CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

I was out flying the Venus II (OS-1.20AX power). I had flown about 4 or 5 flights so far that day. I put it up again after a short rest. I normally set my stop watch on my Airtronics RD8000 TX just after I run the engine up just prior to take off. This time was no different, but I failed to actually hear it beep when I started the watch.

About, oh, 3 or so minutes into the flight, I was just getting ready to turn right and just do a race-track pattern when I looked down at my stop watch.. 00:00 is what it said. Crap, I forgot to set it. I looked up but could not see my plane. I could hear it, but could not see it. Oh double crap! I yelled out, "I DON'T SEE IT" and people looked up. All could hear it but no one could see it. Reason.. was going away from me at about 3/4 throttle. Not good. I pulled back on the throttle to about 5 clicks over idle and pulled up on the elevator a tad bit. Just then, one of the guys saw it at the same instant that I did. It was still headed down and away. I added throttle and pulled up and over to inverted..then upright, then toward me, basically an Eimelmann. Wphew. When it was headed down, I guess, after it happened, I had about 3 more seconds till disaster. Weather: clear bright blue sky with large puffy clouds, temp about 85 degrees and very low humidity, wind below 10 mph.

I gotta figure out a better way to time my flights.

*JCB*

My Feedback: (9)

SCARY!!! But a good reason to have a spotter out on the flight line with you. One of their jobs is to be able to read your timer when asked

fastplane

CGRetired, that can be scary yes indeed. I almost did that this morning with a sport plane.
How do you like the Venus II as a pattern plane? I was considering getting one for lots of practice on precision aerobatics.
I want about that size plane. Thanks.

MiamizFinest

that great noting bad happen i purchased my first RC airplane today (sky fly) its a trainer type plane so i thought id get in to the plane forums to maybe learn a few things i see you where talking about u need to time you flights better if you know how much time you can fly around wouldnt one of those kitchen timers be a good idea??? you set it for oh i dont no 10 15 minuets and then the things goes off CRAZY LOUD you know when to land the stop watch idea is great also but if you get caught up into i might not hear it?? right??? i no it sounds like a funny fix but its a prety good idea!!! good luck hope it doesnt happen again!!!!!!!!!

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Fastplane: Yep, it's a great flyer. I have two of the size for pattern. I am in the sportsman category, just beginning, actually, although I have been working on it (off-and-on practice) since last April. I had engine issues with my first pattern plane, an Excelleron 90 with an Evolution 100. The engine just would never run right, never consistent. I played with it for several weeks then replaced the engine with an OS 1.20 AX which was the absolute best move I could have ever made. The Excelleron 90 and the OS 1.20 AX are a great combination.

I bought the Venus II because I had the Venus 40 before and loved it. A mishap at take off with a combination of wind and pilot over-reaction coupled with brain fart (right hand did the left hand thing.. ) it went inverted on take off at full throttle and nosed right in.. end of Venus 40. I ended up really wanting another Venus 40 but then the Venus II came out and I bought one. I bought another OS 1.20 AX at the same time. Again, excellent combination. I mounted the engine on an angle so that the exhaust goes out the cutout in the fuselage on the fuselage bottom. (you will see what I mean when you get one). Ends up it's a good position because of easy access to the glow plug, needle valves both high and low speed, and exhaust can be directed down and away to help keep the plane clean.

My only issue is the way they bolt the wing on. They provide paper tubes for the bolt guides and they are a tad bit of a pain to align correctly. I ended tearing one so I removed them both. Now, I have to fetch the bolts and put them in with a rubber keeper on the bottom (hardware store sells these rubber 'fender washers' that will do the job nicely.

All in all, a great flyer and a great pattern beginner.

Miami: Yeah, that timing issue can be a pain. I don't mind dead stick as long as I am in a position to save the plane... if I should run out of fuel.. [:@] so the timer is a good idea. With this combination, I usually get about 11 minutes before I have to land it. Any more and I am really pushing the envelope. And, as I said, I don't mind deadstick... as long as I am in a position to recover and land right away. Don't like those un-scheduled bumps and dents in my Venus II !!!

The 'egg' timer or kitchen timer may be a pretty good idea, actually.. with the bell and all.. I wish my Airtronics system had the count-down timer like some of the other types have... set the timer for, say, 10 seconds, beeps at you at 8, double beep at 9, then a series of beeps at 10.. time to land.. Looking down at the timer on the TX is ok, as long as you KNOW where the plane is, or will be when you look up. This was the first time I had ever really lost the thing while checking the timer. Losing it like that really scared me... and I am certainly glad I was the only one up so the engine sound was clear and directional.

DS.

fastplane

Thanks for the word on the Venus II. It is sounding better to me with each data source.
Did you mount the fuel tank at the firewall or back on the CG? (would most likely need a pump for CG mounting).
I use two timers when flying. A wrist watch with a countdown timer and the JR transmitter with a countdown timer.
The watch as a warning and the TX as a 'better land now'!.
I just have to remember to set both of them. It's ok also to be good at dead stick landings.

Arrow IV

CGRetired,

First and foremost thank you for your service! The only other thing is good pilots don't need anything!! (except the airframe) What I mean is don't concern yourself with the timer so much, in fact fly a couple times a day without it, trust me you don't need it!! What I do from time to time is chop the power at all different positions in the pattern, altitudes, attitudes everything. Too easy?? Let someone else call your engine outs. Reason being you get yourself to react automatically when something happens, my opinion there is no reason not to make the field. What ends up happening is you get right in tune with the plane and engine. It's like Pavlov's dogs... the engine will make some weird sound and BOOM you set up to land!!! Don't believe me?? Next time your at the field look at all the guys who can fly the crap out of their stuff, I'll bet most if not all don't use timers!! Rubber side down Boys!!!

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Arrow: Thanks! It was fun 26.5 years, but glad I am retired.. retired in 1997, before all the hoopla started on 9-11. But, out of the pan and into the fire. I now work for the FAA. ha..go figure.

Anyway, well, it's about 50% for those that use timers and that do not. But, you are right. I seem to be tuned into the sound of my plane and usually don't take my eyes off the thing when in the air. A bomb could go off behind me and I probably would not notice it until my pants started to burn.. [:@]

The Airtronics has a 'stop watch' function, not a count down timer. It beeps twice at each minute, but if I am focused on flying, which I usually am, I don't hear the beeps. I try to set up a down-line straight flight at middle throttle so that I can predict where it will be when I look at the stop watch.. for a moment.. then look up to where I think it should be and..... usually, it's there. This last time, however, I was flying and flying and flying then realized that I had not checked my time so I made the mistake of not following my own rules about straight line in front of me at mid throttle and just looked down. Next thing I knew, I lost it and it was only perhaps one or at the most two seconds later. I usually raise the TX up in front of me and look at the plane, glance down at the stop watch, then right back up at the plane then lower the TX to a comfortable flying position.

Aaaaaanyway, live and learn. I won't do THAT again, I'll tell you. Lesson well learned without any damage except to my temporary blood pressure... [:@]

DS.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

HI Fastplane.

I mounted the fuel tank right behind the firewall. I did not want to play with trying to relocate it, mainly because I have never done that and there isn't much room in there for a fuel tank. I used the center mounted (radio compartment above the wing) for the servo's rather than the rear mounted option so the servo plate is there. It's a large tank and it fits right there in the cutouts that they built in for it. I put some foam around it and then secured it in place with a small piece of thin ply behind it, used two servo screws.

I replaced the original elevator linkage with Sullivan Carbon Rods. They fit in the tubes supplied and are a tad bit lighter and slipperyer (is that a word?? ha). Because the elevator uses two rods, one per side, see the drawing as to how I put the two together. Other than that, I kept everything pretty 'stock'. Oh, I did use 4-40 rods and hardware for the aileron linkage. Very short and very sturdy. Using high-torque precision servo's everywhere except throttle. Normal servo's provide enough resolution for me for the throttle.

Let me know how you make out with your Venus II. Did I say I mounted the engine on an angle so that the exhaust goes out the bottom? Makes easy access to the glow plug and both needles valves.

DS.