slim56

My Feedback: (4)

I have been competing in our local race series for one year now and have progressed better than I had anticipated. As I become more competative the pilots become more difficult to overcome. The planes become more evenly matched. I have noticed that a couple of pilots seem to get out of the turns much better than the rest of the field on a consistent basis. It almost looks like they are pulling tight going into the turn and when they come out of the turn the radius of the turn becomes gradually larger until they are in the straight. Over the past year I have done nothing but play with the throws on the airplane, the CG, and the prop, (we can use any prop). This year I will start experimenting with glow plugs, and head clearance (shims). But, what I am really looking for is someone that can give me advice as to the actual flying of the course ifself. We fly on a 2-pylon course at either 600 or 660 feet, ranging from 1600ft to 5600ft in elevation.

Thanks,

Ken

EXPRESSO PYLON RACER

KEN, I moved from fla to Las Vegas > I haved only raced 3 pole long course . But i had 2 of the best pylon racers in this sport coaching and teaching me how to improve and be very competive . It starts in your shop by building , straight , neat , and working on the Rightset up . And the biggest thing is alot of practice ,practice,practice .If i can help just e mail me > ROBERT

ChrisAttebery

My Feedback: (15)

Go read this:
[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8671750[/link]

HighPlains has the best explaination of how to fly the course and why. It works for 2 pole too.


Chris

jaka

Hi!
Fastest course is an egg-shaped (kind of like anyway) course.
Heading from No 1 , You turn before No. 2 pylon going tight around it and then turn tightly around No 3 and go out out on a curved (not straight) course for the No 1 pylon, then turn sharp and do a curved attack on the No 2 pylon.

Scorpion Racing

Not according to Dr. Martin Hepperle. He shows a "paperclip" pattern beginning the turns just before the pylons being optimal. [link=http://www.mh-aerotools.de/airfoils/pylon_simulation.htm]MH Website[/link] Turning tighter around the poles will decrease speed and distance, but increases the time due to induced drag. There is a lot of good reading on that site, I would suggest any serious pylon racer do a little studying. You might find something you never knew there!

blindfaithnogod

our overall national champ suggest the paperclip shape as well.... making the exact same turns at each end. using a full elevator pull... initiating the turn prior to making to the pylons.... so your turn is wider than pylons 2 and 3. in 2 pole you just want to apex just far enough to get past the pylon. setup and timing the keys to winning.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

While some of the information on Dr. Martin Hepperle site is good, at other times it is overly simplistic. I don't think he has ever flown a race.

garys

I pull equally at both ends of the course, but do not fly a "paperclip". I sweep the straights slightly, so I'm coming into and out of the turns at a slight angle. This reduces the time that you're slowing down in the turns because you're only using full elevator for about 160 degrees per turn. The added time from the slight increase in distance by sweeping the straights is more than made up for by the reduced time decelerating in the turns.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Gary, I couldn't describe it any better, same way I try to do it.

jaka

Hi!
Same as I do! I call it distorted egg shape...but what the h...

luv to race

My Feedback: (1)

I learned how to fly pylon from Gary Schmidt. I try to fly it just as he described... It's worked pretty good for me.

RB

Scorpion Racing

Ok, so you guys fly a slightly-bowed-out-in-the-middle paperclip, right! I guess no one can argue with the success you guys have had in pylon! I think the key in all these explanations is not to have to roll 90 degrees into each turn, and not to pull as tight as you can around each pole. Allow the plane to fly a smooth path and maintain its speed on the course.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

It is fairly easy to do with practice and also if the airplane is trimmed well to fly the course. Once you get the throws established with the CG and the wing tip weigh (or elevator to aileron mix) balanced out, you are almost there.

I found that it also made it easier for me to trim the elevator so that the airplane holds altitude or looses it just slightly with the wing banked 45 degrees to the left. This is on airplanes with the tank on the CG so the feel of the elevator doesn't change or have a pitch trim change as the fuel burns off.

All of this works well for three pole pylon. Seeing it well enough for 2 pole might be difficult.

A lot of people have trouble flying around pylons 2 and 3. Flying them well is where you improve your times. I found that standing 50 feet in front of a line between 2 and 3 works well for me. Imagine you are now standing on another line parallel with the line between 2 and 3. Now you start the turn when the airplane get to this line and end the turn when it returns to this line. The airplane should be about 75 feet from you the entire time of this turn, which means your entry and exit points should be about 25 feet outside the box made by the pylons. This puts the airplane about 5 feet from each pylon in the turn when done correctly. Sketch it out on paper to see. Compensating for wind is the next challenge, and of course avoiding traffic.

Since nobody judges hooks and slices at pylon one anymore due to off course workers, it takes absolutely no skill to turn pylon one. About the only thing the turn at one is good for is making gross altitude corrections by over rolling slightly or under rolling depending on whether you want to lose or gain altitude.

It may seem strange, but consider the following when racing:

Elevator controls direction, while ailerons control the altitude when flying the course.

aseaholm

My Feedback: (1)

Put me down for slightly bowed paperclip, I learned from RB and DN.

PylonDave

So do you guys hold a little elevator to create the "bowed paperclip" between 1 and 2 and 3 and 1 ???

blindfaithnogod

so do you guys balance for that, or do you carry a click or 2 of trim?

garys

I adjust the CG to get the sweep in the straights that I want. I trim for dead straight and level flight, then adjust tip weight and CG as needed to get it correct on the course...then re-check straight and level flight. If you trim just for the course, and your plane won't fly straight and level, you'll be fighting it more when you need it to do what you want the most, when making corrections. The winners don't necessarily make the fewest mistakes, they just lose the least amount of time while correcting them.