And me too...

Today was the first rc flight for me. Not so long and not so succesful, but still, i made it ...so far

First was long glide just to check it CAN fly. I actually felt it answering stick, so...

Toss it awayyyyyyy, started to gain alt and ???. Motor started to quit...

ANTENNA; ANTENNA!!! screams my friend, who came with me just to help picking up pieces, if i make them. I turned (notice that i turned rather than fell down) back to make short final and landed the thing. Rudder pushrod came out of its clevise, so i had to go in attach it again.

Yes. I forgot to pull out the antenna :stupid:

Ofcourse I had to go there third time. My friend threw the plane, bad angle, too slow and me in stick. I collided the outhouse :stupid: . Looked horrible, but actually almost no harm done.

Yes, there is one from year -50 or so, still up, and its standing next to the field we were. Outhouses vs me 1 - 0.

I managed to build it strong. Only the glueing in velcro, which holds the batteries, broke loose and battery went to meet its friend, motor, again. So i must make yet another firewall to it.

But. One flight i actually controlled and landed it safe, so should i say now that the first flight is done?

And to the real question: While inflight i noticed strong pull nose up and left, so i am also going to turn the motor some down-right. Funny, but there was nothing about that in drawings, so i thought electric motorglider doesn't need that. Or should i look reason for that elsewhere?

trim it with the radio for level hands off flight before doing any other trim changes.

Consider getting an instructor.

Well... Here I see tens or hundreds of very capable instructors. How to get them answer my silly questions is another thing.

No. I'm not trying to make trainers and instructors look bad or useless. I bet I'd do better with one. But I'm trying to get thru this by myself. Some sort of a head problem I guess. I have my own place, where to do this without putting anyone in danger etc. And as you all see here, without instructor/trainer, this IS way more difficult.

TerrelFlyer: Rudder trim didn't seem to help much, allthou there was no time to do that properly. And. Gliding the plane went well. Motor on and those problems started.

And generally: I started this hobby, because i love to build things. I just want to learn to fly too, just to see what i've managed to build. So minor crashes are not so bad things, allthou it could be more fun to have skill to keep them up too.

Mika, I think it is fine that you are doing this on you own. It is certainly more of a challenge than having someone else fly your plane.

If you built the plane according to plans. I would not make any big changes. Rather, you need to adjust the trim on the control surfaces. You can use the radio at first or you may have to adjust the clevis fittings also.

Make the first few flight in very calm winds, that will help. Try to make slow gentle corrections with the controls, give the plane time to react.

Good luck,

Tom

Thank you Tom

3 more flights, 3 succesful landings. You know the feeling, when you get it up and you know that you are in control? Fantastic

I don't know how it works for most of the people, but I found years in Warbirds helpful with rc plane.

It seems that I've managed to build the plane tail heavy. The weight i had to add to balance, was too much for a direct drive speed400 and plane doesn't grab alt. So i decided to make plane lighter.

Was it called kit-bashing, when you do something different from a kit?

Maybe I'm taking too long steps in building, as in flying too, but the idea is good.

Next few days are goin to show, how it looks, when lowered from fuse behind cockpit. Less heavy Solarfilm. I'm also replacing some of balsa sheeting with sticks to make it even lighter. Some holes to stabs and so on.

I'm goin to take pics of it,when done and send here for yas to see the thing. Like Spitfire with long wings in white, dark red and dark blue

Mika, congrat's so far.I am an advocate of finding an instructor. However, do what you must. The bal. of your plane is the most critical thing to concern yourself with, when starting out. A plane can't be trimmed when out of balance. After you build it as light as possible, then move your batt's and receiver forward until you get the proper balance. Also, remember altitude is your friend. Try and get it one or two mistakes high then let go of the sticks and trim for straight and level flight. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress please PS ALTITUDE = FRIEND/ GRAVITY & WIND= ENEMY

wind is good if you're always pointed in to it.