OrangutangSurfer
Member
I've tried to post this but every time it's so long I don't want to discourage people from reading it. but I'll try again..
I built 4 planes, FT Flyer, FT22, Old speedster and a spitfire.
I bought 2 sets of electronics from hobby king:
1.) hextronik 24g 1300kv motor, 15-18a esc, 1500mah 3s battery
2.) NTM 2826 1200kv motor, Turnigy AE-20A esc, 2200mah 3s battery
The plan was to fly the old speedster and FT Flyer and get some "air" time and get a little familiar with the controls. I've posted elsewhere on the forum regarding my trouble with the wind and I think that was the most of my problem. I felt the FT22 and FT flyer were both "under powered" (at least for the conditions).
IT was less windy today so despite the cold I had to know if these things could fly. The FT flyer might have done well today if I didn't try to modify the wings to reduce the surface area to make it less susceptible to the wind, I cut it to a little more than half and added a KF airfoil similar to the delta. It took of easily but didn't fly any better. The old speedster did much better. I ditched the landing gear and hand launched it. It flew ok I did my best to keep it moving in a circle to the right but it was hard too keep straight, I think the breeze today was still to much for it.
If somebody asked me what I thought my problem was this is my answer.
1.) the FT22 and FT Flyer don't feel like they have enough power. both planes fought the wind and neither had enough "oomph" to get any real altitude. Every time I tried to point up, even just a mild climb, the wind would catch the plan and force it in to some small dive, dip or spin that, if I was high enough, I could get out of. and if it didn't do that it hardly made any headway as I pointed it in to the wind.
2.) the old speedster doesn't like the breeze. It flew ok with the same motor and prop on the planes above, it also doesn't like speed. I had to fly half throttle tops just to keep it from trying to climb. Turns were terrible and the plane was a menace to keep steady in a cross wind and turns. I made about 3 circles before I wasn't able to keep it in the air any longer and i broke the prop and the "o" ring that held it on... no extra "o" rings had to call it a day.
3.) I'm very confident that I can steer a plane, I have yet to do a loop, roll or spin of any sort, but I'd settle for a smooth ride in a circle right now. this invisible wind combat is killing me. I'm extremely tempted to take the spitfire out for a run with the heavier setup and bigger battery. from what I'm reading, the weight of the plane should handle better in the conditions.
Am I missing something? I know I'm still new at flying but I'm not trying to do stunts and if you saw how I recovered from being pushed around in this wind you'd see I have enough skill to fly in a circle. I'm 3 planes in and I have still yet to be able to burn through a whole battery. I expected to crash but I also expected to spend more time in the air than chasing my plane down ever time it crashed.
Should I just go take the spit fire out? or am I going to meet the same fate? do these fomies fair well in the wind? I see them fly in the wind on flightiest reviews often, granted they have more skill but how much does it really take to make it go straight???
I spent a lot of time on the spit fire and I know eventually it will meet the same fate, but I'd like to go through several batteries before it's time to build a new one. not 5 minutes of flying 😊
I've been an FT junkie for some time the only thing I can think of that I'm doing wrong is not having enough power for the breezy/windy conditions.
Any suggestions?
-Jes
PS i'm in the dallas/fort worth area, I don't know anyone else that flies planes to get face to face training/advice from.
I built 4 planes, FT Flyer, FT22, Old speedster and a spitfire.
I bought 2 sets of electronics from hobby king:
1.) hextronik 24g 1300kv motor, 15-18a esc, 1500mah 3s battery
2.) NTM 2826 1200kv motor, Turnigy AE-20A esc, 2200mah 3s battery
The plan was to fly the old speedster and FT Flyer and get some "air" time and get a little familiar with the controls. I've posted elsewhere on the forum regarding my trouble with the wind and I think that was the most of my problem. I felt the FT22 and FT flyer were both "under powered" (at least for the conditions).
IT was less windy today so despite the cold I had to know if these things could fly. The FT flyer might have done well today if I didn't try to modify the wings to reduce the surface area to make it less susceptible to the wind, I cut it to a little more than half and added a KF airfoil similar to the delta. It took of easily but didn't fly any better. The old speedster did much better. I ditched the landing gear and hand launched it. It flew ok I did my best to keep it moving in a circle to the right but it was hard too keep straight, I think the breeze today was still to much for it.
If somebody asked me what I thought my problem was this is my answer.
1.) the FT22 and FT Flyer don't feel like they have enough power. both planes fought the wind and neither had enough "oomph" to get any real altitude. Every time I tried to point up, even just a mild climb, the wind would catch the plan and force it in to some small dive, dip or spin that, if I was high enough, I could get out of. and if it didn't do that it hardly made any headway as I pointed it in to the wind.
2.) the old speedster doesn't like the breeze. It flew ok with the same motor and prop on the planes above, it also doesn't like speed. I had to fly half throttle tops just to keep it from trying to climb. Turns were terrible and the plane was a menace to keep steady in a cross wind and turns. I made about 3 circles before I wasn't able to keep it in the air any longer and i broke the prop and the "o" ring that held it on... no extra "o" rings had to call it a day.
3.) I'm very confident that I can steer a plane, I have yet to do a loop, roll or spin of any sort, but I'd settle for a smooth ride in a circle right now. this invisible wind combat is killing me. I'm extremely tempted to take the spitfire out for a run with the heavier setup and bigger battery. from what I'm reading, the weight of the plane should handle better in the conditions.
Am I missing something? I know I'm still new at flying but I'm not trying to do stunts and if you saw how I recovered from being pushed around in this wind you'd see I have enough skill to fly in a circle. I'm 3 planes in and I have still yet to be able to burn through a whole battery. I expected to crash but I also expected to spend more time in the air than chasing my plane down ever time it crashed.
Should I just go take the spit fire out? or am I going to meet the same fate? do these fomies fair well in the wind? I see them fly in the wind on flightiest reviews often, granted they have more skill but how much does it really take to make it go straight???
I spent a lot of time on the spit fire and I know eventually it will meet the same fate, but I'd like to go through several batteries before it's time to build a new one. not 5 minutes of flying 😊
I've been an FT junkie for some time the only thing I can think of that I'm doing wrong is not having enough power for the breezy/windy conditions.
Any suggestions?
-Jes
PS i'm in the dallas/fort worth area, I don't know anyone else that flies planes to get face to face training/advice from.