Hello all!

I have been flying planes for some time now and I have the desire to fly 3D. I realize there is no substitute for practice. As there is no one in my area that flies 3D. Can anyone recommend a logical progression of manuvers to practice? I think that if I have a goal of something to work on each time I fly I will progress faster than if i just go and throw my plane in the air. Thank you for all of your help in advance.



~dvm7461

I found a site that you might be interested in. Troybiltmodels.com. Go to their listing of aerobatic planes and to the left of that page is a menu. Go to "how to be an awesome pilot." Their are tips on how to practice maneuvers. Information on how to do basic pattern maneuvers to 3d moves. Hope that helps!

We actually have one right here in the 3D forum as a sticky right at the top

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4459958/tm.htm

Mike East and myself along with several members of RCU put this together last year and there is some really good info in it. Grab your favorite beverage and have at it. It even has videos to show you how they look and good discussions on different ways to enter a particular maneuver.

I think one of the best maneuvers to practice to quickly get up to 3D speed is the high alpha knife edge. Keep practicing them until you get them right. Do them in both directions and with the belly towards you and away from you. When you can control the KE the length of your runway in either direction or either orintation, you'll do much better at hover and waterfall, blender, etc. It teaches you how to control the rudder. That's the most important deflection in 3D. It'll help with all your flyig.

Sit back, practice and enjoy the time. Be patient and don't try to go too fast. You'll get there and you'll have fun doing it. My favorite maneuver is the inverted rising flat spin. COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. Trouble is only a very few planes will do it. U-Can-Do is one of the best. Mayhem is there also. Twist will do it and maybe a few others.

Good luck.

thanks
Barry

Barry,

I can get my Gp Da50 powered Cap 232 to do rising inverted spins as well as my 33% WH Edge and I've seen my 86" QQ Yak stop descending and just spin around it's CG. If I add power past that it will flop out, but it's cool to see it just set there going around in circles and not loosing or gaining anything, it is kinda mesmerizing to watch [&:]

And to add to your KE thing, once he's comfortable with that then do KE patterns around the field.

Bubba...

I couldn't do a rising spin with my CAP. But I had the EVO 45 on it. I don't think it makes quite as much power as the DA. It would spin good though.

My QQ, with DA50 does a nice spin also. I can't quite get it to stop. But it descends very, VERY slowly. I love that plane and the way it flys. It's best maneuver, I think, is the High Alpha KE. I've flown the QQ more than any other plane I've owned. It's fun. Weak landing gear and all.

THanks
Barry

Barry,

try this on the QQ, get it turning with the rudder and start adding power and opposite aileron at the same time, but add the aileron a little faster, at one point you will see the plane start really slowing down in the vertical and add just a touch more power but come off the ailerons ever so slightly. You will find the spot, but it takes a bit to get it. It is somewhat hard to find, too much power at full aileron deflection will cause it to drop off to one side. I also found that it's easier without the SFG's on. I rarely use them anyway because they slow up roll rates quite a bit.

Also, mine is all but the recommended stuff except the main gear is Graphtec and since I had an older 3W (Pefa) canister that has the exact same measurements at the MTW 75 I used it. Pefa cans are known to increase power pretty good. I'm turning a 23x8 PT models prop at 7000 even and this engine is just over 10 gallons. I just stuffed a 21x11.5 Mezjlik 3-blade on it but have not got a full flight with it yet. I found the stopper in the stock tank was allowing air to enter along the carb line thus giving me bubbles thus causing a dead stick as soon as I would pull vertical, not a fun time when this happens on takeoff. I just replaced the tank with the one from my GP Ultimate and no more bubbles. I did not tach the new prop yet. I am also just on the front side of the CG. I found the 188mm setting to be very neutral if not slightly tail heavy and not to my liking. this thing does not need to be tail heavy at all

Now the weather bites and will be that way the rest of the week and I really want to try the new prop