The classic high-wing trainer
Lets assume for a moment that you have chosen a ready built high-wing trainer, a two-stroke glow engine, and the radio control equipment. You will undoubtedly need additional items, and it is in the area that shopping from your local model shop will really pay dividends advising you on best choices and value for money. The amount of help and information you can gain from your local flying club will amaze you along probably with the willingness of the membership to advise and help you while you are getting through the initial learning stage.
So OK you’ve got your model, joined the local flying club, joined the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) and are insured, and at last the great British summer has arrived! And you’re ready to go flying!

Pre-flight checks
Before your model takes to the air, get a club member to check it over. He will be looking to see that everything is working the right way; are the controls working in the right direction, ie when you move the transmitter stick to the right do the rudder or ailerons move to the right, when you pull up elevator do the elevators move upwards, are all the linkages secure, the batteries fully charged etc. In effect a complete pre-flight check, just like a full-size plane, you may have seen pilots walking around their planes before each and every flight.
So with everything in order, or after any corrections have been made its time to range test your radio. What is a range test? Well with the radio switched on and the transmitter aerial partially extended (one section out being the norm) you should be able to walk at least sixty to seventy paces away and still have full control of the model. If this is all in order, fuel up and range test again with the engine running; there should be no difference in range but if there is cut the engine and investigate the problem. Under no circumstances attempt to fly the model until this problem is resolved.
A little help from a co-pilot
Right then, controls working correctly, radio working properly, satisfactory range test completed, your ready for your fist flight. At most clubs there are two main ways that a novice can get to learn to fly, the first method is whereby an experienced modeller will take the model off and if all is well, stand beside the you and at sufficient height hand over the transmitter to you, then with verbal guidance you will take your first tentative steps on the road to flying your own model round the sky, don’t be surprised if the instructor takes the transmitter from you from time to time, he will do this at the very first signs of a problem, and this is normal, it could be because the model is flying to far away, to high, or getting into any other difficulties, once the model is in a safe attitude he will hand the transmitter back to you, this is quite normal. Usually the main issues that you will face are over-control, and disorientation, over-control is where you move the transmitter sticks to far and the model flys in an erratic manner, and disorientation occurs when the model is either to far away or to high and it becomes difficult to see what way the model is really going, therefore it becomes impossible to give the correct control inputs to recover the model to a safe position, however, long before the model reaches this stage, your instructor will step in, take control of the transmitter, and usually rescue the model before handing control back to you.