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Sport planes sure don't fly like 3D'ers.....LOL

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Sport planes sure don't fly like 3D'ers.....LOL

Old 08-13-2010, 12:46 PM
  #1  
molokaiboy
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Location: Kihei, HI
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Default Sport planes sure don't fly like 3D'ers.....LOL

Well Ihave been flying helis and parkflyer electric 3D planes and foamies for 4+ years. Well Idid a build for a freind and fellow club member's grandson and got this plane in return.

Anyways the plane is a 40 size Gilmore Red Lion racer. Got the plane as a PNP. Got the plane home all excited as this was my first Nitro plane and installed my RX and got her set up. Well Iwent to field yesterday and it was a beautiful day with almost zero wind. We don't have many days where the winds are so calm, so Ineeded to take advantage of it as it was perfect for a maiden flight.

Fueled her up and started it, spun right up and did a little tuning and she was ready. Got her out to the runway and proceeded to take mymaiden Nitro voyage into the Hawaiian Sky. Well first attempt and engine quits before Icould break ground, brought her back retuned and tried again. This time it went smoothely and she was airborne, Iwas happy and she was flying nicely. Did some loops, rolls figure 8's etc. The roll rate was quite slow to what Iam used to but she flew nicely. Did a couple passes to gauge the landing, and Icame in a little hot so as not to have it fall out of the sky and stall. Landed without a hitch.

Second flight Ifigured Itry to find the speed at which was slow enough to land yet fast enough to not stall. After a few attempts and going slower each time Idid a last approach. Winds had now shifted from coming out of the North to coming out of the South. Came in and Iwas too far down the runway so Istarted pulling up and turning to come back around. Well guess what Iwas about 20-30ft up in my turn going downwind and all of a sudden it stalled, Itried to power out and pull out and recover, but Ihad the lo rates on and this sucker ain't as quick and responsive as what Iam accustomed too.

Anyway short story long, it met the business end of the tarmac. LOL Idid however manage to save what could have been a more serious crash. I managed to flatten her out enough to cause only minimal damage. My firewall and engine tore out, bent landing gear, cracked the scale wheel covers, and crinkled the balsa sheeting (about 8 inches just behind the LE), and broke a piece of balsa at the wingtip, oh and the servo tray holding the throttle servo.
Anyways Ineed to remember to respect this plane and remember that it's not a 3Dplane. It flies differently and Ican't do things Inormally do. Lesson learned today, crash due to pilot error..........................

Aloha,
Les
Old 08-13-2010, 12:56 PM
  #2  
Dr1Driver
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Default RE: Sport planes sure don't fly like 3D'ers.....LOL

True, sport planes don't fly like 3D planes and models of racing planes don't fly like sport planes. Even in a "sport" scale version, the wing is going to be thinner and the tail surfaces probably smaller than your average sport plane. This type of plane was not designed to fly slow - it's a racing plane.

Next time you practice slow-to-stall flight, I suggest you get some serious altitude. Maybe a 100' high fly by, not 30' on approach. Your correction was proper, the plane just didn't have enough altitude or control surface movement to pull it off. Hopefully, the damage is repairable.

Fly it on the wing, not the prop.

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