Just a little anecdote - coming into the hobby. I built a couple of free flight 049 planes when I was about 10 or 11, I would guess.
Looking back now, here is one experience that propelled me deeper into my love of the hobby.
I was learning just about everything on my own, and with one of my newly built planes in hand in my back yard, the whole concept of CG suddenly became alive and real to me.
It was like a metaphysical moment when it all made sense, in a rush, at once. I started making adjustments with the little 30" WS plane and started test gliding it - before starting the engine!
That was a breakthrough, itself - ha.
It started out a little tail heavy with the first short, low pitches of the plane. Kind of swoopy, swooping up, then soft stalling, recovering. Really only one and a half cycle before landing safely.
A little push of the weight forward, and it started working out. Even a little more, and suddenly I OWNED THAT INFORMATION.
That little plane obeyed me- ha! It glided out for about 40 feet and settled smoothly to the ground.
I remember that and but not much more of what happened after that trimming.
In my normal impatience I probably wound up the engine and launched it right into a tree.
This one of a series of breakthroughs you can enjoy - when something converts from deep thought to practice.
I remember my dad being surprised I owned that information from then on.
He was surprised I figured that out on my own, through reading, etc.
He was supportive but never got too much involved. Certainly bought me stuff and showed me how to cover airplanes with silkspan.
He was a great craftsman in his own right, and I think some of that rubbed off.
Look forward to some great moments along your way to progress.
We all have our capabilities envelope we are trying to get beyond.
Cheers - Poughkeepsie Pete
Last edited by BrightGarden; 07-02-2015 at 01:57 PM.