ok I thought take offs and landings would be straight up maneuvers bu they are not for me any ways. could some one help me out with some tips or a wrote out description of what your supposed to do to land?? basically all im asking is how do you do it??

Those are probably the hardest parts of learning to fly... especially the landings. Find an experienced guy to buddy-box with you and teach you.. different planes have different landing characteristics, and different air fields will require different landing approaches.

on the wheels

Seriously, there is really no way anyone can teach you how to land over the internet. You need some help from an instructor, or you're going to be speding a lot of unnecessary money.

go to this site it has a lot piloting tips and landing approach patterns and many other things a beginner should read but, keep in mind you should get an instructor to help you
http://www.dynmodel.com/sig/023.htm

here is a way to learn how to land, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE AND MORE PRACTICE, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

There are two basic landing approaches. The [link=http://www.masportaviator.com/ah.asp?CatID=8&ID=20]Standard Approach[/link] and the [link=http://www.masportaviator.com/ah.asp?CatID=8&ID=32]Great Circle[/link] version. Those links give pretty good advice on landing approaches, but really, get an instructor. That's the best way to learn how to land without destroying your plane and getting a SAD patch.

i love that patch. i think i need to get me a couple can you acually buy those somewhere?

You sure can. Right here: http://www.modelaircraft.org/site/pr...86F4803CC104A6

thanks, that was what I was looking for. but im still in the dark on a few things. when landing should I avoid banking? how do you adjust the decent? I read in an article (fly rc magazine) that all stalls are linked to the elevator, is the airplane in a slow stall when desending the last couple feet over the runway.

Yes, banking (with ailerons) can lead to problems when landing. You can do it, but the best way to maintain heading on approach is with rudder, not ailerons.

Also, rate of descent is controlled with throttle. The elevator is only to be used to maintain the proper AOA (angle of attack) on approach. If you're too low, add throttle and your glide slope lengthens, if you're too high decrease throttle and your glide slope shortens.

Over do it either way, and you go around. Don't force a landing unless you're out of fuel.

Actually, at the bottom of the first page of the first article I linked to it says: "The pilot has 150 feet of straight flight to achieve the proper descent attitude. Usually, the fuselage is just slightly pointing downwards in most trainers. If the plane is at the proper attitude, but is descending faster than you would wish, add a notch or two of throttle. Do not raise the nose. Always remember, at any approach airspeed, throttle controls descent rate, elevators control airspeed. Raising the nose will only slow the airplane’s speed due to increased drag and then the plane will descend MUCH FASTER. In fact, it may stall and then really descend faster." (emphasis added)

And technically, landing is a stall. Inches above the ground, you stall your plane (called 'flaring' the plane) so it quits flying and hits the ground (hopefully softly) which is called a landing.

I'm liking posting all this info. I'm a beginner myself, but I've studied landings and the concepts involved well enough that I think I can actually be helpful here.

thank you kiswa,
I am thinking we should put this info together into a pamplet for the nembies to read before there first flight on the buddy box. that way they know what they are getting into and have guidliness on what not to do in a flight. some times instructors can forget to mention stuff like explaining the landing maneuver on the ground before makeing the student go and do it.

Guys,
I was in the millitary as an aviation mechanic. the base they taught me all the mechanic stuff was the same one they teach there pilots how to fly. they spend a lot of time going over the maneuvers in class rooms before ever being allowed near an aircraft. this stuff is teachable in a class room, its not witch craft its accually science! basically they go over every maneuver and what the instruments should read throu ought the maneuver and what input comand thro what control devise to do the maneuver its very well reaserched. we should be able to come up with a 1 or 2 page pamplet that goes over how to take the airplane off the ground, do turns, and land again. that should get them started with a confidence boost.

That's not a bad idea. However, the main reason it seems most people want to self-teach is because they don't want the delays involved with going where they need to go to get training. That means they're not likely to do like I did. Which was to research everything I could about flying RC planes (spending many hours learning basic maneuvers and whatnot) before I went and got some instruction.

I personally think you can't beat having an instructor. Their main purpose (besides teaching you the skills you need) is to save your plane when you screw something up. Admittedly, my instructor didn't have to do more than two saves for me during my training (probably because I studied and practiced on my computer first), but it was nice to have him there those two times!

Something else I just thought of:

When you're making the base turn to final, don't turn until the model is in line with your shoulder. Now, this is assuming your body is perpendicular to the runway, and you're at the pilot's line. If you wait for that final turn until the model is in line with your shoulder, you will be surprised at how well lined up on the runway it is, decreasing the need for correction on final approach.

At least, that's what I was told, and it's worked very well for me. After you do it a few times, you don't even think about when you being the base turn to final.

Yes I was thinking that too. if it was a one page deal that was easy to read and understand then they might accually listen to it rather than throw it to the side while running out to the nearest field to fly.
One of the reasons I was wanting this is because I (along with the other newbies) was told it was landing day. they took our planes up in the air and told us "do some circuts and then land" then they went back to the pits sat in a chair and siped on a beer. I was more than a little peeved. the only instruction we got was "into the wind and on your wheels".

sipped beer. THAT'S MY JOB Seriously, I hope you're not in for buying another plane for lack of your "instructor" actually being an instructor. This guy doesn't by chance own the lhs does he?

that was one of my tips. when landing try to fly the plane straight at you out of the bank.

nope he does not, but he and some one else has been talking about opening up a small one though. I don't think it will last though.

My point was; with "instruction" like that I thought maybe he was wanting to sell some planes.(ie. owns a lhs) That seems like VERY poor instructing to me. I was taught by a guy who had me landing and not even knowing it. He had me on the box and I practiced many approaches and went around several times and then he told me to back off the throttle a click at atime till it touched down and I didn't even realize I was gonna land that time. That approach they are taking wiht you seem very irresposible. That is, however just MY opinion

they are lacking a little in the instruction department.

I would like to say that it's hard to believe instructors would do something like that ----- but I'm sorry to say I know a few idiots like that. It's a shame as it really hurts the instructors that REALLY try their best. ENJOY !!! RED

Sarges --- I just thought of something that I used to suggest to my students that might give you some help, and it's free. Go out to your local airport ( small planes prefered ) and just sit and watch and listen to the planes taking off and landing.. Watch how they taxi and prepare for take off then watch the whole TO including their first turn and how they go around to line up for landing. Then pay attention to every aspect of their landing. I think you will be surprised how much you can learn by just watching and paying attention. I like that idea of paying attention instead of paying $$$$$$$$$$. ENJOY !!!! RED

Try this
Always point the ant. of your radio away from your plane and look over your shoulder at the plane and you always have forward control.A lot of people don't advise this but it will work till you get used to the control and how they work. Slow even movement of controls is the best way to fly Fast jerky movements gets you into problems you can not recover from[:@][&:]
And as every one else has said GET an instructor or do a lot of dry runs over the runway 100 ' UP, and never be afraid of going around

sorry double post

You've been given the basics. Land into the wind. Throttle controls altitude. Practice lots of race track pattern turns upwind over the runway and downwind farther away in front of you. Practice steering with the rudder. The ability to hold altitude in a slow turn with the combination of rudder and aileron is the mark of a skilled pilot. That one only comes with practice, practice, practice. Bring it down lower each downwind leg and practice slowing it down to get a feel for the speed it just holds altitude at. When you turn back into the wind remember it will drop from the turn AND from the added resistance of the wind. An the last go-round you want to be slow enough that you need just a bit of up elevator to hold altitude. Line up as far out as possible. You want to be about 15 feet high at the beginning of the runway (inside the tree-line, of course). Throttle back on your final and keep her level (any banking costs you altitude). As it slows you will add a bit of up elevator to bring it in gradually. Some trainers float forever. Resist the urge to drop the nose with down elevator. That leads to a bouncy landing. You want the mains to touch before the nose gear (or tail wheel). As soon as it's on the ground forget the ailerons and use thr rudder to steer.

Turn off the plane, turn off the x-mitter. Pat yourself on the back, sit down and relax a bit. Let the whimmies pass. Then refuel and do it atain!

When you get the feel of the plane you can run out of altitued, speed and up elevator all at about the same time right in front of you.

As your skills and coordination/reflexes get trained you can fly it in a bit faster. "Greasing" in a smooth landing is the most satisfying maneuver there is.