Training

The club operates a dual control training aeroplane to give first timers a “feel” for flying a model aeroplane.  If you want to learn, you will need to have your own aeroplane to train on.

The club also has a number of transmitter “buddy” leads to enable your plane to be dual controlled by an instructor.  A recent innovation is the use of a dual receiver system, enabling any model to be flown by any combination of Transmitters – see Alastair Rivers for details.

Requirement for Wings Badge

From Jan 2012 it became mandatory, if flying solo, to have your wings badge.

If you do not have a Wings badge you will need to fly “under supervision” of an Instructor or Wings badge holder.

If you do not have a wings badge and are flying unsupervised you will NOT be covered by MFNZ insurance.

  • You will also be contravening the rules of the Kapiti Aeromodellers Club as well as putting pressure on Wings badge holders to be constantly supervising members.
  • Please bear in mind that your committee went to great lengths to establish a set of rules that satisfied CAA.
  • If you don’t have it, please make every effort to do your Wings badge.
  • It is YOUR responsibility to contact one of the Instructors / Wings badge testers below and get it sorted.
  • We do not want to have to discipline members who flaunt this rule as it just makes it unpleasant for all. It is much easier to do the test.
  • If you don’t feel that you are competent to do the test, you need to actively seek assistance.

Learning  to Fly

Learning to fly is fun and relatively painless. If you put the time into it, you can have your “wings” in as little as 6 weeks and 6 hours flying time.  The main skill for the basic test is that of control coordination. This is very much like touch typing, and can only be achieved with practice to the extent that control corrections can be done by reflex and without having to think it through. You will also need to demonstrate a knowledge of club rules and of basic safety and pre-flight preparation.

What to do

  •  Contact one of the instructors listed on this page to arrange for instruction
  •  You will need a trainer style aeroplane (either electric or glow fuel powered). Your instructor can advise on appropriate types.  Your instructor can also advise on choice of radio system. It is preferable that your radio has the capacity to be used in “buddy box” configuration with your instructor.
  •  Read the Club Manual from the MFNZ site.  This can be downloaded below. See Sections  10A “Student Flight Training Manual” and Section 10 “Instructors Training Guide” . This will give guidance on the various manoeuvres, especially landing,  which you will need to perfect to get your wings.
  •  Practice, practice practice!  Access to a computer simulator linked to your transmitter can significantly reduce your training time.
  •  Take your wings test (see below) 

The wings test has three components:

  1. Answering questions relating to safe operation of model aeroplanes – understanding rigging, trim, starting procedures, preflight checks etc.
  2. Demonstrating an understanding of club rules eg no-fly zones, height limits, hours of operation.
  3. Demonstrating competence in flying a model aircraft

The instructors below have all indicated that they are willing to help , they just need to be asked. Please note that in order to receive instruction and do the test you need to have a suitable model. The instructors can help with this too.

The use of a simulator is a huge benefit in learning to fly. A simple system is the freeware FMS system which will develop your  4 axis coordination skills. The software can be downloaded from here, and you can buy a complete dummy transmitter system complete with FMS for US$15 from here.

There are numerous more advanced simulators available ranging up to $200, which are useful for advanced aerobatic training.
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Fixed Wing Instructors – Mode Two  (Throttle on left stick)
Alastair Rivers – 021 149377
Andrew Farrow – 029 462 2295
Don Lynn – 021 366393
James Farrow – 022 0371948
Paul Buckrell – 021 422633
Pete Brown – 021 399548

Fixed Wing Instructors – Mode One (Throttle on right stick)
Terry Beaumont – 027 443480
Ian Hill – 021 217266
Ryan Groves – 021 630605

Wings Badge Test Forms

When you are ready to be tested for your wings badge, please download the following form and give it to your examiner. Note – any instructor can sign off your wings test, other than the instructor under whom you have trained

MFNZ Qualifications (Wings Badge)
This link takes you to the MFNZ website.