mycarisaser

My wife just bought me a flymodels polecat 50 for Christmass that I am converting to electric(around 900 to 1000 watts). Well All my other planes were/are parkflyers like the supercub, e-flite p47, alfa models p47 chow hound and p51, worldmodels p51,(cheap chinese) t-34 mentor. All are/were high powered brushless(except the supercub). Well I have had good luck dead stick landing all of them. They seem to all float in easly(each one in there own way)but I hear that bigger planes need to be flown in with some power or they will stall[&:] So I was wondering how to do this if needed? Whats the technique?

Here is the plane it should weigh around 5 to 5.6 lbs flying weight.

http://www.texasrcplanes.com/polecat50.html

Any suggestion would help. I dont think I will have a problem flying this plane and I dont want to have any issues landing it either.

Thanks in advance for helping me not crash my new plane
Matt

jdetray

It's not the size of the plane so much as the type of plane that effects landing characteristics. Even a very large trainer-type plane with low wing loading will float in nice and slow. While a small, speedy plane might need more airspeed to avoid stalling.

- Jeff

mvarzoni

Nose down, Goodluck, 30% exponential, mix it all and happy landing!

Your plane should have the CG right in place and maybe a slight nose weight in order to make your landing more smooth.

ozrcboy

You could try and land it dead stick - like these guys have said it's wing loading rather than weight that determines how well it flys/slows down.

Probably wouldn't hurt to learn how to land under power - you may find this useful:

http://www.oz********.com/2007/08/advanced-landing.html

Cheers,
Oz.

mycarisaser

ozrcboy that link helped alot. Thanks. I guess I need to go and pratice on my other plane to see if I can get it.

Alliot

mycarisaser> That's a .32 size-glow sport model. If you choose the electric option, you will need a brushless outrunner motor that provides approximately 750 to 900 watts of power ( By applying the watt/pound rule, 145 to 165 watts is needed to fly a 1.25 lb sport-model). You also need a 4 to 5 cell-lipo and a 70 to 80 amp ESC. Make sure that the motor has a low kv so that it can swing a big prop. An electric version of this model needs a large prop to provide more thrust at slow speed.

However, my concern is not the fact that you can not convert it into an electric powered machine, but the fact that you may not be able to handle it. As you said, you don't have any problem with the parkzone models, but it doesn't mean you can fly this one unless you get help. It's quite a big jump unless you have a good income. You should get a .40 size electric trainer, like the hobbico electristar instead.


You also asked how to land an airplane. To make a long story short. The heavier the plane is, the more space it needs to land. The higher its aspect ratio is ( wingspan to chord ratio), the better it glides.
To land an RC plane is the same as to land a full scale one except the fact that you use instruments (ILS), which are beyond the scope of this thread.

1- First, you fly the model with the wind (downwind leg) past the runway.

2- Then, make a 90 degree turn (base leg) before you turn into the wind at the same time you gradually decrease the engine speed.

3- When the plane is facing the wind or you (upwind leg), keep the wing level to stay on course and continue to decrease power at the same time you control the rate of descent by appyling a little bit of up elevator (Stay in a glide slope).

4- Finally, as the plane approaches the runway, you as a pilot will experience a phenomena that is called "ground effect" , in which the plane slows down and flies above its stall speed. In this situation, you may have to decrease the elevator pressure or add a little bit of power if you think that the plane will stall prematurely, meaning the plane may stall, but you are still away above the runway. On the other hand, if you think that the rate of descent is higher than you expected as you approach the runway, increase the elevator pressure (not too much) and decrease the engine speed if necessary in order to slow down the plane and to flare it out on touch down point. Your goal is to stall the plane right just before its main wheels touch ground in order to smooth out the landing. Only rarely do you experience a ground effect when you come down too fast; the plane will just bounce back in the air.

mycarisaser

Well, I got my plane done on saterday. I put in a 50x55 600kv motor with a 5s lipo. I havent weighed it yet but I would say about 6lbs max.

I maidened the plane today in my front yard. All I can say is WOW This thing flys great!!!! My landings were picture perfect(it lands like a trainer). So Thanks to all of you for the help. I learned alot. Just a little bit of power and up elevator did the trick. I am very hapy with the plane and power setup. I need a bigger esc b/c I am only useing a 60Amp and I cant use over a 12x6 prop or it will cutoff the esc[:@].

[img][/img]

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On the other side of things my neighbor got a hanger9 pulse xt with a park46 and a 4s lipo. He maidened it today too but its now a tooth pick puzzle.

ozrcboy

Glad to hear it went well..., great looking plane too. Share the knowledge on the AOA landing stuff - I think amongst the self trained rc flyers there are too many that don't really know how to land (like me until about 3 weeks ago).

Cheers,
Oz.

mycarisaser

Sharing what you have learned to help others is one of the best parts about the hobby. I started into off road rc trucks. I was the ginnie pig for bushless ,lipos, and building kits. I am the one in my neighborhood that works on everyones trucks when they break.
Well I am the newest one here to start flying. Everyone else started about 6 months to a year before me. But they all fly big trainers and stuff. My one neighbor has tried as a second plane a edge 540 (40 size) and a hanger9 pulse xt and crashed them both on his maiden(he flys an electrastar). I am the only one here in my group that flys warbirds and now this polecat. So I get to show them what I have learned Thanks to you all.

MERRY CHRISTMASS