MajorTomski

I've noted several videos of maiden flights where the pilot is standing behind the plane during the takeoff roll. I've tried this and do not understand it. I lose any feel for how fast the plane is going or if it is ready to take-off. I much preferr to stand off to one side. that way I can see if it is light on the wheels and ready to fly.

Anyone have comments or prefrences on this?

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

To each, his own.

IF someone feels more comfortable standing behind the plane, and IF field conditions will allow it, go for it.

If you prefer to stand on the side, it's your call.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

Yup, do whatever you're comfortable with.  There's no right or wrong way.  What I do is treat a first flight just like any other.  I've got my habits and it's when I work outside of them that I overlook things.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Agreed with whatever you are comfortable with.

Ken

dignlivn

We have a courtesy aggrement on Maiden flights at our club.

You get the whole runway and airspace all to your self, to
Maiden. Me I stand behind the plane on it's maiden. After
that i'm back to the flight line.


Bob

frenchie79

We have the same agreement. It is better to stand to the side and get use to it that way. Speed can be a killer more so than slipping a little to one side or the other. I can't judge speed from behind and have found myself pulling planes up when they should stay down a little longer. But-each to his own.

heavy metal thunder

I agree with you. As for myself, I like to stand on the side so I can see the plane coming and going. I can see problems quicker and judge the speed better. One thing I do is to test new and especially proto-type planes when I have the runway to myself.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

Like most others here, I figure it's your plane so do what you like. But I once saw a beautiful scale model totaled on its maiden flight (builder not at the controls) because it was horsed off the ground when it pretty clearly didn't have flying speed. The pilot wasn't behind it, but as many of you have said, being behind it makes it that much harder to judge speed. And what advantage do you get by being behind the plane? Some beginners find it easier to avoid turning the wrong way if the plane is going away from them, but anyone that early on the learning curve should probably get someone with more experience to maiden a new plane for them.

eagledancer

what i have found is it depends on the plane! most of the ww1 planes can be a little squirley on the ground and standing behind can give you more of what you need to correct on the first takeoff. now ww2 or most civilian planes i agree stand to the side it is much more important on ground speed on the takeoff

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

As said above, to each his own. I've maidened dozens of planes from micros up, recently a 1/4 scale cub and .60 sized T-34. I have my own habits that work best for me. I usually start my take off roll coming towards myself with the goal off lifting off just as the plane gets even with me. But sometimes I lift off while still coming towards myself and sometimes I don't lift off until the plane has passed by and is going away from me. Usually, I have already judged whether my speed is right or not while the plane is still coming towards me. Everyone's situation is different. Depth perception, speed perception, reflexes, experience, etc are different for each person. I am currently blessed with good eye sight, good muscle memory, good reflexes, and good hearing, but when that changes, I'll adapt my flying habits, and/or only fly planes that fit my abilities.

j.duncker

My Feedback: (2)

I think it depends to agree on your piloting ability and experience. I would always recomend that someone who has less experience/ability stand behind the model.

I think that it gives them a better chance of keeping the wings level after lift off and avoiding a steep climb out which might lead to a stall. I am not absolutely sure why this is but I think that they recognise the problem sooner and give the required correction[s] faster as there is less mental processing required.

I would also recommend a helper stand by them just in case the model is seriously out of trim, I have seen cases where the pilot was fully engaged keeping the model in the air and could not spare the time to move the trims. The helper does it for them. In one extreme case I have seen someone get into the programming mode and move the centre point on the elevator servo and add loads of expo to enable the model to be landed safely.

Hewey19

Seems to me like the only advantage to standing behind it would be to see how it is tracking down the runway.  Other then that you are better off standing to the side.

carrellh

I'm a "stand to the side" guy.

We have one or two members who prefer to stand behind the plane for all take-offs, then they move behind the safety fences. They are good pilots and they fly a lot. They fly safely and rarely crash. I'd never even consider suggesting that they change what works for them.

Carrell

Dzlstunter

I would think that "whatever you are comfortable with" is all I would feel comfortable with recommending to someone else about where they stand with their new model.

However, that being said, it would seem that if one had done an adequate job of doing a thorough taxiing trial before attempting lift-off, he should be able to deal with a maiden flight better from either position.

Sometimes a taxi trial ends up with an unintentional lift-off, but a quick throttle reduction can usually deal with it. In the process, you will have learned something about the new model before you actually want to do the full flight. Just my 2 cents.

-pkh-

My Feedback: (2)

IMO, anyone experienced enough to maiden a plane should be able to take-off in either position. Just be sure it's into the wind if at all possible. An inexperienced pilot should not be maidening a plane. And more specifically, a pilot that is not comfortable standing in any position relative to the take off path is not experienced enough to be maidening a plane. They are better off letting a more experienced pilot maiden and trim it out for them.

I prefer to be on the side, near the mid point of the runway, and take off from left to right (or right to left). That gives me the best view of the aircraft during takeoff, while I utilize the entire runway (if necessary). It will start off at the far left, begin to lift off while right in front of me (good view), and climb out as it goes farther right.

If I just stood behind the plane and took off, the lift off and climb out would be at a greater distance, and more difficult to see clearly. The lift off and climb out are the two most critical stages of take off, so you want the best view of the plane that you can get during these stages.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

I've never quite understood that. There's nothing inherently difficult to flying a model for the first time. If a person has the necessary experience to fly a given type of airplane, it won't make much difference whether the plane has been flown before or not. It's new to them either way. Trimming out a model isn't very difficult, either. I've seen guys make far too big of a deal about a first flight, to where they frighten themselves out of it for no real reason. I understand the nerves and fear are very real to them, but that's largely because of how they've built it up in their mind.

dignlivn

Kits make me more nervous than an Arf.


Bob

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I think having a more experienced pilot doing the maiden is more for; in the event that something DOES go wrong, he is better equipped to deal with the situation.

Not long ago I was asked to maiden a plane for a rookie. This guy could easily handle this plane under normal circumstances, but as soon as I took off, the plane wanted to bank hard to the left. It took almost full right aileron to hold it level and it was all I could do to get it once around the field to land.

Had someone with less experience made that first flight, it might have been the last.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

But that's part of the thrill!   I guess I've always had a reluctance to fly other peoples' planes or to allow others to fly my own.  If something unfortunate happens I'd rather avoid any possible bad feelings.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

MajorTomski

Had to laugh at my self and this thread.

I maidened my own now 8 year to finish Kyosho Viento this week, I had to stand behind it on the first flight.. Of course with a motor glider every flight is a from behind it hand launch!

Great thoughts guys thanks