in a way thats not a bad thing to have to a degee and keeps one mindful to be as safe as they can and to check stuff on the craft before takeing off as well as being aware of your surroundings.

 

[Cale262]

... How about some good stories to give me some confidence.
Thanks.

Hope this was the "good" story you were hoping for

Be sure to share some of your success stories with once you get yourself all up and running, Great Pictures and Video's are in themselves a reward we all look forward to!

 

[Sagebrush]

And don't forget, while in GPS-P mode, if that thing starts heading in the wrong direction, take your fingers off the sticks and it'll stop and stay put. Settle down and think about your next control input.

T