Gauging Skill level

Hi all, hope you are all getting some winter flying in :-)
Question:
How would you identify a persons skill level. ie beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Just wanting to try and gauge peoples expectation of skill levels.
ie I have taken off and landed 16- 20 odd times without incident in different wind conditions at the club!!! I'm a bit more confident now and wanting to try myHanger 9 P51 PTS mustang, I have had it for about 5 yrs without a flight as I didnt want to risk it, and been practicing on my trainer !!!
Your thoughts
Cheers

Hi Davy,

Skill level is based on many factors and is also in the eye of the interpreter. Confidence and ability to fly the aircraft one to two steps ahead would be deemed as a competent flier but then every aircraft has different flying characteristics and a slow flying forgiving trainer and a fast aerodynamic Mustang are at different ends of the skill level.

Confidence and skill level would be how comfortable you are at correcting the aircraft's direction or sudden movement from the transmitters control sticks in an automated action without having to think about what you have to do.ie you fly the plane instead of it flying you. When the plane is flying you, you are one step behind and always correcting its moves instead of making it follow your moves or intentions.

Now skill level on one aircraft does not transfer to another aircraft. Every plane, even two of the same type and size will have completely different flying characteristics but will have similar operation of takeoff and landing speeds.

Only you will know when you are ready and confident enough to fly your Mustang and will always be a nerve racking experience, but that's the thrill of flying model aircraft. ( The adrenalin Rush ).

I do however highly recommend that you have an experienced pilot fly and trim your mustang and sort out any odd tendencies it may have before you attempt to fly it.

Also remember that unlike small electrics and trainers your larger heavier mustang will require a much higher landing speed and higher stall speed which changes landing approach speeds and angles, hence different SKILL LEVEL.

Even very experienced pilots have nerves and shakes when testing or flying a new aircraft but ultimately Davy,Re only you and you alone will know when you are ready to fly that mustang and DO NOT let anyone talk you into flying it if you are not ready to do so. IT will ultimately lead to its demise.

Even get someone else to takeoff and land it and you fly three or four mistake high until you are confident in flying and controlling it.

Cheers,

Pete J

lol very wise advise Pete , I understand exactly what you mean, thanks :-).
I have read a lot of reviews on this plane and generally they are all positive on the early level.
But as you say, its learning the plane and not the so called level to achieve !!!
I can just emagine what the lads at the club will say about all the clip ons but its been proven to work well, so yea, will if there is a confident mustang pilot there will give them maybe first flight or at least by my side.
My only thoughts is id rather crash my maiden plane, than someone crash on a test flight after all this time ive had it, id be gutted lol. (But thats flying models :-P)
Will play it by ear and see how I feel on the day I supose.
Not afraid to try.
Would flying my smaller electric mustang of helped me at all ? or is that just a complete different kettle of fish ?
Cheers

In answer to your question Davy, of flying your smaller mustang have helped. the answer is yes. It is only scale that applies here but wing shape and flying characteristics remain the same. Weight and gravity is what changes as does size and your perception of flying speed and distance of model from you.

Remember that a sparrow flying at 20 Kph seems twice as fast as a hawk flying at same speed and distance.

Pete J

I have been flying for about 10 yrs now and it is only in about the last 4 that i have had the confidence to test fly my own scratch built a/c. I am not a young man {75 next week] but i am young at heart and have learned that if i have made a hash of building something then i must be the one to take the helm. This is because i have faith in my own building and take my time. Many yrs ago i was with the guys at Apata and used to cut the strip with their old mower.I used to take the opportunity to take along a new plane and run it up and down the runway .Sometimes it used to scare me as it started to leave the ground and i was quick to shut it down,but i gained a lot of experience that way. After a short time i took it along on a Sunday morning and felt much more confident at the end of a buddy lead. Anyone can make a reasonable job of just flying around in circles a couple of hundred feet in the air,but you need to get the feel of a few low passes before you are actually confident to land.Make use of your friends at the club with their experience. If there is something drastically wrong he will find out before the end of the runway. If it is badly trimmed he will be able to fix that without worrying about it crashing. If it needs to land as soon as it takes off the chances are he will be able to do it with minimum damage. I do not think you are good enough yet to do all that on a first flight.You obviously value this model so why take unneccessary risks. Your buddy does not want to crash it any more than you do.and in a few minutes you can be swanning around the skies feeling pretty good. I was pushed into doing my own as i fly mode 1 and all the rest are mode 2,and a buddy lead is not on the clubs ittinerary!!![AMAZING THAILAND!!] So Davy,if you take my advice i know that you will not regret it-----if you go out on a limb-----who knows. Let me know how you get on Dougal

Ha Ha will do, cheers Dougal.
Moving house this weekend so maybe next week if its fine :-)
Yet to ask someone what the go is if I get a spare random day and want to go out to the club ! ie not allowed, or anytime just keep gates/fence to suit stock that maybe around, or no if stock is around !!
What was the general rules ?
Cheers

I think maybe things have changed a bit in the last 4 yrs since i left.Agroup of us decided to make wednesday our mid week flying day and we could stay all day--9-5 that is. One or two would go on Sat but i always had Thur and Fri to myself to cut the strip and pit area etc. Man they were good days.But like i said there were plenty of willing helpers for any problems.I hope the old hands are still flying there----John Ingram Seal,Frank Higgins the Brown Bros [3 of them] and Pete Johnson were a great inspiration to me in the early days-----ask questions and for help---there's trs of experience there------Dougal