BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Does anyone know how far out we can realistically see the average turbine model? At our local field I have heard on more than one occasion that someone was so far out that they were over the freeway. Looking at Mapquest the freeway seems to be over 3/4 of a mile from the flightline and that seems to be a long ways to be able to see a model. Admitedly, half that distance is to far out for our field boundries but I am a bit skeptical that someone would actually be over the freeway.

Has anyone done any type of measurement to see how far we can see our models while flying?

patf

My Feedback: (4)

tough call from the pilots station, we have had to do the same at events in caddo mills and even our own field. The only way to really settle it is to send someone over to the freeway while the person is flying and see where they are.

Shok

My Feedback: (28)

Speaking of over road flying, thats how I found your field Pat!

We were driving down that road and I was thinking, man it's got to be here somewhere, just then, a gear down orange bobcat flew over my truck lining up for final.

When I got to the field, I was thinking, man I wonder if they know they were flying this far out.

TonyF

My Feedback: (92)

Depends on the size of the jet. We just did a test here at Dryden with a 10 foot span Utility model. At 1.25 miles a spotter could see the model but had difficulty telling what it was doing. He could tell the direction it was going but not very good attitude recognition. I don't think an R/C pilot would ever have taken it that far out. I suspect that 3/4 of a mile would be possible, but the pilot would need eagle eyes. 1/2 mile is probably very common.

I think someone may have gotten over the freeway, but they were probably not there intentionally.

seanreit

My Feedback: (60)

I believe I've personally flown a model back from at least 5000 feet. A guy got disoriented and flew it away from him I heard a "help" I came over and it was barely a dot. The guy already wrote it off. By wing rocking and pulling up and down I was able to get oriented and it took over a full minute to fly it back. On a model flying at about 50 mph, or 5000 feet per minute that's how I justify that range.

My guess is based on that experience that we are typically flying them between 1000 and 3500 feet away.

I heard once that a model going 200 mph coming from base to final will need to be turned in around 5 seconds cause the 6th second will take it beyond your radio range. I ran the numbers and that's not true. In five seconds at 200 mph you've gone less than 1500 feet. Well 1500 to your left and 1500 to your right is a 3000 foot run. I think ray blair, phil nuza and some others like Scott Marr that do these terrific big sky 200 mph runs if you think about it, from full left to full right it's more than 10 seconds. I believe they are achieving the longer duration by pulling up which also keeps the distance in check.

If you've seen these guys do their big sky runs, just pull out your stopwatch and measure the time. You can easily calculate the distance by every second adding 300 feet. It's not exact, but an easy number to remember (for a 200 mph run). Only expect to see that speed by a bandit or simlar type jet.

My vote goes to 4000 foot max. That being said, my friend Bryce Watson has 20/10 vision and I once saw him fly a hotspot comepletely out of sight for me, he continued climbing until it was out of sight for him. To my surprise he turned his smoke system on, and we both saw no airplane but a fantastic smoke trail. Only guy I've ever known to pull that one off.

Have Fun,

Sean

weasel33

Once flew an 11 ft wingspan powered glider to 4800 feet with an altimeter fitted in it
was just going out of my sight at that height so i would guess 4000 for a jet would be realistic
just depends how good your eyesight is but its not recommended one mistake at that distance
and you can cause some serious damage.

I fly within the confines of a 54 acre field and thats quite far enough a jet speeds.

brg
Brian