Here's my last flight report from the RC Groups build thread:

"Third time's the charm...or so I hoped.

So, after a moment to calm my nerves, I opened up the throttle and off it went down the field. But as soon as it was airborne, itveered terribly to the left and it looked (again) like I was going to lose it. But by holding in full right aileron I managed to get it leveled off and climbing to a safe height.

Once it was "three mistakes high" I dialed in enough right aileron trim (and a couple of clicks of up elevator) for more-or-less straight and level flight. It was still pretty skittish in the air (or maybe I was skittish on the ground) but after a couple of heart-thumping circuits, things seemed "under control" and I started bringing it down and closer for the photographer. I was fearful of another deadstick, but the engine seemed to be performing well (and had checked out well pre-flight).

Basically all I did was fly in big counter-clockwise circles. It definitely didn't want to turn right. I suppose I didn't have much aileron left and I was afraid to use much rudder...which probably would have done the trick. So I just kept turning left. I had set the Tx timer for 5 minutes for the smaller tank...and I suppose I flew for about 2 minutes after the warning tones. I called for a landing and brought it around onto final. There was a moment, when it veered again but I straightened it out and it cruised in for a very smooth and I thought elegant two-wheel landing with the tail scale high. Then the tail came down and the flight was over. And then it hit a bump in the field and slowly flipped over.

So what did I learn? That this is probably never going to be an easy, lazy flyer. But, you know, that's OK. I don't need an easy, lazy flyer. I need a scale WWI model that will prepare me for flying future scale WWI models. And, if IT survives MY learning curve, the SE5a should do just fine."

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...363887&page=82