I stink at takeoffs

Wearyman

Just dog tired
Thought I'd share this video I made a year or so ago about all the trials and problems I went through attempting to learn to take off. Enjoy!



(Incidentally, that landing at the end, though it doesn't look all that bad I actually struck the edge of the asphalt with my landing gear and folded it back into the fuselage, crushing a good chunk of the plane belly and nearly tearing the gear off completely.)
 

SnowRocker88

Amateur pilot and builder
I went through that same oscillating phase in the landing gear approach when I was "self teaching" takeoff. Basically I learned you just have to commit. Gun it and go. If you ease up in the throttle on a plane that isn't 100% true with the landing gear mounting then you'll just get the right to left oscillating like you see here and you'll always tip drag and fail. Just bury the stick and pull back enough to lift (but not so much that you stall or porpoise).
 

ViperTech

Member
OK I am laughing so hard right now! Not at you but with you! Take off is a real balancing act of throttle and rudder and elevator it takes practice!
I have found that if I have a low cut grass runway and good rolling wheels that take off is easier. Asphalt makes the plane roll out easy but the response to movement of the plane is quick too! I fly tail draggers and the extra friction keeps the plane more in a straight line, in my opinion.
Landing, well that I suck at too! I always want to come in too slow and stall so I hit hard! I have only been flying for just over a year but I am improving and you will too!
 

Epic

New to RC planes
You just need to get it in the air once you are up to speed, otherwise you can "Over control" it on the ground. Maybe put in some expo?

Good luck!
~epic
 

Christopher14

Driftin' with the wind...
I have had to do quite a lot of trimming of my plane after a bad landing ;) but I don't think that is quite what you meant. :p

Thurmond

It especially sucks when you hand launch your plane and it has a thrust angle issue and is tail heavy.:black_eyed:
 

Tench745

Master member
I've had similar problems, never really good in the takeoff or landing department. I was playing around with my Hobbyzone Champ the other day to practice just that. I did some experimenting doing about twenty minutes of just taxiing around the driveways playing with rudder and throttle.
What I noticed was this: As the tail starts getting light, but not quite ready to lift, the plane has a greater chance of doing a ground loop. At low speeds with the tail firmly planted it will behave. Once the tail comes off it behaves and as it's such a light plane usually just takes off at that point. It's really only the brief period when the tail is starting to lift but hasn't come off the ground when the trouble happens.
So, possible solutions: 1)Hold slight up elevator to keep the tail down and keep control. 2)Firewall the throttle right off so your have more air over the rudder, giving it more control and lifting the tail quickly, reducing the time it's in that twitchy in-between stage.
This is just what I've observed on my little champ. Your mileage may vary.

One thing I noticed in your video was your plane's tendency to bank right on takeoff. That may be a trim issue that's throwing things off.

I was reading another article on improving landings recently that had this to say: Throttle controls decent rate, angle of attack controls speed. If your plane is sinking quickly, but coming in at a good speed, bump the throttle a bit to reduce the decent. If you're coming in fast, don't chop the throttle to slow down, you'll just drop out of the sky. Give a little up elevator and you'll slow it down.
The most important thing when flying a taildragger, fly it all the way to the ground. Keep airspeed up so you don't stall out of the sky. Get the wheels on, then pull back the throttle to settle the tail in.
If you manage all this please teach me how. I'm still teaching myself and the weather here in Syracuse is not being cooperative lately.
 

Christopher14

Driftin' with the wind...
I built a 130% FT Flyer, and that thing was a kitten to land. I would recommend a 130% FT Flyer for learning to takeoff and land.