I understand its aerobatics and stuff, but what seperates a 3D plane from any other plane that can perform these manuevers?

From the RCU Glossary:
The biggest difference between 3D flying and other aerobatics is that all maneuvers done in 3D flying are performed with the wing in a stall, meaning that the wing is producing NO lift at all. All the lift will be produced by the engine, and all force corrections are done by the control surfaces. So with this in mind the biggest differences between a 3D plane and a "regular" plane is that the 3D plane will have a big powerful engine and large control surfaces that are capable of extreme throws (45° or larger). With the big control surfaces high output servos are usually required too. There are other differences but these are the biggest things that set apart a 3D plane.

Ken

Also, 3D planes are very light.

Really easy to fly too.

This is 3D flying. Well two of my favorites anyway. I recently started flying one of tthe katanas in the first video.

http://www.dodvideos.com/Aerofun/videos/katana70.wmv
http://www.ultrarc.com/videos/Giles202UL.wmv

Learning to 3D is very hard on airplanes. I recommend foam for practice. You will wad-up several planes, but it's soooo worth it. I'm in the beginning stages of 3D and beginning IMAC....man I love this hobby!

I CAN STOP ANY TIME I WANT!!

that explains it ... thanks guys

that video is amazing ...

Wad up several planes? hell no. Practice on the sim, get a foamie, then get a 29%+. This is my route to 3d flying. Its more muscle memory and quick reactions than anything.

If you dont want a sim, just practice high up, and slowly bring her down. I am no 3d expert yet, but everytime I go flying, I get the manuevers lower and lower. Good fun.

Flying is flying, 3d is just a flashier term rc folks use for flying on the prop and not the wing there really is no such thing, in the real world it's called stalled flight and only a few high powered jet fighters have the thrust to do it others if they can't recover crash. weight really isn't an issue as long as the thrust exceeds the weight of the plane sufficiently to maintain stalled flight
a plane only stops flying when it hits the ground either on its wheel or other parts of the structure

Although I share Skiman762's disdain for 3-D I appreciate that some pilots enjoy it. I fly in three dimensions, too, but I stick to the Aresti maneuvers. [link=http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling/aerobatics/aresti.htm]Aresti Diagrams[/link] To each his own. We designate an area off to one side of the field for those fliers as nothing meses up the designated approach pattern so much as having a bunch of wannabe helicopters hanging on their props in the middle of the runway. Spins, flat spins, inverted flat spins all call for a stalled wing, so who are we to judge if someone doesn't want to use the ones on their plane? Some like classical music and some like rap. The key is to find what you like and be happy.

I have planes that will hang on their props, but never saw much sense in prolonging it at ground level. I can do that by looping my wheels over a clothesline and not need to waste fuel on it.

Have you noticed that some helicopter pilots try to fly like fixed wing planes and some fixed wing planes try to fly like helicopters? They should just trade.

Ken

I didn't know there was such a debate. I can undertand it. I'm sure there are people who like flying their planes to the limits just as a real plane would fly .... AND people who like taking a model and pushing it beyond

I see both sides ....

I personally see it as one or more pilots closing down the flying field and keeping others from flying the traffic pattern while they sit their and hang from the prop right in the middle of the runway. Our field rules are against this in that if a plane is flying the pattern and over the runway and nails one of these, Mr. 3d is at fault. They can do this stuff further out away from the runway but most choose not to and do it right in front of your face.

Now whether or not who gets a new plane out of it, the pilot who hit him owes him nothing.

While I have the graphics on my plane, I actually had a great deal of respect for all types of flying. Just because I don't do a particular type of flying doesn't mean others don't enjoy it. I personally think there is room in the hobby for all types of flying.

BTW, the graphics on my plane were a little playful kidding between myself and some of the other pilots at my field!!

Ken

I totally agree on this. We have helicopter pilots that like to fly over the runway at our field, but they usually move out of the way when a plane goes up. There should be no reason why the runway should be blocked for airplane's taking off and landing. Helicopters and 3d hovering can be done elsewhere, the planes can't land someplace else though.

Ken

Here's a few pictures of 3D flying...

Thanks
Barry

Yes. And hopefully they are over a safe zone when they get beyond the limits of the mounting tubes in their sheathed foam wing and they tear out. Most "3-D" I've observed involves jamming the largest engine possible on a firewall. No other limits are pushed. Pushing the sticks hard and fast at full throttle is like having sex with a bench grinder.

ANY model can be pushed beyond it's limits. And eventually they will all fail at some level. Do some of those maneuvers on a model with control surfaces only 10% of the wing area and 1/2 of your plane's weight in engine thrust. We'll see who can fly well vs. who can buy well.

RCKen

Where can I get these decals (graphics ) We have the same fun with heil people & wow wow.

Thanks [email protected]

Jerry,
PM me about it.

Ken

Ok... I know this is an older thread but since I couldn't search for a short term like 4D I figured I could ask in here...

I know what 3d is but how about this 4D? Is that the same as 3d but where the flier manipulates time LOL... Seriously, what is it?

4D I believe means the prop pitch can be reversed so the plane can go backwards as well. A lot of the indoor foamies do it.

Edit: durned shpelling

Pete is correct.

Or it could mean flying while manipulating the time/space Continuum.

Ken: Where do I get one of those decals? I love it!!!

Dick.