Do I need 3D glasses

Okay, so I've just watched a 5 minute video of a guy hovering his RC 3D plane. It was skillful, the power to weight ratio of the aircraft was evident, it looked kind of interesting... then I got really bored.

It got to the point where I wanted to yell out, "why don't you just get a helicopter?" Or maybe a dual string kite. Then there was the guy who was dipping his Extra 300's tail into a lake, where I wanted to scream "get a boat, they're much better in water!" But as I said, it was a video, so I didn't think that would carry much weight, apart from the fact I don't know what I'm talking about.

I guess I've always thought that RC aircraft should attempt to replicate the full scale thing as closely as possible, including flight dynamics. Isn't that why everyone goes to such intricate detail in their models, down to instrument clusters, cowlings, profiles and trying to perform life like aerobatics? I've heard some people call 3D flying the "extreme" RC equivalent... but then I've seen people push non 3D aircraft to the edge of their design envelope too and they would also profess to be taking much more risk than if they were piloting a 3D model. Of course, this is just a matter of preference, or opinion, and there's plenty of room for everyone.. except maybe me, coz I tend to need a lot of space, since I'm not so good at piloting anything more complicated than a paper dart.

So what am I missing? What is the attraction of 3D flying for you? Why do you do it? Do you prefer other flying when you have the space or model? Or is it a simple case of "If I have to explain it to you Max, then you'll never 'get it'!" Help educate me and expose my gross ignorance!

Max Noob
 

CrashRecovery

I'm a care bear...Really?
Mentor
I think it comes down to showing control skills. It's hard enough to get one to hover but add in tricks........
 

asitterlee

New member
Lets face it, flying round and round in circles does get a bit boring after a while. I love to try something different each time (call it a short attention span) 3D flying for me is the art of making it look like I meant it while not crashing.
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
I guess I've always thought that RC aircraft should attempt to replicate the full scale thing as closely as possible

That's the thing, taste!

I am usually only impressed by professional 3D pilots. Most beginner intermediate pilots just fly around and around and I don't see the point. The professional guys actually follow determined patterns when they fly - and it's their precision while doing it that impresses me.
 
The professional guys actually follow determined patterns when they fly - and it's their precision while doing it that impresses me.

I haven't really seen any competitions where everyone needs to fly a set pattern. That would certainly be more interesting for me as a spectator... otherwise I can't really tell whether the manoeveur was intended, or just a fluke!

Not that there's anything wrong with fluking it... my landings depend on it.
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
Go visit an IMAC competition or a Scale competition and you will find the flying you are asking for. I love most flying like free flight, slope soaring, thermal soaring, combat, stunt, fun competitions, "Walking the dog" and a lot more. But like you - i Think that a lot of static hovering and smoke does not appeal so much as pattern.
 

Fishbonez

Active member
I am not a 3D pilot in fact far from it but I think it has something to do with the adrenalin rush you get when you have something in control that should be out of control and when are you going to lose control.
 

ecoster

Junior Member
Dr. Claire Lewicki: Control is an illusion, you infantile egomaniac. Nobody knows what's gonna happen next: not on a freeway, not in an airplane, not inside our own bodies and certainly not on a racetrack with 40 other infantile egomaniacs :p
 

Carbon

Elemental Madness
Learning how to fly 3D also makes you a better pilot. You learn to control throttle and how to efficiently get out of stalls.
 

hansdude

Junior Member
Personally the most amazing thing about watching epic 3D is the obvious dedication the pilots have to growing their talent.

Most people aren't interested in watching videos rock-climbers doing the hardest climbs in the world. I've done some climbing in the past and the more I improved the more interesting it became to watch these amazing athletes. Watching the best anything isn't usually impressive until you earnestly try to improve at it.

I'm not good at piloting anything, but last night I fired up the simulator and tried to hover for a few hours. 3D is DIFFICULT!!!

Also, the most useful thing a model aircraft can do is carry a camera, and there's a nice industry building around that. But the rest of the hobby doesn't have to accomplish anything other than entertain people (and educate and inspire I guess :p). Why hover a plane instead of helicopter? Because it's neat :).
 
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colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
Another fact to consider is the skills you build up learning to hover. You learn orientation in every possible way so that when you're someday flying something else you know how to recover in time. As Carbon says you learn to control throttle efficiently. You also get more precise at flying.
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
3D is only Difficult with a plane. I have no issues with 3D and my multicopters! :p

Thurmond
 
Watching the best anything isn't usually impressive until you earnestly try to improve at it.

Definitely agree with you. I had a similiar thing happen to me when I started in Judo. You really don't see the intricate nature of what people are doing until you understand the difficulty of the techniques. Of course, you also get an understanding of what's not particularly skillful too.

I'm not good at piloting anything, but last night I fired up the simulator and tried to hover for a few hours. 3D is DIFFICULT!!!

Yeah, I've got to admit, I was trying it on the SIM on the weekend... and I didn't even get close to holding a hover. But in my defence, I did have the wind set at 15 kmph, with 40kmph gusts! I was starting to think it couldn't be done on a SIM, but I'll keep trying.
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
I like flying 3D. I also like scale flight. I enjoy making my helicopters flip, roll, tumble, hover upside down, I also like shooting approaches in scale fashion, scale type flight, coordinated turns etc. I'm really enjoying autorotations right now because they're incredibly difficult.

My point is flying is a challenge. Once I mastered basic flight I started finding new ways to challenge myself. All of the above are challenges I faced and am learning to overcome. 3D flight is the most extreme example of pushing your skills and your equipment to the ragged edge. Once you think you are a good pilot, try flying all the way around your flying field in knife edge. Then do it the other way. Then square off the edges like a rectangle. Then try it inverted. Then try it inverted without dipping the wings. These are all challenges that you can do by yourself or with friends to keep flying fun and exciting. Personally, I get bored doing laps or figure eights. I enjoy short landings, short takeoff, spot landings, float flying, bomb dropping, parachute dropping, lots and lots of different ways to keep having fun. Again, 3D is just another way to hone and show your skills.

Once you start trying to hover and do torque rolls, flips etc, you will gain an appreciation for watching the pros do it.

Oh, and these days there aren't a lot of things the models can do that the real planes aren't doing. Watch this video from about 2 minutes on.

 

LALooper

Junior Member
3d vs. "scale"

my two cents, or two pence or kroner...
the appeal of 3d to me:
plane (plain?) control. flying past the point of stall makes the envelope extremely narrow. you learn to fly into and out of attitudes that you would never experience flying "scale". I have been in and out of this hobby several times. the time before last, I got into 3d before getting back into scale. when I started flying scale again with an 80" J-3, I found my confidence level had been enormously improved by my 3d experience. Granted I overpowered the Cub, but even flying it "scale" I took up slipping sideways into postage stamp runways, and doing one wheel touch-and-gos because that stuff was challenging, but now doable because the wierd attitudes and low speeds didn't spook me any more.

granted I eventually tip-stalled the cub from an altitude of about 6' trying to land crosswind on purpose. :)
Let's not talk about the fun scale F-4.
 
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