Trouble with umx Pitts

[Vasaro88]

Hello,

I thought myself how to fly with the champ and then moved on to the umx space walker and umx corsair. After having mastered the corsair I felt I was ready for the next level and got the Pitts but I am having a lot of trouble flying it. I can do all the acrobatics with the corsair so I did no think the Pitts would be that much harder to fly. Any suggestions on how to make it easier to fly the Pitts? Maybe it's too fast for the small space I fly in? On low rates it takes way too long to turn and since I don't have a lot of space I have a hard time controlling it.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated

Thanks!

V

 

[mjmccarron]

The UMX Pitts is one of my all time favorite planes. It's easy to fly but it is neutral stable. That means that it doesn't posses the self righting characteristics of your previous planes. It goes where it's pointed and continues to until you steer it or it hits something. Releasing the sticks doesn't cause it to flip back over and fly straight and level. Keep practicing. I think as you get use to how it flies, you'll love it! Try to stay in the middle of the air. The edges have dangerous hazards hidden near by.

Good luck,
Mike

 

[Vasaro88]

Thank you Mike. Since the space I fly is long but narrow I think the problem is that on low rates it to slow at turning. Do you think I should try flying directly on high rates? Also the fact that I am hand launching it I think is giving me problems because I can't gauge the minimum throttle to keep it in the air. Also any recommendations on the battery placement?

Thanks,

V

 

[csitas]

Vasar; how using some expo. and maybe just a little more on the rates. ?

 

[mjmccarron]

For general flying I turn the battery sideways and place it right against the back of the firewall. This makes it almost totally impossible to land it without doing the Pitts Flip but it flies nice. As for throws, I'm the wrong person to ask. I set mine to max and even moved the control rods up 2 holes at the control surfaces to get maximum throw. My roll rate is about 3 per second and it will outside loop in its own length. (we have 3 mikes at our field and I am known as "Crazy Mike") I'd set the rates to high and if it's too touchy add 20 - 30% expo if you can. I''d recommend a little more than 1/2 throttle for a hand launch. try to toss it near level and just enough of a toss to make it fly without torque rolling. If it dives left, toss a little harder. Hope this helps. As I said, I was very surprised by the little Pitts. It flies very neutral and doesn't pitch with throttle changes. It's a total blast. My background: I've been flying RC since July of 1978. I'm no expert but I have flown and crashed a large number of planes. Also got into nitro heli's in the late 90's. The UMX Pitts is not a great 3d plane and it's not a super duper high performance bird but it is an honest flying kick in the pants. Have fun!

Mike

 

[ViperTech]

Thank you Mike. Since the space I fly is long but narrow I think the problem is that on low rates it to slow at turning. Do you think I should try flying directly on high rates? Also the fact that I am hand launching it I think is giving me problems because I can't gauge the minimum throttle to keep it in the air. Also any recommendations on the battery placement?

Thanks,

V

I have 2 bi-planes and if your trouble is turning I suspect that you are used to making banking turns? The bi-planes tend to roll with aileron not turn so you have to use the rudder much more esp. to get tight turns or aileron it onto its side and really pull back on the elevator with some throttle or she will drop like a stone. I think it has to do with so much wing surface area that makes them just not want to turn.

 

[Vasaro88]

hi viper tech,

I think you just nailed it- with the corsair especially I do tight bank turns and don't use the rudder at all. I try to do the same thing with the Pitts and it partially turns and then falls to the ground real hard. I read that when you have ailerons you don't have to use rudder unless you want to do 3D acrobatics but I guess that's not true...

I don't have a hobby store or anyone else that flies near me so there is some basic things that I am still finding out.

Now I'll have to learn how to use the rudder at the same time I'm using ailerons- any tips?

 

[ViperTech]

Just start trying to mix rudder use in on all the planes you fly. I would go with a plane that you are comfortable with and build up skill from there and if you have a simulator try flying rudder elevator only no aileron. Remember that the size of the rudder will have a big impact on the planes movement and a 3d biplane rudder will slam you into a spin really fast if you have full rates on, also using rudder you will have a tendency to change you throttle inadvertently and I am bad for that so I set my expo at 70% and it helps me to not mess up my throttle positon so much. I also took my radio apart and tightened the throttle gimbal so it is harder to move. It just takes practice and I am still learning how to do it! Rudder skills are very valuable in landing also esp if you have cross winds on your runway which were I fly we do all the time!