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@#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 3:41:11 AM   
thepope



Posts: 89
Joined: 12/4/2001
From: nestor falls, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		Yesterday was such a nice day I decided to rush out at lunch time and fly my Seamaster. I use it for my camera ship and the Fall colors are at their finest right now. I use an Airtronics computer radio and had used it the night before for flying my Extra. You all know where this story is going now don't you? The throttle and rudder and elevator were ok but things went really bad when I got her up to flying speed and started to use aeilerons (they were backwards). I wound up running into my pontoon boat and doing some good damage to the front of the Seamaster but it's repairable. A good lesson about doing a preflight and checking controls!!!
Bill
       Post #: 1

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 3:45:34 AM   
cruzmissile



Posts: 371
Joined: 4/7/2003
From: Phenix City, AL, USA
Status: offline 		seems like a whole bunch of folks these days are forgetting which direction the ailerons are suppose to go. I always think of it in an aerodynamic aspect. If the aileron goes up on a wing, it will push that wing down.

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What goes up must come down, and that is the Landing Gear!

(in reply to thepope)
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RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 11:31:48 AM   
Scalebuff



Posts: 233
Joined: 3/6/2003
From: West Midlands, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		These coomputer radios are grate things but ya need to double check em ...

you were lucky its was just your aeilerons, i had mine set for another plane that used elivons, i dont want to go into detail but it wasnt pretty lol, all in all it cost me a weeks work just because i didnt double check my damn radio .....


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Best Regards

(in reply to cruzmissile)
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RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 2:01:26 PM   
Jim_McIntyre



Posts: 2078
Joined: 4/5/2002
From: Claremont, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		I can relate.

I fly mostly JR but acquired a Hitec Prism 7 somewhere along the way.

Who would have though Hitec programs their exponential backwards to JR!!!

The maiden flight on my Triplane had a very highly sensitive elevator (which is highly sensitive anyway)... after some hairy PIOs I finally dumped her in the tall grass with minor damage.

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http://scalebuilder.org

(in reply to thepope)
       Post #: 4

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 2:31:00 PM   
flyboy1950


 

Posts: 80
Joined: 5/30/2003
From: Punta Gorda, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Guys ... this isn't about computer radios, it's about preflighting the airplane and checking control movement before each flight. If your not in the habit of doing that everytime ...
especially with multiple airplanes stored in a computer radio (This adds a whole new dimension!), you are going to loose airplanes. It really hurts to loose one that way!!
I'm about to launch my Hanger Nine 1.50 P-51 that I have spent weeks doing scale detailing and modifying for the first time next weekend. It'll be about $1600 airborne (not as much as the 3-d guys!) and I certainly I don't have the time invested that a guy does when he builds from a kit or scratch, but I'm not going to risk it buy getting careless. I guess being a "Full-Scale" pilot for 30 years has helped to ingraine that thinking. Remember, your not just risking the aircraft, someone could get hurt!
Think about it. Preflight everytime! Okay, I'll get off my soapbox (sorry, I just spent 45 minutes in traffic. Flyboy1950

(in reply to Jim_McIntyre)
       Post #: 5

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 2:49:52 PM   
Jim_McIntyre



Posts: 2078
Joined: 4/5/2002
From: Claremont, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		You're correct.

But, the multitude of options do make pre-fligt more complex...

The Triplane I mentioned was my competition plane, 3 years in the making and I shudder to think in terms of dollars (I bought lathes and drill presses etc. to complete). Not to mention all important flying time lost in repairs before competition.... I still don't know why I didn't use my tried and true (and most familiar) radio. ???

< Message edited by Jim_McIntyre -- 10/10/2003 9:51:02 AM >

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RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 7:41:30 PM   
sirrom


 

Posts: 695
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Sarasota, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I don't know why everyone says that preflight with a computer radio is more complex. I think actually it makes preflighting much simpler.

Think of it this way. I have one radio (Futaba 9Z) that I use to fly all my planes with. The first thing I do when I turn on my radio is watch the screen to make sure that it says the plane name on it, check the battery voltage, and check the frequency (synthesized tx module). That is always the first thing I do before each flight. With the old radios I used to have if I got into a hurry heading to the field I would grab the wrong radio or charge the wrong radio for that day or have the wrong freq. module in the radio I needed. Now instead of haveing 4 or 5 transmitters, I now have 1. Over the years I have come to have a mental checklist that I go over without really having to think about it.


I think what happens is people get in a hurry to get out to the field to fly and just don't think about what they should be doing.


patrick.

_____________________________

Perfect landing or total destruction crash, I still love this hobby!

(in reply to Jim_McIntyre)
       Post #: 7

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 8:49:04 PM   
norcalflyer530



Posts: 116
Joined: 9/15/2003
From: casarabonela, CA, SPAIN
Status: offline 		i fly full size too but i was taught the thumbs idea which i use for flying my models
if you push the stick to the right the right aileron should be up of you go to the left with the stick it should be up.... easy enough.... works for pre-flight on models and ful size
Oliver

(in reply to thepope)
       Post #: 8

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 11:10:59 PM   
Geistware



Posts: 12946
Joined: 4/9/2002
From: Locust Grove, GA, USA
Status: offline 		It surprises me how many people hook their ailerons up backwards and never do pre-flights. To me, a pre-flight check is mandatory. Flying without performing a check on your aircraft is approaching criminal.

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Information on the building and flying of Radio Control Aircraft.
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RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/10/2003 11:26:08 PM   
nedyob


 

Posts: 1243
Joined: 2/5/2002
From: NORTHWOOD, IA, USA
Status: offline 		I had an incident happen just about the same way, but with the throttle.
I was flying my Big Stik one day and the next day I took my Cap 232 out and forgot to switch to the Cap program. I checked all the surfaced before starting, but didnt look inside the cowel to see if the carb was open or shut.
I started my cap up and it went to full throttle, good thing I had my plane in a plane restraint or the Cap would have walked right up my arm.
Needless to say I programmed the right plane in right away. Now I double check my TX when I take it off the charger and each time before I fly my plane.
NEDYOB

(in reply to thepope)
       Post #: 10

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/11/2003 12:02:30 AM   
thepope



Posts: 89
Joined: 12/4/2001
From: nestor falls, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		For those that mention hooking up ailerons backwards or not knowing the difference that wasn't the problem!! I forgot to change models on my radio and because I was in a hurry I didn't check the controls. I flew full size in my youth and preflights were automatic and from now on it will be with my rc flying. Thanks for all the replies, I knew lots of people could relate to my experience.
Bill

(in reply to thepope)
       Post #: 11

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/12/2003 2:54:20 AM   
electricfan



Posts: 497
Joined: 5/5/2003
From: Brentwood, TN, USA
Status: offline 		i always preflight my planes before EVERY flight even if im flying more than once on the same day. one time the receiver got hot from the sun and when i gave full right ail. or up elevator, the whole plane went crazy. i finally figured out it was the sun heating the receiver up. so just always check your planes before you fly. its frustrating when you find out the plane's reversed in the air.

(in reply to thepope)
       Post #: 12

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/13/2003 10:10:30 PM   
micky_ray


 

Posts: 17
Joined: 7/25/2003
From: Allen, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I got lucky a couple weeks ago with this same thing. I had been flying my trainer for a couple days before I took my stick out to the field and forgot to change the program on the radio. I preflighted by watching the ailerons and they travelled correctly. However when I went to take off the plane would not gain altitude and just cruised right off the end of the runway into tall grass (it never even left the ground). Turns out the elevator is reversed between the two models. Luckily for me I was able to kill the motor, and after a bit of a walk to retrieve the plane had several good flights that evening once I switched the radio to the correct model. I now check every control surface for correct travel.

(in reply to thepope)
       Post #: 13

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/14/2003 1:00:15 AM   
Geistware



Posts: 12946
Joined: 4/9/2002
From: Locust Grove, GA, USA
Status: offline 		I never do a preflight before each flight, but I do make sure that my controls look good. Range check is not perfomed. I also check my battery charge after landing not before the next flight. I find that the packs get stronger after they rest a little

_____________________________

Aircraft Proving Grounds
http://www.rcaircraft.net/
Information on the building and flying of Radio Control Aircraft.
Site for hobbyist in the R.C. Aircraft modeling world.

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       Post #: 14

RE: @#$%& Computer Radio - 10/14/2003 3:11:16 PM   
Jim_McIntyre