What Did You Fly Today

mdcerdan

Elite member
I flew my 2 meter glider this afternoon. Down here in Argentina is winter so not too much thermal activity today. Anyway a nice calm day to glide.:)

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Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Flew the otter AGAIN! That thing is just great! I wnt to get rid of the issue of no control at low seeds. Would flaps help? Vortex generators to keep airflow over the ailerons?
Flaps would definitely help!
If you are skilled you could play with the CG by taking it rearwards a little this will bring back the speed at which it ceases flying a little BUT be careful a tail first stall is catastrophic in result.

I took out the repaired Otter and even though the wind was almost howling at times I managed to get in 4 flights and the landings are becoming almost perfect, (no bounce or hop).

Now it is time to convert another plane for use on the water! I suppose it should be the TT for any new students to use! May do a setup for the standard TT, (tractor), and a pylon motor mount for use with the glider nose! Definitely a centreline float arrangement with clip on Wing outriggers.

Have fun!
 

Timmy

Legendary member
Flaps would definitely help!
If you are skilled you could play with the CG by taking it rearwards a little this will bring back the speed at which it ceases flying a little BUT be careful a tail first stall is catastrophic in result.

I took out the repaired Otter and even though the wind was almost howling at times I managed to get in 4 flights and the landings are becoming almost perfect, (no bounce or hop).

Now it is time to convert another plane for use on the water! I suppose it should be the TT for any new students to use! May do a setup for the standard TT, (tractor), and a pylon motor mount for use with the glider nose! Definitely a centreline float arrangement with clip on Wing outriggers.

Have fun!
What about vortex generators? I'll add flaps too. Also I'm too nervous to make it tail heavy.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
What about vortex generators? I'll add flaps too. Also I'm too nervous to make it tail heavy.
The Otter has a large "Blown" Tail area so you can be a small amount tail heavy, (go by the elevator trim required for level flight).
Vortex Generators will add to the drag, (you do not get anything for nothing), and realistically the finish of your Otter is unlikely to be mirror smooth so the surface already generates small eddies in the boundary layer. By all means add the vortex generators but the performance gain might be very small. IF you add flaps and the vortex generators at the same time the improvement will be remarkable. Just remember no matter what you do the wing will still stall albeit at slower speeds There is NO prop wash over the wing so once it stalls you will wish you were at great height. Stall recovery when on final approach is normally impossible and kills many planes, (with and without flaps).

Have fun!
 

Timmy

Legendary member
The Otter has a large "Blown" Tail area so you can be a small amount tail heavy, (go by the elevator trim required for level flight).
Vortex Generators will add to the drag, (you do not get anything for nothing), and realistically the finish of your Otter is unlikely to be mirror smooth so the surface already generates small eddies in the boundary layer. By all means add the vortex generators but the performance gain might be very small. IF you add flaps and the vortex generators at the same time the improvement will be remarkable. Just remember no matter what you do the wing will still stall albeit at slower speeds There is NO prop wash over the wing so once it stalls you will wish you were at great height. Stall recovery when on final approach is normally impossible and kills many planes, (with and without flaps).

Have fun!
Thank you for the advice. I will add flaps for now and maybe vortex generators later if necessary.
 

L Edge

Master member
Lol it’s crazy fun to fly, thinking about mixing in differential thrust for even crazier flat or psycho spins



👍 maybe if I just flew them sensibly I wouldn’t be repairing so often
Gotta train those thumbs

Actually, if you do the differential thrust and set up an elevron situation with the deflectors, you open a whole new area of acrobatics. You should be able to do high alpha's nicely since you have good control in every axis.

I did a plane with 2 sets of elevon controls(regular in rear and canards up front), motors that deflect and differential thrust that was more than a handful to fly. Took a 9 channel radio to do all the mixes.
 
Went flying for the third time today. Flying isn't so hard! Each time it's less of a frantic experiment and more like flying. Today I felt like a rock star. But each time I come back with more battle damage!
That's ok - if this were a $200 off-the-shelf job it would have shattered half a dozen times by now.

I finally get the camera bracket I need on Monday or Tuesday. Been trying to keep this girl together until I can film it. This plane has done me very well so far.

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shadeyB

Legendary member
Actually, if you do the differential thrust and set up an elevron situation with the deflectors, you open a whole new area of acrobatics. You should be able to do high alpha's nicely since you have good control in every axis.

I did a plane with 2 sets of elevon controls(regular in rear and canards up front), motors that deflect and differential thrust that was more than a handful to fly. Took a 9 channel radio to do all the mixes.
Lol I can imagine
Running elevon set up at the moment including the thrust vectoring which I can switch on or off
Unfortunately my SU doesn’t have canard option but I do have other jets with it and it’s crazy fun
Thinking of mixing differential thrust in with the rudders but only when rudder get above 50% then the diff kicks in as I’m trying to teach my thumb how to use rudder gently in turns
And she high alphas great as she is at moment 👍 also thinking of adding flapperons .... maybe I’ll save all this for the next model and enjoy her the way she is for now, great jet and massive fun flying her
 

JasonK

Participation Award Recipient
Got my A-Tail FPV plane up today for 4 flights including the Maiden:
  1. need lots of up elevator and had very low elevator control and very sensitive roll. Some adjustments to my dual rates and moving the CG back got it flying good. Is a bit faster of a flier then my V-tail, which was expected as it has a much smaller wing/etc.
  2. almost lost it over the woods on the edge of the airfield -> lost orientation... just got the wings level and thankfully it was flying home.
  3. FPV - flew great... then someone revved their EDF and my screen snowed out... thankfully only for a second or two. Landed it to let the EDF fly.
  4. FPV - started doing some tricks, started with some Immelmann turns and then some rolls.
Going to definitely get some FPV stick time out of this plane. Also needs some paint to make it easier for others to see (got one comment of "can't see the white very well" and the lost of orientation).

Unfortunately I forgot to have someone video tape it.

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Wildthing

Legendary member
Few quick flights today with the Extreme, Sturmovick IL2M3 and the 3D printed spitfire. Spitfire received a little damage, played a little to close to the ground and I got got. Nice clean beak in the fuse so glued back together in minutes. I did have to trim up the Extreme for some reason, maybe because there was very little wind but the balance was the same as before.