Well I've finshed my Ultra Stick Lite(read post in ARF Forum) And have been breaking in the enigne. THe time is near for the maiden. I've been flying my trainer about 8 months and toss it around well. No bounces on landing. It's hard to find someone to maiden it for me and it looks like it'll fly easy. Do you guys think I should fly it myself?

Yup- I do! If you can thow around the trainer, and the Stick is set-up properly you should have no problems---

The ultra stick is not difficult compared to a trainer, just remember you can go easy on control throws and throttle, and start with a conservative CG

Ultra Stick's fly nice and easy at least the ones I've seen at the club.
If you have been flying good for 8 months I would think you should
do good on the maiden.. Just make sure all is set correctly with the
transmitter trims at it's center position and all surfaces moving in the
right direction... But it's good to have someone with you to help with
the trim and or watch the plane so you could do it, just incase it's way
off... Good luck and let us know how it goes

That's a tough one... maidening a plane is tough if you've never done it before. It's best if you at least have someone else there to adjust the trims for you while you try to keep it in the air.

I've had very experienced guys maiden & trim out pretty much every plane I've built so far, especially the SPADs. I've retrimmed a couple of my planes after some major modifications since then, and it can get pretty rough trying to keep control and adjust your trims yourself. It can be done, but it may be an unecessary risk to your plane.

I don't have a problem trimming the plane out, I just hope it's not to difficult to fly. My trainer constantly needs re trimming. Me and a buddy have a system where while one actually flies the plane he tells the othe the trims it needs and the other reaches over and sets the trims. It works well.. Maybe we'll do that but I want to make sure it wont be to hard to fly

I started with a avistar which i learned how to fly by myself and six months later i maiden flew my 60 ultra stick, one mistake i made was i was eager to fly it and tried to fly in about 20 mph winds and the second was i balanced it with just my fingers and it was tail heavy, which made me stall when i tried to land. just two suggestions one don't do what i did wrong and two it only requires 1/3 to 1/2 throttle to fly and it will be very floaty just like a trainer and have someone to help with the trims.

I had a good flyer once tell me that I should always let another fly the maiden flight in part to eliminate the anxiety that one feels when something he has constructed in put to the ultimate test. I have followed that and found it to be true, however I have also found that my anxiety is now less at first flight and I can do the maidens myself. If in doubt go with the noninvolved other flier. Be sure he is a know quantity and not just another wannabe.

Another experienced flyer certainly takes the emotional aspect out of the first flight. I prefer to have someone else make the first flight. Emotions sometimes get in the way of good judgment. Also another pair of experienced eyes will sometimes see problems before the flight that the builder has overlooked.

That is something you will never forget and something you will look forward to again
You should allways fly your own plane for the first time that way if something happens
you know who to blame ,,,,, happy moter'n

You probably won't have too much trouble... start off easy on the throws and remember the expo. I use an Airtronics radio, so when it came to to programming the radio for the Ultrastick, I skipped the sections for JR etc radios... big mistake! The manual lists the recomended throws in one place, but recomendations for expo settings are buried in the programming sections for each radio. So, I had no expo set up...my maiden flight was a little nerve wracking until I got the hang of it. Once I got it down, I went back into the manual and reread the WHOLE thing... there in the back were recomended expo settings...what a difference they made!

I'd suggest getting a more experienced pilot to at least stand behind you... an extra pair of hands on the trims might be handy!

Good luck!

Ice, if you are comfortable flying an out of trim plane, go for it. Tripple check everything before take off. Do a range check. Use low rates. She will be up in the air at less than 1/2 throttle. Here is the only hard part - it may be out of trim. Fly the correction with the sticks, no need to get excited. Be smooth and go for some altitude. Throttle back to about 1/4. Set the trims as needed. From altitude, at 1/4 throttle you have plenty of time to do any adjustments needed and if it starts getting a little hairy, fly the correction again and gain back any altitude lost.

Fly it around for a bit at say above 100 ft. Bring it back to idle and get a feel for its great slow speed flight. Throw in a few loops and rolls and try a few imaginary landings with the runway about 25 ft. in the air.

I think you will like it.

Ed M.

You sound like you know airplanes----------You should be the first one to fly YOUR airplane not some so called instructors, lots of talkers out there, perhaps have a good pilot friend of yours stand by your side, take the risk, you built it fly it. good luck you'll do just fine. A fellow Rc'er Joe

Decisions, decisions...hmmm. If I were you, I would fly the maiden myself. You will surprise yourself, AND it will be a big boost to your confidence. You will always do it after that. You know you CAN do it, and in fact, already have many times. The Stick as long as it is set up correctly, will fly great....you will probably wonder why you waited this long!

Have fun, and let us know how it goes.

Jim C

You can do it! I flew my trainer for about 2 months and then went to the US60. It flies much better than my trainer did (more point it where you want to go than a trainer).

Just remember to keep the control throws down and add some expo as it has been said ad nausem. Also, TAKE YOUR TIME. Do not be in ANY rush! Perhaps warm up with a flight or two on your trainer. If the plane is built remotely correctly, it will not be going anywhere too far so that you can not correct it. Just take your time and relax... you'll be fine!

I'll chime in here too. Maiden it yourself. Not remotely as hard as it looks, and you'll get a feeling of accomplishment that will remain with you the whole day. I would add, though, that once you get the airplane trimmed out, try some stalls and slow flight HIGH!
I've maidened every plane I assembled except for the first two, and I always get someone to come and stand by me to help with the trims and give advice.

Andy

Sooner or later you have to maiden your own stuff. The learning curve is good for you. Just think everything thru before you do it. Good pre-flight checks will catch almost anything that could cause problems. Be careful and you will be OK.

Thanks guys! I thinkk I've made up my mind to maiden it. I'd imagin It'll be like my trainer at first. On my maiden I took it up really high and flew around at a mild speed. Then once I thought well I might as well have some fun with it, so I busted out some loops, rolls, stalls, snaps ect. It might be a couple more weeks before I'm completely comfortable around the plane. It has a 1.40 swingin an 18 in. prop and I'm 15 and only 130 pounds so it would eat me alive! So I'm still getting comfortable up close to it, but once I am and the weathers good I'll let you know how it goes. Any other tips?

Ice! It's great to see some younger ones in the hobby! I'm 38 and just got into this hobby last year in May. I have flown 5 different planes by now and bought my first low wing ARF a couple months ago. Goldberg Tiger 60. After completion, I hauled that thing around in my truck to the field every time and never maidened her because, just like you, noone was at the field with the experience I thought I needed just in case. Finally, one day, me, my brother and my dad (all with the same amount of experience) was at the field alone and I took her out and took her up. It was a breeze, and actually required NO trim at all. It was amazing. That probably won't happen again in a million years. Anyway, the point to my story is, I should have put her in the air long before I did. You have the experience needed to maiden a stick. You'll find them great flying planes and will slow to speeds your trainer will slow to. Go for it and let us know how it goes!

Good luck Ice Man! I did the same thing last week on a GP Big Stick. Liek others have said, makse sure you've got your rates on the low side and don't forget to throttle back once you're airborne.

I'd sugest having another pilot look over your plane with you as well just to make sure you haven't missed anything obvious. It's easy to miss something when you've been close to a build.

Oh yeah, don't forget to breathe.

Twister, the Tiger 60 Is a great flying plane! I've inherited a new one here recently but I'm trying to get rid of it, as It would cost to muc for me to buy a new engine and radio gear, I dunno maybe at the swap meet feb. 12th I'll find somthing.

Eagle, thanks for the tip, I'll certainly do it! I normally triple or quadruple do checks even as I'm taxiing out.

Here's pic of my trainer and a freinds Tiger 60. The engine and radio gear in the tiger were sold and I was left with the plane. The trainer formerly had a St-51 but after my dad showed interest in R/c and then crashed the trainer I decided I would rebuild it and give it to him for christmas. Part of the prob was the St had way to much power so Keepiru sent us a O.S. 46 Sf. Thanks Keep,

Ice, Hobbypeople has a magnum 91 on sale for I think 149. That would go nicely in the tiger 60! Radio gear is just standard gear. Pull the stuff from your trainer if you like!

Twistr, I thought about doing that but I'm picky with my engines.. For 2 strokes I like Super Tigre, 4 strokes I like SAITO. No one around here has had any luck with the magnums.. That kinda scared me away.

ICE,

Maiden it your self. You built it, you should be the first to fly it. Think about how you'll feel if some else crashes it <g>.

If the US is your 1st tail-dragger, just be aware it's a bit trickier. Hold some up elevator at the beginning of the take-off run, gradually release it as you build speed. Watch the tail wheel - when it comes off the ground, give it a little up - and there you go.

When I first read the beginning post I was going to suggest letting someone help you along because of the wing difference . But then you showed me the low wing trainer and I thought hmmmmmmmm I haven't even flown a low wing yet.

I'm working on a DEB spad that has a high wing without dihedral. I'm going to order my low wing probably a composite or the Global Tequilla sunrise with in a week or so..... How ever I feel you should know how to trim your plane while flying by now . I have to do this almost every time I fly my trainer. So I suggest you let some one trim it out for you being that this plane is huge and then have them teach you how to trim it when its in the air.

Good luck I was going to buy this plane but I think its to much to handle for 9 months experience.