It wasn’t long ago that the Spirits of St. Louis R/C club had one of the most active training programs in the country. When interest in the hobby was at its peak, it wasn’t uncommon to have 5-10 new flyers attending our Tuesday Night training night, all on buddy boxes with designated training members. Although the glory days of training dozens of new flyers a year has waned slightly, that doesn’t mean that you cannot learn to fly.
Step 1 – The Introductory Flight:
All you really need to get started is to simply have a passion to learn to fly model airplanes! There are several members of the Spirits that have been designated as “Introductory Flight” certified. What that means is that they have been approved by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) to take flyers up so that they can experience the awesomeness of model aviation without any investment whatsoever. If you are interested in experiencing model aviation, shoot us an email at president@spiritsofstl.com and we’ll make it happen!
Step 2 – Joining the AMA:
If your going to fly your own model airplane and do it safely you need to join the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). If your under the age of 19, it won’t cost you anything. If your a little more “kid at heart” then it will cost you a modest annual fee, ($75/year at the time of this article). The benefits of a Full Membership outweigh the investment and you’ll enjoy the following:
- Fly any type of model aircraft. (internal combustion, electric, heavier than 2 lbs, faster than 60mph).
- $2,500,000 in personal liability insurance coverage.
- $25,000 in Medical Coverage – AD&D and a $10,000 Death Benefit
- $1,000 in Fire, Theft, or Vandalism Coverage
- Model Aviation Magazine (print or online)
- Flying privileges at thousands of AMA Chartered Clubs with appropriate club memberships
- Ability to fly in sanctioned competitions
- Voting privileges
- Access to the National Model Aviation Museum
- Access to members only-features online
Step 2 – Join the Spirits of St Louis Radio Control Club:
Although you can fly three times as a guest of a Spirits member, to enjoy the field anytime during regular flying hours you must become a member. Its a simple process, just do the following:
- Fill out the Spirits Membership Application,
- Attach a copy your AMA membership card,
- Take the FAA TRUST test and register with FAA,
- Write a check to the Spirits of St. Louis R/C Club,
- Bring it to our monthly meeting or mail it to the membership chair.
- Links to everything can be found here: What you need to fly
Step 3 – Find an instructor to help you:
Nothing is worse than venturing out on your own and destroying a new plane on the first flight. We want you to get started on the right path so we have members skilled in providing flight instruction. Going this route we will have you flying your new plane in no time and you will find a lot of enjoyment in this hobby.
