Dom_P

Got out to the field today for my first flight with one of the instructors at the club i recently joined. We used one of the club trainers and he set me up with a buddy box.

Started off doing some ovals to the left. After getting the hang of that (and the instructor saving the plane a few times ), he had me start do some turns to the right. I figured well, I was doing OK going left, how hard could going right be?

Interestingly enough, this was much more difficult for me. Not sure this is typical, but it was kinda funny. Took a couple of flights before i could complete a full right oval, and even then, i didn't feel i was as in control as the left turns. More than a couple of times the plane got away from me.

Well fortunately my simulator will show up on Wednesday, and I'll put some work in on the rights .

All in all, it was a blast, and hopefully the weather cooperates next week to get a little more flying time in before it gets too cold.

noveldoc

My Feedback: (2)

Apparently you are getting some torque effect on your right turns.

Might help to put a couple of washers between the rear of the motor mount and the firewall on the left side to give some right thrust.

Tom

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

First thing you do when you get your SIM, set it to "difficult" and put in a light wind with a little wind gust. "Easy" is just going to make it "hard" when you go back to the field.

oldvet70

My Feedback: (10)

Right turns for most people who fly mode 2 are more difficult, this I know from buddy boxing tons of folks. I think it comes from the fact that people 'push' the stick more precisely then they can 'pull' it. We have a club member who is an Olympic gymnastics coach and he says everyone has a direction that there body naturally rotates and that for most right handed people it is to the left and for left handed people it is to the right. Practice will solve the issue for you.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Developing a direction bias is something that most fliers have to one extent or another. Watch people and you will see that some do rolls one way only, or can only land from one direction at their field. Work on it early in your training and avoid bad habits.

jester_s1

It also doesn't make it any easier that you got left turns straight in your mind and then switched. If you completed oval patterns in both directions on your first day of training though, I'd have to say you're a good student. You'll be amazed at how much easier it seems next time out.

Lnewqban

Congratulations on your first flight!

Your eye-hand coordination is non-symmetrical, but an airplane flight path and maneuvers should be symmetrical respect to the pilot.

These things feel difficult because you are developing new habits and connections in your brain, but pretty soon they will become automatic and enjoyable.

Don't please yourself, practice more what seems more difficult, strive for perfection and stay away from developing bad habits.

Listen to your instructor,...........and be kind to him.

wazzbat

Good work Dom.  You are definately ahead of me now!  I can't wait to get some time to get back to my soon-to-be new club.  I just can't find any spare time these days?  You'll be glad you got a sim I think.  How's your build going?

Mk23socom

My Feedback: (7)

First flights are ALWAYSexciting! Great job, sounds like before too long you will be cuttin it up with the best of em. Ihave learned alot from flying the sim when time/weather wouldnt allow me to get up in the air. Crashing is less expensive on the sim.. A great place to practice doing things. Before you know it, you will be doing things like what is pictured here, I honestly didnt think Iwas that low!

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

Now that I think about it, my first 10 or 20 right hand circuits felt weird as hell. I remember saying something to my friend that they where harder than turning left. I got over it, and so will you.

Congrats on your flight!!

Dom_P

Thanks for all the encouragement!

roflmcwaffle

ahh! i just flew my e-flite apprentice for the first time, i've only ever flown an rc plane once before
It was awesome but i came in low for a landing and a crosswind gust flipped my wing over =O
I couldn't react in time and now i have to purchase a new cowl and motor mount...oh well, it was awesome and i feel comfortable flying, i shouldve waited till a day with less wind but i was so stoked i couldnt stop myself from taking her up

wazzbat

Looking good Dom.  Very jealous.  I haven't even started yet.  I've had both the LT-40 and Mid Star 40 sitting there waiiting for me to start now for weeks but I've just been too busy with work and family life lately.   Sometimes I wonder why I am taking up this hobby?  I don't think I'll ever get too much time to fly my planes after I finally get around to building them.  I'm going to give it a good push to try and start either this week or next though.  Mind you I've been saying that for ages now!

I think I will end up getting the 7C.  I don't think the missus will be too happy if I splash out for an 8FG but the way things are going, by the time I buy some radio gear, I could probably afford the 8FG.  Good luck with your training and like I said, you'll love the sim.  If nothing else, they are good fun.  I jump on mine for 5 or 10 mins most nights after my boys go to bed just to keep up the whole hand-eye co-ordination thing going.

Redback

Dom,

The build looks good, but I have to tell you that you have missed a bit at the back[:@]

It's kinda like a half of the bit that you already have at the back of the plane, but sticks up rather than being horizontal.

Research has shown that except for some special cases aircraft don't fly well without one of these

Good Luck

Terry

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

Without the vert stab, it should balance perfectly!!

Nice looking build, bet your going to have fun with it. Scoot

Dom_P

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Sounds like you did a great job on your first day. When I was learning our pattern was from left to right or clockwise, I had a heck of a time trying to keep the plane level on right hand turns but it was the direction I learned first. Then it was much easier to turn left. Most fields I have flown at had the race track pattern so I was in a left hand turn habit myself after I quit flying at my home field. I started forcing myself to make right hand turns every day I flew. Turns out a lot of people that flew at my normal field couldn't take off or land on days the wind would change. At one fun fly event we had two pilots with that problem, I took them across the field to fly from our other boxes, they did just fine after that. I'm still a lot better doing stunts to the left but started forcing myself to fly right hand patterns this year just to get back in the groove.
The Sim will help out a lot!! Good going !!!

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

I can vouch for this as well. I've taught many people to fly who find that turning right is not as natural for them as turning left. I remember going thru the same thing when I rode BMX and motocross, I was much more confindent of my balance turning left than I was turning right. I have forced myself to fly right hand circuits enough that you probably couldn't tell any difference by watching me, but I am still more comfortable doing most manuevers when flying a left hand circuit.

oldvet70

My Feedback: (10)

You know I was just talking to a friend who flies and he says we are all over thinking this. He says the round-d-rounders (NASCAR)only go left so its just how things are. I mean their cars will barely turn right. He recommends watching some open wheel racing for tips on turning both directions.

oldvet70

My Feedback: (10)

hugger-4641


I like your Avatar. Wish I could do an Air AmericaPC-6 flying through ground fire

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hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

Open wheel is ok, but If I had a chance, I'd love to drive a Nascar on a road course like Watkins Glenn!

My avatar was made for me by Sticktickler. Here is a link to his profile, PM him and he might be able to fix you up.

[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/community/profile.cfm?section=profile&forum=1&memid=310346[/link]

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

I wonder if most left handed pilots are more comfortable turning right?
My middle daugther is left handed and she also prefers to turn left, but that could be a result of my training. ??

corch

My Feedback: (1)

I fly mode 1 and the turns to the right or the left have never bothered me.  However, the mode 2 flyers at our club seem to have a more difficult time with a pattern that dictates right turns.

Congrats on your first flights.  Expect to see you soon in the...."My name is Dom P., and I'm an RC addict" thread:P

Luchnia

My Feedback: (21)

Good points. I struggled with right hand turns, but now I can do pretty well with them. What I did was take some small red cones out to the airstrip and put them and both ends so I could line up well each time. I would practice right-hand circuits over and over and over again with approaching at best two - four wingspans from centerline as if doing a landing approach. When I was off centerline I would make sure I corrected mostly with rudder.

I went out just this past weekend and did a bunch of right-hand circuits to force myself to refine those right-hand turns. I think so much has to do with the downwind leg just before you start your turn and then how smooth your turn(s) are before approach.

All the right-hand turn practice has made it so much easier now and I am even practicing different types of approaches from the right side - experimenting with speed, altitude, attitude, etc. I had spent quite a bit of time practicing right turns one day that when I went to do a left-hand circuit it was almost as if it was a new manever to me. I must admit it was very strange!

Nothing beats good practice and forcing yourself to achieve goals with RC flying.