I do have a question - When I "Hopped" and ended up taking off - I didn't give it any elevator input till I had some pretty good speed up - When taking off should I keep my elevator pitched at all or should I just let the plane take off on it's own - I'm not sure it would of if I hadn't given it some elevator - Actually - I'm pretty sure it wouldn't of - I'm wondering in my head if I should give it 3/4 to full stick elevator while taking off - A: Would that work? - B: Where should I have my elevator?

If it`s the plane maiden, you won`t know till the plane has been flown and trimmed out. After the maiden, see how it handles on take off then.

Get up some ground speed. It won't take long with a trainer. After you have ample ground speed, then pull SOME elevator-definitely not all. Just a tad will do, and you'll see the plane begin to rotate. Keep it here and allow it to gain airspeed after the wheels break free of the ground. Once off the ground, it will gain speed rather quickly, providing you aren't trying to climb out too steep. Once you have ample airspeed (a couple of seconds of a gentle climb out), you can get more aggressive with the pitch. Get it to altitude, and then pull the throttle back to about 1/2 ro 5/8 or so. Fly it there until you are ready to land. Remember--throttle controls altitude. You won't realize this unless you trim it to fly straight and level at 1/2 throttle. Most people that don't understand this simple fact have their planes trimmed to fly S/L at WOT. Trim it at 1/2 throttle and then add throttle without touching the elevator--the plane will climb. Now, reduce throttle without touching the elevator--the plane will descend. Elevator controls pitch attitude. If you reduce throttle, the plane will descend--either nose down or level, the attitude depends upon the elevator input.
WHen you are ready to land, break it down into three parts--the downwind leg, the base leg, and the final leg.
Fly downwind--past the runway, with reduced throttle--less than 1/2. How far depends upon a lot of factors--you'll need to figure that out yourself.
THen, turn the plane perpendicular to the runway and fly the base leg--reducing throttle and decending all along. Once you are about even with the runway extended, then turn the plane parallel with the runway and enter the final leg of the approach. Now, reduce the throttle to about 1/4 or less, and allow it to start really decending toward the runway. Once you are over the runway, and are about 5 feet or so above the ground, then chop the throttle to idle and let it settle right in.
Having said all of that, you can pretty much chop the throttle on a trainer much sooner. In fact, you probably should to keep it from floating past the runway. YOu probably won't get anyone to come out and help you fly in a neighborhood, since AMA would probably have a hard time paying any claims if you hit a house or person or car. You can still join AMA for insurance, just make sure you are following the rules if you expect them to pay claims--i.e. establish a flight line, and have some safety fences (however temporary), and things like that. Post your rules (again, however temporary). You don't technically have to be at a field for AMA insurance to cover you, but there are rules that have to be followed before they will cover you. Homeowners will also cover some liability. Just remember, no matter how good of a pilot you are, you are still at the mercy of a RF link--which is (in the grand scheme of things) a very fragile thing.

Thanks Grandad! I think that advise was very good! I'm glad you said all of that! As far as the houses and people - don't worry about that part - this particular field is HUGE! If you ever heard of Hurrican Charlie a couple years back in SW Florida - This lot is where they brought every tree in Cape Coral to be shred into mulch - and they gave the mulch away for ffree - There's STILL tons of mulch there it's so big! The RF Link - I feel very confident in my Spektrum - yet I do know that something as simple as a low battery, a faulty connection point or anything like that can do me in. OK - well - I guess my revised flight plan includes Take-Off - I think I can handle that part, then trim it in the air to level flight at 1/2 throttle. Following that I will practise approaches again and again and again - I may get a big roll of something to use as a runway out there to avoid having to go from the road into the field - that'd be a long walk! Well - I'm goin to bed! THANKS AGAIN! Now if I could just get that motor to run right - having idle issues there - it's a used OS 46FX, I'm not sure how good it is ...

I have another question somewhat off topic...

I have a very much new Thunder Tiger 50 Pro Heli Engine - I took it out and installed an OS50 Hyper after the first 3 gallons of Nitro - Could I use this engine in my plane instead of the 46FX, and do you think it'd be better/worse? Would I still have to use 30% in the TT engine even though the new application would be in a plane?

Thanks for the explanation, makes more sense to me now. Shame that you are in that situation of course but it happens.

You could check around with your LHS's and local clubs and see if you could find someone to help by coming to you at least once. As long as they think it's a safe location I don't think they would mind helping you out. I know I would if I were closer to you.

The local Flying Field is 500 X 1300 Feet - The field I will use is 950 X 1150 - Much larger than the air park is - plus it's only a couple blocks from my house - AND - theres lots of tall grass areas - And do you know what tall grass is good for? It's saved me tons of $$$ in Heli Parts - You can crash into tall grass, reasonably, without too much damage. Surely you can't nose dive it in the dirt, but you can glide it down in there =)

OK - now I'm just mad and frustrated! I got the right fuel today - and tried and tried to start the damned thing - no go, messed with the needles - set them to factory specs - nothing - over and over again! Changed the plug -= nothing! I got aggervated and ended up putting the TT50Pro on there - it was just barely broken in when I took it off my raptor - the guy at the LHS said the only difference between it and a plane engine is taht5 the head was bigger so that it would cool better - so I put that on instead - Got it running with that no problem - started the second try, plus it had no fuel in it the first - so then I realized that my low end was way rich so I took it down a bit - messed with the mixture till I got good response throughout the whole range - I zipped it up the street - no wings of coarse - and wanted to see it accelerate one time - it choked out! Took it back in and haven't been able to start it since - I pulled the glow plug - turned it over a bunch of times in case it was flooded - nothing! I am just getting aggervated as can be! In the thunder tiger manual it doesn't say what the needles should be at from the factory - I just put my high end at 1 1/2 turn out from closed and similiar with the small needle - I did get some reaction when I opened up the small needle a lot - HELP!!!

Well - now at least I got it started - these damned needles are very sensitive! I'll tell you what though - it's got a hell of a lot more power than the OS 46FX - seems that way anyways!

Hey there,
Just some friendly reminders from a private pilot.
The airplane pulling to the left is caused by P factor AND torque.
The pulling is most pronounced at slow speeds, high angles of attack, and high power settings-the perfect example is taking off-so the left turning tendancy of an airplane is most exaggerated on take off and climb out, not just on climb out. I have never flown an airplane where right rudder was not needed during take off.

If you have a friend who is a pilot have him fly you around some afternoon. Have him show you how much right rudder he uses when taking off vs. climb out and then during cruise (which is none because the aircraft manufacturers build in compensations for p factor at higher airspeeds) We love it when people ask for rides. Just offer to pay for gas.

If I were you i would have experienced pilot at least trim it out. Things happen fast!

Believe it or not, they exist or at least used to. The Spanish built version of the ME109 had an engine that rotated in the opposite direction to what is considered normal. Pilot had to use left rudder on T.O. and climb.

The CAF had (may still have) a Spanish ME109 that they re-engined with a German engine. It was almost unflyable for T.O. Vertical fin offset and engine torque required major amounts of right rudder on T.O.

My point was that one of the fellas gave incorrect info on p factor, saying that it was less pronounced on take off than on climb out. For the 109, p factor still existed-the prop just swung the other way causing the need for left rudder. I just wanted the new guy to know he will have to add rudder during takeoff

I wasn't arguing that point or any other for that matter. Just thought you might like to know about the ME109. About the only way to get away from the problem is to go multi-engine with counter-rotating props. Been there, done that. Can still be real interesting if an engine goes quiet on you.


Bruce
A commercial/multi/instrument rated pilot.

Thanks guys - my zooming around the street already taught me that thing about the torque pulling it to the left, but I do appreciate the info anyways - Today I wanted to try and fly it but it's so damned windy here right now so I'm waiting - I got the TT50 tuned up right - The crank shaft is a little shorter than an airplane engine - after all this one was made for heli's, but with a little sanding down of the mating surface on the prop the nut got all the threads on it - since the wind was in my favor - I pulled it off the ground about 3 or 4 inches then set her back down gently - I'm confident I can fly it - I'm just waiting for the right conditions - I don't need to be worrying about 20 MPH gusty winds on my first flight - I am flying my new Firebird commander around though - It's really easy to fly and it's tough anyways - I'll post info about my first flight when I get there!

Prop too thick? No problem, just sand it down till it fits. Prediction....plane not last very long.

Let's hope not greg - I'd like to think it'll last quite a while - I know ish happens and all with beginners - but cmon moan - let's think a little more positive - Ohh and I solved the shaft length problem - I got a spinner nut instead of the plastic spinner - this one's aluminum that threads right on to the shaft - plenty of room that way- not knowing this stuff I didn't know they had them like that - I've decided that I'm going to wait until someone experienced around can help me out - I'll just have to be patient.

Soop--Sounds like a plan. Good luck.

IMO the best decision yet!