daven

My Feedback: (1)

I think a lot of times when you hear "I can't see the plane" its the camera man that lost it in his viewfinder.

Trying to record these things can be a challenge.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

I know various comments like that come out of my yapper when I'm flying, but many of them are exaggerated and are just me blabbering away to myself. I think everyone has to go through a bit of stark terror and reality training with fast stuff, so naturally the earlier forays are higher risk. If you mitigate that by not flying on a busy club weeknight, but rather in some kind of isolation or minimal exposure scenario until you get the hang of it, then that's all good. IOW figure out how not to plant it away from people, then join in.

MJD

Sessholvlaru

So how about an age survey? I'm 26 and have no problems following my Magnum, but guys watching it often mention how they can't see it. Mind you, without my contacts, I can barely navigate my apartment.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

I think it helps to have some tracking experience.

Flying a fast delta is a piece of cake........ if it sillouettes on you, just fly out of it. Don't do any fancy stuff, fly a planned routine, stick to a mentally rehearsed pattern, etc. until you get comfortable with having those edge on views where it seems to have vanished.
At a distance colors get mottled, so I just want to see a solid color and the smooth look on bottom. The top has the jagged fins, cowl and mottled highlights that you can pick up in a split second at a distance. Try to avoid those long distances though...[:-]

daven

My Feedback: (1)

A week after flying my first Nelson I went to the eye Dr.

Its amazing how much better you can fly when you plane doesn't look like a fuzzy blob.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

No doubt. I've got a new pair due to arrive next week. The degradation is gradual but steady and shocking to see the improvement during the eye exam.
I'm 55, played baseball most of my life and in that sport you have .1 second to decide whether to bail out, swing, or take a pitch, another .2 seconds to actually do the swinging or bailing out. You only get a snap shot image in your head to make your decisions with.
Flying these planes is so much easier if you don't go out of your way to make it more difficult. Fly in a way that reduces the amount of split second decisions that you have to make.
Be ahead of the plane mentally.

Imagine flying in a group of 3 planes at 180 mph, wing tip to wing tip, going around a .....I wouldn't dare!....
...putting that into perspective, flying speed planes in a gentle "speed pattern" is with in the grasp of any one who can see his plane well enough at a distance. The trouble that some may be having is with planes that have too much throw built into the linkages, planes that are crooked, not balanced, etc. A well set up plane takes no more skill to fly at top speed than at any other speed..I think they fly better, the faster they go.

BreakingPoint

My Feedback: (2)

This question is for you engineers out there. I’ve noticed a lot of speed planes have a similar cowling that has a teardrop shape on both sides of the cowling, like the Sundowner, Little Toni, Ally Cat, etc.. Obviously not all of them have that, but there must be some advantage to that shape. Any idea what that shape does for the aerodynamics?

evan-RCU

Hides the cylinder heads on the real planes the model actually has more drag because of them.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

It does wonders when the aircraft is powered by a flat-four Continental or Lycoming.. you realize these are semi-scale or sorta-scale models, right?

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

CP, I do the planned move method when I'm a little iffy about what the plane is doing as well.
Three up and going around pylons is pretty friggin awsome, you really need to try it. I'm not at the 180 level...yet.
42yrs old and had Lasik 7 years ago, went from 20/600 to 20/20 in less time than it takes to fly ten laps.[8D]

BreakingPoint

My Feedback: (2)

The cowling makes sense now. Setup like the real plane. Does seem like that adds some drag on an RC size. I quess that's why you don't that type of cowling on a Q40.. Thanks.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah, if the model is purpose designed for racing and not scale, the only cowlings you'll see are cowlings that are needed for streamlining. If it's a sport airplane they are there for scale looks. But some of the pylon events require some passing scale fidelity, so you'll see unused blisters on the cowls where the miniature aircraft engines would normally go, and they help nothing if not stuffed with engine except for compliance with the rules. They make a bit of drag, but not end-of-the-world type drag when they are closed off on scale models, unlike the real ones that are cooling ducts and streamlined cylinder fairings all in one - like four control line speed cowlings fused together in tandem pairs.

MJD

Sessholvlaru

Any details on your Lasik experience? I have been contemplating it. My only worry is that it would be a waste of capital to get done if my vision wasn't fully corrected. It doesn't do me much good to go from 20/600 to say 20/60 and still need corrective lenses. I know that results are not guaranteed, however.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

I was given a 95% chance of getting to 20/20 vision about this time last year.

Had Lasik done in January, and am barely at 20/30 and suffer from a bad dry eye condition due to the procedure. Have taken more series of drops to promote tearing than I can tell you and nothing helps. On the other end of it, I know many people that have had it done and love it.

If it is for near or far sidedness, I'd say go for it. If it is a astygmatism I'm not sure they are there yet.

20/30 is not good enough to race (IMO), especially when everything is a hair fuzzy. Had to pick up glasses this spring, and now trying to decide if I want to go back under the laser for a "enhancement" as they call it. Looking back on it, I should have put my $2,700 towards Q40's and Nelsons.

ChrisAttebery

My Feedback: (15)

I don't know if you've decided which path to take on your quest for speed, but a YS 110 in your present airframe will probably do 120-125mph on 20% fuel. Add another 30-40% nitro and you can get into the 140mph range.

The nice thing about it is once you tune the motor it can be as simple to fly as any sport plane. They are not touchy. I fly the same prop all year round and I rarely touch the needle. It will idle fairly low, but you will probably have to kill the motor to land.

Good luck,


Chris

Mike Connor

My Feedback: (5)

My Miss Dara F1 ( set up for sport) back in the 80's had a cowling on both sides. The engine was in one side and not sure if the other was required by some rule or not.

BreakingPoint

My Feedback: (2)

Chris, what prop would you recommend for this setup with a YS110? Is this what you fly?

BreakingPoint

My Feedback: (2)

Well I just bought a Lanier Predator Q-500 plane at a local swap-meet. It has a Thunder Tiger 42 motor on it with a stock muffler turning an apc 9X6 at 14,300 rpm's on 15% nitro. Any suggestions on how to make it faster. I flew it for the first time yesterday and it is farily quick, but defnitely not fast as I want. It was probably doing around 100 mph. Would really like to know if it can get up to 130 with this motor.

I also have a new OS 46ax that I could use.

jaka

Hi!
The plain bearing TT .42 will not do if you want to go fast!
Put in the OS .46 AX instead and be sure and use a 150cc Tettra "Bubble less tank" if you are serious!

BreakingPoint

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks. I'm sure you're right about the TT 42. Runs very well, just not as powerful as the OS 46. If I put the OS 46 on it, should I change out the muffler to something different from stock? Any ideas what prop might be best for speed on the OS 46? Maybe a 8X9 or 9X8?

Thanks!

Mike Connor

My Feedback: (5)

9x8, 9x9 or 10x7 works well on that engine. I think a 8" is too small for a 46AX.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

After looking at the title of this thread, especially with the exclamation mark [!!!]......and to fullfill the stated goal this guy needs a Q-500 Jett or Nelson engine, or similar. That should take care of his needs for awhile.

BreakingPoint

My Feedback: (2)

I would love to get one of those Jett Q500 motors for it eventualy. Not enough $$ right now, so I'll have to stick with the OS 46 for a while. Can someone tell me if there is any advantage to removing the baffle in the muffler for an OS 46? Would there be a noticable increase in power? Would I lose too much tank pressure for reliable operation?


Thanks.

lfinney

My Feedback: (44)

plenty of pressure with baffle removed, and its good for 2-300 rpm usually

Mr67Stang

The issue is "fast" is a reletive term that changes value based on experience. If you ask Lance Armstrong what fast is he will say getting his Schwinn up to 35-40 MPH on a downhill in the French wine country is a rush. Then ask a Cafe motorcycle racer or a Nascar driver what is fast and it will be about 200'ish MPH. Then ask an astronaut and so on.