Windy Day Flying.....
06-12-2004, 11:27 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bolivar,
TN
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Windy Day Flying.....
It seems every day is the same lately. We have a strong S/W wind all day...then from around 6:30-7pm to dark it is dead calm. Perfect for flying.
Well today I couldn't wait until late to fly and get my "flying fix" for the day.
My wife and I had a wedding to attend at 5 pm, so at 3 pm it was fly in the wind or wait until tomorrow. I had been working on a fuel draw problem on the new Extra and .049 Norvel and it seemed to be pulling strong.
I filled the tank enough for one long flight, started the engine in my shop and carried it to the front yard for a launch into the wind. I could tell right away things were different....not out of control but different. I know the plane doesn't know anything about wind, but turning into the wind was like hitting a brick wall. It would almost stop when the wind would hit the top surface of the wing in the turn and drop around 20 ft. It would fly through the gusty wind but this was not fun! .....things were ok, but Not Fun to fly in. Then I lost tank pressure due to the line coming off the muffler. The engine power must have dropped to almost half. I had to get it down the best I could and managed to bang it in on the belly from about 5 ft off the grass...with no damage. I've learned my lesson, don't fly on windy days.
I'm looking forward to those hot windless days of July and August.
Well today I couldn't wait until late to fly and get my "flying fix" for the day.
My wife and I had a wedding to attend at 5 pm, so at 3 pm it was fly in the wind or wait until tomorrow. I had been working on a fuel draw problem on the new Extra and .049 Norvel and it seemed to be pulling strong.
I filled the tank enough for one long flight, started the engine in my shop and carried it to the front yard for a launch into the wind. I could tell right away things were different....not out of control but different. I know the plane doesn't know anything about wind, but turning into the wind was like hitting a brick wall. It would almost stop when the wind would hit the top surface of the wing in the turn and drop around 20 ft. It would fly through the gusty wind but this was not fun! .....things were ok, but Not Fun to fly in. Then I lost tank pressure due to the line coming off the muffler. The engine power must have dropped to almost half. I had to get it down the best I could and managed to bang it in on the belly from about 5 ft off the grass...with no damage. I've learned my lesson, don't fly on windy days.
I'm looking forward to those hot windless days of July and August.
06-13-2004, 12:49 AM
#4
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Tokoroa, , NEW ZEALAND
Posts: 3,848
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Windy Day Flying.....
I *love* windy days -- they're possibly even more fun than dead-calm ones.
With a decent wind you can do some scorching downwind passes at very high ground-speed, and do almost vertical landings through careful use of the throttle and elevator.
If it's a little turbulent then that adds extra excitement to the flights.
To be honest, I get a little bored just buzzing around the sky on a dead calm day.
It was a perfectly calm day here today and I ended up strapping the little wireless camera back on my Stik to relieve the boredom.
With a decent wind you can do some scorching downwind passes at very high ground-speed, and do almost vertical landings through careful use of the throttle and elevator.
If it's a little turbulent then that adds extra excitement to the flights.
To be honest, I get a little bored just buzzing around the sky on a dead calm day.
It was a perfectly calm day here today and I ended up strapping the little wireless camera back on my Stik to relieve the boredom.
06-13-2004, 06:26 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Collierville,
TN
Posts: 2,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Windy Day Flying.....
ORIGINAL: Lynn S
I know the plane doesn't know anything about wind, but turning into the wind was like hitting a brick wall. It would almost stop when the wind would hit the top surface of the wing in the turn and drop around 20 ft.
I know the plane doesn't know anything about wind, but turning into the wind was like hitting a brick wall. It would almost stop when the wind would hit the top surface of the wing in the turn and drop around 20 ft.
06-13-2004, 08:40 AM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bolivar,
TN
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Windy Day Flying.....
ORIGINAL: DICKEYBIRD
Lynn, don't listen to those "experts" that argue all day about how models aren't affected by wind and that there's no need to compensate for a downwind turn. They're just plain wrong. They can explain it ad nauseum in excrutiating detail and draw upon their superior knowledge of physics and full-scale flying but I'll keep on flying my planes with a lot of respect for the wind!
ORIGINAL: Lynn S
I know the plane doesn't know anything about wind, but turning into the wind was like hitting a brick wall. It would almost stop when the wind would hit the top surface of the wing in the turn and drop around 20 ft.
I know the plane doesn't know anything about wind, but turning into the wind was like hitting a brick wall. It would almost stop when the wind would hit the top surface of the wing in the turn and drop around 20 ft.
XJet, Yes it can be fun. I have flown my tiny electric Littlest Stick in the wind before and it was fun to watch it hover in the wind and then dive and blast through, doing this with just rudder and motor control! amazing little plane! Those stubby little wings are good in the wind
06-13-2004, 05:50 PM
#7
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
RE: Windy Day Flying.....
Origional Dickybird
Lynn, don't listen to those "experts" that argue all day about how models aren't affected by wind and that there's no need to compensate for a downwind turn. They're just plain wrong. They can explain it ad nauseum in excrutiating detail and draw upon their superior knowledge of physics and full-scale flying but I'll keep on flying my planes with a lot of respect for the wind!
Lynn, don't listen to those "experts" that argue all day about how models aren't affected by wind and that there's no need to compensate for a downwind turn. They're just plain wrong. They can explain it ad nauseum in excrutiating detail and draw upon their superior knowledge of physics and full-scale flying but I'll keep on flying my planes with a lot of respect for the wind!
Darren
06-13-2004, 06:45 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bolivar,
TN
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Windy Day Flying.....
OK, I'm waiting for the wind to die...again........a thunderstorm came through and the air was still for about 30 min. By the time I got my plane ready to fly the sun came out and the wind picked up. The trees are really bending at the tops now.
I got the LS150 RO out and it doesn't need to deal with the wind at all.. it just has rudder. It always amazes me to look inside this plane and see just one servo, and think...this thing can fly?
edit: I got in two flights just before dark, the wind never did stop blowing, but it wasn't that bad. The LS150 RO would just about hover with a lot of S-ing. I got brave and put on the standard size stubby 30 inch wing instead of the 35 inch and that made it cut through the wind pretty good. I think it is more responsive with the smaller wing and faster. I used the tx and rx from a(readytoflyfun.com) parkflyer and it worked fine with the futaba servo, and switch harness and batt.
I got the LS150 RO out and it doesn't need to deal with the wind at all.. it just has rudder. It always amazes me to look inside this plane and see just one servo, and think...this thing can fly?
edit: I got in two flights just before dark, the wind never did stop blowing, but it wasn't that bad. The LS150 RO would just about hover with a lot of S-ing. I got brave and put on the standard size stubby 30 inch wing instead of the 35 inch and that made it cut through the wind pretty good. I think it is more responsive with the smaller wing and faster. I used the tx and rx from a(readytoflyfun.com) parkflyer and it worked fine with the futaba servo, and switch harness and batt.
06-15-2004, 01:42 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Slidell,
LA
Posts: 501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Windy Day Flying.....
ORIGINAL: DICKEYBIRD
Lynn, don't listen to those "experts" that argue all day about how models aren't affected by wind and that there's no need to compensate for a downwind turn. They're just plain wrong. They can explain it ad nauseum in excrutiating detail and draw upon their superior knowledge of physics and full-scale flying but I'll keep on flying my planes with a lot of respect for the wind!
Lynn, don't listen to those "experts" that argue all day about how models aren't affected by wind and that there's no need to compensate for a downwind turn. They're just plain wrong. They can explain it ad nauseum in excrutiating detail and draw upon their superior knowledge of physics and full-scale flying but I'll keep on flying my planes with a lot of respect for the wind!
First, the experts are talking about a theoretical steady flow of air, i.e., no gusts or turbulence. Of course, this is SELDOM (if ever) the case. Yesterday my lazy bee got knocked all over the place in a moderate (but gusty) breeze. The wind obviously had an effect.
Second, since we are flying in relation to the ground and the plane is flying in relation to the air, we MUST compensate for the wind. I have NEVER heard anyone say otherwise. For instance flying circles in relation to the ground is actually a series of shallow and high bank turns in relation to the wind. The pilot must be aware of this and compensate accordingly.
Third, if one were flying in relation to the wind, say from the back seat of a convertible that was driving down the runway at the same speed as the wind, then there would be no noticeable effect from the wind. I guess some might argue this, but it is a fact.
Lastly, now and again, someone will try to bring in the effects of momentum and inertia on the down wind turn. This IS a fallacy, (has no effect), and has probably contributed to the controversy.
I believe both sides are (intentionally?) mixing apples and oranges and that the laws of physics are valid.
Al
06-15-2004, 10:51 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Lubbock,
TX
Posts: 867
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Windy Day Flying.....
ORIGINAL: Big Al-RCU
First, the experts are talking about a theoretical steady flow of air, i.e., no gusts or turbulence. Of course, this is SELDOM (if ever) the case. Yesterday my lazy bee got knocked all over the place in a moderate (but gusty) breeze. The wind obviously had an effect.
Second, since we are flying in relation to the ground and the plane is flying in relation to the air, we MUST compensate for the wind. I have NEVER heard anyone say otherwise. For instance flying circles in relation to the ground is actually a series of shallow and high bank turns in relation to the wind. The pilot must be aware of this and compensate accordingly.
Third, if one were flying in relation to the wind, say from the back seat of a convertible that was driving down the runway at the same speed as the wind, then there would be no noticeable effect from the wind. I guess some might argue this, but it is a fact.
Al
First, the experts are talking about a theoretical steady flow of air, i.e., no gusts or turbulence. Of course, this is SELDOM (if ever) the case. Yesterday my lazy bee got knocked all over the place in a moderate (but gusty) breeze. The wind obviously had an effect.
Second, since we are flying in relation to the ground and the plane is flying in relation to the air, we MUST compensate for the wind. I have NEVER heard anyone say otherwise. For instance flying circles in relation to the ground is actually a series of shallow and high bank turns in relation to the wind. The pilot must be aware of this and compensate accordingly.
Third, if one were flying in relation to the wind, say from the back seat of a convertible that was driving down the runway at the same speed as the wind, then there would be no noticeable effect from the wind. I guess some might argue this, but it is a fact.
Al
As a full size pilot I can relate that turbulence off very high mountains can be severe and scary well above 60,000 feet and thousands of miles from the mountain range.
Your moving test sounds like a fun demo. I have the RC plane and access to a 10,500 ft. runway. Can you bring the convertible down here?
