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my flight log
- Thread starter bracesport
- Start date
- Tags flitetest rc gliders rc planes slope soaring
MARCH 13 2020
Today was a bit of a disaster for me - what I failed to recognise was how much difference there would be in the new launch profile with the up elevator followed by a no lift climb - I lost control smashing my ship badly - I taped it up and tried again and although the launch was better the CG was way off and tail heavy - I realised later that I had lost the nose weights in the first crash!
Back to the drawing board
Today was a bit of a disaster for me - what I failed to recognise was how much difference there would be in the new launch profile with the up elevator followed by a no lift climb - I lost control smashing my ship badly - I taped it up and tried again and although the launch was better the CG was way off and tail heavy - I realised later that I had lost the nose weights in the first crash!
Back to the drawing board
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MAY 31 2020
This little Spitfire outing was a bit of a failure - I put a 9x6 prop on the 1000kv motor with a 3C2440 Lipo and took it to the park - she is quite heavy @900g but as it turns out flies well - it was the pilot that screwed it up!
I did not use my T16 opting for the FSi6s and in my hast, had way too much throw on the control surfaces and no expo - probably a mix of that and nerves that was the issue - also the i6s has no way rates option.
The Spitfire is all mended and waiting for the next flight!
This little Spitfire outing was a bit of a failure - I put a 9x6 prop on the 1000kv motor with a 3C2440 Lipo and took it to the park - she is quite heavy @900g but as it turns out flies well - it was the pilot that screwed it up!
I did not use my T16 opting for the FSi6s and in my hast, had way too much throw on the control surfaces and no expo - probably a mix of that and nerves that was the issue - also the i6s has no way rates option.
The Spitfire is all mended and waiting for the next flight!
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MAY 31 2020
This little Spitfire outing was a bit of a failure - I put a 9x6 prop on the 1000kv motor with a 3C2440 Lipo and took it to the park - she is quite heavy @900g but as it turns out flies well - it was the pilot that screwed it up!
I did not use my T16 opting for the FSi6s and in my hast, had way too much throw on the control surfaces and no expo - probably a mix of that and nerves that was the issue - also the i6s has no way rates option.
The Spitfire is all mended and waiting for the next flight!
This little Spitfire outing was a bit of a failure - I put a 9x6 prop on the 1000kv motor with a 3C2440 Lipo and took it to the park - she is quite heavy @900g but as it turns out flies well - it was the pilot that screwed it up!
I did not use my T16 opting for the FSi6s and in my hast, had way too much throw on the control surfaces and no expo - probably a mix of that and nerves that was the issue - also the i6s has no way rates option.
The Spitfire is all mended and waiting for the next flight!
@The Hangar - the tail broke off behind the cockpit and I realised it was exactly on the scribed fold line where the tail transitions from the cockpit - shows a weakness in doing that without glueing the back of the fold line too - @900g there is a high chance of damage with my landings!
@bracesport the bright side is that it's repaired and ready for another maiden ain't nothing better .
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AUGUST 09 2020
So we decided to try our hand at sloping off of the beach - sloping off of the beach was awesome (to say the least) - we did not film the best flights as I got used to it towards the end, but Xander managed to catch a few videos on my phone in the middle - silly me I forgot I had my hat camera on my head the whole time!
The 1.2m glider flew really well with the bigger ailerons - I added 300g of ballast and given the wind today could have added more - I don't think our position on the beach was perfect as although there was a slope up from the water it flattened out pretty quickly after that.
the 1.0m pitcheron was super sensitive and lost control very quickly - I feel like it's polyhedral wing is holding it back, and possibly could do with more wing chord - I decided not to push it and take it home in one piece - I will think on what 'tweaks' to make!
So we decided to try our hand at sloping off of the beach - sloping off of the beach was awesome (to say the least) - we did not film the best flights as I got used to it towards the end, but Xander managed to catch a few videos on my phone in the middle - silly me I forgot I had my hat camera on my head the whole time!
The 1.2m glider flew really well with the bigger ailerons - I added 300g of ballast and given the wind today could have added more - I don't think our position on the beach was perfect as although there was a slope up from the water it flattened out pretty quickly after that.
the 1.0m pitcheron was super sensitive and lost control very quickly - I feel like it's polyhedral wing is holding it back, and possibly could do with more wing chord - I decided not to push it and take it home in one piece - I will think on what 'tweaks' to make!
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Hell yes @bracesport great flying buddy. I still want more videos!
AUGUST 17 2020
A little taste of DLG with a real DLG - my beautiful new (to me) BAMF - what a treasure and what an exhilaration to have my first flight - I flew with my friend Pete who is a New Zealand Champion DLG pilot and we were just spending some time dialling in the trims and getting used to flying it - I even managed to noodle around in a thermal - AWESOME!
A little taste of DLG with a real DLG - my beautiful new (to me) BAMF - what a treasure and what an exhilaration to have my first flight - I flew with my friend Pete who is a New Zealand Champion DLG pilot and we were just spending some time dialling in the trims and getting used to flying it - I even managed to noodle around in a thermal - AWESOME!
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AUGUST 18 2020
Another quick flight at lunchtime - I am still throwing quite lightly as the trim still needs some work and I didn't want to do something silly - nevertheless I think I am really going to enjoy the DLG flying - it is clear to me I am still overdoing the stick movements - next time I will fiddle with the expo as well (today it was at 30%) - it launches amazingly well even without the launch mode active!
Another quick flight at lunchtime - I am still throwing quite lightly as the trim still needs some work and I didn't want to do something silly - nevertheless I think I am really going to enjoy the DLG flying - it is clear to me I am still overdoing the stick movements - next time I will fiddle with the expo as well (today it was at 30%) - it launches amazingly well even without the launch mode active!
Post-Covid lockdown I am sitting on a reasonable flying stash - the goal moving forwards is to fly more and build (a little) less - here is where my fleet is at today (by wing size) - just a bit of a timestamp.
SLOPE
SLOPE
- 1.6m V tail glass/balsa 'pylon racer' with flaps and ailerons is set up with a pitot tube for velocity readings - I added the flaps to have crow brakes as this ship really flies fast and I felt there would be no way I could land it - I managed just shy if 100kph on a couple of legs, but it is rated for 320kph so there is room to move!.
- 1.35m V tail all-carbon 'pitcheron' is my latest build and is yet to maiden - I need to do some test glides at the park into the wind to check the wing incidence setup, and I need to get 'Jono' to pilot the maiden - I am really looking forward to seeing this one through - the 'pitcheron' system is so simple with two servos running pivoting wings - they can be twitchy, but equally they can roll like a drill!
- 1.3m V tail EPP refurbished 'Fusion' that was gifted to me by 'Jono' so I can learn to land after sloping - bouncing the EPP is preferable to smashing the rigid ships - I added carbon over foam ailerons which was my first crack at carbon and epoxy.
- 1.2m EPP chuck glider converted to full-span ailerons - this is intended for my 6yr old son to learn on - it is quite a good chuck glider kit with CF a spar and CF fuse support - I added the full-span flaps and braking on my T16, but on the FSi6s it is just bank and yank.
- 1.0m EPP chuck glider converted to 'pitcheron' - I made this one as a durable trainer to try before attempting to fly the big Mumma - it is also in its second iteration - when I maidened it at the beach it was very twitchy and kept rolling over and it looked like the wing was twisted (in shipping or in manufacturing) so I threw them away and made some new ones - we will see if it was the pilot or whether these new wings will rock and roll!
- 1.5m V tail Scratch-built 'Vista' with full-span ailerons - this was my first 3D printed design based on the 'Blaster3' DLG - I used hand-shaped DTFB for wing and hand covered it with a light fibre-glass and epoxy skin - it has a motor and a folding prop that I tape down when sloping otherwise it auto rotates and acts as a brake - I am yet to attempt a park flight with this one, but with plenty of sim time during the lockdown, I am feeling more confident!
- 1.0m DTFB Spitfire is equipped with a motor up the front and is a park flier and a sloper - it has had more time on the slope than the park and with 300g of ballast flies well @1.2kgs AUW! Not bad for a DTFB ship! I will give it another crack at the park this Spring.
- 1.5m BAMF DLG - this was recently gifted to my by 'Pete' another friend I met through 'Jono' while sloping - Pete is a champion DLG pilot and he has been giving me some training with the DLG's - originally I attempted several DTFB ships, and my V tail DLG was a complete failure - when I got to fly the BAMF I realised why the DLG's are so enticing - they just fly so damn well - I am still overdoing the sticks but I think with a little more time I will relax and just let it fly.
- 1.4m Scratch-built DTFB DLG - this is a rebuild of my DLG but this time I tried to focus on a weight reduction - the first version was 270g AUW with a 3D printed fuse - this version is 235g AUW and currently has an open fuse - I think the wing is heavier this time as I added some Cf stiffeners and a coat of epoxy, but overall we are lighter without a closed in fuselage - I am looking forward to flying the two DLG's head to head!
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AUGUST 30 2020
I was motivated to get in the air today - It was blowing a stiff northerly and I thought why not try the tip of the Peninsular which is only 5 minutes drive from home - I have attempted some flights in this region but not from where I chose to fly today - I am not sure it is the perfect site as it was quite inconsistent in the lift (well from my nubes perspective), however, it is quite spectacular and I will go back!
What is not so obvious is the I find the downwind turns easy peasy - the simulator has really paid off - I did try a few options with rates and expo, but I think I needed more weight to penetrate better - there was lots of obvious buffeting - next time I will ballast it up a bit.
I was motivated to get in the air today - It was blowing a stiff northerly and I thought why not try the tip of the Peninsular which is only 5 minutes drive from home - I have attempted some flights in this region but not from where I chose to fly today - I am not sure it is the perfect site as it was quite inconsistent in the lift (well from my nubes perspective), however, it is quite spectacular and I will go back!
What is not so obvious is the I find the downwind turns easy peasy - the simulator has really paid off - I did try a few options with rates and expo, but I think I needed more weight to penetrate better - there was lots of obvious buffeting - next time I will ballast it up a bit.
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Wow.. is that not THE perfect place to be on a sunny day. Beautiful country side, nice coast, port town. I remember doing puzzles of places like that at my grandparents dining room table on Sundays after dinner.
I need to try a few of the slopes in the sim I have. They have several not to mention a ton of sail planes. Not sure what setups they have as I have absolutly zero clue. I just recently learned of the term crow but have no idea what that is yet. I assume its the angular flight when in a cross wind ...
anyways great video and cool music to go along with it. awesome vibe.
I need to try a few of the slopes in the sim I have. They have several not to mention a ton of sail planes. Not sure what setups they have as I have absolutly zero clue. I just recently learned of the term crow but have no idea what that is yet. I assume its the angular flight when in a cross wind ...
anyways great video and cool music to go along with it. awesome vibe.
I was just imperessed you didnt have to walk all the way to the bottom of the slope to get your plane back. I certainly would have going by my efforts to glide in my sim. You also get biggggg points for not landing in cow poo. Bills Law would dictate that happen the very first time I touched ground and I would have to fly with it the rest of the day or go home.