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Old 12-13-2008 | 09:30 AM
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From: FrederickMD
Default RE: Asking for trouble (Flying solo)

You didn't mention where you're going to fly. In a previous thread you had said you were going to use a local football field. I hope you have at least changed that part of your plan and found a more open space to fly. You're going to need it. Here is what is going to happen:

You'll get the plane rolling over the ground and ease up the throttle to full speed. Now you'll probably over control the rudder and the plane will gyrate wildly, and probably nose over. If you don't break the prop:

You'll restart the engine and try again, trying to avoid overcontrolling the rudder. The plane is going to veer to the left, but you'll keep it from gyrating by just letting it roll. Now as the plane gains speed, it will gain lift. One of three things will happen:

1: The plane will try to lift its nose and take off and keep pulling the nose up because you're elevator trim is off.

2: The plane will try to lift its nose and start rolling either left or right because your aileron trim and elevator trim are both off.

3: You'll pull back the elevator too hard and the plane will stall.

An experienced pilot reacts to any of these situations calmly, enters just enough correction to get the plane up to altitude, and continues to correct while the trims are adjusted.

The newbie pilot, suffering from the adrenaline rush and fear of crashing their plane that they've fallen in love with doesn't know which inputs to enter, and ends up crashing the plane.

There's about a 10% chance (yes I know I'm being overly optimistic) the plane is properly trimmed from the get-go.

You're experience with the small foamies may or may not help, depending on which planes you've flown.

Good luck. I hope you succeed. But if you don't, remember we advised you against it.

Cost benefit analysis: 4 hour drive to get to a club for lessons: $75 for gas round trip.
Motel room for overnight stay: $100.
Cost of new plane: $300

By my math, I'd make the trip.

Having said that, I'll tell you that I tried to do exactly what you're trying to do (small park flyer, sim-time, then glow powered plane). When I took it to a local park to fly, I was confident. But once the plane was in the air, it was a totally different feel. The plane reacted so much quicker than the foamies, the control feel was completely different than the sim, and my first flight lasted about 30 seconds. AFter that, I got lessons. It only took me three lessons, about 2 hours each before my instructor would let me solo. But he spent about 4 hours of lessons just holding the trainer switch.

Brad