Scale Flying
07-30-2005 | 07:56 PM
#1
Scale Flying
Does anyone know of any good source material for replicating scale flight, as in how to do it?
I have found competition rules at various sites, but nothing no 'how to' information. My main interest centers on landings - I've joined a club which has a runway. At first, landing close to the center line, not far from the threshold, was quite a different experience from landing "out there anywhere in the grass." But I'm actually doing quite well with a 64"/.91 4-stroke Chipmunk. I'm also keeping the plane on the centerline quite well for takeoffs - keeping it on the ground as long as I can by not going to full throttle right away.
However, I'd like to reduce the amount of variation in my approaches - better descent rate control, better line up with the runway, less axial movement, etc. I want it to look like I"m landing a full scale.
The main purpose behind all of this practice is to gain confidence/skill prior to the flying of my Byron Hellcat. I recently finished the plane and had a very experienced scale pilot take it up for me a couple times (I could tell he was experienced - all of his planes were much more expensive than mine and he always took them home after flying in the same condition as he brought them to the field!). Though I have noticed alot of the big scale planes at our club touching down fast with 2/3's of the runway behind them - resulting in runs into the grass to slow them down.
I've even seen some of the big aerobatic planes flown with great artistry only to suffer miserable looking landings.
I feel I'm pretty good with the rudder, having learned along time ago with rudder/elevator only airplanes - but I have noticed with a runway, trying to land on center that I'm using a lot more rudder than I ever did with grass fields - using combinations of rudder and aileron to make alignment corrections without causing too much wing wagging.
I've also noticed that in order to hit the centerline and the first 10-25% of the runway, I'm making my base leg quite a bit farther from the runway threshold and at lower altitudes that when at grass fields. This seems to give more time to make alignment corrections, with smaller inputs - and I must keep the power on a bit longer to arrest the descent rate. I have flown with flaps and know that keeping the power up is a must to overcome the drag produced from deployed flaps.
I may be on the right track already, and 'practice, practice, practice' is mainly in order. I'm confident that I can take the Hellcat off and fly it fine. Its big and heavy, though, and I don't want to trash it on my first landing attempt.
But, if there's anything/anyone that I can learn more from, please, let me know.
Dale
I have found competition rules at various sites, but nothing no 'how to' information. My main interest centers on landings - I've joined a club which has a runway. At first, landing close to the center line, not far from the threshold, was quite a different experience from landing "out there anywhere in the grass." But I'm actually doing quite well with a 64"/.91 4-stroke Chipmunk. I'm also keeping the plane on the centerline quite well for takeoffs - keeping it on the ground as long as I can by not going to full throttle right away.
However, I'd like to reduce the amount of variation in my approaches - better descent rate control, better line up with the runway, less axial movement, etc. I want it to look like I"m landing a full scale.
The main purpose behind all of this practice is to gain confidence/skill prior to the flying of my Byron Hellcat. I recently finished the plane and had a very experienced scale pilot take it up for me a couple times (I could tell he was experienced - all of his planes were much more expensive than mine and he always took them home after flying in the same condition as he brought them to the field!). Though I have noticed alot of the big scale planes at our club touching down fast with 2/3's of the runway behind them - resulting in runs into the grass to slow them down.
I've even seen some of the big aerobatic planes flown with great artistry only to suffer miserable looking landings.
I feel I'm pretty good with the rudder, having learned along time ago with rudder/elevator only airplanes - but I have noticed with a runway, trying to land on center that I'm using a lot more rudder than I ever did with grass fields - using combinations of rudder and aileron to make alignment corrections without causing too much wing wagging.
I've also noticed that in order to hit the centerline and the first 10-25% of the runway, I'm making my base leg quite a bit farther from the runway threshold and at lower altitudes that when at grass fields. This seems to give more time to make alignment corrections, with smaller inputs - and I must keep the power on a bit longer to arrest the descent rate. I have flown with flaps and know that keeping the power up is a must to overcome the drag produced from deployed flaps.
I may be on the right track already, and 'practice, practice, practice' is mainly in order. I'm confident that I can take the Hellcat off and fly it fine. Its big and heavy, though, and I don't want to trash it on my first landing attempt.
But, if there's anything/anyone that I can learn more from, please, let me know.
Dale
08-16-2005 | 04:08 PM
#3
RE: Scale Flying
Thank you - great site. Have saved it to My Favorites.
Proper elevator trim and power control - just like the full-scale. Though comfortable with using power control on landings, I think I'm using too much elevator input - proper trim should allow me to smooth things out and rely more on power settings to adjust glide path.
Thanks again.
Proper elevator trim and power control - just like the full-scale. Though comfortable with using power control on landings, I think I'm using too much elevator input - proper trim should allow me to smooth things out and rely more on power settings to adjust glide path.
Thanks again.
