Hey CG where have you been? Noah and I are building another ARK, between the wind and rain, geeze what a bummer so far. Hope it is better for you.

Sometimes using the same size prop but another manufacturer's brand will allow you to set the idle rpm lower. For instance an APC prop seems to be slightly more efficient than a MA prop at idle and usually the MA prop will idle a few hundred rpm slower. Less efficiency and a few hundred rpm will both help to slow the airplane down. Also doesn't cost much to experiment.

Bill

Hmmm,

Ok now Im a bit confused, but at the same time I see. (Confusing eh )

So while I thought I was chopping throttle too soon, Im actually late in the chop. I need to be idling on my downwind leg, and once she's slowed down use elevator to control speed, and throttle to control altitude. (Which should be slow and low [X(] ) my least favorite, and most needed position.)

Yup, that's the gist. Remember, if you feel the controls starting to mush up (ie, impending stall), or you're not gonna make the field, add a click or 2 of throttle. If you leave your elevator about where it is, this'll stretch the glideslope, reduce the decent rate and keep the plane in its current attitude. Then, cut the throttle back again when it's appropriate.

Go back to your training days (not so long ago, eh?), and do just what you did then. Land at 50', 40', etc. etc. using these techniques.

It will come, but it takes practice.

Have fun!

J

Have a Magnum 70 in my P-51 PTS. I was one click away from killing it at idle with a 13x6 prop. Still too fast to land (very hot) A club member said use a lower pitch prop. I then used a 13x5 and she lands like a dream.

Propeller actuate in two different stages, as an impulse and as a drag, when the prop is working in certain high RPMs it will surely works as an impulse propeller which will help to fly our models, in a different stage the same prop at low RPMs will work as a dragger, helping us to stop flying our models, the problem here resides on a proper tuning of the engine which in idle is still hauling the plane, of course using a less pitch prop will help, (running at the same RPMs with less thrust) but that is not an adequate solution. As I mentioned before the model should be tested in a paved runaway and when the engine is at idle the plane should stay motionless, meaning that the engine thrust at idle will not affect our landings. If the plane tends to move (using what ever pitch prop) it means that our idle should be verified because we will be flying the plane even at a landing attitude (which as same as in this case, will take a long way to bring down and stop the model). Some models like war birds need more airspeed to land and can have a higher than normal idle, but in sport models and pattern planes we will want to maintain them motionless at idle, so adjusting the LSNV is a must.

Thats it exactly ! You won't need to be all that low. You start your decent after the turn to base. By the time you turn to final, you should be about half as high as you were on the downwind, maybe just a little higher than half. It really depends on the size of your pattern and the amount of wind, etc.
Learning to fly models is a series of break throughs alternating with a series of plateaus. Its during these plateaus that we realize somethings we don't understand ,yet. Or somethings we just haven't perfected ,yet. Please don't be discouraged by the plateaus. Its during the first or second plateau that many people become frustrated with the hobby and leave. But really, the layers of complexity, or the onion of understanding, is the remarkable aspect of this hobby . ANd it can challenge a person for their entire lifetime Its a great hobby!
Learning to land correctly is generally the new pilots first taste of "learning, while on their own". (And first plateau.) Your instructor walked "with you" through the basics. But now you will spend the rest of your life learning and talking with other pilots and comparing notes with others and practicing and reading articles and so on and so on. It never ends. You will always be learning something new. At least thats how its been for me. And just because you are flying and landing on your own now , you can always ask your instructors or other experienced pilots for explanations and tips. And don't be surprised if your knowledge one day exceeds that of the people that helped you in the beginning. That happens. But for the most part, clubs are an information sharing community. The club tends to grow smarter as a community. Good info is shared and bad info is discarded. And the group learns together. Well, I have really diverged off topic and into Zen and the art of aircraft repair. But it might be helpful to see where you now stand in the big picture. At the edge of a plateau.

"Please don't be discouraged by the plateaus. Its during the first or second plateau that many people become frustrated with the hobby and leave." LEAVE the hobby...[X(][X(]
Not a chance my friend, there is nothing like the thrill and challenge of flying for me. I find some of the basics boring yes, but I still practice them because perfecting them will help me do the advanced stuff. (I try some of that too in between figure 8's and such )

I can only think of one occurrence that would make me leave the hobby, (Aside from a disabling health issue that forced me out God forbid.) and it would only be temporary. Assuming I crashed hard enough to completely destroy my plane, and my shoestring budget was used up I would temporarily leave the hobby, well not really even then because I would still go visit the guys...

In all thanks for the advice guys I will be practicing these things VERY soon..