Ross Clarkson

Sort of. The reason why you would stall or lose height is not directly related to the wind, it is because your airspeed is too slow, no matter what the wind is doing!!!   Stalling is directly related to airspeed and does not take groundspeed or wind into consideration.   Therefore, wind is indirectly related as you THINK the aircraft is going too fast downwind because of its apparent high groundspeed (caused by the wind pushing the aircraft) but because you have practically cut the throttle off, the airspeed is close to stall speed. (As the prop is practically not pulling the aircraft through the air, so it has hardly any airspeed)   But you are right, in mid-high winds you are going to have to increase power quite a bit just before you turn base/finals, so you gain enough extra airspeed to retain lift through the turn.        

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha, i am wetting myself. Let me know when you come out of hiding!!!

I have to be honest, i have seen prettier models but what ever floats your boat.

Ha Ha. What do i do for a living and what is a common term for it???? Ha Ha, that is soooo funny.

Im not sure about models Stephen but i dont think so. Somebody experienced will probably clear this up but,   If your model can fly at 10mph and the wind happens to be 20mph downwind then the controls will still work but your groundspeed will just be 30mph. Your airspeed could still be 10mph.   It is down to airspeed v groundspeed again. Forget groundspeed, think about airspeed.    

Ha Ha, are you serious Phil? I thought it was a joke about me, and if it wasn't just have a little think about it!!!!   Brilliant 

4th pic down looks like he is possibly thinking of landing! Three axis microlight.   Stephen, where is the rapeseed field in relation to the pics?

Also, real world pilots have the comfort of being able to continuously monitor an airspeed indicator so in theory they could just keep the throttle set at a setting where the airspeed is just above stall speed and fly around into wind, crosswind, downwind etc.   There will be no difference in the aircrafts airspeed but all the pilot will notice is the ground going passed them faster or slower!! If they panic and reduce throttle on downwind because they think they are going to fast, airspeed will reduce and STALL.    

I bascially just wrote a big lecture and then when i posted it timed out!!! Hate it when it does that   For us beginners Stephen. Basically every aircraft has a stall speed which is only relevant to airspeed and not groundspeed and does not matter whether there is a 30knt headwind, 15knt tailwind, 500knt crosswind etc etc...   When the airspeed falls below the stall speed the aircraft WILL stall!!   So, on that downwind leg when us beginners panic becuase we think it is going so fast we chop the throttle, the airspeed dramatically reduces and groundspeed increases. The wind is pushing the model and the prop is not pulling it!   Then, if we havent already, when we turn base/finals the inevitable result is ground impact, due to stall (Because our airspeed was still low even though the model looked like it was going fast) and at low altitude there is no time to recover.     Airspeed = Speed through air. Groundspeed = Speed over ground.   We actually think it is going fast but it isnt, so the airspeed drops below stall speed and then STALL!   Practice taking your aircraft up high and gradually slowing it down whilst pulling more and more up elevator. This will teach you the charactheristics of a stall and give you a rough idea of your models stall speed.   Cheers,   Ross.        

I dont get it!!!!

Certainly looks the business Kelvin.   I must say though, genius idea for CofG balancing. Is that a pencil with a rubber on the end inserted into those holders???

I look like a sulpture and fly like a painting..........fixed to the floor in sheer terror and hard to work out what i am doing, like an abstract painting!!!

I think that this is a massive part of our history and obviously had a big outcome on how we live our lives today so i think it should be celebrated in one way or another.   However, i can totally understand the view of some because certain people have different views/experiences and i am sure i wouldn't have felt too comfortable having thousands of 500lb bombs dropped on me day in day out trying to kill me!   We should all be proud and have strong opinions of those that were involved in WWII.      

Kiwi,   Where you drunk when you wrote this??   Mine is me, when i am flying!!!!!!!!!!

Ha Ha Ha.

You don't have a lot of luck Stephen do you!!!!

Welcome Paul Jones 1. Hopefully better luck this time around.

You learn something new every day, or should i say confirm! When i flew Heli's this type of myth was about all the time and i always did wonder.   Cheers for clearing that up.   Ross.

Surely transporting Lipo's on an airliner is hugely more dangerous than carrying an IC engine!!!!! Its not as if the IC engine is just going to dramatically burst to life or burst into flames!  

Posted by Stephen Grigg on 19/07/2009 16:47:09: Hi Ross Im near Basingstoke in Ham  pshire ,know what you mean Eric Where we fly you could fall out of a tree and not be found for weeks,I dont climb trees  Oh so close! Could have come and helped you from the air but one county too far!!

Where are you in the UK?

I forgot to ask Stephen, where is your field?

Can we start a comeback Gemma campaign??

Stephen,   I am a bit confused but thats not hard! Is it two models you have lost, Blachorse Super Air and Boomerang in the rape seed field? You have found one but one is still outstanding?   Is there a possibility it flew a long way in level flight after going behind the trees and is actually not in the rapeseed?   Also, you mention there is a path where hikers walk. Is there a possibility that someone may have seen it walking through the field and nicked it?    

Thanks. Looking forward to it. Might just persuade me to buy!!