My second plane is a EPP foamie: "The Potensky Eagle". I have replaced the ESC (electric speed control) with a Great Plance C-12 and put a EPS350 motor/gearbox (5.33x1) and a slowflyer large prop on it after a nose dive broke the gear drive. It does not have the power that I want, but does fly slowly and gives me the opportunity to practice my aerobatics. Below is a Youtube.com video of the Eagle. Other videos are also posted, just search for "Quiet Flyer".
My third plane is another foamie -- the Copperhead Extra Stiffy with a brushless motor. This plane will be put me in a whole new league of performance. But first I want to master my Eagle.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Nice Flight: Hobbyzone Scout
Dave has gotten used to his Hobbyzone Scout, which out-performs his Hobbyzone Outlaw he replaced. The Scout is much more sensitive to turns because the V-tail control direction as opposed to two motors (like the Yellow Bee in the earlier post). The Scout is a bit quick, but flies stable and confidently allowing Dave to fly at very low altitudes confidently. The plane has good power and can climb at a decent angle to gain altitude.
How to avoid a crash
There are two key points to remember when flying regarding avoiding crashes:
The first is to fly at three mistakes high -- each mistake is 25 feet high. The idea being that if you loose control doing a stunt you will loose altitude to 50 feet in the air and then take an additional 25 feet to recover control; therefore you gain control 25 feet of the ground, which is a safe altitude. If you are closer to the ground it is likely you will crash.
Dave flew three mistakes high and cut motor while giving full left turn to cause the plane to spiral. His mistake was when it lost control he did NOT let off the controls (which would self correct itself); rather he gave full power to pull out. It did not work
The second is to know that the plane always wants to self-correct itself. This means that the plane WANTS to fly level and straight. Beginner RC airplanes and most full scale personal planes are great at this. What you must do is zero out all your controls -- absolutely no throttle or turning or elevator. The plane correct irself given you have adequate height.
If you are too close to the ground, you will need to decide what's the best approach, i.e. full power and full up elevator (what ever you do give the radio the is opposite of what the plane is doing. So if the plane is headed downward in a left spiral give up/right to counter correct.
The first is to fly at three mistakes high -- each mistake is 25 feet high. The idea being that if you loose control doing a stunt you will loose altitude to 50 feet in the air and then take an additional 25 feet to recover control; therefore you gain control 25 feet of the ground, which is a safe altitude. If you are closer to the ground it is likely you will crash.
Dave flew three mistakes high and cut motor while giving full left turn to cause the plane to spiral. His mistake was when it lost control he did NOT let off the controls (which would self correct itself); rather he gave full power to pull out. It did not work
The second is to know that the plane always wants to self-correct itself. This means that the plane WANTS to fly level and straight. Beginner RC airplanes and most full scale personal planes are great at this. What you must do is zero out all your controls -- absolutely no throttle or turning or elevator. The plane correct irself given you have adequate height.
If you are too close to the ground, you will need to decide what's the best approach, i.e. full power and full up elevator (what ever you do give the radio the is opposite of what the plane is doing. So if the plane is headed downward in a left spiral give up/right to counter correct.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Test Flight #2 -- Hobbyzone Scout
Dave's first test flight was a success, but he flew on too windy of a day and ended up down-wind and could not bring it back; therefore he lost it over a residential neighborhood. He recovered it after it had crashed into a tree and smack against the concrete. His wing was snapped in half. He bought a replacement, not stock, which is slightly larger.
He complained that the plane seemed to lack power. He informed me that he charged his NiMH batteries two weeks ago. Note: NiMH batteries loose power over time and it is best to charge the night before or day of so you have the batteries at full capacity.
Dave hand launched since he could not find his wheels. His plane took off nicely. I suspect with a battery charged at full capacity it would climb a little more quickly.
As suspected the Hobbyzone Scout is a stable flyer. It's best to have a large field and windless day to get use to its behaviors.
It makes a great first airplane if you are unsure if the hobby is one you will be in for the long haul, because at $50 it is something you could walk away from.
He complained that the plane seemed to lack power. He informed me that he charged his NiMH batteries two weeks ago. Note: NiMH batteries loose power over time and it is best to charge the night before or day of so you have the batteries at full capacity.
Dave hand launched since he could not find his wheels. His plane took off nicely. I suspect with a battery charged at full capacity it would climb a little more quickly.
As suspected the Hobbyzone Scout is a stable flyer. It's best to have a large field and windless day to get use to its behaviors.
It makes a great first airplane if you are unsure if the hobby is one you will be in for the long haul, because at $50 it is something you could walk away from.
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