Beginners Information
It is vital that those new to the hobby are instructed properly for their own safety and that of the public. Being a member of MAAA means you are fully insured anywhere in Australia. Model aircraft can be very dangerous in the hands of the untrained - they are not a toy. Having said that, flying model aircraft is a very enjoyable, safe and relatively inexpensive hobby. You will meet a friendly group of helpful people, who are always willing to share information and help you. There is no age limit to learning. We have taught people from 11 years of age into their 70's. Recommended learning age is from about 15 upwards.
At WAMASC we have nationally accredited and qualified MAAA Instructors who can teach you in a structured way to maximise your enjoyment and minimise your learning time. Most instruction is free. With an instructor the risk of damage to your model is minimised. Should you decide to teach yourself, total destruction of your model is almost guaranteed in short order.
Boomerangs strongly recommends the use of a trainer (buddy box) system. This minimises risk of damage to your model while making your rate of learning much faster. Our club owns several buddy boxes to allow our instructors to teach people not wishing to purchase their own buddy box. Please speak to your club instructor for further advice.
Here are some photos of instructors and students using the trainer system. The instructor is the one with the transmitter antenna extended. The student is connected via a cable to their transmitter (which has the transmitter section disabled). Click on each picture for a full sized view.
It is recommended that you contact the club first before purchasing any equipment.
Boomerangs Getting Started - for the beginner (
PDF)
You should be issued with a MAAA Trainee Pilot Logbook when you first join a MAAA affiliated club. Ask your club instructor or committee member.
Suggested Boomerangs training Syllabus ( PDF)