I am finally up to an intermediate pilot, and I have just put together a plane that is truly 3D capable. My current skills include:

Loops
Rolls
Emellmans (sp)
Inverted flight (for breaf periods before panic sets in)
Wing overs
Horizontal 8's
Vertical 8's
Stalls with Rudder

So I figure it is time to start integrating more rudder. Perhaps:

Knife Edge
Square Rolls

But that is about the end of my imagination. I know I don't have the coordination to hover, yet. (Tried it, it is much harder than it looks.) So I need to build some skills. I am looking for some opinions on what I should work on next. Or maybe this is all laid out in an article some were.

Thanks in Advance,
Larry

Try this out, maybe someone else will slap me over the wrist over this one but!

1) Spend way to much time on RCU in all the 3D forums, fun-fly and Pro Bro forum.
2) Get a shocky or a profile
3) Get Aerofly Pro
4) Read up as much as you can
5) Finally....PRACTISE!

Some things to try that are pretty easy when you are really high (3 mistakes)

Elevator---- Slow the plane down and feed in full up (high rate) elevator. Maybe add in a little throttle but not so much as to accelerate forward or climb. If you do it right the plane will be falling but not moving forward and the wings will be level. JUST enough throttle to keep the plane stable all the while holding full up elevator. The wings may rock a little and it may want to turn this way or that so you have to steer with the rudder and minimize wing rock with the ailerons. If you get it right the plane will slowly start to descend almost vertically wings level! Manage the throttle to assist in just holding the nose level and let the plane descend as low as you dare. To fly out throttle up and ease out of the elevator and fly away.

Waterfall--- Just put it on high rates and from a low speed give it full down and full throttle, learn to manipulate the ailerons to keep the wings level. If you have enough throw and time it right the plane should pivot right around the wing spar.

Vertical spins. Get real high and cut the throttle, nose the plane over straight down and roll with the ailerons,, once it starts spinning give full rudder in the same direction as ailerons and the plane will spin so fast you wont believe it. Let off the sticks and pull easy on the elevator gradually adding throttle. Learn how to spin and then pull out3D variation is a blender.

Blender, be careful be sure you are comfortable pulling out if a diving spin 1st.
Get REALLY high, from level flight push into a dive and add right aileron and a little throttle (GULP!), after about 4-5 rotations give full down elevator and full left rudder at the same time. The plane should go to a flat inverted position and rotating around the prop spinner, As soon as it is flat inverted give it about 3/4 throttle and let the ailerons come to center, still holding full down elevator and rudder, throttle will stablilize the inverted flat spin and slow or even stop your descent. You will probably have to make small aileron corrections to maintain a "FLAT" spin. Once you get tired of the inverted flat spin just let off the rudder and fly out inverted or roll upright and fly out. If you hit it right it looks extremely cool, especially with a good bit of throttle. Just be sure to bail out of it at an altitude that you can get out of trouble at.

Wall,,,, haul butt flat and level and simultaneously give full up and chop the throttle, while trying to hold the plane straight up and down. The plane should go to a vertical attitude and come to a near complete stop like it ran into a "wall". Very cool looking, see the Yak video in the 68" Yak review at the top of the 3D message board.

Very very cool. thanks BigNed. Can you mention any more.

They get more difficult, I am still practicing rolling maneuvers.

Harrier, slow the plane down and gradually add in full high rate elevator( max throws) as the nose comes up and the plane slows start feeding in throttle like an elevator maneuver but continue to add in enough throttle to just hold the nose up with minimal forward motion and no loss of altitude, sortof like pulling a wheelie on a bicycle. If you get it right you should be flying around really slow with the nose up at 15-45degrees. Then you can get really brave,

Rolling Harrier,,,,
While in the harrier position, for example start a right roll at about a 1-1.5 roll/second rate and hold it. This takes HOURS of practice and you have to get your muscle memory working. Try them 1-2 rolls then 3 then 4 and so on.... The trick is this, timing is everything.
As you roll right to knife edge start feeding in left rudder
As you pass through ke let the rudder come back to center and begin feeding in down elevator.
As you pass through inverted to the other knife edge begin feeding in right rudder
As you pass through right ke begin feeding in up elevator. 1.2.3.4.1.2.3.4.1.2.3.4,,,,,, hehehe.
A right rolling harrier will tend to want to also go in a left circle instead of a straight line. Its because you are adding the control inputs slightly early. Its easier to go in a cirlcle than a straight line. I still cannot go in a straight line at all..[8D]

The trick is to hold the nose at a constant attitude like there is an imaginary shaft going into the spinner and out the tail and you are spinning around it. Regardless of what direction you are going in or what attitude the wings are in the fuselage is ALWAYS on the angle you established. It is not easy. I sit in fron of the TV with my transmitter just working on the muscle memory for the sticks for hours sometimes.


Go to 3DBatix.com and check out the videos. Myrick Camilosa has a great video on real flight with the transmitter showing at the bottom of the screen. There are tons of good videos there to give you ideas.

Remember stay at least 3 mistakes high while you are learning, im talking about 150-200ft above the ground!

Have fun!

Mike

Mikes replies are so good. I was wondering if the moderator could make a standing thread on "learning 3D". Anyhow, I sure liked the response.

Thanks,
Larry

Well Im still learning this stuff too. I am no pro by any means but I have the techniques down ok. I was hoping some guys who a really really proficient would chime in. I can do all of the maneuvers mentioned well enough for an 3D pilot to recognize them pretty well, but by no means well enough to win in competition.

Some other things to think about for 3D are throws and CG. The CG should be aft of the recommended cg so that the plane is slightly tailheavy. You will see the biggest effects of a tailheavy plane on landing, the plane will want to float and will not make a standard approach. You will find yourself bringing the plane in really slowly and just sitting on the runway with little rollout. This isnt a problem once you get the hang of it but some planes will want to stall if you let the airspeed get too low without enough power so you have to be really careful and be ready to jam the throttle to max and fly around. I land my u can do in a harrier like attitude. Also with aft CG the plane will want to balloon if you give up elevator once you have set the angle of descent on approach, use the throttle do control descent not so much the elevator.
Throws should be all you can get with a lot of negative expo to soften the centers, mine on my 9C are at about -60 on elevators and rudder and -75 on ailerons. None of these maneuvers will look right if you are short on elevator or rudder throw. i.e. An inverted flat spin in a blender will only work right with at least 45deg of elevator( up and down) and max rudder throw. If you dont have enough down elevator and aft CG the plane will not flatten out but will be somewhat flat with a constant descent due to the nose pointing slightly downward.

Also, power is a huge thing in 3D planes. Elevators and Harriers are cool becuase the plane is essentially on the verge of stalling, but you can get away with this only if you have enough power to bail out in a hurry. You need enough power to just force the plane where you want it to go. You will see this in airplanes while hovering, a good 3D power setup will yank the plane back upright with auhority at 1/2-3/4 if the plane start to fall off. An underpowered plane at full throttle will barely be able to to this or even hold the plane upright in a hover . Im new to electrics so I dont know a lot about power plants but I do know that a 2:1 power to weight ratio is almost a necessity.

Again these are just generalizations, Im just an average 3D flyer trying to perfect my skills. Its not gospel but it will get you started.

try 3drcplanes.com they have some foamies that are some of the easiest to hover,harrier,waterfall,rollingharrier,blenders,fl at spins,backflips around the cg! totally awesome foamies. check out the pictures and some video will be up soon of me torqin in a flood light at 2 in the morning!

oops nevermind, your talking about altitude.

I out together some how to 3D articles on my website. it's www.3dfoamy.com The link is on the left of the mane page called "What is 3D"

How to start, fly, and recover from most of the 3d moves.