RE: Take off fixation
 

How awfully sad.......[&o]

RE: Take off fixation
 

I would agree that if you have been in the hobby for quite some time and still need to turn your shoulders to the direction of the plane that is indeed rather pathetic. But I thought we were talking about beginners... My bad.

I like that self taught line in parenthesis. It just reminds me that I will never be as great as the the ones who were taught "properly";)


I'm not worthy....[sm=drowning.gif]

RE: Take off fixation
 

This method helped me.. I got the idea from one of the clubs training
tapes.. I did not turn to where I had to look over my shoulder like the
tape showed, but I slightly moved both hands/transmitter in the direction
the plane was going!! And I caught on real quick... Do I do that now..No
But I would offer this advise to others that was having troubles in
orientation.. But that's just me trying to find tools to help others over
come some problems...

RE: Take off fixation
 

I don't know how many of you have the DYI channel, but it has some cool specials on RC planes all the time. The other night the theme was "Learning to Fly". The host suggested this method also.

RE: Take off fixation
 

OK, I never even thought about using that method, - my neck and back are totally frozen.
I can't look up, down or sideways, so all these methods are out for me! but I can fly ok. and didn't find it too much of a problem learning.
There are many ways of getting round a problem.

As for "takeoff fixation", - first takeoff ever, my plane sped off down the runway, hit a "donut" done by some clown in a car a few days previously, did an abrupt 180 deg. turn and came straight towards me! What did I do? - nothing, just sat with my mouth open! and it clobbered me! ( tried to stop it with my foot!).
That was a very valuable but painful lesson. :eek:

RE: Take off fixation
 

It'a a well documented fact that the TX has a mystical,telekinetic influence over the aircraft in tight situations, especially when dead-sticking. Angling the radio and moving the antenna in the manner you want the plane to respond works everytime. You can see the same effect at the bowling alley, but there it's done with arcane hip, leg and arm gestures due to the fact that there is no electromagnetic field from the antenna to help. Even baseball players will sometimes windmill their arms to give that little bit of extra momentum to the ball if they think it might not clear the centerfield fence. Can't argue with that...

The field we fly at is adjacent to a full scale field and we are tucked into one corner on what should be the crosswind runway. On a left to right approach (which is near the active runway), you have to turn way out and fly the plane directly at yourself (or so it seems) in order to properly line up with the runway. Very un-nerving to a beginner, until you learn to reference points.

I thought the whole point of this hobby was to have fun... Who cares whether the pilot stands stiff as a board or engages in a little active guidance? I'm not an Linda Blair, my head only swings so far each way... If it works for you, then it works. Besides, who designated ram-rod stiff and facing in one direction only as the "correct" way in the first place?

RE: Take off fixation
 

When I learned to takeoff (last October), I was taught to carry the plane out to one end of the runway, brace the plane to run up the engine, then take it off standing at that end of the runway. That way it would have been very difficult to have the plane come back at me. I was also taught that if the plane was going to go off one side of the runway to cut the throttle. My trainer used to exit the runway very easily, until my instructor had me move the pushrod in on the servo arm to make it not so twitchy.

Do I still stand at the end of the runway for takeoffs? No. Now I put the plane down right in front of me at the pilot station and then taxi it to the runway (unless the city has cut the grass recently enough that I can takeoff from the grass).

As for the safe area on takeoff, that one is very hard at my field. Normal takeoff is Left to Right, pits to the left of the aircraft. That makes to the right as the safe way to turn. And it would be if it was not for the tall tree line approx 100' on the other side of the runway. At our field, you climb out as straight as you can and get altitude as fast as you can, so you miss the treeline at the end of the field. Our field is at the bottom of a "bowl" with tall trees all around. No turbines flying here. The 1/4 and 33% planes have enough trouble trying to land.

RE: Take off fixation
 

This thread title reminds me of a Beach Boy's song. Good Vibrations.

RE: Take off fixation
 

Mike,
In this case, going in to the trees is "safe" The safe I was talking about wasn't "avoid crashing" safe, it's "avoid hitting someone or something that might complain or have to go to the hospital" safe. If things to out of control, I'd rather stick one in the trees than in the pits, you know?


Now, there is a differnece between "body english" while flying, and turning your body to match the direction the airplane is flying. I do body english all the time. But I don't face the direction the plane is flying.

What's the differnece? Here's an example.

Take a plane way off to the left, setting up for a low, hot pass. Most people will turn and face left to look at the airplane. However, the plane it travling to the right. So people using the "face with the airplane" technique will turn their back on the plane so they are facing to the right, then look back over their shoulder.

Now, if for some reason you need to break off the pass before you get to the center and make a quick 180 back out to the left. If you are looking at the plane, you don't do anything. But if you are looking "with" the plane, you have to turn your body as the plane makes that 180 turn.

Using the "face with the airplane" technique is fine for learning. However, most all the good pilots I know have long stopped doing it, most people stop with out thinking about it. When I see one of my students doing it, I don't mention it. If it helps them learn, great. They will almost certainly get over it before too long.

The biggest problem with the technique is that it becomes hard to move quickly enough during things like acrobatics, and it doesn't help as much when you are doing things like inverted flight. (since when inverted the rudder is backwards, but the ailerons aren't, so do you face to make the ailerons or the rudder "correct"?) (Oh, and anyone flying combat would quickly wear out their shoes trying to turn with the plane all the time :))

RE: Take off fixation
 

ROGER THAT!

Long live the english!

Did I mention that the "face the direction the plane is going" was for students/beginers? I think I did.......

RE: Take off fixation
 

Yes, you did, and I totally agree :D.

RE: Take off fixation
 

How do you guys fly without using body english? ;) If I was forced to stand stock still when flying my planes they would all be in the ground. Sometimes when flying the big slow movers I have been known to sit in a lawn chair but any time I have an aerobatic plane in the air I will be standing and my antenna will be all over the place. People have learned not to stand to close to me! Seems like the plane just responds better. I think it is kinda like Italians talking. Tie their hands and they can't keep their train of thought.

RE: Take off fixation
 

I'll be kinda forced to stand still if I fly tommorow. I have a really bad stiff neck for some reason:(


I feel the same about my TV. If I lunge the remote at the TV it responds better!:)