Discouraged noob gives up

[MCNC]

I am new to RC as well, built the simple scout and have been crashing and repairing for a month. Still no controlled flight, but continuing to have fun trying.

 

[basslord1124]

I would almost bet you accidentally put your prop on backwards if the Sparrow went in reverse. OR you had the original prop on backwards and the new prop on right. Something like that.

Crashing and learning is all part of it. Best thing to do is take a little bit time away to collect your thoughts and regain your focus. AND it never hurts anything too to just say "This wasn't the plane for me" and move on to something else.

 

[dodgebob]

Don't give up!! Put your head down and give it another go! Here's a few tips I've learned over 35 years of flying and watching others try to learn to fly.
First- Buy/build a TRAINER airplane. I know everybody wants a sexy Mustang/Pylon Racer/Badass plane, but you don't have the skills to fly it. Accept that and move on. Start with a simple Trainer plane and move up from there.
Second- Yes, buy a better radio than you need for your first plane. You will need it in the very near future. Things like Expo, Dual Rates, Elevons, etc. That $100 radio you buy for your first Trainer plane will quickly collect dust when you move on to other models. Expo will calm down the twitchiness of planes and allow you to fly smoother/easier.
Third- Every plane that you build has an expiration date. You will not know when that is, but it is going to crash. I've had planes last 10 years and hundreds of flights. ( My .40 sized Big Stick. Finally got destroyed in a Mid-Air collision with a buddy with his.40 sized stick. We laughed, high-fived and picked up the pieces. ) I've splattered planes on Maiden Flights right at the center of the runway in spectacular fashion. ( A beautiful Hellcat that I spent 6 months building. As I was making a low high-speed pass, the receiver glitched and gave full down elevator. )
I once went to the field with my buddies and splattered a Big Stick, a Diamond Dust, followed by an ME-109 all within about 45 minutes. All the airframes were a total loss. It happens. We used to joke that we were going to start building garbage bags in the fuselage's of our airplanes so there would already be a garbage bag at the site of the crash. Never put an airplane up in the air unless you are willing to watch it crash spectacularly.
Fourth- I will always build balsa airplanes, but I am just now coming around to foamies. I just ordered a Tiny Trainer and a Scout. If I splatter a foamie, I'm out MUCH less time and money. I can strip all the electronics out and build another plane for peanuts.
Fifth- When you're learning to fly, try to fly in conditions that give you a better chance of success. If it's windy, stay home. Find an area bigger than you think you will need. Trees LOVE to eat planes and if there is a tree around, it will suck it in like a magnet. Lol. Fly when it's dead calm out. It's way easier to keep your plane in the air when you're not fighting the wind.
Sixth- Remember, this is fun!! We're playing with toys. Don't freak out if you break your toy. Build another one and play some more. I've seen people lose sight of this part and get frustrated. Were playing with toys. Have fun!!
That's all I can think up right now. If you have questions, ask away. If you get an answer that you don't understand, ask again another way.

This is exactly what needed to be said. I am in the noob mix and this really explains r/c flight.

 

[bracesport]

I can tell you I have spent many hours building vs the minutes flying - all it takes is one sweet moment in the air to bring me back for more! recently I took out 5 planes and only returned with one intact (that was because the battery was flat)!