Getting Started
How to get started flying at BRCF
Ask questions. Go to our field on any Saturday or Sunday morning (or weekdays if its nice) and see what people are flying. Ask questions. Make sure it's what you really want.
If you're all set to get going, then Join the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). It's easy, it gets you insurance and we require it as we are an AMA sanctioned field. You can even do it on-line at www.modelaircraft.org click on join/renew.
Before applying, please read the Field Rules. Please also read our Club Bylaws (in Acrobat pdf format).
Then join the BRCF at our Membership page.
Get yourself a trainer aircraft, we recommend a size 40 (.4 cubic inch), high wing trainer. Some examples from towerhobbies.com:
- Great Planes Avistar Elite ARF (EP or GP)
- Hobbico SuperStar 40 ARF (GP)
- Tower Hobbies Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF or RTF (GP)
Note: EP: Electric Powered, GP: Glow (engine) Powered, ARF: Almost Ready to Fly
Local hobby stores are becoming rare. But see our Links page for some on-line hobby stores.
You can join an RC Airplane forum to learn from flyers all over the world. See our Links page.
Or you can post a request for an aircraft (or helicopter) on our Members Only RC Forum "For Sale/Wanted" area.
Or you can join our Facebook group and post a request there, but you will first require a Facebook account.
Get help setting up your airplane and flying it. You'll need an instructor. Our list of instructors is shown below. Training is free of charge. (Note: instructors donate their personal time in the spirit of promoting the hobby to newcomers.) It is up to you to make that call. ☺ Students need to be proactive and pursue regular instruction.
Required before you fly
If you plan to fly any place other than the club field, you must acquire FAA authorization through LAANC. This is easy and fast. Use Airmap, B4UFly, UASidekick, Aloft, etc. Just search your app store for LAANC.
If you fly FPV and use unregistered FPV systems (those that don’t say they are registered with the FCC), you need an FCC Technician license or higher.
The TRUST test isn’t required yet, but it’s easy enough. It’s multiple choice. If you get an answer wrong, you can try again as many times as it takes to get the correct response. It takes about 15 minutes, and you can print out the certificate immediately. Stick it in your card holder. It doesn’t seem to have an expiration date.