mn5503

Hi guys,

I have a Hanger 9 p41 pts that I don't feel like destroying just yet. So I picked up an electric 3 channel rtf T-Hawk to do my initial crash and burns. Comes with extra parts, I like that. Figured it would be a good plane to get some experince with. I have another electric 4channel I plan on going to next. Don't have many instructor options so this is going to be a self taught flying school for me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Anyone who's flown the T-Hawk that could give me some advice would be cool!

Thanks, Steve

AJ1202

Hi Steve, well I haven't flown the T-Hawk but I have flown quite a few like it, the plane should be pretty good about self righting itself so that will help, the biggest thing is don't try to fly in wind over 5 mph, for a while anyway, on most of these planes they will lift on there own with elevator set level but just a tad up is OK, just give it full throttle and a nice straight toss and it should climb out nicely
let it get to at least 100 ft before trying any turns, once there you can adj trims for level flight and just start with gentle turns making big circles, the Hawk should fly good at 1/2 to 3/4 throttle so I would try that once you get it up, this will slow down reaction time and make learning easier, also don't give full left ot right movment on the stick as that can cause it to spiral out of control, try to remember if you get into trouble let go of all the sticks and drop the throttle and it should self level itself, unless of course you have it in a bad spiral dive then it's 50 50 as to it catching itself. these planes are a lot of fun and fairly easy to fly. There are some mods you can do to strengthen the wing and secure the motor and tail boom, I don't know about the T-Hawk but the Fire Bird and AeroBird have issues with the motors pulling throught the fuse on nose crashes and the props eating the rear of the wing as well, Packing tape on the leading and trailing edge is a good idea for strength and protection from prop, If you are interested in other mods there is a whole thread on it called bullet broof that bird, you can use the search and pull it up and read through it, then decide for yourself what you think is needed
Good Luck, I think you'll like the plane

mn5503

Thanks AJ1202! Kind of advice I was looking for.

NotAnAceYet

My Feedback: (9)

Steve - I taught myself to fly with the T-Hawk. A very durable plane. It flys quite fast, so you need quite a bit of space for flying. When landing it likes to float forever - so plan on a long approach. With the stock battery and motor you can expect to fly for about 6-8 minutes. Like AJ said, if you get into trouble and you're high enough, back off the throttle and let the right stick center itself, the plane will right itself.

Happy Flying! Larry

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Great first plane! I recommend it often.

T-Hawk Discussion Thread
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ighlight=THawk
Videos
http://www.readytoflyfun.com/thawkvideos.html


As for self training advice, I will follow with several posts.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

SIX KEYS TO SUCCESS
by Ed Anderson
aeajr on the forums

Whether you have a coach or you are trying to learn to fly on your own, you
will need to be mindful of these six areas if you are going to become a
successful RC pilot. After two years of working with new flyers at our club,
and coaching flyers on the forums, there are a few things I have seen as the
key areas to stress for new pilots. Some get it right away and some have to
work at it. They are in no particular order because they all have to be
learned to be successful.

WIND
Orientation
Speed
Altitude
Over Control
Preflight Check

1) Wind - The single biggest cause of crashes that I have observed has been
the
insistence upon flying in too much wind. If you are under an instructor's
control or on a buddy box, then follow their advice, but if you are starting
out and tying to learn on your own, regardless of the model, I recommend dead
calm to 3 MPH for the slow stick and tiger moth type planes. Under 5 MPH for
all others. That includes gusts. An experienced pilot can handle more. It
is the pilot, more than the plane, that determines how much wind can be
handled.

The wind was around 10 mph steady with gusts to 12. That was strong enough
that some of the experienced pilots flying three and four channel small
electric planes chose not to launch their electrics. This new flyer insisted
that he wanted to try his two and three channel parkflyers. Crash, Crash,
Crash - Three planes in pieces. He just would not listen. Sometimes you just
have to let them crash. There is no other way to get them to understand.

Many parkflyers can be flown in higher winds by AN EXPERIENCED PILOT. I
have flown my Aerobird in 18 mph wind (clocked speed) but it is quite exciting
trying to land it.

Always keep the plane up wind from you. There is no reason for a new flyer to
have the plane downwind EVER!


2) Orientation - Knowing the orientation of your plane is a real challenge,
even for experienced pilots. You just have to work at it and some adults have
a real problem with left and right regardless of which way the plane is going.
Licensed pilots have a lot of trouble with this one as they are accustomed to
being in the plane.

Here are two suggestions on how to work on orientation when you are not
flying.

Use a flight simulator on your PC. Pick a slow flying model and fly it a lot.
Forget the jets and fast planes. Pick a slow one. Focus on left and right
coming at you. Keep the plane in front of you. Don't let it fly over your
head.

FMS is a free flight simulator. It is not the best flight sim, but the price
is right and it works. There are also other free and commercial simulators.

FMS Flight simulator Home Page
Free download
http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index_e.html

Parkflyers for FMS
http://gunnerson.homestead.com/files/fms_models.htm

The links below take you to sites that provide cables that work with FMS. If
your radio has a trainer port, these cables allow you to use the trainer port
on your radio to "fly" the
simulator. This is an excellent training approach.

http://www.allthingsrc.com/webshop/
http://www.simblaster.com/
http://www.customelectronics.co.uk/

An alternative is to try an RC car that has proportional steering. You don't
have to worry about lift, stall and wind. Get something with left and right
steering and speed control. Set up an easy course that goes toward and away
from you with lots of turns. Do it very slowly at first until you can make
the turns easily. Then build speed over time. You'll get it! If it has
sticks rather than a steering wheel even better, but not required. Oh, and
little cars are fun too.


3) Too much speed - Speed it the enemy of the new pilot but if you fly too
slowly the wings can't generate enough lift, so there is a compromise here.
The key message is that you don't have to fly at full throttle all the time.
Most small electrics fly very nicely at 2/3 throttle and some do quite well at
1/2. That is a much better training speed than full power. Launch at full
power and climb to a good height, say 100 feet as a minimum, so you have time
to recover from a mistake. At 100 feet, about double the height of the trees
where I live, go to half throttle and see how the plane handles. If it holds
altitude on a straight line, this is a good speed. Now work on slow and easy
turns, work on left and right, flying toward you and maintaining altitude.
Add a little throttle if the plane can't hold altitude.


4) Not enough altitude - New flyers are often afraid of altitude. They feel
safer close to the ground. Nothing could be more wrong.

Altitude is your friend. Altitude is your safety margin. It gives you a
chance to fix a mistake. If you are flying low and you make a mistake ....
CRUNCH!

As stated above I consider 100 feet, about double tree height where I live, as
a good flying height and I usually fly much higher than this. I advise my new
flyers that fifty feet, is minimum flying height. Below that you better be
lining up for landing.


5) Over control - Most of the time the plane does not need input from you.
Once you get to height, a properly trimmed plane flying in calm air will
maintain its height and direction with no help from you. In fact anything you
do will interfere with the plane.

When teaching new pilots I often do a demo flight of their plane. I get the
plane to 100 feet, then bring the throttle back to a nice cursing speed. I
get it going straight, with plenty of space in front of it, then take my hand
off the sticks and hold the radio out to the left with my arms spread wide to
emphasize that I am doing nothing. I let the plane go wherever it wants to
go, as long as it is holding altitude, staying upwind and has enough room. If
you are flying a high wing trainer and you can't do this, your plane is out of
trim.

Even in a mild breeze with some gusts, once you reach flying height, you
should be able to take your hand off the stick. Oh the plane will move around
and the breeze might push it into a turn, but it should continue to fly with
no help from you.

Along this same line of thinking, don't hold your turns for more than a couple
of seconds after the plane starts to turn. Understand that the plane turns by
banking or tilting its wings. If you hold a turn too long you will force the
plane to deepen this bank and it will eventually lose lift and go into a
spiral dive and crash. Give your inputs slowly and gently and watch the
plane. Start your turn then let off then turn some more and let off. Start
your turns long before you need to and you won't need to make sharp turns.

I just watch these guys hold the turn, hold the turn, hold the turn, crash.
Of course they are flying in 10 mph wind, near the ground, coming toward
themselves at full throttle.

6) Preflight check - Before every flight it is the pilot's responsibility to
confirm that the plane, the controls and the conditions are correct and
acceptable for flight.

Plane - Batteries at proper power
Surfaces properly aligned
No damage or breakage on the plane
Everything secure

Radio - Frequency control has been met before you turn on the radio
A full range check before the first flight of the day
All trims and switches in the proper position for this plane
Battery condition is good
Antenna fully extended
For computer radios - proper model is displayed
All surfaces move in the proper direction

Conditions - No one on the field or in any way at risk from your fight
You are launching into the wind
Wind strength is acceptable ( see wind above )
Sunglasses and a hat to protect your eyes
All other area conditions are acceptable.

Then and only then can you consider yourself, your plane, radio and the
conditions right for flight. Based on your plane, your radio and local
conditions you may need to add or change something here, but this is the bare
minimum. It only takes a couple of minutes at the beginning of the flying
day and only a few seconds to perform before each flight.

If this all seems like too much to remember, do what professional pilots do,
take along a preflight check list. Before every flight they go down
the check list, perform the tests, in sequence, and confirm that all is right.
If you want your flying experience to be a positive one, you should do the
same. After a short time, it all becomes automatic and just a natural part of
a fun and rewarding day.

I hope some of this is useful in learning to fly your plane.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

PREFLIGHT AND FIRST FLIGHT PROCEDURES FOR PARKFLYERS
by Ed Anderson
aeajr on the forums

Here are some quick tips and a "check sheet" for preparing your parkflyer for
launch. If you are a new pilot, you really need to heed the wind caution.
If you are experienced, use your own judgment.

Here is how you prepare for your first flights. Skip a step and you open
yourself to problems.

Respect the wind - For new pilots, dead calm to 3 MPH is perfect. No more
than 5 MPH for
early/training flights or you will be fighting the wind, not flying the plane.

1) Make sure no one is on your channel BEFORE you turn on your radio. If
someone is flying on your channel and you turn on your radio, they will crash!
Check first!

2) Do a range check before the first launch of the day

3) Make sure that battery is fully charged just before the launch. Not 3 days
ago. Not last week. Last night or today!

4) Make sure all your surfaces are properly aligned and move properly before
you launch. Check the manual if the surfaces do not appear to be properly
aligned. Also make sure your wing is straight!

5) CHECK THE TRIMS! Check the trim slides on the side and below the stick(s).
Be sure you have not bumped one out of position. A bumped trim can cause the
plane to crash. Make sure the surfaces are properly alligned on the tail and
the wings.

6) Always launch and land into the wind - ALWAYS

7) If you are hand launching, - good firm level throw or only very slightly
up. Never
throw the plane upward - Always use full throttle!

8) Let it fly out and gain speed. I would say a minimum of 50 feet, and 100
would be better. From a hand throw, it will drop a bit, that is OK. It
should start to climb
all on its own. If you use the elevator, only use a small amount.

The plane must get up to speed before applying strong elevator. Apply the
elevator
too soon and you will "stall" the wing, the nose will drop and you will crash.

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST FLIGHT AND YOU ARE LEARNING ON YOUR OWN

If your field will allow it, launch, fly out 100 feet or so then come back to
about 1/4 throttle and let
the plane drift down for a landing straight ahead. Just before the plane
touches the ground, cut the motor.

Use the rudder to keep it straight. Avoid turns. Do this a few times till
you understand how the plane launches and lands. Then you can go for climbs
and turns.

I fly electrics and gliders. With my gliders, I ALWAYS do a test glide, with
a hand throw, straight out then glide to the ground before launching off the
hi-start or the
winch. This confirms that the plane is balanced and everything works right.
Good idea for
electrics as well using that straight out launch, under power, then land.
Saves much damage and embarrassment.

If the plane is properly trimmed, it should climb on its own at full throttle
or require only a small amount of up elevator.

Use the elevator carefully! Unless you are going for a loop, use small
elevator inputs. Too much up elevator with the plane flying too slowly will
cause the nose to rise, the wing to stall and the nose to drop. Do this near
the ground and you crash.

Flight tips

Keep your control movement smooth and don't over do it. Turn before you need
to so you can give the plane time to react. This is called thinking ahead of
the plane. Plan you moves.

For three channel parkflyers that use rudder/elevator or two channels that
only have rudder, don't hold rudder commands for more than a couple of
seconds. On these planes, rudder commands will cause the plane to bank, or
tip over in the direction of the turn. That is good because that is how they
turn. However, if you hold the rudder too long, the
bank will continue to steepen to the point where the wing will lose lift and
you will go into a dive or spiral in for a crash.

Of course you read the whole manual several times and watched any videos that
might have come with the plane before you fly.

Clear Skies and Safe Flying!

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

I have read many posts about people who don't want to join a club for one
reason or another. I have found this especially common among new electric
pilots because, for the most part, it is easier to go it alone with the
electrics than with the fuel planes and sailplanes. You need less space, you
need less equipment, the planes are typically small and quiet so you can go
off by yourself and fly and in many cases no one will bother you.

Net net, it is the people as much as the planes that have made this a
wonderful experience for me. I have made many new friends, and perhaps an
enemy or two. Yes, the club has restricted me in a few areas but they have
expended my experience so much in others that, well, I can live with it.

There are safety reasons, insurance reasons, instruction reasons and all sorts
of other excellent reasons to join a club, but the main one is fun. The club
has made a very enjoyable experience more fun than I could ever have imagined.
If you had a bad club expereience, try a different club!

If you are new to the hobby, I strongly suggest you seek out the clubs in your
area. If you would like to see if there are clubs in your area, visit this
link. Remember that the address shown for the club is usually NOT the flying
field, but a member's house. In the case of our club, they are probably 20
mile apart.
http://www.modelaircraft.org/templat...5E31DE4FA6F552
For other countries, use this link:
http://www.fai.org/fai_members/addresses.asp

Stop in and chat with the members. There is probably a club in your area that
is made up of people who share your interests and who would richen your flying
experience.

Want to have more fun? Join a club!

Clear skies and safe flying!

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

During my pilot development I learned how hard it can
be to find a plane that has landed in the
woods, tall grass and other places where you can't see it. Fortunately there
are aids for this kind of situation.

I lost my Aerobird when a huge gust of wind carried it over deep woods and I
was too inexperienced to deal with it. Even though I was certain I knew where
it went down I could not find it. I bought another Aerobird and fly it often.

When I moved on to gliders I started flying a Great Planes Spirit 2
Meter. I got into trouble and it went down into heavy woods and brush. I
went into the woods to find it. Fifty feet into the woods, trying to decide
how to proceed since the area the plane went down could not be seen from a
trail, I heard Beep Beep Beep. The plane was about 150 feet away in heavy
tree growth. I had the plane located and out in 10 minutes. Believe me,
where it had landed I likely would not have found it.

The difference was a little device you put in the plane that gets attached to
the receiver. If you turn off the transmitter, the thing starts beeping
loudly and you can hear it from quite a distance.

This is what I use in my Spirit Sailplane and several of my other planes.
http://www.californiasailplanes.com/...l%20alarm.html

It hooks to any channel or it can share a channel with one of your servos. It
has the connector to pass through to the servo.
This will work in any plane with a 72 MHZ receiver. This is the one I
recommend to everyone.

Low Voltage Watch

In addition to helping me find the planes, the Digi Alarm also monitors my
battery pack voltage and sounds an alarm if the pack voltage gets below a safe
level. This is especially valuable on my glider. If I catch a good thermal,
I could be in the air for over an hour, so a pack that tested good on the
ground could run low during the flight.

Channel Conflict Test!

As a test to make sure no one is flying on your channel, turn on the receiver
only. If the device does not go into lost plane mode then someone else is on
your frequency.

Here are five I have not tried, but look interesting.

lost Model Locator - $10
Does one job, but does it well, I hope.
http://www.allthingsrc.com/webshop/p...products_id/39

It is called the Be Found from GWS. - $15
http://www.gws.com.tw/english/produc...it/befound.htm

SkyKing RC Lost Model Locator - $20
http://www.skykingrcproducts.com/acc...del_alarm.html
Review
http://www.slopeflyer.com/artman/pub...el_alarm.shtml

RC Reporter - $24
A bunch of features
http://www.rcreporter.com/products.html


For 27mHZ planes like the Aerobird, Firebirds, etc

My Aerobird does not have a conventional receiver that I can connect to. The
electronics and servos are one integrated circuit board. No place to connect
one of the above locators. On the Aerobird I use a key ringer.
www.keyringer.com One of these on the plane and one stays in my pocket. If I
am looking for the plane, I click the one in my hand and the one on the plane
answers:

Every plane I ever own will have some kind of locator and battery monitor from
now on. Of course you only need one. You can move it from plane to plane,
but at $15-30 they are cheap enough you can put one in every plane and forget
it!

For really long range finds, measured in miles, there is the Walston system.
The plane unit is about $150 while the tracking unit is hundreds of dollars.
This is good for clubs, especially sailplane clubs. If your sailplane costs
$2000, a $150 transmitter is worth the cost.
http://www.texastimers.com/helpful_h.../wal_cover.htm


Here is a more complete article on the subject

Lost Model Locators
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=67

Many pilots don't know about these devices. Now you do!

mn5503

Thanks for all the replys guys. The winds appear to be very light to none today. If I can find the time I'm going to take the t-hawk out to my field and give her a try. It's on a big hill so the winds can be different from my house to the field so we'll have to see. About a hundred acres flat on the top that slopes off all directions on the edges. Kind of an ideal spot. Thinking I can be gaining altitude faster launching towards one of the slopes. I'll keep you posted on how it goes if indeed it does.

quando

AEAJR, YOU ARE THE MAN! Thanks so much for all you do for us beginners, It is appreciated!

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Glad I can help.