My Tiny Trainer Build

[kilroy07]

Over a year into it and I STILL pack my tiny trainer whenever I go to the field.

I often take it out first (just to get my mind/fingers on the same page.) and it's always good to have as a backup.

Maybe some of the more experienced mentors can chime in, but I stayed with 3 channel for awhile... Maybe too long because it sometimes a challenge moving up to four. You can see that, in the early moments of my Storch flight...

 

[Grifflyer]

Over a year into it and I STILL pack my tiny trainer whenever I go to the field.

I often take it out first (just to get my mind/fingers on the same page.) and it's always good to have as a backup.

Maybe some of the more experienced mentors can chime in, but I stayed with 3 channel for awhile... Maybe too long because it sometimes a challenge moving up to four. You can see that, in the early moments of my Storch flight...

I actually did the opposite after I was flying the FT Flyer well, I built a bloody baron and didn't go back to 3ch (rudder and elevator) for about a year. I found it easier to fly with ailerons after I had the basics down.

@buzzbomb If your flights in the simulator are 'iffy with the sport wing then stick with the scout and TT with the trainer wing for a bit longer.

When do you think you'll be able to get out again?

 

[kilroy07]

I should clarify, I'm NOT suggesting starting out on 4 channel... It was just my experience not to stay with it too long...
Branch out a bit, because (again it's been my experience) there is a big difference in how you fly three vs. four channel.

Three channel...
1. Got me flying!
2. Let me relax enough on the controls to learn throttle management.
3. Taught me to use small inputs, unless things had gone south, then yank them sticks baby!! LOL

I see another thread has taken up this very topic...

 

[buzzbomb]

I don’t cut any V’s when I fold my wings (or make my ailerons)! I just remove 10mm of paper, run a blunt pencil down the middle of the bald spot, then I just bend it over.

Same for control surfaces as I just tape them with interwoven reinforced tape which allows me to have square cuts instead of bevels.

I didn't understand that the first time I read it, It just sort of came out of the blue. I re-read it this evening and I get it, now. Those sound like really good ideas! Much cleaner end result.

I'm not really on board with the zip tie thing yet. Seems like more trouble than it's worth. I like the above, though. Thanks, man!

 

[buzzbomb]

@buzzbomb If your flights in the simulator are 'iffy

Ha, ha! That's one way to put it. Iffy. Yes most definitely "iffy!" That's where I'm at after simming that thing for part of the day and a good part of the night. The first three flights? "Disastrous" would definitely be an apt description. I didn't know those models could break into so many pieces!

When do you think you'll be able to get out again?

No telling. The winters here are wet and windy. Next forecast nice day corresponding to a day off and I'm there. I finally get to bring my car to the shop tomorrow, and I've no idea how long I'll be there.

The current hourly forecast for tomorrow is very cold (for what I'm acclimated to) and 6mph winds. Oh, is that a battery charging in that LiPo bag over there? Why yes. Yes it is. Simply in the hope I'll be back in time to go freeze my tail off and crash an RC plane. Cross your fingers and say a prayer!

 

[buzzbomb]

I've been waiting all night for this to upload. This is flight number four. It was late, it was cold and it was breezy. Perfect time to go flying!

I haven't uploaded flights two and three because my GoPro was aimed poorly. My plane was seldom in the picture. Those vids are basically sky and ground and me talking. Not worth an upload. This one is barely better. My TT is just barely in the frame, but it is there.

I've got the GoPro app, I know the solution, but I didn't have time to play with a camera and a phone. The sun was setting fast. It was get in the air quickly or not at all. So I did.

I'm still a giddy little child with a wonderful new toy. I think I've figured why I am so elated when I get to fly, but that's going to get pretty philosophical, and I want to think on it some more before I say anything more about it.

I feel like I did better this time. I've only watched my first flight video sixty or eighty times or so. I may be over-analyzing, but it seems like I'm just reiterating what I've already stated. I need to keep the plane close, and I fly better.

So I tried. I think I was mostly successful. I still ended up out in the bushes. I was trying to bring it to a landing in near darkness when I lost complete sight of it and turned out there was once again, no damage. I was pretty low and slow when she finally hit the ground.

It was too dark to fly anymore. When I got the plane back to my car, my hands were so cold that I could not take the rubber bands off the wings. I had to use pliers. That was about half a battery maybe, but it was Glorious!

 

[mayan]

@buzzbomb windy or not you fly like a born pro.

 

[FDS]

Well done. You should try the onboard camera next time. See my TT thread.
It looked really cold, that’s dedication right there. I laugh like an idiot when I have a good flight, wether there’s anyone there with me or not! When it gets darker like it was when you landed it’s next to impossible to pick your plane out against the ground and to get an accurate idea of its altitude.

 

[kilroy07]

If you try the gopro app, let me know if you pick up interference (a clicking sound in the audio)... I think it might be due to the bluetooth connection... but it just might be from the uh-hem, "rather abrupt landing" (read crash) my gopro sustained riding on my spear.
After I put the GP on, I look in the truck window at my reflection (as a mirror) can help to see it the camera is wildly off.

A bit jealous, we've had 20-30 mph winds for several days now... later in the week we "might" get a "acceptable" day
(46 degrees/10mph winds.) I need to get my swordfish out and maiden!!

You should try the onboard camera next time.

Be careful with that, that'll have you spending all your allowance on FPV gear shortly after (been my experience anyway!)
For an entry level camera, I've had good luck with the Quelima SQ12 (around $20). Most of my onboard video is shot with one of those.

 

[Merv]

I'm still a giddy little child with a wonderful new toy.

Congratulations on the great flight.

 

[Grifflyer]

You're flying AMAZINGLY!!!

 

[FDS]

I bought an $8 SQ11 camera, no FPV but records to an SD card.

 

[mayan]

I bought an $8 SQ11 camera, no FPV but records to an SD card.

Can you share a link?

 

[FDS]

Mine came off UK eBay, here it is, there are several clones, the lightest ones have very poor internal batteries, look for a slightly heavier one. The controls are a bit fiddly, there’s several video instructions on YouTube that you need to watch to get any footage. If I could afford a better camera like a genuine 808 then I would use one of those. You need sub 30g for the TT, otherwise it messes up the CG or makes your bird too heavy.

 

[kilroy07]

My SQ12 come in at 17g. here's a sample of the quality;

The 12 has one step up in resolution from the 11.
Sorry I don't seem to have the link anymore, but was probably Aliexpess or Ebay.

 

[buzzbomb]

@buzzbomb windy or not you fly like a born pro.

Thank you, brother. I still spent most of the flight just trying not to crash, but I feel like the fourth flight was definitely more controlled than the first.

 

[mayan]

Thank you, brother. I still spent most of the flight just trying not to crash, but I feel like the fourth flight was definitely more controlled than the first.

Let me bring you in on a little secret. The 10th flight will be better than the fourth .

 

[buzzbomb]

Well done. You should try the onboard camera next time. See my TT thread.
It looked really cold, that’s dedication right there. I laugh like an idiot when I have a good flight, wether there’s anyone there with me or not! When it gets darker like it was when you landed it’s next to impossible to pick your plane out against the ground and to get an accurate idea of its altitude.

Thanks FDS. I'm afraid any vid I get from an onboard camera is currently just going to make people sick! Heck, it'd make me sick! Nice thought for later on down the road, though. I've got the FPV headset from my toy quad days, and it records with a built-in DVR. Flying and recording FPV is on the list, just much later.

It was really cold to me, at least. That's not dedication, though. That's desperation. I really, really wanted to fly!

Yea, I've realized I'm going to laugh maniacally and talk to my plane probably every flight. I'm with you. The joy needs to come out. Let it out.

I actually almost had that landing. The GoPro didn't capture it, because it was getting so dark, but I had it turned towards me, had dropped throttle and only completely lost sight of it just as I blipped the elevator that final time to lift the nose. I couldn't see it, but I think it might have been a landing. Regardless, no damage. I'll take it!

 

[buzzbomb]

Let me bring you in on a little secret. The 10th flight will be better than the fourth .

Sage as always. I've much more to look forward to!

 

[FDS]

My onboard video makes me sick. It did encourage me to try smoothing out the bumps in my flying, plus it can be handy when things go wrong. For example the other day my firewall broke as I throttled up to gain height at takeoff, causing the motor, esc and eventually the battery to eject themselves! It would have been easier to find the bits with film but my camera battery was flat so I missed something that would have made great video!
I am still enjoying every flight tho.