First Flight in 15 Years!
05-25-2013, 01:01 PM
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First Flight in 15 Years!
A friend of mine picked up a Hobbistar 40 with servo’s and receiver and a Sig senior(maybe).After going over the Hobbistar and unsiezing the motor.I purchased a futaba 6EX 2.4 to control it with.
I myself have flown for 10 years, but have not flown in the last 15 years, my friend has a handful of flights on a couple of 3 channel sturdy birdies he had 15 years ago.
I first had the controls set up to twice the recommended throws, with 75% expo, and recommended throws on dual rates. I had to take this out though because the buddy box we purchased does not use the master radios trim, expo, duals or even servo reversing.So back to recommended throws.
Flight day finally arrived Thursday past, we are flying off of the road in front of his house.The road runs east west the wind was coming out of the south 15 to 20kph. There is a field in front of his road about 300 feet deep, then a burm dike kind of rise. The dike is about 50 feet wide, then a small creek, then more field.The field in front of his road is 600 feet or more.The object is to land on the road.
Ok, time to start her up, Ralph has the radio, I am on the starter, the old engine likes to start at half throttle, Ralph seems to think it is ok to let the plane run like this while I have my arm in the propellers arc, should have had a safety meeting first, no harm done. Check engine in nose up attitude, no adjustment needed.
Time for take off, last second control check, full throttle for take off roll heading east, plane veers off to the south, takes off just as road turns to ditch(never did like the nose wheel set up.I throttle back to half throttle or so, the OS 46 FP has lots of power.Slight down trim for level flight.
I spend the rest of the flight trying to land her, I am used to landing from a flight line, so trying to line the plane up so it lands where I am standing does not come easy.The field also has a metal square post about 3 feet high about 20 feet after the centre of what would be the runway if we were flying at a club.The plane seems magnetically attracted to the post.After 4 or five attempts, I plant it about 15 feet to my right and 3 feet infront of me, one bounce the roll out until it gets to a gap in the trees, tail goes up, tip gone from the prop.
Back to the “pits” change out the prop, I ask Ralph if he wants to fly with the buddy box, he says he is good to go solo, it’s his plane, I also think he can handle it.He starts the plane, this time I hold the plane with the tail between my feet(safety meeting). I give the radio to Ralph, he taxies to the road, take off roll to the east, plane veers to the right, takes off to the south(really need to replace the whole nose gear system)
Ralph is flying and flying well, he is “flicking” the sticks(Did I do this when I was a new pilot?)he does a couple of circuits, then states he wants to land.Ralph is losing altitude as the plane slows, I am thinking he is going to land on the dike, but he flys into it instead, sort of like a fast landing, I am thinking all is well.
When we get to the plane the firewall has been torn off and the fuse split all four corners(probably would not have happened to a home built).
I am thinking that Ralph’s old sturdy birdies must have had way to much control throws cause he said the Hobbistar was a little unresponsive.
Is it normal to fly by “flicking” the sticks, is this a beginners thing(I think I may have flown like that at first).Is there any reason not to fly by flick?
( All names have been changed exept for Ralph’s to protect the innocent); }
05-25-2013, 06:23 PM
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RE: First Flight in 15 Years!
I have sometimes told beginners to “flick” the sticks I.E. make a definite movement then release the stick when I had observed the beginner with a tendency to hold on to an input too long or to freeze with the input held on.
I also use it when I see a beginner having difficulty with inputs when the plane is flying towards them. Flick the stick - observe the reaction and if wrong go the opposite way.
I also use it when I see a beginner having difficulty with inputs when the plane is flying towards them. Flick the stick - observe the reaction and if wrong go the opposite way.
