I'm a big idiot!
04-07-2007 | 10:28 PM
#1
I'm a big idiot!
Well, I told everyone before that I got stupid and crashed my NexStar into a tree. I got my new ARF last weekend and put it all together. I took it out and flew it and it flew beautifully...better than the other really. Well, my parents came home to visit and wanted to see it fly. I got to the field by the house and noticed that the grass was a bit high to be trying to takeoff. Yep, you guessed it....I tried anyhow. The grass kept the prop from spinning up enough to get to takeoff power and instead of stopping, I kept on going hoping to get off the ground. However, I hit a hole or bump or something and cartwheeling the a/c, tearing the landing gear off. It busted the balsa aroung the main gear mount and of course busted up the thin plywood on the mount. So now I have a new ARF that is busted again due to my stupidity. Some of us never learn. I guess I'll try to repair this one. I should really find a more suitable place to fly. This field is rough even when the grass is short and I can almost never go straight down the strip and takeoff because it's bouncing around too much.
That said, I am interested in getting a low wing, more aerobatic plane. There are so many to choose from and I can't decide. Can someone recommend a good second plane that's a bit more aerobatic than the NexStar?
That said, I am interested in getting a low wing, more aerobatic plane. There are so many to choose from and I can't decide. Can someone recommend a good second plane that's a bit more aerobatic than the NexStar?
04-07-2007 | 10:44 PM
#2
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Sig 4 star is one I would suggest or even a SIG Something Extra both are ok for a second plane. The SE is a lot more aerobatic and requires a lot more knowledge of the use of rudder, it also has a symetrical wing which makes it a bit harder to fly.
04-07-2007 | 10:45 PM
#3
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From: Bloomington,
MN
RE: I'm a big idiot!
You need more time on the buddy box, don't you think? Planes are only really fun when you get to know them. They've each got a personality, and they each can do quite a bit more than we discover in the first few flights.
There's no shame in slowing down and mastering the fundamentals. Those include developing judgment on when and where to fly. None of the fundamentals come naturally to most of us--they take time.
There's no shame in slowing down and mastering the fundamentals. Those include developing judgment on when and where to fly. None of the fundamentals come naturally to most of us--they take time.
04-07-2007 | 11:49 PM
#5
RE: I'm a big idiot!
I really don't think I need more time on the buddy box...I've flown about 25-30 flights on my own out in the field here. What I apparently need is common sense. Both times that I have wrecked my plane it's been my fault and both times I knew better but did it anyhow. I will just stick with my trainer for now though. I looked at it more tonight and it certainly is repairable. I guess I'll get some experience with repairs. I realize that 25-30 flights on my own is not that much, but I was flying great and landing fine. I do agree that I need to just slow down....I shouldn't fly when the conditions are not right. I should have at least mowed a strip that I could takeoff and land on.
04-08-2007 | 12:02 AM
#6
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RE: I'm a big idiot!
Yes, definitely repair your trainer. Since you're learning on your own you'll have to learn to repair them.
I would recommend the Goldberg Tiger 2. I think it flys a little better than the 4-Star and I've flown both. You could get the ARF version, but consider getting the kit. It will greatly improve your building skills. Good luck!
I would recommend the Goldberg Tiger 2. I think it flys a little better than the 4-Star and I've flown both. You could get the ARF version, but consider getting the kit. It will greatly improve your building skills. Good luck!
04-08-2007 | 12:35 AM
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From: OZark,
MO
RE: I'm a big idiot!
another "2nd" plane is the tried and true Ugly Stick. it is a clasic for a reason! arguably the easiest plane to scratch build do to the parallel bottom, wing and stab lines (it is built upside down on the flat bottom surface). the hobby rags are full of arfs as well. plans can be had free just search this web site. they fly like they are on a rail...goes just where you point 'em. if you gor for the hanger 9 ultra stick search this site for mods that should be done BEFORE first flight.
04-08-2007 | 01:44 AM
#8
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Can someone recommend a good second plane that's a bit more aerobatic than the NexStar?
Several good suggestions here already - Stik, Four Star, Tiger 2. My first ARF build was my Thunder Tiger Tiger Stick .40 ARF, and I'm still flying it after 3 seasons. It's an easy, straightforward build that results in an aerobatic and sturdy flier. I have a Tiger 2 that a buddy had lying around in his garage, he gave me his old kit and I bought a radio and engine for it. I'm still flying it after 3 seasons as well, and I can certainly guarantee you'll love the way they fly.
The World Models Sky Raider Mach II is another beloved low wing second airplane, and at $69.99 for the ARF it's a bargain as well. I think the Phoenix Dolphin is another design worth serious consideration. It looks like a copy of the Four Star, but it's considerably less expensive. There's also the World Models LA Racer or Super Sports, the Hangar 9 Pulse XT, the Seagull Models Spacewalker II or PC-9, the Great Planes Easy Sport ARF/Kit or Rapture 40 kit, the VMar Arrow or Ramrod, the Sportsman Aviation Sport Stik, the Kyosho Calmato Sport, and probably a hundred other ARFs and kits that would make great second airplanes.
Get yourself a runway mowed and grated soon, and good luck and good shopping!
04-08-2007 | 02:01 AM
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From: Wynne,
AR
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Nexstar is a great plane. Even after you have moved to low wing planes. I have added the duel aileron servos an working flaps to mine. There are days i just feel like going out an driveing it around in the sky , an not rolling, looping, ect. Just to relax an burn a half gallon of fuel....
04-08-2007 | 02:13 AM
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From: Corona, CA
RE: I'm a big idiot!
ORIGINAL: bigedmustafa
This is fairly easy, because everything is more aerobatic than the Nexstar!
Can someone recommend a good second plane that's a bit more aerobatic than the NexStar?
LMAO!! bigedmustafa, that was pretty funny!! I agree with biged and others.
My second plane...and third for that matter were sticks. I flew them till they just couldn't fly anymore...(crashed em both). The first one was a trike, (Crystal came out and it went North...still going North as far as I know). The second one was a H-9 Ultra stick .40 tail-dragger, (Wing came off and it lawn-darted while I was busy giving full elevator and full throttle to the 'very streamlined' fuselage).
I learned to hover on a stick. I think they make GREAT second planes.
04-08-2007 | 05:52 AM
#11
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RE: I'm a big idiot!
ORIGINAL: YellowHawk
Well, I told everyone before that I got stupid and crashed my NexStar into a tree. I got my new ARF last weekend and put it all together. I took it out and flew it and it flew beautifully...better than the other really. Well, my parents came home to visit and wanted to see it fly. I got to the field by the house and noticed that the grass was a bit high to be trying to takeoff. Yep, you guessed it....I tried anyhow. The grass kept the prop from spinning up enough to get to takeoff power and instead of stopping, I kept on going hoping to get off the ground. However, I hit a hole or bump or something and cartwheeling the a/c, tearing the landing gear off. It busted the balsa aroung the main gear mount and of course busted up the thin plywood on the mount. So now I have a new ARF that is busted again due to my stupidity. Some of us never learn. I guess I'll try to repair this one. I should really find a more suitable place to fly. This field is rough even when the grass is short and I can almost never go straight down the strip and takeoff because it's bouncing around too much.
That said, I am interested in getting a low wing, more aerobatic plane. There are so many to choose from and I can't decide. Can someone recommend a good second plane that's a bit more aerobatic than the NexStar?
Well, I told everyone before that I got stupid and crashed my NexStar into a tree. I got my new ARF last weekend and put it all together. I took it out and flew it and it flew beautifully...better than the other really. Well, my parents came home to visit and wanted to see it fly. I got to the field by the house and noticed that the grass was a bit high to be trying to takeoff. Yep, you guessed it....I tried anyhow. The grass kept the prop from spinning up enough to get to takeoff power and instead of stopping, I kept on going hoping to get off the ground. However, I hit a hole or bump or something and cartwheeling the a/c, tearing the landing gear off. It busted the balsa aroung the main gear mount and of course busted up the thin plywood on the mount. So now I have a new ARF that is busted again due to my stupidity. Some of us never learn. I guess I'll try to repair this one. I should really find a more suitable place to fly. This field is rough even when the grass is short and I can almost never go straight down the strip and takeoff because it's bouncing around too much.
That said, I am interested in getting a low wing, more aerobatic plane. There are so many to choose from and I can't decide. Can someone recommend a good second plane that's a bit more aerobatic than the NexStar?
04-08-2007 | 06:49 AM
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From: Jacksonville, FL
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Why do you come here and ask questions, then refuse any suggestion of an instructor or buddy box?
now lets see here. 2 Nexstars both crashed, 25 flights, and you want a more aerobatic airplane. An instructor will teach you more than flying. In a previous post someone told you where a field was with an instructor. Someone else suggested that you spend at least a few hours with an instructor. I know you live a couple of hours from a field.
You can buy alot of gas (enough for the round trip to the field) for the price of that second nexstar.
At an average 12.5/15 flight per plane, stick with a trainer
now lets see here. 2 Nexstars both crashed, 25 flights, and you want a more aerobatic airplane. An instructor will teach you more than flying. In a previous post someone told you where a field was with an instructor. Someone else suggested that you spend at least a few hours with an instructor. I know you live a couple of hours from a field.
You can buy alot of gas (enough for the round trip to the field) for the price of that second nexstar.
At an average 12.5/15 flight per plane, stick with a trainer
04-08-2007 | 06:58 AM
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From: Canaan,
NH
RE: I'm a big idiot!
maybe you could get a small electric plane that you can hand launch and land safely (small scale park flyer) for flying at that field by your house. i know you want to stick with the nitro engine planes....i would too. but look at the damage. i would much rather fly than rebuild constantly. save your 40 scale nitro planes for the club field when you go.
04-08-2007 | 08:35 AM
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From: Lincoln,
NE
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Not sure anyone's mentioned it yet, but bigger wheels is a cheap band-aid approach that will help you (some) with a rough field.
Most people let their enthusiasm get the best of them from time to time when they're starting out.
I know I did, and I doinked a few trainers into the dirt because of it.
Learn from your experiences, and let them influence future decision-making, and you'll be fine.
Most people let their enthusiasm get the best of them from time to time when they're starting out.
I know I did, and I doinked a few trainers into the dirt because of it.
Learn from your experiences, and let them influence future decision-making, and you'll be fine.
04-08-2007 | 10:27 AM
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From: Great Falls, MT
RE: I'm a big idiot!
"Not sure anyone's mentioned it yet, but bigger wheels is a cheap band-aid approach that will help you (some) with a rough field. "
I would go this way also. Convert it to a taildragger and put some 4" wheels on it. That will smooth out the field a bit. When you are ready for something more nimble, move your CG back a little at a time. I started on a Sig Senior and was amazed how moving the CG would change the flight characteristics.
I tried flying the Senior out at the "ranch". Mowed a strip in the field. Landing and takeoff was slightly uphill. Barbwire fence at end of runway, power lines another fifty yards. Cottonwood stand close to start of runway. I had to dive to land, almost hit the fence a few times. I did hit the power lines, but minor damage done. I realized then it was a poor decision to try it there. Too many obstacles! DOH!!
Have fun, MikeB
I would go this way also. Convert it to a taildragger and put some 4" wheels on it. That will smooth out the field a bit. When you are ready for something more nimble, move your CG back a little at a time. I started on a Sig Senior and was amazed how moving the CG would change the flight characteristics.
I tried flying the Senior out at the "ranch". Mowed a strip in the field. Landing and takeoff was slightly uphill. Barbwire fence at end of runway, power lines another fifty yards. Cottonwood stand close to start of runway. I had to dive to land, almost hit the fence a few times. I did hit the power lines, but minor damage done. I realized then it was a poor decision to try it there. Too many obstacles! DOH!!
Have fun, MikeB
04-08-2007 | 10:40 AM
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From: Austin,
TX
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Reglueing the wing halves together without dihedral will also make a trainer a lot more areobatic. I did that with a GP Sierra trainer and it flew a lot like an Ugly Stik.
04-08-2007 | 12:55 PM
#17
RE: I'm a big idiot!
jetmech05, an instructor can't teach me not to do something that I already know I shouldn't do. I can fly my plane just fine. My instructor told me that the last time. He also told me to keep it away from trees. I didn't listen. The second time my parents wanted to see it fly while they were visiting. I knew the grass was too high to takeoff but I just had to try it anyhow. Had they not been there I would have mowed a strip to takeoff on and tried later. Both times I knew better than to do what I did. I'm not refusing suggestions. In fact, I took everyone's suggestion to spend some time with an instructor when I wanted to go it alone before. And that was good advice.
04-08-2007 | 01:33 PM
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From: USA
RE: I'm a big idiot!
ORIGINAL: YellowHawk
Can someone recommend a good second plane that's a bit more aerobatic than the NexStar?
Can someone recommend a good second plane that's a bit more aerobatic than the NexStar?
You sound like your having quite a bit of fun here. I wanna party with you cowboy! As far as a plane recommendation, skip all this crap and go straight to helicopters.[sm=lol.gif]
04-08-2007 | 01:51 PM
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From: Ligonier,
IN
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Yellowhawk, I have the 4* 60 size and it is a real good flyer. I also had the 4* 40size and it was just as good as the 60 size, I just like the bigger planes so I went to the 60 from the 40 size.
The 4* are much slower in landing than the P-51 PTS, but the PTS is sure alot of fun as well. I would say that a taildragger would be harder to take off and/or land in high grass because it will want to nose over if it is high, so just make sure you give the yard a cut first.
Oh yea, I know for a fact a taildragger does not like trees either. If you want to know how I know this give me a call.
The 4* are much slower in landing than the P-51 PTS, but the PTS is sure alot of fun as well. I would say that a taildragger would be harder to take off and/or land in high grass because it will want to nose over if it is high, so just make sure you give the yard a cut first.
Oh yea, I know for a fact a taildragger does not like trees either. If you want to know how I know this give me a call.
04-08-2007 | 07:34 PM
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From: Hamilton,
ON, CANADA
RE: I'm a big idiot!
well we all have our dumb moments, for example my friend and I went to a large park to taxi my new plane. I had been very patient but I burst at the seams. no one was there so i tried a taxi at low speed and it went fine. My park down the st. is very large with 4 baseball diamonds, with a slight high in the middle. Able to see everythng but the low 3 feet of the other side of the park. So a week later my brother in-law came over, we went to the park, we started the engine, started to taxi about to shut the engine off and bam! I don't know what happened but it took off (driving fast I didn't put wings on either time for just in case) at almost full speed, i gave it down elevator to nose it over (it's a small tail dragger). I realized i had no control over the plane, as it went over the hill i could not see it. runing after it I heared a big crash, turns out the cranks shaft hit dead center in the middle of a 2 inch pole. I was almost cying when some guy who was as high as a kite, walking his dog said, "I'll be back in ten minutes after you fixed it."[&:]
well it took me a few days to fix it with my dads encouragement, and the crankshaft was fine. This is one of my favourite story's and it still fly's today.
Dave trimmer
well it took me a few days to fix it with my dads encouragement, and the crankshaft was fine. This is one of my favourite story's and it still fly's today.
Dave trimmer
04-08-2007 | 08:48 PM
#21
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Good story Dave! I've got it all ready to fix now I believe. I need to cut out a new piece of 3/8" ply to go under the plastic landing gear mount. Then I have to replace a piece of one of the spars as well. Then it's new balsa, some wood putty and new covering. I don't think it's going to be a big deal and I'll be back in the air....after cutting some grass of course! I need to slow down and realize that if I keep taking short cuts to get in the air quicker I'll be fixing more than flying. I will be much more careful with my plane from this point on.
04-08-2007 | 08:53 PM
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From: Hamilton,
ON, CANADA
RE: I'm a big idiot!
ORIGINAL: YellowHawk
I need to slow down and realize that if I keep taking short cuts to get in the air quicker I'll be fixing more than flying. I will be much more careful with my plane from this point on.
I need to slow down and realize that if I keep taking short cuts to get in the air quicker I'll be fixing more than flying. I will be much more careful with my plane from this point on.
04-08-2007 | 09:58 PM
#24
RE: I'm a big idiot!
Just remember when patching the spar that you can't just stick in a piece using butt joints. Use a kerf (angled) splice or a lap joint and try to add doublers of thin lite ply where you can. You never said so but I think you've got A&P so think back to your basics.
