Kickflipkid687

I just want to know about how much room i should have to learn to fly my T-Hawl when i get it? Theres a school pretty close to me with a good sized grass field, but, i wish i could fly somewhere closer to me, but its all corn fields, and i would look the plane in there if it crashed.


Thanks,

Matt

Tall Paul

A nominally sized school athletic field should be OK.
IF
there's no one else using it.
Safety first, last and always!

Kickflipkid687

yea, no one flies there that i ever see, but there might be kids somewhere around, hopefully not. But, i wish i could fly somewhere close to my house... arg.. I could fly down at the end of my driveway once i get good enough, but i suppose i will go to the school to first learn.


Matt

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

I don't know if Toytronics makes a recommendation on space. HobbyZone recommends 600X600 as the minimum space for a new flyer of an Aerobird which has very similar flight envelope. More is better. Less once you become accomplished.

If you lean to fly at less than full throttle, you need less speace.

600X600 is roughly 2 football fields long from goal to goal and 4 wide from sideline to sideline

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

PREFLIGHT AND FIRST FLIGHT PROCEDURES FOR PARKFLYERS
by Ed Anderson
aeajr on the forums

Here are some quick tips and a "check sheet" for preparing your parkflyer for
launch. If you are a new pilot, you really need to heed the wind cautions.
If you are experienced, use your own judgment.

Here is how you prepare for your first flights. Skip a step and you open
yourself to problems.

Respect the wind - For new pilots, dead calm to 2 MPH is perfect. No more
than 5 MPH for
early/training flights or you will be fighting the wind, not flying the plane.
(guess how I know)

1) Make sure no one is on your channel BEFORE you turn on your radio. If
someone is flying on your channel and you turn on your radio, they will crash!
Check first!

2) Do a range check before the first launch of the day

3) Make sure that battery is fully charged just before the launch. Not 3 days
ago. Not last week. Last night or today!

4) Make sure all your surfaces are properly aligned and move properly before
you launch. Check the manual if the surfaces do not appear to be properly
aligned. Also make sure your wing is straight!

5) CHECK THE TRIMS! Check the trim slides on the left and below the stick(s).
Be sure you have not bumped one out of position. A bumped trim can cause the
plane to crash. (guess how I know).

6) Always launch and land into the wind

7) For hand launches - good firm throw level or only very slightly up. Never
throw the plane upward - Always use full throttle!

8) Let it fly out and gain speed. I would say a minimum of 50 feet, and 100
would be better. From a hand throw, it will drop a bit, that is OK. It
should start to climb
all on its own. If you use the elevator, only use a small amount.

The plane must get up to speed before applying strong elevator. Apply the
elevator
too soon and you will "stall" the wing, the nose will drop and you will crash.
(Yep!
been there, done that!)

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST FIRST FLIGHT AND YOU ARE LEARNING ON YOUR OWN

If your field will allow it, launch, fly out 100 feet or so then come back to
about 1/4 throttle and let
the plane drift down for a landing straight ahead. Just before the plane
touches the ground, cut the motor.

Use the rudder to keep it straight. Avoid turns. Do this a few times till
you understand how the plane launches and lands. Then you can go for climbs
and turns.

I fly electrics and gliders. With my gliders, I ALWAYS do a test glide, with
a hand throw, straight out then glide to the ground before launching off the
hi-start or the
winch. This confirms that the plane is balanced and everything works right.
Good idea for
electrics as well using that straight out launch, under power, then land.
Saves much damage and embarrassment.

If the plane is properly trimmed, it should climb on its own at full throttle
and you should be able to control left and right with the rudder.

Use the elevator carefully! Unless you are going for a loop, use small
elevator inputs. Too much up elevator with the plane flying too slowly will
cause the nose to rise, the wing to stall and the nose to drop. Do this near
the ground and you crash.

Keep your control movement smooth and don't over do it. Turn before you need
to so you can give the plane time to react. This is called thinking ahead of
the plane. Plan you moves.

For three channel parkflyers that use rudder/elevator or two channels that
only have rudder, don't hold rudder commands for more than a couple of
seconds. On these planes, rudder commands will cause the plane to bank, or
tip over in the direction of the turn. If you hold the rudder too long, the
bank will continue to steepen to the point where the wing will lose lift and
you will go into a dive or spiral in for a crash.

Of course you read the whole manual several times and watched any videos that
might have come with the plane before you fly.

Clear Skies and Safe Flying!