cjmdjm

You guys have given me a lot of advice on a new Mustang PTS MkII I recently bought, so I thought Id give you an update on that. I put in a new glow plug which fixed my engine, as suggested in another thread. I had been practicing taxiing around my yard for a week or so. I was going to seek the aid of an instructor, like everyone on here says to do, but there was a perfect day with no wind and I couldnt resist. I had taught myself to fly an old alpha trainer last summer, so Im not a complete newbie, but this is only my second plane, except for a few micros like the parkzone ember.

I took the plane to a nearby airport (with permission) with a 40' by 3000' paved runway. My takeoff roll was not very straight. It is harder to taxi straight at high throttle compared to the alpha trainer, probably since its a taildragger. But once I had it in the air it flew beautifully. I did some loops, steep turns, etc. It would do rolls, but not very well with all the PTS training wheels on. My first few landings were a bit bouncy, but otherwise not too bad. Then I set the throttle trim lower for a lower idle, and that smoothed out my landings. I made 3 flights (3 tanks of fuel) that day and did not crash.

Then the next day I had my dad build me a makeshift dirt airstrip in a pasture behind our backyard (I live on a farm). He plowed up the grass, and then smoothed it out with a snow blade. So now I have a nice, fairly smooth dirt airstrip right behind my house. Its about 25' wide by 350' long.

But there was (is) one problem with it. It has a barbwire fence at one end of the runway. I didn't think this would be a problem.

I took the plane out to fly. Takeoff went fine. Its actually easier to do a straight takeoff roll on the dirt than on pavement, probably the drag on the tailwheel keeps it straight. I had a nice 8 or 10 minute flight. But on landing, I (predictably) hit the fence. Broke a wing clean in half, and also broke the horizontal tail. A new wing set me back $85, and $40 for a tail set. Fortunately, the expensive fuselage, engine, and radio system are fine.

Had I been standing by the fence, it would probably have been fine. But I (stupidly) stood at the other end of my runway. My depth perception from over there was apparently not that great. I could have swore I was going to clear the fence easily. Until the plane hit the fence. Depth perception is a funny thing.

My new replacement parts will be in early this week. But for as much as the repairs cost me, I think I will have dad put a gate in the fence that I can open while flying.

I still may try to get help from an instructor sometime. Id like to see if they can help me keep the plane straight during takeoff roll. I went to a club flying field one day, but they were having a pattern aerobatics competition and could not buddy box people that day. The competition was fun to watch though. And I got to see a real turbine engine jet fly, it was pretty cool.

Anyway, just thought Id keep you guys updated.

Minnreefer

Bummer about the crash, you probably could reglue the wing back together.

Jon

Rforce1

Sorry about the crash.  You're so luckey to have a place right behind your house to fly.  Good luck on the rebuild.

matador_24

Hello, sorry about that, but it happens...

I had the same mustang, I sold it a couple of months ago without crashing it. It was my first plane and I loved it.

You are right, the taxi is tricky because of the dragginwheel, to control it better, you must pull elevator down to have all time the tail on the ground and it will go straight... until you gain enough speed and it starts lifting the tailwheel and it will be easy to control, once you get it, you will master it very easy.

You must land the mustang with some speed in order to have a beaufitul landing, the wing are is small and it does not float as well as a trainer. In my experience with the mustang, I was having bouncy landings when I did not have enough speed while landing, the plane was stalling a bit before touching the ground thefore bouncing..... Once you get used to the minimal speed to float/land, you will be able to land the mustang in a very short runway.If you are pacient, you can be able to fix the wing, it is plywood and balsa, but as you said, much better to replace the parts.... Once I got confortable, I was easily able to land the mustang very slow with flaps and with some speed without flaps... it is a very good plane to practice landings cause you can have both flaps and without flaps.... after that plane, I have been able to have beautiful landings on extras, edges, yaks, funtanas....

P.S. It is a lovely plane....

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Sorry about that crash but you have to keep in mind, to barb wire balsa wood tastes just like chicken!!
After you get used to a tail dragger you will have no trouble. After it is up on step [tail wheel off the ground} it steers just like any other plane. The P-51 is a bit short coupled and harder to handle on the ground. After a you take off a few times it becomes easy and you won't give it a lot of though.
Ijust built my first trike geared plane {other then the trainer} and it is a bit different for me too, makes me look better though.
The 51 you just fly it down low to a couple of feet off the ground and cut back on throttle slowly and it will land itself on the mains. Just takes a bit of getting used to.
Nice to see you took it OK, if you are going to fly them you are going to hurt them!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Yep, depth perseption is one of those killers that takes a while to overcome.

I wish I had a nickle for everytime I heard (or said), "I could have SWORN I was past those trees"

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Oh yeah. That's definitely the case for me too.  I had (note had) a brand new Brio 10 electric pattern plane.  A great flyer that plane was.. until I tried to land it by coming over trees to the flight line.  But, I had not yet flown past them yet and started my approach.  It managed to go between the two trees, but did not make it through the overhanging branches.  Result:  one totally demolished Brio 10.  Depth perseption problem.   

wvaborn

My Feedback: (13)

Hi guys:
Same here, depth perception has gotten me a couple times, landing in the same tree both times. But you know what, the tree landings were actually less damaging than some of the runway landings. Both times, in the tree, I flew right after that, which was not the case with the others. I'd rather land in a tree I think, as long as I can shake the plane down or retrieve it.!
Yeah, depth perception  can be a grabbing experience. Hang in there, have a wonderful day.
Norm

scratchonly

Depth perception works up to about 30 feet; just like focusing a camera; after that we judge size, relationships to other things like the ground and gain experience.

Flyin Beagle

My Feedback: (1)

You mentioned that you are fying off of a dirt runway. Youmight want to put some type of an air filter on the carb to keep the engine from eating so much dust.

Just a thought.

opjose

There are several things you can do to help keep the plane straight during takeoff...

- RAISE the tail of the plane as it sits on the ground by extending the height of the tail wheel.

- Slightly "toe-in" the main wheels.

- Slightly change the angle of the tail wheel so that with the rudder straight the plane moves SLIGHTLY to the right with the controls centered. Push the plane on the ground to test.

- If you have a good computer controlled TX, mix a little right rudder to throttle.

- Practice, the above will make things easier to manage, but will not eliminate left yaw completely.

Les Nessman

Hey guys, maybe you can help me with something that happens to me when landing my P-51 PTS. Just about every landing, it will groung loop (I think it's called) it will do this both ways, you just never know. As a result, my wing tips are getting scuffed up a bit from rubbing on the pavement. Is ther some way to help stop this from happening? I should add that my Mustang is a Mark I but I think they are close to the same thing.

opjose

First RUN, DO NOT WALK, and get yourself a bunch of these:

[link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTDS4&P=7]Click me![/link]

Put them on all of your wing tips as far back as possible with the large part of the triangle to the rear.

They only take a few minutes to glue in and if installed on a new plane, will keep the wings skuff free.


ALL of my planes have them.


Then slow the plane down more as you land, it is still too hot as you are moving the rudder.

Increase the tail wheel size as well to help and slightly toe-in the wheels.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

You have to let the plane roll out to the point it is almost at a complete stop then you can turn it back to the pits or off the runway.
This is one of those do what Isay not what I do things, Ididn't ground loop but today Idid drag a wing, that doesn't count!! {{Hardly}}