rocket_jim
Posts: 52
Joined: 11/24/2005
From: Madison, AL, USA
Status: offline
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Duane, thanks for sharing!
Along these lines, I found some interesting to me startup advice at an old UK site: http://web.archive.org/web/20070301034859/www.f5d.co.uk/getting-started.asp
This was written concerning F5D pylon racing, but I'd like to touch on several things probably generally applicable that I would not have known for myself had someone not graciously shared their lessons learned:
"Important - tip one. Set up the model so it flies in a straight line, either knife edge or level. This means a lot of practice is required to trim the model, but once you can roll to knife edge and know that it will track straight, the more time you have to judge where the end of the course is. If you watch all the top guys in their heats, they virtually fly the whole course knife edge.
Two. Have the control throws at an absolute minimum. The roll rate should be so slow in race trim that you could not do a full roll before the end of the course. The elevator needs a good amount of exponential with full up being used at the turn points. Practice pulling full up before you race; if it turns too tight and slows down, reduce the throw. Doing this will give you consistently good laps as you need to concentrate on timing and flying smooth - not on how much elevator to pull. The more movement you have, the more trouble you will get yourself into; and the slower your times will be - Guaranteed.
Three. A very fast model does not mean you will get fast times. Start with a slower model and build up. Once you fly the course tight and level (not easy even with a slow plane) put on a faster prop & or faster motor. Screaming round the sky with a fast set up will only frighten you and everyone watching; and can start getting expensive when you start piling the models in."
A point inherent there is that it's not all about going FAST, but about getting around the course quickly and staying safe and in one piece. So it makes sense to me that a slower plane is where to start, and to learn the elements of flying and of racing first, rather than just exploring brute speed and probably spectacular crashes!
I recently set up some traffic cone pylons at a local field and had fun flying a Diddlerod around them. That's a slow 3 oz electric RE plane, but just getting it around the cones course taught me a thing or two about the difficulty and the fun therein! I later flew my Ultrafly Outrage 3D biplane around that same course. Certainly not a pylon racer, but a handful for me, just starting trying to fly the pylons by myself. I realize now that I'd probably need to adjust the throws down a lot for racing as compared for 3D.
I think when they talk about race trim that they are assuming using dual rates: larger throws for takeoffs and landings; much smaller throws for racing. Please correct me if I'm interpreting this wrongly.
Jim
quote:
ORIGINAL: Duane-RCU
Sounds like for the moment Pylon around here is on the rise. Q25 is a great place to start. Just because some can fly 200mph, they think everyone should be able too. That's the problem I think, the experts make decisions, and the novice is scared to play at their level. I have raced our club planes for a few years now, slow bushing .40's (close to 85mph) I was afraid of 424, but now that I have a few Q25 races done, I'm about ready for some 424 around here.
There needs to be a starter class for the guys that need a confidence builder, and keep the 422-428 guys out (my opinion) so these racers can win some, then move up when ready. Nothing worse than someone shows up for the first time to race, and gets thrown to the wolves. The experienced guys need to be around for a little support and tips. Nothing helps a sport grow like new blood in the group. A few of the new racers will move up to the higher classes later. I know the fast guys are not interested in racing at 95mph, but that is what I think is needed to get the new people in.
I fight this same fight in local bracket racing, our numbers are dying off. Maybe it's because there is way too many race tracks within driving distance, but I see less new racers coming in, due to no real entry level class. When a new guy shows up, eveyone chases this guy to the lanes, hoping for an easy win, which it usually is. I find these guys, hang with them, and try to tech them, and help them with the cars, so maybe they will hang with it, instead of quitting. It has worked in several cases, and these guys also bring a few people with them, increasing gate money, which helps our pay outs.
So in short, entry level, good support from those that know something, and make it fun.
< Message edited by rocket_jim -- 12/28/2007 2:28:17 PM >
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Pylon Universe - RC Pylon Racing >> General Racing Discussion >> RE: How to revive R/C Pylon Racing 
RE: How to revive R/C Pylon Racing - 
). What a diffrence that made!