Streamers increase visibility?
 

Lately in Minnesota it has been gray and cloudy, my plane has a white bottom wing and does not show up well, would adding streamers to the plane help me see it better against the sky? Is there any other ideas besides waiting for a sunny day, or putting different covering on the plane? I am feeling very broke lately so I don’t even want to by new covering.

Thanks

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

you could try just some simple stripes. here's a bunch of different kinds and colors http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0093p?&C=QAF

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

Streamers look really cool, but they can be very disorienting

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

If you want cheap streamer material, Home Depot has pink and yellow survey tape , not to spendy .
Like Minn posted, You can really forget to fly while watching the streamers .

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

Thanks those are some good points, I might just get some red tape to mark the bottom of the wings, I am feeling very cheap and don't want to spend more then a couple of bucks.

Thanks

Jon

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

I gave up worrying about hi-visibility colors. I found it easier to concentrate on my flying and where in the sky my models was and what it was doing. I always try to think about two moves ahead: e.g. if I am diving down my next move should be a reduction in throttle, up elevator and a turn to the left. and level out in preparation for the next maneuver. I am very conscious of what my model is doing in the sky and how to get it to the next position I want it in. It really is easier than colored wing streamers ,light are whatever idea floats uo.
Ya just gotta practice till your thumbs are sore and them do some more. You control the model, mot the model controls you.

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

Minnreefer. I have bought Monocoat by the foot at Hub Hobby, {the LHS in Little Canada , off 36 and Rice } by the foot. $ 1.00 a foot

Or you might call Sky Hobby, if their closer to you. I`m not sure about them.

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

are you sure that it's monokote, that seems very cheap, you pay about 10 for 6 foot in a roll.

Austin

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

Yep , its Monocoat. They have several loose rolls , back by the kits. He can always call before he makes the trip.

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

Thanks for the monokote idea, I will call them, I don't want to buy a new roll right now for just a little bit of color. I want to try some different flying but I am not that great of a pilot and want to be up a few mistakes, but then I can't see what my plane is doing as well as when it is closer to the ground, wearing glasses would help, but my eyes are not used to the glasses.

Thanks again

Jon

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

Try putting some bright color on the leading edge of your wing. It will help greatly with your orientation when landing. Kind of like an artificial horizon.

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

Pattern is more of a visual orientation than is color. Something like spanwise pattern on top and chordwise on wing bottom can be helpful. Just be sure top and bottom are different from each other.

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

don't get chrome, it looks bright and easy to see but it is actually the hardest color to see in the air.

Good luck,
Austin

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

Minnreefer, your comment in another post, ".... I can't see what my plane is doing as well as when it is closer to the ground, wearing glasses would help, but my eyes are not used to the glasses" makes me wonder if you have a vision problem. If so, I suggest you get to an ophthalmologist and get some good glasses. Your eyes will then serve their purpose if you get good glasses, or proper attention to the eyes. I well know as I spent 25 years going thru different optometrists and my vision was going away far too rapidly. Well, now I have 20-20 in left eye and 20-30 in right eye without glasses. I wear a slight prescription when watching TV, driving, and flying model airplanes to keep the eyes the same. WORKS, and I'm a month away from 72 years old.

Now if vision is NOT the problem, I will say that there are some days when all colors "gray-out" and one has to rely on "where did you come from, where is it going" mostly like what 'stang' said. I try to make all my students use white on one wing surface with a combination of white and black (blue) on the other side. WIDE stripes at a 45* +/- every few inches will help in most conditions. Reds, blues and such are all black at a few hundred feet. In some conditions orange will show up well, but in my 37 years of RC, I have not found better than a wide black-white pattern.

Check the local $ store and you will be able to find some tape (3/4" black electrical tape can be laid 3-4 strips side by side to make wife black stripes) or even colored stick-on shelf paper that can be laid to form the needed colors, or designs. Check with a Pattern Pilot at the field and he will show you how he assures instant recognition. These guys have all the tricks. :)

Good Luck.

RE: Streamers increase visibility?
 

I spray painted a Super Cub with Neon Orange, on the bottom wing. No problem seeing it. Don't know if that would work very well with a Mono. type plane though. If it would work you can for sure tell wich way is up. Maybe try keeping it not so low your afraid of mistakes but closer to you. Make your turns shorter and just generally keep it closer to your line of sight. I know some of mine glow and elec. I have trouble with after they get so far from me.