I am half way through my second bottle of fuel and couldn't wait to solo. I went out yesterday to fly. It was windy, but I figured I could handle it. I started down the runway and a gust of wind blew my Hanger 9 Alpha right off the runway. It got real gusty at that very moment. The guy training me on the buddy box, Richard, wasn't there, but I figured I would go for it anyway, since I had had three real nice flights with three decent landings. I decided to swallow my pride and try again today. Another flier was at the flight line but was a ways off. I started down the runway lifted off, but my trim tabs were not set properly. I had to fight to keep it in the air, because it was turning very hard to the left and the rudder trim tab was dropping the plane down. I was applying almost full right ailerons just to fly straight. I fought to bring it around and right into the sun... not making it up. It was ugly. I called out to Sam and he came running over and took the transmitter and was trying to adjust them. Lucky for me that Richard showed up and got everything squared away. I landed fine (a relative term), and had two more great flights. He had me mark the trim tab locations with an ink pen. I do not have a clue how they go that far off, since I don't have small children and I never mess with them. If I had gone ahead with flying the day before I would have lost it, because the wind would have been an even greater factor. Not exactly how I wanted my first solo flight to go, but I sure learned from it.

Sounds like a pretty scary flight.

yeah.. those sneaky trim tab ghosts will get you everytime.. or could it be thick thumbs?? check before you start up..check before you run up before takeoff..check again before you start your takeoff roll.. then another very quick check when you get to altitude.. but glad you didnt crash it bad... every flight is a learning experience!!!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Justme
[B I do not have a clue how they go that far off, since I don't have small children and I never mess with them. QUOTE]

Now is the time to learn to use the trims in flight. And when your setting at home watching TV practive finding the trims without looking untill its second nature. If you are a mode 11 flyer its easier to do all four trims with the left thumb. practice finding them.

John

<<I am half way through my second bottle of fuel >>

That bottle? It's for the *ahem* plane.....not you........

Justme, if you look at my previous posts you will find that that exact problem happened to my twice!!!... I took of and the aileron trim was all the way to the left and the plane did a roll right after take off and crashed, the fuselage broke in 3 parts, I had to buy a new one. The second time it happened I was a bit more prepared and realized what was going on and saved my plane from cashing by adjusting the trims without looking down at the radio. A bit of luck...
Now I check the radio before take off and my radio is set so the zero position is where all the trims should go.

I realize you are a beginner and I have to add one thing.
Once a plane is trimmed, measure all the trims at the control surfaces. If you have 1/16 of an inch leftrudder trim, for example,
set it mechanically, move the trim to neutral, and so on for each control surface.
Once they are set mechanically your trims on the tx will be at neutral. One glance and you will see if your trims were moved.
If you have a comp radio....you can set the trim memory.

I hope this helps

Tom

Thanks for the advice. It is much appreciated. I hope someone out there has learned from my experience (or should I say, my lack of experience).

I've never understood why someone WOULDN'T reset the surfaces to the trim postions as soon as you're on the ground after that first flight.

I also don't understand why someone would have you "mark the trim locations in ink"?!
Dennis-

Why not record where your controls are on your plane, adjust the trim tabs to neutral then adjust the controls back to where they were when the trim tabs we off. This way at center, your plane flies right.

I've never understood why someone WOULDN'T reset the surfaces to the trim postions as soon as you're on the ground after that first flight.



Perhaps they are new and didn't realize what needed to be done, or their instructor neglected to point this out.
Another reason is they don't have a way to measure the trim deflection accurately.
Here are a couple of reasons why it "WOULDN'T" have been done as soon as the craft is landed.

Tom

Preflights (pre-flight inspections) save planes. Even a cursory glance at your plane is better than kneeling down and firin' her up.

I remember with mechanical trims it was standard practice to retrim the plane after flight. This doesn't just apply to the first flight as its not an exact science, it might take several flights to get it right. Of course if you're real fussy about getting the plane to fly exactly level hands off, this will require trim changes on every flight as conditions change....

These days, instructors often don't mention adjusting for trim changes as a lot of people have computer radios and the trim values are automatically stored. The bonus being that they can't be accidentally knocked when the radio is switched off.

Anyway, all this is largely irrelevant..... a sudden gust or crosswind can push a plane off course easily whether it is in trim or not. In mode 2, the way to handle take-offs (in my experience, which isn't much) is to control speed direction (throttle/rudder) with the left stick until the plane is nearing flight speed and be ready on the right stick in case the plane wants to bank. In short, pay attention to what the plane is doing and fly with the sticks, ignore the trims.
When the plane is safely up a couple of mistakes high, then it is time to deal with trim problems.....

I have found that adjusting the mechanical linkage makes the fine trimming of the plane easier

Several good points mentioned. I learned form a very experienced instructor. He was a bugger about setting the mechanical trims and still is. If it's off even just a little he had me correct mechanically first. It should be added that the Tx settings are all in the neutral position and the servo horns are checked to be neutral with the Tx. as well, before adjusting mechanically. These are things we all learn usually after we have been flying for a while, unfortunately. Then you check the mechanical settings to get the movable surfaces perfectly neutral. The benefit to you is that you now have the full range of the trim settings on the radio to work with. Nothing worse than begin at a full trim only to find that you still have a problem and need more trim.

One other thing. Hard to imagine how your airplane gets seriously out of trim once adjusted for hands off level flight, unless someone is knob twitling with your Tx. It happens

Temperature! Those pushrods (Gold-n-Rod, etc.) change with temp. Most of the bad ones are off the market, but I DO remember (probably dating myself here) flying, say, early in the morning, then by noon having the surfaces move!

...brilliant.....

So the moral of the story is:

If the plane is rolling when you lift in the air, don't stand there and wonder whats going on and watch it crash. The sticks in your fingers are there for a reason. Use them and when you get up high enough, fix the problem. Sounds harsh, but I have seen so many people stop flying the plane and watch them crash when it could have been saved 5 or 6 times before it hit. Hate to see a good plane crash for no reason.
:stupid: