hyperknight

I am totally new to this... but love it.

Admittedly, I'm getting frustrated though. I have so far bought, built, and crashed a FSK BF109 and a FSK Rare Bear. I don't get it. Both flew great until I tried to turn.

I've been told as a beginner, I should NOT be flying planes with ailerons but instead be going with elevator/rudder combination. Does a rudder over ailerons make that much of a difference in flying, i.e. easier???

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

tia

hk

latch66

The first thing you need to get is a "trainer". Flying RC is tougher than it looks. Both of the planes you are trying to fly are beyond a beginners airplane.

There are several trainer suggestions on this thread. Check them out an pick one of them to learn on.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...56&forumid=239

This thread is the very first one in the Electric Beginners Forum.

My personal suggestions would be either of these:

1. Slow Stick
2. Wingo
3. Tiger Moth


Also, a flight sim will go far in helping you learn to fly. But that by no means you can skip the trainer step. Use of a flight sim will just shorten the amount of time in the trainer step.


Then come back to the BF109 or the Rare Bear.

You'll have a lot more fun then..

hyperknight

Latch66,

Thanks for the advice. I think I will purchase either a slow/pico stick or the Tiger moth as my next plane and practice ALOT more with one of those kits.

hk

xv-townboy

My Feedback: (5)

dont forget to pull back on the elevator a tad when you turn.this keeps your altitude.sounds simple but this is why i crashed my first two trainers.definetly get help!this will save you alot of
frustration and of course money.good luck!!

latch66

I'd recommend the Slow Stick over the Pico Stick everytime.

The Slow Stick can handle some wind and is not so critical on weight as the Pico Stick is.

The Pico Stick is basically an indoor / no wind at all weather flyer.

marko

Do you have problems in downwind base or final leg????

mpj220

No longer support RCU

mpj220

No longer support RCU

mpj220

No longer support RCU

marko

Sure it is perfect for begginer that plane is slow. I was reading somewhere that for glow or electric engine the perfect start is with wingspan somewhere betwen 1.0 to 1.5 meters and sailplanes around 2-2.4meters.

It is also important that you can be selfcontrol and don't start panic in air. it is a good idea if you take some time and sit near plane playing with your RC like you are realy flying (with engine and bat. off)
BTW also try to fly plane towards you (on ground with all off!)(controls are invertet then); such scenary happens when you are landing.
When landing (now with engine on 5ft above you) try to fly plane just slightly faster (not at stall speed) and without gas. as plane is 1m above ground just gentli pull back (to get some horizontal flight) and when you see that plane is sinking slowly pull stick all the way back. because of small speed will plane gentli touch down on last wheels.

Yust like big planes isn't it?

Starting with park-flyer: I hope it isn't wooden and remember that there must be -0 windspeed

hyperknight

Townboy,

Admittedly, I wasn't pulling back on the elevator's as I should have been. This was one of my problems. Half way in the turn, I would lose half my altitude. Being that I still afraid to fly it high, my altitude is only around 30ft so when I turn; half way through I've got maybe 15ft to try and recover. Before I know it, BAM.

Marko,

Definitely downwind. When I launch (via hand) against the wind, both planes flew nice and predictable. It's when I start turning away from the wind I start losing it. I'm sure much of it has to due with my piloting skills (rather lack of) but what I did notice when I flew my rare bear was how much sensitivity I seemed to loose when the plane began to go downwind.

mpj220,

Being a big flightsim buff and very much into airplanes since I was a kid, I'm pretty well versed with an aircraft's control surfaces. My aileron and elevator controls are setup correctly. No problems there.

Also, working as a engineer, I am rather anal about following specs. As such, the CG's on both my BF109 and Rare Bear where dead on. Both flew perfectly (level and true) when I hand launched them. Neither nose dived or pulled up too much to stall. It's only when I start yanking at the controls all hell breaks loose.

The strange thing is, when I try those RC flight sims, I do rather well. I have no problems taking off from the runway, flying ovals, loops, barrel rolls, etc (landing is a different story). It's only when I try the real deal that I always fubar my planes.

hk

latch66

A flight sim will definitely help. But it is no substitute for the real world. A flight sim will definitely help you get oriented, but it takes lots of real world practice (training flights) to master the basics.

Plus all flight sims are not created equal. I have G2 and it's fair. There are some things about it I don't like (as an example you can get the B17 to torque roll!).

Get a Slow Stick and put some serious flight time in on it. Get to where you can fly and land it in your sleep. Then step on up to something different.

Also, do your training flights on realitively calm days. You don't need to fight the wind and the plane at the same time while you are learning.

If you take logical steps on your choice of airplanes as you progress in your ability, the hardest plane you will fly will be your trainer.


Welcome to the World's Greatest Hobby!

xv-townboy

My Feedback: (5)

also dont forget that altitude is your friend.once again,this was
part of my problem.2 or 3 mistakes high as they say.lots of good
advice here on rcu.your on the right track.good luck!!

crafty1

I am flying a 56 inch span with a 6 cell pack and I think that you really have to watch stall speed .I have had many crashes with my high wing trainer . If you loose too much speed in a turn you will stall a wing and down it comes. I think that my plane has a high wing load and so slowing down is a mistake.

marko

hyperknight
what about rc clubs? do you have any near you? If so, then yust go there and take some hours on your trainer with someone expert, who will show you what is perfect (or normal) zone (four 90° turns at same altitude + final, low flight and take off)

Try this: take off and try to fly 360°turns somewhere betwen 10-15 ft (left and right turns) Plane must be in front of you (don't let it go behind you)
And be carefull because in turns you need to pull stick. (1.push plane into turn, 2.fly using only up down yoistick)
Don't towch engine controls, because in horizontal flight the speed is same.
If one wing starts sinking just level both wings and go back in turn.
When you practice this remember that your plane must be at the same level.
knowing this turns you can start flying up or down (in circles), but there you must fly also with gas (mor for up, less for down)

BTW the best way is that you buy some beer for instructor from nearest club and go to visit him

hyperknight

Ok. This is what I've done so far...

1. Bought the Slow stick today.
2. Bought a RC flight simulator off e-bay
3. Bought a FSK Leonardo Trainer - for when I've mastered the slow stick.

One way or another, I'm going to get good at flying these things!

hk

latch66

Keep pluggin' at it hyperknight.

With that attitude, you'll be flying in no time.

Just remember, there is no substitute for stick-time. Your best training is actually flying the plane as much as possible.

So go cycle some packs Man!


Come back and ask questions if you got them. That's what we are here for.

BTW: If possible, do check out a local club. Find one you like and get those guys/gals advice too. You'll be glad you did.

BykrDan

Hello, hyperknight;

How did you like the Rare Bear? Is that the Flying Styro, from Hobby-Lobby?

I've had my eye on that one for a long time (and almost chose it as my first plane). It looks like a sharp plane, but I've heard the foam is delicate, and the lack of landing gear somewhat concerns me! I'm looking for something I can fly in a small area (small un-treed strip of yard, combined with street and friendly neighbor's yard!)

I see you've already got your slow stick, or in answer to YOUR question, I'd have recommended Graupner's Mini-Piper (also from Hobby-Lobby). I have several flights (and some crashes) in on mine, and I love it, in particular, the long flight times. Long flight times are good, when your landings aren't all that!

I'd like to hear your thoughts. Thanks,
Dan.

fpayer

My Feedback: (22)

fly 10 mistakes high.

hyperknight

BykrDan,

Yes. The Rare Bear I have is the Flying Styro Kit (FSK) from Hobby Lobby. I love all the FSK kits. My first kit was the FSK BF109. The Alpha kits look awesome too.

I'm big on "Form over Function" so I chose the kits which looked very "scale" to me (thus why I was very hesitant to purchase a slow stick). Having said this, the foam on the Rare Bear is very thin and delicate. The FSK kits themselves do take some work to put together correctly even though the kits look relatively simple to put together. Their documentations generally sucks. Many of their parts don't quite fit right out of the box so you'll need to do some sanding and a lot of dry fitting. All of these shouldn't be a concern for the skilled modeler, but for me, it was a bit daunting at first.

Having done my "growing" pains with the BF109, I found building the FSK Rare Bear kit to be a much more easier experience. With this said, I would highly recommend any FSK kit with the caveat some kit building experience highly recommended.

hk

BykrDan

Thanks!

Sounds good to me. I'm a pretty paranoid builder, so I usually put the whole thing together before gluing or bolting anything!

My Piper threw the last prop I had for it and I couldn't find it, so I need to put in an order to HL anyway - sounds like a good excuse to bundle it with a new plane! I'm saving shipping charges - yeah, that's what I'm doing!

Dan.

oosul

hi, so did u get the Rare Bear ? how did she do?
( i am going to make it my first,,, mmomy)

hyperknight

oosul,

If you haven't already purchased the FSK Rare Bear, try taking a look at FSK's newest Reno Racer - the Strega. It costs the same and in my opinion, looks better than the rare bear. The build quality is improved (less parts not fitting right) and is easier to put together. It flys like a dream too (though I'm flying mine on a speed 280 instead of the stock IPS-A motor).

hk.

SnowOwl

My Feedback: (1)

People tell you to use a high wing rudder-elevator plane to train on because they recover from a turn by themself. A low wing aileron plane needs you to give opposite aileron to recover to level flight. Either kind banks to turn, and as it banks, loses lift. That's why you need up elevator in turns. Of course too much elevator tightens the turn and slows the plane down, right up to the point where the wing gives up and stalls. I you keep the right amount of up elevator in too long the plane zooms upwards as the wings come level. If you get behind correcting that, the plane can stall.
If you fly sims, you are probably familiar with the problem of apparent backward control when the plane is coming toward you. If a person was walking toward you and you asked them to turn right, they would turn to their right, which is your left. Sitting quietly with the transmitter in your hand visualizing what will happen in certain situations helps.

SnowOwl

My Feedback: (1)

These little fighters are probably a little hot for the ideal trainer, but at least they didn't take you two years to build and cost $1500, so you can put them up there and learn the hard way with them.
Fly on the biggest field available at first. launch into the wind and concentrate on climbing out straight and level until you're plenty high. Then turn, keeping it as gentle as possible. Minimum control throws, low rates can be some help, but you definitely shouldn't be jamming the sticks into the corners. Try to make a big circle, turning the same direction all the way around until the plane is flying away from you again, then turn the other way, so you make a big horizontal figure 8 in front of yourself. Keep doing these figure 8's the whole first flight. It keeps the plane in front of you, and you don't have to decide where to go. The plane doesn't realize it, but it takes more distance over the ground to turn around when you're going downwind. People have no problem understanding why you take off and land into the wind, but they think there's something magical about a downwind turn. Don't try to force the plane to turn tighter. Concentrate on trying to maintain as constant a bank angle as you can. If you didn't crash yet, ease a little lower on each circle. When you're little-tree high, pull the throttle back to idle just as the plane is starting to go away from you and just let the plane fly itself down, concentrating on keeping it level and not climbing or diving until you are about to touch the ground. Just before touchdown, maybe twice the height of the fuselage high, pull the elevator back smoothly and voila! A landing! If the plane suddenly handles differently when you throttle back, try to figure out what it did, so when you have it back on the ground you can change the side or down thrust of the engine to adjust that change out . If you needed to use the trim buttons or hold some control in all the time, adjust your control linkages to fix it before you fly again. A really dialled-in plane doesn't need trim changes during the flight, and everything goes easier.