sticks-RCU

My Feedback: (23)

OK with all the discussions of which radio is best and what turbine is king, this topic should not only spark some good discussions it should also help new jet pilots like me become better jet pilots.

While I have been flying R/C aircraft for as long as I can remember, I am fairly new to the Jet world. As most know, landing a jet is much different than landing a 40% Extra. What I am after is the right technique for landing jets, and is there one technique that fits all or does it depend on the type of aircraft being flown.

I have a mix of jets that I am currently flying, a Baby Boomerang, BD5J, Cermark ViperJet and a Feibao F9F Panther. I have the most experience with the Baby Boomerang which lands similar to a standard prop plane, however the others do not. I have been fortunate that I fly off of a mud flat so my runway is 1,000 to 1,500 feet long, this has allowed me to land my jets the wrong way but get them back on the ground. I am also flying at about 4,200ft above sea level if that makes a difference.

I want to become much more proficient with my landings so I can land on an asphalt runway, and do it the right way.

So the question is, what techniques should I be using to land?

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

my best advice, take it with a grain of salt...

learn your jet by flying it dirty (gear down, flpas down)...keep your altitude and learn what it does at different throttle settings. Make turns, make slow descents, shalow and steep turns and see how it reacts. Also try to determine how much power you need to actually climb.
When you feel comfortable start practicing approaches, and after you feel confident get closer and closer to the runway, until you feel very comfortable and you cut the power and flare and touch down.
Just remember, during approach.........keep flying the jet!! target the runway centerline if there is one. Dont just let the model stray aside and follow it....positive control always.

Best of luck,
David

rcjets_63

My Feedback: (4)

I use Auto-Land, a special program setup for the 12X developed for Ron Long to produce "greaser" landings. You just fly the plane until you more or less have it on the glide path for the runway, turn the knob, and the plane lands itself!!!!

The rewind time knob is handy too. If you screw up a maneuver, just spin the knob, and do the maneuver over. You have to be careful though and limit the ATV. Once I messed up a slow roll, spun the knob too far and found that I was still married to my ex. That was the scariest flight of my life!!!!!

Regards,

Jim

gunradd

My Feedback: (9)

I have found my F16 likes to land high alpha and is pretty easy to control. But my sport jets dont at all land like that. So it depends on the aircraft.

RC Larry-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

LOLOL Thats the kinda laugh I needed today!!!!

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

jeminied72

LOL!!!!!! [sm=thumbs_up.gif]

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

That's one of the main things right there. I call that going into "spectator mode" where you see that the lineup (or the decent) isn't right and you just watch it without positively correcting it. As Dave says you have to force yourself to stay in the loop and if something isn't right, then fix it. If you can't, then go around and try again. Always leave yourself enough fuel for that option, and if the landing is going to be especially challenging, leave yourself enough fuel to do it more than once.

I think there's several ways to fly an approach and some may be better than others for a specific jet and/or a specific pilot. Some guys can setup an approach and control airspeed with pitch attitude and decent rate with throttle, like on a full scale aircraft. You have to be right on your game with this method though and it doesn't leave much margin for error.

I find that for me, the method recommended to me by a jet pilot of some note works best. That is, establish a comfortable slow flight speed for the jet on downwind with gear and flaps out. Then maintain that speed, which is a bit higher than actual landing speed, and fly the plane down under an imaginary "limbo pole" near the runway threshold about 2 or 3 feet off the ground. Once you hit that right including being lined up on the centerline, then you can bring the throttle back to idle and work the flare until the plane touches down, nose high, at the proper airspeed just above stall. For me, flying the approach just a bit faster and then letting the aircraft decelerate once its very close to the ground, gives me an opportunity to correct things that aren't right and generally results in a better touchdown as far as the landing gear is concerned.

Bob

powerjets

My Feedback: (1)

thunderceptor

When I started to fly with turbines I switched from 'thumb' mode to 'Long Stick' mode, this give me very precise feeling to control the flare.
Also a good landing starts from the beginning,my landing sequence is:

-Throttle idle/gear down
-Flaps full landing/throttle forward 75% power
-Turn to downwind position and set throttle and trim to stabilize altitude.
-Turn to base and gradually decrease throttle, thus controlling the glide with engine power.
-On final set throttle to mantain a constant rate of descent.
-When you're sure to make the runway, cut throttle and flare as smooth as possible

Here are two landing examples:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UthTqwuMJKY[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB5fp8UzRE0[/youtube]

Kelly Rohrbach

My Feedback: (1)

I think where you stand in relation to the runway is also part of the answer. I like to stand just short of mid field closer to the approach end, this gives me the ability to pick up the painted center line as I roll out on final. I try and do the navy type approach in that I do my break at mid field and have it down and dirty about the time I roll out to the down wind checking both speed and altitude. The Break is where a good landing starts!!!.
A buddy is also a good source of information if he or she has watched you fly that model before, like having a LSO. They can not only call wind changes but let you know your deep in the groove or high/low or looking slow. Kind of goes back to the comment of becoming a spectator and being complacent, not much room for it as we all know.

RCISFUN

My Feedback: (44)

That there is some funny chit

Ron S

My Feedback: (2)

I prefer Kelly Rohrbach's method listed above - the caller.

Reason > if you STILL flub the landing, you already have picked out the fall guy to take the blame!

k_sonn

My Feedback: (32)

I like to do what I consider the warbird approach. Fly the downwind circuit a little high and make the final turn to base a wide sweeping descending turn. Line up and level out on base and use throttle to control decent. Flare just before you get into ground effect, chop the throttle and let the plane settle on the runway.

Here's the maiden and 2nd flight video of my EDF powered 25+ pound Ziroli Panther where if you fast forward to the end you can see the approach I described above.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-ItVZXygdE[/youtube]


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOf9WYB0cl4[/youtube]


Kirk

quist

My Feedback: (198)

You forgot the "blame your spotter switch"

rcjetsaok

My Feedback: (7)

Just do it like the guys at Southwest.... Cross the threshold, pull the engines to idle, grab the yoke and run to the back of the airplane with it !!!!! Just make sure the cockpit door is open and your shoe strings are tied !!!... Don't want to trip !!!!!


Danno

VF84sluggo

My Feedback: (55)

Just do it like the guys at Southwest.... Cross the threshold, pull the engines to idle, grab the yoke and run to the back of the airplane with it !!!!! ...then run off the end of the runway and through the fence [X(]

rcjetsaok

My Feedback: (7)

Touch'e !!!!!! LMAO !!!!!!! ( Fence and Cheveron station ) !!!!!


Danno

VF84sluggo

My Feedback: (55)

Makes it quicker to get more kero that way