SCSA Beginners Advice
So you've decided you want to take up flying model gliders, but where do you start?
Step 1 (and probably the most important step)
Get in touch with your local model club. Either, ask anyone you see flying
models, ask at the local model shops or look on the BMFA
website for your local club. Your local club will be able to give you
advice on the models that are suitable for the local conditions. There's no
point buying a heavy slope soaring model if you live miles away from any hills!
(although sea cliff's can make good soaring sites)
Members of the SCSA fly at various times during the week, but probably the
best time to come along as a beginner is on a Sunday morning (please note
that on some Sundays a club competition will be taking place). Look on the
home page of this web site to check the wind direction, and then come along
to the appropriate slope. The club has a number of people who can help you
get started, plus buddy box leads to connect certain types of radio control
sets so that they act in a similar way to dual controls when learning to drive.
Do not attempt to learn to fly on your own....you'll
just end up crashing every time and get fed up very quickly.
Step 2 - Insurance
It's highly advisable to take out 3rd party insurance before you go out flying.
You can usually do this by joining your local club, or by joining the BMFA
(British Model Flying Association.
Categories of model gliders
There are generally (very generally!) 2 categories of gliders.