Help! FT tiny trainer fist flight unsuccessful

I am a beginner with an ft tiny trainer and using power pack a with a 3s 850 mah battery. I am just learning to fly and on my fist flight it climbed than immediately nosed toward the ground and crashed, this repeated several times and I ended up going home after I wrecked my power pod. I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what was wrong and on first flights.:);):unsure:
Here is a video of my flight and a photo of my power pod.

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The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
Welcome to the forums! First of all, if at all possible, get an experienced pilot to maiden the plane for you. That way they can make sure that everything is good with the airplane. Before you fly, always double check that your control surfaces are going the right way. I would recommend building the glider nose and then going to a hill and chucking it off several times until you are comfortable with the controls and then popping the power pod on when you feel ready. You could even just use it as a glider with the power pod on by just removing the prop. Also, 3s in a tiny trainer will give you quite a bit of power, so half throttle should be all you need to get it flying. Remember, the faster you are going = less reaction time. Good luck, and I’m sure you’ll get the hang of flying in no time!
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I am a beginner with an ft tiny trainer and using power pack a with a 3s 850 mah battery. I am just learning to fly and on my fist flight it climbed than immediately nosed toward the ground and crashed, this repeated several times and I ended up going home after I wrecked my power pod. I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what was wrong and on first flights.:);):unsure:
Here is a video of my flight and a photo of my power pod.

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Just to add to that...
Looks like you are getting some decent altitude from the pics, it could be a trim issue as well. As far as fine tuning you control surfaces in flight, trimming helps the airplane to fly level. Start off at half throttle and a little back pressure on the right stick, and just a little, you want to move in small increments to correct flight line. Once up the first control you want to trim is elevator as a priority, keeps you from nosing down. Next if it's a 4 channel is the ailerons to keep the wing tips level and not bank from center, it prevents tip stalls, wings lose lift if they are vertical. Then the rudder is the last to trim to control yaw authority. This is something that's easier once you have the plane under power as opposed to the glide testing.

Have you got dual rates and expo figured out yet?
 

FDS

Elite member
Also build a load of power pods, I have broken 27 on my TT in a year of flying it. They are not hard to build but as you have discovered they are deliberately weak to save the motor and die really fast. I take two spares to the field with me, then you can swap the motor across and keep flying. Take spare props too.
My TT did the same as yours, elevator trim was the issue.
Re check your CG as well, I never fly mine with such a heavy battery so can’t say for sure about that, but too much nose weight will pull it down for sure.
That flight was longer than all four of my first attempts, keep at it.
 

mayan

Legendary member
@Portlandbeginner welcome to the family. If it’s pitching up that much check your CG. And then preform an unpowered glide with the battery loaded and connected, throttle off, prop off and Tx on. Through it off a hill and see how it glides. Since by the looks of it you are going 3 channel it will be easier to trim. Start off by trimming the elevator if it pitches up or dives down fix the trim of the elevator accordingly. Pitching up add some down trim, diving down add up trim. The repeat with rudder trim. Turning left add right trim, and vice versa. Then go fly it with 50% throttle launching with a good throw at 35% angle up over the horizon :).

Enjoy.

PS I love the TT and you can read here: Hobby Newbie Learning Diary; Family Included! how it taught me to fly.
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
I agree with the others, try moving the CG forward 1/4 inch. Make sure the controls are going the correct direction. Get the plane trimmed out by an experienced flyer. The plane will fly much better when trimmed.

If you don't have an experienced flyer handy, you will need to trim the plane yourself. Get the plane 200-300 feet high, hold the sticks at the point it flies level. Then add trim in the same direction you need to hold the sticks. It's trial and error, add trim, let the stick come back to neutral, add more trim. It is helpful to have a second person add the trim while you are holding the sticks. The goal, the plane will fly straight & level, while hands off the sticks. Example, if you need to hold the stick to the left and pushing forward (down elevator) to fly level, then add a few clicks of left trim and a few clicks of down elevator (clicking the trim forward).

It's best to work on one direction at a time. I start with the one that is most out of trim. As you get one close work on the other.
 
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Also build a load of power pods, I have broken 27 on my TT in a year of flying it. They are not hard to build but as you have discovered they are deliberately weak to save the motor and die really fast. I take two spares to the field with me, then you can swap the motor across and keep flying. Take spare props too.
My TT did the same as yours, elevator trim was the issue.
Re check your CG as well, I never fly mine with such a heavy battery so can’t say for sure about that, but too much nose weight will pull it down for sure.
That flight was longer than all four of my first attempts, keep at it.
@Portlandbeginner welcome to the family. If it’s pitching up that much check your CG. And then preform an unpowered glide with the battery loaded and connected, throttle off, prop off and Tx on. Through it off a hill and see how it glides. Since by the looks of it you are going 3 channel it will be easier to trim. Start off by trimming the elevator if it pitches up or dives down fix the trim of the elevator accordingly. Pitching up add some down trim, diving down add up trim. The repeat with rudder trim. Turning left add right trim, and vice versa. Then go fly it with 50% throttle launching with a good throw at 35% angle up over the horizon :).

Enjoy.

PS I love the TT and you can read here: Hobby Newbie Learning Diary; Family Included! how it taught me to fly.
Just to add to that...
Looks like you are getting some decent altitude from the pics, it could be a trim issue as well. As far as fine tuning you control surfaces in flight, trimming helps the airplane to fly level. Start off at half throttle and a little back pressure on the right stick, and just a little, you want to move in small increments to correct flight line. Once up the first control you want to trim is elevator as a priority, keeps you from nosing down. Next if it's a 4 channel is the ailerons to keep the wing tips level and not bank from center, it prevents tip stalls, wings lose lift if they are vertical. Then the rudder is the last to trim to control yaw authority. This is something that's easier once you have the plane under power as opposed to the glide testing.

Have you got dual rates and expo figured out yet?
I have not I will get into that.
 
Also build a load of power pods, I have broken 27 on my TT in a year of flying it. They are not hard to build but as you have discovered they are deliberately weak to save the motor and die really fast. I take two spares to the field with me, then you can swap the motor across and keep flying. Take spare props too.
My TT did the same as yours, elevator trim was the issue.
Re check your CG as well, I never fly mine with such a heavy battery so can’t say for sure about that, but too much nose weight will pull it down for sure.
That flight was longer than all four of my first attempts, keep at it.
thanks for the advice. :) where would I get 27 extra power pods?:D:p
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I have not I will get into that.
Look into the Flite Test videos on YouTube my friend. If you have no one to teach you in person, The University of YouTube will. I actually am mostly self taught up until recently not only being on this forum but by meeting up with great people I've conversed with here and hooked up with at their flying field. Flite Test has a bunch of vids called the beginner series that will take you through the basics of getting into the hobby. So much useful information there that will carry with you as long as you are flying RC. Check it out and get back to us
 
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FDS

Elite member
Depends on conditions, if you checked the CG first it should be a tiny bit nose heavy even on the glider nose. On low rates you might need all the elevator to get lift if the airspeed is a bit low.
Add some incidence to your wing by putting a 1mm or so spacer under the wing leading edge where it sits on the body, I used some sticky Velcro as it helped hold the wing in position as well.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Depends on conditions, if you checked the CG first it should be a tiny bit nose heavy even on the glider nose. On low rates you might need all the elevator to get lift if the airspeed is a bit low.
Add some incidence to your wing by putting a 1mm or so spacer under the wing leading edge where it sits on the body, I used some sticky Velcro as it helped hold the wing in position as well.
I like your Velcro idea... never thought of that
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I tried throwing my trainer of a hill today with the glider nose and I am going to do it again. It helped me greatly to get the control down.

ps. I was full up on elevator the whole time, is that supposed to happen?
Were you throwing it into the wind?

Sometimes if there is no power and just a glide there might not be enough air flow over the control surface to keep it aloft so the up elevator at max throw will be needed to compensate. once under power the thrust wash from the prop and the increased air speed will level it out.

Did it feel good to see it fly?