Feel free to say what you want. I'm not easily offended and I listen to all information from beginners and experts alike.


I have put helicopter flying on back burning and have gone back into airplanes recently with the goal of learning precision 3D. I don't know anyone at my field that knows anything about 3D, so I'm turning to RCU, the place where I get 80% of my RC information. I'm wanting to learn the basics to setup a sturdy foundation for fixed wing 3D flight. I'm wanting to do harriers, blenders, elevators, rolling circles, spins, stalls, lomcevecs, parachutes, waterfalls, and TRs. I am in no way interested in pattern flight, I'm wanting to do all those graceful show stoppers... not just stick bashing and throwing the plane around. I would like to learn it all on my 1/4 scale Sig Cap if I can to save money. I can afford something like a SPA3D, but this CAP is my only bird at the moment and I plan on keeping it that way for a while... I'm not a fan of keeping 10 planes in the hanger. My philosophy is if you've got it, use it. (well that and I have a bit of a problem with hanger rash ).

Here's my skill level:

I can get out of just about any bad situation, I flew my 3D Freedom without expo on 120% of recommended high rates quite comfortably, I can also fly with very low rates (I use the full stick when needed), I am trying to work on my flat spin, I can hover the 3D freedom for about 5 seconds up high, flying low and slow is comfortable, flying inverted is a bit nerving for me, but I know how to use the rudder both inverted and up-rite (thanks to helis), my throttle use is also good (again, thanks to helis), and I have never done knife edge or slow rolls.

Here's my current equipment:

I have a Sig 1/4 scale CAP with an RCS 1.40 that I am now finishing up with the hope of doing 3D with it. I will have 3 Futaba 9252 digital servos (scavenged off my heli ) on the tail (1 on rudder with pull/pull, and 1 on each elevator) and I have two 78 oz.in 0.21 analog servos on the ailerons. I have the tail setup to be able to do very aggressive 3D throws... something like 60° each way on rudder and elevator. Finished weight with the RCS 1.40 will be around 11-11.5 pounds. I'm sure I'll be needing more power to do true 3d, but for now I'll be happy with being able to pull out of a hover. Later I plan on putting in a big 2 stroke. I've been eying the OS 1.60, Moki 1.35, Moki 1.80, and the MVVS 3099 1.44 Twin for when I move into heavier 3D.

The equipment you have will be fine. Set up will be important not only in the throws but also in the radio. If you have 45 degrees in both directions it will be enough. Using more can cause the airflow not to vector over the surface but have it function as a brakethen dial 35% expo on the ailerons and elevators and possibly a little more for the rudder.

Work on flying inverted and knife edge. Keep a little altitude until comfortable. Make all manuvers in both directions. Practice flying very slow (upright / inverted / knife edge) and roll in both directions. You will not have time to think through manuvers you must react to the attitude of the plane. The rolling circle is actually a sequence manuver however if you do a rolling harrier it becomes a 3D one.

Get a 3D video for more information. Jason Shulman and Frank Noll, Jr. both have one that are valuable. The Horizon site has archives of information on many maneuvers.

Enjoy!


EXCAP232

Very important you learn knife edge and inverted. You really have to be comfortable with these to get on with 3D. And remember to practise knife edge with the belly towards you.

eg One reason for this is for practising hovering and torque rolling. These are easy to do, but very difficult to do well (ie for more than a couple of seconds). You will "fall out" continually, and the plane will fall out in any direction and atitude. When if falls out coming directly at you inverted, you need to know how to react instinctively.

I learnt to do rolling circles on my flight simulator first, to get in my head the order and orientation of the control inputs. Now practising on my plane. To improve my contol and orientation, I am flying control line circles and figure eights both up right and inverted (rudder primary control, elevator and ailerons to maintain level flight) and knife edge circles and figure eights on both left and right side (elevator primary control, rudder and ailerons to maintain level flight).

At the moment I dont have a plane suitable for 3D, doing the above with my GP Extra 40. Should have my 2 new 3D machines up and running shortly (GP Cap 232, and Capiche 50)

Here's another piece of advice. Learn to harrier before you learn to hover. When your plane falls out of the hover you won't have to go from 0 airspeed all the way to flying on the wing to recover. Things would have been easier for me if someone had told me that. I learned to hover first. I could hover for nearly a year before I felt that I was actually getting anywhere with 3D. I finally felt like I was getting things figured out when I got harriers down.

Work on upright and inverted harriers and high alpha knife edge. When you can control the plane in any attitude at any speed from full to zero you'll be way ahead of the guys who can only fly around and pop into a hover, then fly away again when it falls apart.

consider getting a plane that is easy to 3-D such as a profile. The aeroworks extra profile is about the best I know of. Would make a great combo with the 140 and could be sold off easily after your through with it.