Help (with "setting up" pipes)

[O'Searcaigh]

Well, that was supposed to be "HELP" but I don't know how to edit/correct a thread title. Anyway, this may be a shot in the dark but.... I am a reasonably "well cured" musician. I play several wind instruments, principally trumpet, of which I have a collection. A long time ago I was even a "professional" (symphonic to pop). I can play and have several high end Irish whistles and can play quite a few tunes on the practice chanter (even without using breath breaks). I also have a very nice set of Dunbar P3 pipes but for the life of me I can't seem to get them to work. I have stopped up the drones, can get the chanter to sound but loose so much air in the course of playing that it is almost impossible to make it through even a short tune. I can actually play a tune through on the pipe's (not practice) chanter by playing it like an oboe. I have read that "even a 10 year old girl" can play the pipes. Obviously something isn't right; I know the pipes are a "difficult" instrument but geeze.... I live in a VERY remote area; the closest piper/teacher is over 100 miles away. I have at times been tempted simply to say "to heck with it" and stick to my whistles (for Celtic stuff) but believe it or not, I have been encouraged to keep at it by family, friends and neighbors (usually it works the other way, I'm told). I've also heard that "a gentleman is a man who knows how to play the pipes but doesn't." I guess I am shooting to at least be ABLE to be a gentleman. At this point -- chanter capable only-- I don't qualify! Help???!!!