I have a Saito 100 with a 16-4W prop and a Saito 125 with a 17-4W prop and have trouble landing them in the wind. I'm wondering if a 6 pitch instead of a 4 would pull through the wind at near idle for landings any better??? I try coming in with more speed but it just seems to fast and when I'm going slow and hit the elevator the wind takes the planes up big time. The planes are the OMP Kat 70 and the Showtime. Maybe it's just me not being that experienced. I've been flying a little less than 1 year now. I can hover, knife edge, flat spin and more but still have problems with a 15 MPH wind with my landings. Any help would be great from all who reply.
Thanks, Scott

Increasing pitch is not likely to help. It will add more thrust at idle, but you could just as easily add more throttle if that's what you needed. I suspect it is just part of the learning experience. Very few of us can land really well in a 15 knot wind. The planes you mention are pretty lightly loaded - so they don't stall until the airspeed is pretty slow. With a good headwind, the plane still wants to fly even though it appears to be going slow. Try slowing down even more - closer to the stall point - before you touch down.

I'll try but it scares me to death thinking it's going to stall and slam the ground. I did do this once but it was low enough that it did no damage when it stalled. I have a hard time getting super low with speed still and I know thats just me being so new. When I am that low and slowed down I barely touch the elevator and it seems to shoot back up to the sky. I guess I'm still not going sloe enough at that point. Thanks for your reply.

A tail-heavy plane will also tend to balloon on landing. But this behavior tends to happen all the time (no wind or windy).

I land perfect with little to no wind so it's not a tail heavy situation. I think it's just me more than anything.

Try Flapperons up 15% from neutral and elevator down 5-7% (that's how they're set on my 6X & K 70 with os 120) Still a bit hairy in a 10 mph head wind though.

I've never tried flaps but might do it.

G'day Mate, have you tried reducing your elevator throw, using duel rates, set your low rate, if you have it, so you don't have quite as much throw, it will be easier to flare, in thw wind or even when there is no wind.
Good flyin mate,
Allan.

Yes Allen, I have low and highd set. Thanks for your thoughts though and good flying to you as well.

Guys, landing into a wind (especially with a light wing loading such as the showtime), you have to FLY the plane to the ground. Trying to idle it in, with the tail low will only create problems that will eventually end with airplane damage. How many times have you seen someone landing into a wind trying to do just that, and all of a sudden the wind stops blowing for a second, and BAM, the plane falls out of the sky. Keep the nose pointed down, and keep the throttle up until you get just a few inches above the ground, then chop the throttle and let the plane settle in (keeping the plane as level as possible--if anything, still slightly nose down). Going nose up for a flare at this point will only invite disaster--ballooning, and such. Keep the nose down, keep the wing parallel to the ground, and fly the thing home.

I still struggle from time to time, but it's usually after I've flown one plane for a while, then get another one out (that has different characteristics). It takes a couple of go arounds to get it all straightened out. YOu need to practice this when there is no wind as well. I forced myself to land like this for months--with or without wind. That way it all looks and feels the same to you. The only thing wind will do is shorten your landing approach, but it should not alter your style. Then, after you're comfortable with it all, you can go back to the big flares, and 3 point landings when the wind isn't blowing.

Great advice and I really appreciate you writting in. Thanks!!

Increasing pitch will only add more speed, not thrust. Thrust is a function of prop diameter and not pitch.

from my speed boat days, a smaller prop with more pitch needs more RPM to produce more thrust,, so if Scott goes from a 16-4W down to a 14-6 he should have less thrust while landing at lower RPMs..

Jim

An answer that doesn't address the question directly..... but will help you with your problem.........

You're always standing up wind of your airplane when you're landing, right? And you're fairly close to it too, right?

And yeah, you got a lot to think about when you're landing but try to do one more thing.

Feel the wind that's hitting you as you're landing. Pay attention to it. It's going to be the wind your airplane sees in a second or two. You know how it feels when a gust hits you at just the wrong time on an approach right. Or what the crunch sounds like when the wind stops on approach and your baby stops flying right.

Well hey!!! You've actually got a warning system that's been working since day one and you just ignored it. YOU feel what's going toward your plane and you feel it with enough time to be prepared.

I try to teach beginners to land with their backs to the airplane. The obvious reason is... well, obvious. But there is a subtle detail about it. When you're looking over your shoulder, your face is exposed to the wind. And one ear too.... grin..... (I'm lost in space again, right....) I tell all my buddies that if they want to know what the wind is doing, "then use your ears". Yup, your ears can feel the wind really good. And your face does a good job too.

So when landing, try to keep a little bit of your brain thinking about the wind. With a little effort the warning system will work for you. You'll notice the gusts that're about to hit your plane before they hit it. And you'll feel the wind die before your wings run out of that extra airspeed.

Keep an eye on the wind....... uh.......... KEEP AN EAR ON THE WIND!!!!!!

(hey, I guarantee this advice. The guarantee??? If you're not satisfied, there is no additional charge!)

darock, I know what you're saying and it makes since. There have been times I've gone around again and not even attempted a landing becouse I felt the wind pick up. Sometimes you get lucky on aproach and it dies down at the right time. Always a great feeling on a windy day!