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Can SPAD Trainers Work?
Steve "BlackViper" Marshall
January 30, 2002
Learning how to fly is a daunting task for anyone. You've never done anything like this before. There is a lot of money involved. You know you're putting in a huge time investment just to build your plane. There are way too many parts to keep in top-notch shape. Worst of all, you've never flown before! You are more nervous than you've ever been before because you're at the controls of several hundred dollars in the air that you spent tons of hours working on, and you simply can't afford to crash.
My first flight experience was watching. I took my buddy Jeff Johnson out to the Sun Valley Fliers' flight field so he could fly his SuperSportster around. The first few times I went, he was on a buddy box. I got to watch him graduate into solo flight. I was amazed to watch the things these pilots could do in the air, and I was quickly introduced to just how fragile each aircraft was. If the wing wasn't perfectly centered in my car, it would chip off a piece of the wingtip. The coverings leave something to be desired with their protection. And these things are as light as a feather! Watching a few pilots crash in the field and bring back several pieces of balsa was slightly intimidating, and I wonder why anyone would do this.
So then I'm introduced to this new combat flying stuff. I go out to watch a few rounds and discover a whole new world of pain! These airplanes that have trouble flying in circles and doing loops are now trying to rip other airplanes to pieces! Can you imagine? Hundreds of hours and dollars invested, and these guys want to destroy them. I was a little perplexed. Then I see that this isn't balsa wood... these airplanes are plastic! These pilots make their planes stronger, cheaper, quicker, and much more sturdy than the good old balsa. Crashes that would have grounded pilots for weeks are now fixed in a matter of minutes and back in the air. I'm starting to like this.
And just as it's getting fun, I'm asked if I want to try it. "Um, no thanks," was my reply. But then a buddy box transmitter was placed in my hands, and the controls were quickly being explained to me. So now I've got a friend's airplane under my control. His hours. His investment of the engine and radio equipment. His favorite hobby that gives him something to do on the weekends. Now there's something you should - every time I've used a flight sim, I lose. I mean it - I've lost really, really bad. In real-life situations, I just can't fly. That's the bottom line.
And just like that, he tells me that I've got control. I concentrate all of my efforts in just keeping the thing straight and level! Then the turn - oh, no! It's going down! He takes control back and pulls it up. He explains how to turn again, and this time I get it. I complete a couple more failed turns, and I even make a few good ones before it's time to land. Actually, that wasn't too bad. Once I realized that I can't crash this thing because an instructor will take control away and fix my problems, the stress just seemed to disappear. I could actually enjoy what I was trying to do. And I loved it.
So I decide that this is so much fun, I've got to build a plane of my own. I'm given the options of a balsa trainer for better response and easier control, or I could go with a SPAD trainer. The SPAD will be harder to learn with, but when I get it right, I don't have to build a new plane for combat. Plus, I don't have to dish out the money and time to build it! Less work? Less cash? The SPAD it is! I get together with Mark "AZ Spad Man" Jennings to build the Seperator in his garage. We took the SNS plans (found on this site) and slightly modified the dimensions to make it a trainer. We wanted less speed and more response.
The first trip out to the field with my plane was just fun. Before we even got in the air, I just sat back and realized that this is my airplane. We start it up, and Mark takes it on its first test flight. Soon enough, I'm in the driver's seat. I start pulling bad turns again, but Mark helps me straighten them out. I quickly understand what I'm trying to do! He shows me my loops and barrel rolls, and I get some more practice in. I also find myself buddy boxing under Mike, who helps me out with figure eight manuevers (for control). He also introduces me to the landing cycle.
Learning on a SPAD is obviously much different than learning on a balsa plane. For starters, I'm missing a standard channel - the rudder. But minor problems aside, it was pretty easy. With the trim set for up, the plane virtually flies itself, even with the trainer modifications. Because of those modifications, it still holds a nice sink rate for landings. And do you remember how much fun it was to roll the plane completely upside-down before you pull up for your "turns," dropping yourself into the famed death dive? With the ailerons trimmed back, it's challenging to make that kind of newbie mistake. The best part is that this plane will land. Eventually, no matter what you do (or try not to do), it will find the ground. Even with the ugliest landing pattern, the airplane is so strong that it will not break. I've lost a prop, but it's an easy fix. It takes about 4 really bad landings to pop the landing gear off, but a little CA and accellerator will get you flying in about 5-10 minutes. This is quite an alternative to the traditional trainer.
So what does this say for SPAD trainers? Well, it shows that it can be done, and it can be done well. So well, in fact, that it can be more efficient than a traditional trainer! By comparison, Jeff (my first instructor, of sorts) learned how to fly on a traditional trainer. He was on a buddy box for over a year learning the basics before he was ready to solo. As for my training, I built my plane in September of 2001 and was flying solo in December - a measley 3.5 months later. Now I will openly admit that Jeff's flying is superior to my own (as of this writing, anyway), but in just a fraction of the time, I was in the air mixing it up in combat. I had the ability to chase other planes in the January combat rounds. I didn't just fly the rounds - I had enough control of my aircraft to chase.
And now, after being trained on a SPAD, I find myself flying off against my buddy who learned on a traditional trainer. I can match him move for move. His manuevers may be a little prettier than mine, but I get the job done without destroying my plane. My landings can leave something to be desired, but I'm becoming more consistant. There's not a buddy box around that can save you if you make a mistake on a landing, because at that point, your altitude is less than 1 mistake high! Mark has a saying: "It's easy to learn how to land a SPAD. It's gonna land eventually!" Since they're designed to take more abuse than other airplanes, I can screw up a landing badly without taking much damage (if any).
The SPAD trainer cost me about $50 to build, including the cost of the fuselage, wheels, rods, props, and other such pieces. On top of that, I got a good deal on my engine and radio. The actual construction of the plane took all of 10 hours. This is so much better than struggling through the time and money efforts of a balsa plane! I simply wouldn't be able to fly if I didn't have the SPAD alternative, and I'm finding that I can fly surprisingly well. I'm proud of my flying abilities, and I can honestly say that the SPAD trainer wasn't a compromised effort. Instead, it is the best thing that has ever fallen into my lap.
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