:-)

I've been flying the real-flight sim for about 2 weeks now and have actually become very good. I left the trainers behind a while ago and for some reason just love the bi-planes. I started flying the Super Skybolt as my "second plane" in the simulator, but have recently decided that I like the Ultimate a lot more (the Skybolt doesn't pitch up and down very well from the elevator, although it rolls very fast... the Ultimate rolls just as fast but can also do a loop in half of the space the Skybolt takes). I've actually become very good at what I call "military aerobatics". I certainly can't do the precise, scripted type of stuff that the pro RC pilots can, but I am already very good at all of the basic combat moves like immelman, split-s, barrel rolls, wing overs... I can really put on a decent airshow with those types of moves.

Landing is very, very easy. It is obvious that the sim is providing much more leway for landing that reality and I consider any sim landing that bounces or is not near perfect to be a crash. Even so, I rarely land in a way that I would think would be a crash in real life. Since winter is here I am probably not going to get a plane until spring and just fly the sim for a few months, but I wouldn't be worried about trying to fly without an instructor at this point... but I'll still use one just to be safe.

I am probably going to get an Ultimate after the trainer now instead of a Skybolt. The Skybolt is very pretty, but I don't like how it pitches up/down almost as weak as a trainer.

It sounds like you are judging the Skybolt versus the Ultimate soley by the response of the simulator.

As in real life many variables come into play.

The model of the Skybolt you are using may not have the elevator throws set as high as the Ultimate or the rate percentages are purposely dialed down.

Don't go just by the sim.

I have both real RC planes ( more than one of each! ) , and I have NO problems pitching the Skybolt.

I purposely set my throws high on the Skybolt.

It's longer tail makes it more stable.


If you are just coming off a trainer I would STONGLY advise you to go for the Skybolt over the Ultimate if you must do this.

The Skybolt is much better at landings, whereas the Ultimate WILL bite you.

There is also the knocking-knees factor. No one gets flustered and panicky flying a simulator. They always taxi like the ground was glass and you never mis-judge a distance or cross-wind. The deadly "dumb-thumbs" syndrome has killed more models than war, fire and angry wifes put together. The simulator models are always in perfect trim, balanced perfectly laterally and longitudinally and have no flaws built in or knocked in from use.

Simulators teach you to fly simulated planes in a simulated world and give you some insight into controls and aerodynamics.

No one ever plugged the aileron wires in backwards when styarting up a simulator or had a plugged fuel line, aileron flutter, bent control rod, wheel come off, bug in the eye, wind gust at three feet, etc.

The two simulator programs I have allow you to land just by flying level at 20 feet and closing the throttle. It glides in beautifully, maybe needing a touch of elevator. Oh, how I only wish.

Charlie,
Don't forget, simulator engines are always tuned perfectly. And simulator linkages and controls are always perfectly set up and never need adjustments. Simulator planes are always properly assembled.


I can load up a use Microsoft Flight Simulator and fly a 747 from one coast to the other, but I'm pretty sure that none of the airlines are going to hire me tomorrow to be an airline pilot. Simulators are ok for practicing and honing your skills. But they are not a primary teaching tool.

Ken

Keep up the good work

The sim is going to pay off for you once you begin flying RC for real - couldn't tell by your post if you're already flying the real trainer or not. Regardless, the spatial awareness that the sim teaches will allow you to more rapidly learn to fly your trainer and graduate onto more aerobatic airframes. From the sounds of your post you are well on your way there.

Now would I recommend a bi-plane to someone who's only flew on the sim and had mastered their trainer? Probably not. There's always exceptions; maybe you're one of them. Only you and your instructor really know for sure.

For me, the simulator (I have both G3.5 and AFPD) did wonders for my confidence and my ability to control the airplane when it came towards me. It allowed me to practice (sort of) and trained my eye-thumb coordination. However, it in no way prepared me for the reality of real winds, nerves, other planes in the airspace, the peanut gallery, starting procedures ... the list goes on.

Anyway, welcome to the obsession! Best of luck! Be sure to update us when you solo (Gotta get an RCU attaboy).

-MA

Relating to your heading !!!! EGO's break airplanes... Just remember that and GO FOR IT !!! ENJOY !!! RED

Ignore these guys. When you're good, you're good. Go for it!

Banzaiii......... [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

He hasn't flown a real RC plane yet.

No matter how good he is, without real world experience, his first flight alone will be very short.

And there is no "RESET" button on the transmitter or the receiver (at the bottom of the new smoking hole in the runway).

No question a simulator helps. Much like playing Monopoly prepares you for holding a job and buying a house.

Kavik..

What Club do you plan on flying with?

I'm with Mile Hi in Aurora.. Come on out on a Saturday.. See if Chuck or Ric is out and ask if you can get an intro flight.
Nothing like getting your hands on the real thing.

You picked up on the sense of humor I had going in that post:-)

I realize flying a real plane will be much different in many different ways. That the simulator is far more forgving in many ways that a real plane. It's just a lot easier than I was expecting. For example I thought it would take a long time to get the oreintation down, how the controls are reversed when the plane is coming towards you, but I was past that in the first night of flying the sim. It's just a lot easier than I was expecting, I realize that I have just enough ability to be truly dangerous with a real plane at this point:-)

As for the Skybolt v. Ultimate... that is good news cause I really like the Skybolt a lot. I'll have to look into if the Skybolt can be given what I think you guys call "more elevator authority" that what the simulator version has. I really like that plane a lot, but in the sim it pitches up and down like a trainer.

The Skybolt flies like a real biplane. The Ultimate flies like an R/C model. Even the full size Ultimate - the only "real" airplane ever designed around a successful R/C model - flies like an R/C model.

Dual rates - making airplanes flyable since 1964.

Yes, I've already been out there a few times a couple months ago when I first started looking into this, you'd probably remember me if you saw me there... I'm told that I am memorable because I look like a rock star that just stepped out of a time machine from the mid-70s:-) I live near Cherry Creek Resivior but didn't really like that field a lot. They seem to have a lot of extra rules there being on a state park and near an airport. So I've been out to your field a few times, that's where I plan to fly the gas planes when I get one. I'm thinking of also getting an electiric park flyer after I have started flying at the field so that I can also fly at the huge nearby Bible Park when I don't have time to go all the way to the field.

For now I am just planning on waiting until spring to actually get a trainer. I wouldn't use it much until then anyway and with a technological revolution underway in RC electronics it's probably a good idea to let Christmas/New Release season pass before buying a bunch of expensive stuff. Maybe something new will come out over the holiday season that I would regret missing out on. It also lets me get a few months of experience with the sim before I fly for real That should help a lot... or make me just overconfident enough to crash on my first flight. One or the other:-)

Don't forget to also check out Crosswinds RC CLub.. It's off County line Road east of the Smoky Hill mall area.
Take Smoky Hill to Powerline. go south to County Line. Turn left (east) on County Line then go about 2 miles.. It'll be on the north side of the road just past Northout Ave..
If you hit CR-17 you went to far.

I don't think I've see you at Mile Hi Yet.. I haven't been out for a few weeks and mostly from 8am-11am when I am out.
I fly a Red/White 40 Cloud Dancer and a Green 40 size Stik painted up like a warbird with Sharks Teeth and invasion stripes.
If you see them I'm around somewhere.

Cool, I really like the Cloud Dancer 60, that was one of the first planes I saw that I really liked a lot. If I ever get into building I may someday try to make my own "Frankenplane" that would basically be a dual-engine, dual-fusealage Cloud Dancer 60. I've actually kind of thought about maybe doing that someday. I've been to the Crosswinds place, there are way too many bugs there for my taste:-)

Ken... They might hire you.. if you stay at a Holiday Inn the night before the interview....

well good luck with that...i too flew allot on my sim before i bought a plane just to practice and familiarize myself with some of the factors of flying. and like you i could do anything on there all the stunts,3d,jets everything. so i bought my trainer and went out with my lhs guy as my instructor, and man oh man i was shaking like crazy thinking to my self if i crash this thing the first day due to wind and controls not trimmed out yet there goes $500 were as the sim if you crash no biggy just hit reset. i just hope that you dont do anything that your wife will regret. im not doubting you because i dont know you but better safe then sorry and bored without a plane.....aloha

I bet you would like a Duellist
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_27...tm.htm#2730850


NE-Aero will have a Duellist for twin 60's out next year.
http://www.ne-aero.com/d260_arf.html

After I get my Citabria off the bench (maybe after the PT-17 then the Corsair) I'll be starting a Cloud Dancer 120 project with a Ryobi 31cc gas engine.
That should be fun

About the Bugs.. They are everywhere out there..
I haven't been to Crosswinds but I have gotten some nasty fly bites at Mile Hi..
Just bring bug repellent..

Sscherin,
Cox models picked up the Pica line and is putting out a Pica Dualist ARF. [link]http://www.coxmodels.com/prodinfo.asp?number=006105[/link] . I've got one of these that I'm in the process of doing a review for RCU, I'm really looking forward to getting in the air and flying it.

Ken

Now thats how to do it!!

some of the things a simulator does is a joke.try flying in a 10 m.p.h wind with gust to 15 m.p.h straight down the active runway and land.how many planes in real life will be blown backwards until the gust comes and flips them over after landing and coming to a stop.

Bug in the eye! HA!

I had a grass hopper crawl up my leg and started inching ummmm, upwards while I was in the air. I think I was pretty cool considering I had no idea what it was at the time. I almost panic-ed though. The guys had a good laugh at the field.

Oh, so many stories like that.

A club member was doing a stall turn and looked into the sun and then lost the model - just as he hit the throttle to come down - right at the rest of us on the flight line.

"I lost it!"

"Pull up! PULL UP!" Went about 20 feet over the back of our heads and he got it back but it was a bit exciting.

Yesterday a VERY experienced flyer was getting ready to taxi out with a good size biplane. He flies Mode 1, and when he pulled out the antenna his coat sleeve caught the throttle and threw it wide open! Just a few minutes before our range safety officer had asked him to turn the plane to face the runway to start it instead of into the wind (15 mph with 25 mph gusts). He could have taken out at least one other model and possibly run down another pilot starting up their plane (though, as I said, he's been flying longer than I've been walking and I doubt he would have commensed the taxi down the flightline). Stuff like that NEVER happens on a simulator.

My worst was a stupid little gnat that got into my eye behind my glasses. I quick tried to wipe it out . . . and of course wiped fuel/castor oil, bug guts, etc. in. Both eyes started to water furiously and I landed several blurry planes on what I hoped was the runway.

Any number of fliers I know have been stung by yellow jackets on various parts of their bodies. Including the old "up the pants leg".

And then there's the old Start-the-engine-with-the-muffler-plugged-and-get-glow-fuel-in-the-eyes trick. Starts the flying day off right. Or having the electric pump pop the fill line off and do the same. I luckily had some bottled water in my car when one member had this happen and he used it to rinse hie eyes. Became a standard item in the pin box thereafter.

You never reach through a simulated prop to adjust a needle-valve (I hear that noise in my nightmares. Fingers clacking in the prop. Ugh). Two of us were starting planes on newly installed club starting benches. All of the sudden that noise and my glasses are streaked with blood! That floating, disconnected feeling as I step back and do a finger count. Mine are OK. The pilot beside me bobbled his Glo-Starter and without thinking reached under the nose to get it as it was rolling off the bench. Through the prop. 20+ stitches.

And testosterone doesn't flow on simulators. In real life, when your bud, or nemesis, or the club loudmouth is/are behind you saying: "Well yes, my Grandmother does fly like him now that you point it out." You just do things you shouldn't.

Ugh, been there, got the 21 stitches on one arm, 5 on a finger myself. RC "war wounds"... family members wonder why I still like the hobby...


I had an glow ignitor locked in on a plane.

I started the engine, and the ignitor worked loose as I ran the engine up... it dropped into the prop...

The prop hit it, and flung it right into the middle of my forehead.

After everyone at the field realized I was OK, they burst out laughing at the whole thing, especially once they saw the "third eye" bump I had...

Aaah - The imortality of the young, great to hear, sometimes ugly to watch, but not always. The new young flyers at my field are amazing!!