What Did You Fly Today

L Edge

Master member
I ran a pack through the FT-3D but this time with a 10x4.7 prop as opposed to the 9x5 prop I was using last time. I could tell a difference - the 10x4.7 has more punch to it and a faster climb rate. I practiced waterfalls and also did a lot of sport flying with a lot inverted. @L Edge I flew some inverted 8’s and I did ok but I am not as comfortable as I would like when turning right. I can do it, but it’s not 100% natural like left circles feel. Oh, and did you see my spitfire vid? I did some good inverted there😉
I didn't do much knife edge practice, but the little I did I focused on using rudder to adjust my altitude and keep throttle relatively at the same place.

For flying inverted, my goal for you is to keep the 10X47 on and to slow your speed down!! I want you to fly inverted at a speed above stall(at least 2-3 crash heights) and start practicing left and right turns.
condition 1: see why you are uncomfortable at right turns(different rudder and elevator deflections perhaps or a little more throttle in the turn)

Solve the problem!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is a good way of remembering your sticks. In normal flight, you add rudder to ailerons(in a turn) in the same direction.
So both go to the left or both to the right.
Inverted (Both sticks are pushed inward or pulled outwards) as well as adding or subtracting power in a tight turn.

Try 10 flights and tell me what happens. Remember, rudder, elevator, ailerons, throttle are all needed.


Try that and see what it does for you. If you sorta get that and it improves you, adapt it. Some students do, others don't
I will give you some hints on doing a good knife edge and not at top speed. You don't learn as quickly as when speeds are that fast.
 

The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
For flying inverted, my goal for you is to keep the 10X47 on and to slow your speed down!! I want you to fly inverted at a speed above stall(at least 2-3 crash heights) and start practicing left and right turns.
condition 1: see why you are uncomfortable at right turns(different rudder and elevator deflections perhaps or a little more throttle in the turn)

Solve the problem!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is a good way of remembering your sticks. In normal flight, you add rudder to ailerons(in a turn) in the same direction.
So both go to the left or both to the right.
Inverted (Both sticks are pushed inward or pulled outwards) as well as adding or subtracting power in a tight turn.
Thanks - will do and let you know how it goes.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
For flying inverted, my goal for you is to keep the 10X47 on and to slow your speed down!! I want you to fly inverted at a speed above stall(at least 2-3 crash heights) and start practicing left and right turns.
condition 1: see why you are uncomfortable at right turns(different rudder and elevator deflections perhaps or a little more throttle in the turn)

Solve the problem!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is a good way of remembering your sticks. In normal flight, you add rudder to ailerons(in a turn) in the same direction.
So both go to the left or both to the right.
Inverted (Both sticks are pushed inward or pulled outwards) as well as adding or subtracting power in a tight turn.

Try 10 flights and tell me what happens. Remember, rudder, elevator, ailerons, throttle are all needed.


Try that and see what it does for you. If you sorta get that and it improves you, adapt it. Some students do, others don't
I will give you some hints on doing a good knife edge and not at top speed. You don't learn as quickly as when speeds are that fast.
You make some very good valid points, consistency is key to getting the right stick movements. My question is why are the aileron/rudder movements opposite when inverted? or is that just an experiment to see which has more authority?
 

The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
You make some very good valid points, consistency is key to getting the right stick movements. My question is why are the aileron/rudder movements opposite when inverted? or is that just an experiment to see which has more authority?
Rudder is reversed when inverted, but aileron is the same, so right aileron rolls the plane right but left rudder turns the plane right... if you hold one of your planes inverted and think about if the rudder was turned one way which way it would turn, then flip it over and do the same. It’ll make sense when you do that.
 

The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
My timer said 15 min. when I landed. My guess is that over 10 min. I was flying inverted 8’s and then I did a little circles in my weaker direction then back to 8’s. Really good practice. I even launched inverted for the first time! I also flew off of my 11x4.7 and every time I go up an inch, I can tell a difference. There was considerably less wing rock, more punch, and my motor was barley warm at the end. Of course most of it was at half or less throttle just circling around though.
Edit: I forgot to add the 8 min. before my timer went off, so I had about 23 min. of flight time. (I did switch batteries in between) I can get about 8 min. of hard flight out of my 1500 3s batteries with each cell being about 3.7 volts per cell at the end. Since I was flying lazy eight's today, I was able to extend that to a little over 11 min. a pack!
 
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BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Rudder is reversed when inverted, but aileron is the same, so right aileron rolls the plane right but left rudder turns the plane right... if you hold one of your planes inverted and think about if the rudder was turned one way which way it would turn, then flip it over and do the same. It’ll make sense when you do that.
Duh... makes sense. Right. Got it, and down is up and up is expensive.
 

The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
I can blame it on a lot of things like flying a brown plane after dark, but it ultimately comes to pilot error. I was coming in for a long inverted dive and didn’t pull up soon enough... It’s fixable, but I don’t know if I want to fix it - I kinda want to build a new warbird like the p-40 and the spitfire is pretty old. It’s such a good flying plane though. Maybe I’ll give it to my friend who is wanting to get into planes. It’s already beat up enough that he won’t feel too bad about crashing it.
986203F9-B501-4C71-9D1A-84D281750443.jpeg
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I can blame it on a lot of things like flying a brown plane after dark, but it ultimately comes to pilot error. I was coming in for a long inverted dive and didn’t pull up soon enough... It’s fixable, but I don’t know if I want to fix it - I kinda want to build a new warbird like the p-40 and the spitfire is pretty old. It’s such a good flying plane though. Maybe I’ll give it to my friend who is wanting to get into planes. It’s already beat up enough that he won’t feel too bad about crashing it. View attachment 147467
Oh, man. Sorry to hear about the crash. You're right though. If she can fly again, the Spitfire just flies so well that it's a shame to retire it before it's completely necessary. I bet your friend would appreciate the heck out of the gift. Plus, I can't wait to see your next warbird maiden!
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Kinda off the current discussion topic, but I just recently built my second bloody wonder, and that is pretty much the most simple, fun plane I've ever built. You guys should do a Bloody Wonder/Bloody Baron group build...!?
I have a calved Bloody wonder sitting on the kids wall I might be able resurrect, I should give it a chance.
 
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Wildthing

Legendary member
Kinda off the current discussion topic, but I just recently built my second bloody wonder, and that is pretty much the most simple, fun plane I've ever built. You guys should do a Bloody Wonder/Bloody Baron group build...!?
I think there are Barons and Wonders everywhere. I prefer the Baron myself over the Wonder but that's just me. Simple easy builds and they do everything you want them to do and more. I use them in combat wars.
 

Vimana89

Legendary member
Something pretty random and different. Any idea why the ballooning? I can mount the motor up higher above the center thrust line(where it is now), change the thrust angle, etc. Could it be CG, the way I set the V tail up, or just the way the wing shape acts? I was fighting to keep the nose down with an excess of down trim and subtrim, which made it pitchy in some situations.
 

Grifflyer

WWII fanatic
Hmm,
Could you be lacking stability? the tail feathers looks small, does it get worse as your speed drops?
I don't know much about V tails, maybe @bracesport can help you.
If it's a thrust angle issue try powering off and see how it glides, if it stops ballooning you'll know it's caused by the thrust angle.
 

Vimana89

Legendary member
Hmm,
Could you be lacking stability? the tail feathers looks small, does it get worse as your speed drops?
I don't know much about V tails, maybe @bracesport can help you.
If it's a thrust angle issue try powering off and see how it glides, if it stops ballooning you'll know it's caused by the thrust angle.
It seemed to sort of persist on slow speed, like in high alpha it wanted to push further into high alpha unless counteracted manually. I'm not 100% sure, I'll have to do a glide test. Might fly my DR1 and possibly Arrowhead before I get back around to that though.
 

L Edge

Master member
Rudder is reversed when inverted, but aileron is the same, so right aileron rolls the plane right but left rudder turns the plane right... if you hold one of your planes inverted and think about if the rudder was turned one way which way it would turn, then flip it over and do the same. It’ll make sense when you do that.

You see now, once you know how to solve the problem, then there is no problem and now you can improve.
 

L Edge

Master member
My timer said 15 min. when I landed. My guess is that over 10 min. I was flying inverted 8’s and then I did a little circles in my weaker direction then back to 8’s. Really good practice. I even launched inverted for the first time! I also flew off of my 11x4.7 and every time I go up an inch, I can tell a difference. There was considerably less wing rock, more punch, and my motor was barley warm at the end. Of course most of it was at half or less throttle just circling around though.
Edit: I forgot to add the 8 min. before my timer went off, so I had about 23 min. of flight time. (I did switch batteries in between) I can get about 8 min. of hard flight out of my 1500 3s batteries with each cell being about 3.7 volts per cell at the end. Since I was flying lazy eight's today, I was able to extend that to a little over 11 min. a pack!

See how you need to explore the SF props. You are beginning to recognize 3D is not top speed. It is matching the prop to the bird. Don't be stupid launching inverted yet. It will bite you and your plane. Here is what I want next.

Doing figure 8's, (up3 crash heights) I want you make each half the same dimensions(including keeping the same height) . Tell me exactly what is different and how did you adjust. And WHY?
When you think you got it, produce a video so I can see if I agree. Then we will address knife edges both left and right without crashing.

Another thing is for you to pay strict attention at all times, your too loose. Can you land(both left and right approaches) so that it is in front of you?

Here is one for you to ponder. A $1500 Plane is going away from you and LEFT aileron servo dies deflected half way down. How do you land without any damage?
 

Piotrsko

Master member
I think there are Barons and Wonders everywhere. I prefer the Baron myself over the Wonder but that's just me. Simple easy builds and they do everything you want them to do and more. I use them in combat wars.

I'm really tempted to design a old school C/L combat combat ship for you because it would be typical (for me) extreme survivable overkill. What are your rules?
 

Piotrsko

Master member
here is one for you to ponder. A $1500 Plane is going away from you and LEFT aileron servo dies deflected half way down. How do you land without any damage?

Myself i'd kick up dual rate to high position and keep going right ( it will be easier than left) using remaining right servo for level and rudder for turns, then land sort of normal except I have a flap option now. Then go to the bathroom. That's why I dont fly $1500 planes.