On RF G4, Should the plane level out when the stick goes to the center? The plane seems to keep banking.

I am ready to give up ever getting control of the G4. Is there any place I should be starting? I have reviewed some of the basic training videos. I cannot do the landing training to save myself. Please offer any suggestions...

ckelloggje

Airplanes with dihedral usually come back to level on their own. It depends on the airplane. G4 simulates reality, or tries to.

I just saw your post and went off into G4 to see if it was failing to do that. The highwing trainer I tried came back to level about as fast on G4 as it does at the field.

I've got a P40 I'll be flying in about 2 hours. It's got dihedral and really doesn't right itself very quickly in real life. The G4 one is about the same.

It'll depend on what airplane you're flying in G4 and how well they've modeled it. The couple I just tested on G4 seemed realistic.

Suggestions???

It doesn't happen quickly for most people. Keep in mind that you're learning to fly a model, and very few people learn to land comfortably for a very, very long time. It just ain't easy.

Divide the task out into pieces. Downwind, base, final.

Setup your altitude with the downwind, and perfect it on the base.
Get your speed under control on base (if that works best for you or the plane), and perfect it on final.

Work out your runway alignment with the base. If you're not aligned, go around and do the next base leg differently to correct what was wrong.

Do those dry runs awhile and take a break.

There are lots of details to work out. Take 'em a few at a time.

You want the airplane slowed to landing speed by the time you're over the end of the runway.
You want the descent to be good for landing from the turn onto final.

If all the details aren't right...... go around. That's the best advice for guys landing models at the field and it's what you want to practice on the sim.

And take a break whenever you're just not getting it. There ain't no deadlines to meet, are there?

Also, not all controllers calibrate the same in windows. Even the same controller will calibrate differently on each computer. In addition, each plane will trim differently.
Recalibrate the controller, then, just as in real life, take off and use the trim tabs to achieve a level flight. Once the plane is trimmed, the dihedral wing will roll back to level. If the ailerons or the rudder are off just a little bit, the plane won't fly right. {simulating reality}

Master the proceedure truns. it'll set you up to make a path over the runway on top of banking left and right without loosing altitude.
Then slow it down so you get use to sluggish controls. You'll get use to backing off of the throttle after completing the truns.

On some models (floaters) you actaully have to froce the model down before it ever comes near the runway, and it'll keep on flying
if you have too much speed.

It takes a while for you to learn get use to just WOT....then just turn the stick down and glide her in.
Slightly rasie the nose to reduces speed and flair her in. I'm bascailly dead sticking it...with the engine on idle as
a back up, incase i need to bail.

It happens really fast..I just do it without thinking too much about it.


I've never actaully had to use a self righting trainers. I had an Avistar
My problem as a newbie was...I flicked the sticks due to playing video games.
Bascailly my instructor would stand next to me and tell me to stopped flicking the sticks... constantly
So I've learnd to keep my thumb on the sticks at all times from the get go. (piont and go)
I've never waited for the model to correct itself.

Landing is typically one of the last things that instructors teach their students. I usually start my students at a high altitude and simply ask them to make turns to the right or left, your choice, maintaining the same altitude. Since we're dealing with a simulator here a high atitude isn't necassary since we don't have to worry about destroying an airplane.

Take off, get to a comfortable altitude and trim your plane for straight and level flight - once at altitude and trimmed hit the 'P' on your keyboard. In G4 that will set the airplane position, so that each time you crash your plane it will return to that same position. Then practice making turns. Add a little aileron right or left, your chouce, and at the same time add in some throttle and/or up elevator to maintain altitude and to keep the nose from falling. Once you've made the turn and want to return to straight and level flight, add opposite aileron, and/or reduce the throttle and return the elevator to neutral to return to straight and level flight. You'll see that the plane will not immediately stop turning and it'll take time to stop turning. You'll eventually learn to "lead" the plane and start the process of returning to level flight at the proper time to make a 90, 180 and 360 degree turns. With time and practice, you'll begin to make "square" turns. You should never expect your plane to return to straight and level flight on it's own, that's not "flying" your own plane.

Setting the airplane position by hitting the 'P' on your keyboard will eliminate the need to always have to take-off and climb to altitude before beginning your turn practice. Once you have the turns down then you can start practicing your landings ... you'll find it much easier to line up with the runway and fly the pattern. Using the 'P' to set the airplane position (once lined up with the runway) will also help you practice transistioning from flight to ground without having to take-off fly the pattern and then line up your landing.


Don't feel bad about how much time you spend practicing ... I've had students that have taken years to get to the landing phase of thier training. I've also had students that have mastered it in days. Everyone's different.

Good luck.

Thanks to everyone. I REALLY appreciate the detailed and informative responses. I know it will help me. PLEASE KEEP THE ADVISE COMING.

Thanks again,

ckelloggjr

I know the temptation to pick a model that you find appealing by its looks and sound but don't do it yet. Also, as mentioned above, be sure to "calibrate" your controller to your pc. (You only have to do it once.)

On my G4 I've found the NexStar to be a very realistic trainer. Also, use the View to look at the windsock and set approximately 7 kts wind directly down the runway. I find the Sod Field a good learning field. You can use the PageUp & PageDown buttons to set the wind speed and the Home and End keys to set the direction. Once set, switch the view back to your plane.

Takeoff and land into the wind. At 5 - 7kts the plane is not being knocked around but it will slow things down on the landing very nicely but not create too much havoc in the air.

Practice flying around s m o o t h l y and keeping the model close enough to you that you can see what its doing. Slow it down to approximately half-throttle and get used to gently cruising.

The reason for this is you need to be able to establish predictable flight path and glide when you land. Believe it or not, a good landing starts BEFORE you turn on Final Approach. If you wait to straighten things up to just before touchdown you're asking for trouble. Later it will seem much more comfortable but the truth is landings are a challenge. Same in the real stuff too.

You will find them fun for that very reason after a while and will change the wind conditions to make it even more difficult as well as discover at what point you shouldn't even bother taking a model plane up. Even real aircraft have crosswind limits that will keep them grounded and its one of the reasons commercial airports have runways running different directions.

Lastly, when you get frustrated just put it down and walk away. Believe me please. One day soon its all going to just "click" and the fun will start.

Regards,

Clay