Colin Anderson

Started off with a Futaba 6EX, because I knew little about R/C and it was what I could afford at the time. I now have a Spektrum 6.

Oops! As luck would have it - after I posted the above - I found the plan! I'd not weighed the model previously, as I didn't have a scale. All up weight is 2 1/2 ~ 3 lb.

Can anyone tell me what the AUW should be?

Thanks, Cuban8. I was just curious. 😊

I know this is an old post, but this seems to be the best place to ask. My question is most out of curiosity. I've recently acquired an SM Services onboard fail safe. Does it do what I think it does and how did one use it? I'm guessing that it is old technology and that modern TX/RXs have got this feature covered.

Thanks, Denis, I think I'll have to order a card from 4Max. I had a look on their site; turning off the model location feature isn't listed in the options - but they're cheap, so it can't hurt to have one. 😊

Thanks for that, Denis, particularly about using a programming card. Do I take it that the model location beeps, every 20 seconds, can't be turned off, then?

Is there any way to switch off the model location beep oo 4Max's PP-TESC60AU esc? After approximately 2 minutes of zero throttle I get a beep every 20 seconds. I'm pretty sure my esc didn't exhibit this behaviour previously, but for some reason it does now. As I don't need this feature where I fly, is it possible to program it out? Also, my motor doesn't start until the throttle is at 84%, although it can be backed down to 87% before it again stops. Is this normal? And yes, I have programmed it via the TX. I believe there is a programming card for this esc, but I've no idea what they really are and how you use one. Are they stand alone or do you have to use a computer?

Thank you, BEB. Wishing you a happy Christmas and good flying in the new year. 😊

Took the plane up to the farm today, to our club's flying strip. Although conditions weren't flat calm - 7 mph winds - for the most part the wind, when it did blow, was down the strip. Taking into account all the advice I've been given here and on the BMFA site I decided to leave the down thrust alone, fly the plane and analyse the flight characteristics. This is my finding. Previous flights with this model, prior to getting the trimming and CG correct, showed it had a tendency to climb at the slightest provocation. This characteristic led me to not applying elevator during a turn. As you'll all know, as a plane banks into a turn, the nose drops and the plane picks up speed; naturally, as the plane picked up speed it climbed, before losing speed again and levelling out. So today I applied a touch of elevator partway through the turn; this resulted in the plane completing the turn at about the same level it went in - no "zooming"! As throttle regulates height and elevator modifies speed, perhaps this ought to have been obvious to me. That pretty much solves my problem. My plane does have a tendecy to want to climb at the slightest provocation, but now I've modified my flying (doing it the proper way) it's easier to fly. In spite of the slightly higher wind speeds I enjoyed today's flying session, even if I did muff a couple of landings by tipping over as I came to a stop - the strip was muddy (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!).

Thank you fir that valuable insight, Chris. You are of course right in what you say, but it's also sometimes about how you feel. I know it's kind of silly, but I never like to be AV burden on people. In addition, although some might find it hard to believe, I can be quite shy! Yeah, I know, too much information! Back when I was younger I taught myself how to build models (didn't everyone back then?) and then I taught myself to trim and fly them, from gliders, rubber, FF power and finally C/L. It just kind of works for me; it's also how I learnt to ride a motorcycle and drive a car - trial and error. I never could afford R/C back then. I might well have gone it alone in R/C too, but times and rules have changed and I don't have deep pockets!

Thank you John, BEB, Mike et al. 😊👍

Hi Mike, While building my Cub, I began practicing using RealFlight 7.5; once I had finished my plane I learnt via buddy box. As you say, with 2.4 it was a bit of a fiddle, especially as I had a Futaba and my instructor had a Spektrum (I got a Spektrum of my own eventually, so things got easier). You're quite correct, I do most of my flying alone. I fully understand what you're saying, but I actually prefer it that way. I know this must read as counter productive and no doubt counter intuitive; however, when I feel that people are watching me that makes me more nervous! I've actually made most of my more silly mistakes while people were watching me! The majority of the time I feel reasonably confident, but this gets dented somewhat when I make a spectacular mistake - not dissimilar to making mistakes on a motorcycle. When I'm practicing alone all my concentration is on what I'm doing, rather than what others might be thinking. This is not to say that I don't fly with others, as I have done on several occasions. There is a mixture of fliers at all levels at our club and everyone is helpful directly or is willing to share knowledge and experience. Our have to say that our club instructors are excellent and are always willing to lend a hand. I generally ask the same questions of them as I ask on here, but it's nice to get a range of opinions - simply because one might suggest something that others haven't thought of or perhaps put things a different and perhaps a more understandable way. To me though, learning is very much about making the occasional mistake and learning from it (thereby gaining experience) and picking as many brains as possible. 😊

By the way. Although we've wandered away from the original post, I'm quite enjoying our little conversation here guys, so thanks. I hope my ramblings aren't too tiresome. 😊

Hi Chris, Oh I never make the same mistake twice (well not so far), I just keep finding new ones! 😂 From day one I've always felt reasonably happy with my flying and feel I progressed quite well in that area; not perfect by any means, but I can manage loops, stall turns and Immelmann turns - I've even managed inverted briefly! I'm reasonably happy with my take offs, although sometimes keeping the plane straight as it trundles over the grass can be fun! It does seem to me that my plane is reluctant to leave the ground, at least in calm conditions, so my take offs tend to be flat and shallow; the Wot4 used to leap off the ground! Landings always used to scare me, but I'm getting used to them now and actually enjoying them. When I first joined my current club (Maidenhead) I began with my IC Flair Cub, but my instructor felt it wasn't that suitable and it suffered a crash (it's fine now). My instructor gave me an IC Wot4, but again this was considered a little frantic, so I was leant a the club's foam Wot4; I knocked the U/C off this several times, but it survived and I gained my solo with this. Although I build my own planes I was encouraged to buy my own Wot4, as the time I was spending repairing my planes was interfering with practice. I've got to be honest, I was reluctant to buy a foam plane; I don't really like them and consider them a lot of money for what they are (but I guess that depends on your values). That said, once trimmed (naively I expected it to fly straight out of the box) it was easy to fly and I could perform certain manoeuvres with far better finesse than my current models. Rolling the Wot4 was just a matter of opening the throttle and throwing over the aileron stick; I tried the same on my RCM&M Chapter One and buried it into the ground! Within 6 months I'd killed the Wot4 and all the internals are now in Chapter One (although I've since put different motor in it). To those that own, fly and enjoy foam planes, I apologise, but they are not my cup of tea and having tried them once I will not be tempted again (although in truth I wasn't tempted in the first place, but persuaded).

Cheers BEB. I wish you goodnight and happy flying. I've an early start tomorrow; out on my motorcycle with my local advanced group. 😊👍

Thanks for that BEB. I think my initial trepidation towards landing was due to a few factors, while I was learning. Although we have a huge field to fly over (we are lucky to have a farmer's field, away from the public), the actual strip, in a learner's eyes, is short and narrow. The approach to the strip is flat to the right, but appears uphill from the left - because of the dip in the field; strangely I find this dip beneficial both for take offs and landings, finding it much harder to land from my right. During the summer the field is planted with crops and rape, in particular (which was planted in my first year at the club) is quite tall, so meant modifying the approach. Also, when I started, I tried to fly in all conditions, on the grounds of I'd never get any practice at all if I waited for calm days. Flying in windy conditions was good practice, but did make landing more difficult, especially as there was also the turbulence coming from the trees behind the strip. Missing the strip, dumping the plane into the crops and killing a Wot4 didn't do much for my confidence. Incidentally, I could never really gel with the Wot4 (even though it was fun to fly) and I crashed it and cracked it several times, before eventually totalling it. I much prefer building my own - to which most of the Wot4's internals were donated to my latest plane. However, lately things have begun to come together. I haven't stopped having mishaps entirely, but they are less frequent. I'm picking relatively calm days to fly at present. The crops are now very low and with no leaves on the trees there seems less turbulence from the tree side. This means I can get on with practice relatively relaxed and not fighting the elements. When things go wrong it's because my enthusiasm got ahead of my skills! As a result, my confidence is improving, I'm getting more practice (less time spend building/repairing, more time flying) and I'm really enjoying myself. I know about flying two mistakes high, but, to be honest I find it far easier and far more satisfying flying one mistake high; I usually take my plane up higher though, when I perform Immelmann turns (my favourite manoeuvre). In calm conditions I'm quite happy now overflying the strip at heights of a lot less than 5 feet and even do touch and goes. I'm now finding that I can land equally well in both directions - although, up until recently I was using the entire length of the strip to do so! However, on my last flying session I was able to put the plane down exactly where I wanted it, rolling to a stop practically in front of myself. Of course, at some point I've got to master windier conditions. I have flown in windier conditions; in fact, before I went solo, my instructor let me practice holding the plane against the wind. As my confidence improves and I gain more practice , gaining better skills, I'll begin tackling more challenging conditions. The day I feel confident to land a model in most conditions will indeed be a happy one! 😊 Edited By Colin Anderson on 17/12/2016 22:56:16

Mike, Finals used to make me nervous, 'cause that meant landing. But recently everything seems to be coming together and on my last flying session, in spite of what I've posted here, my plane - Chapter One - made the approach and landing very easy; although I am picking calm days until I gain more confidence.

Hi Peter, My model has ailerons and yes I do have differential on them. The rudder on this plane appears to be pretty ineffectual when it is in the air and I only ever use it on take off (it's linked to the tailwheel) - but then I built it with less dihedral than it was designed with (because I'd learnt to fly with a Wot4). It is because the plane doesn't "zoom" coming out of the turn on the glide that I assumed that this action was down to not enough down thrust. I also noticed that as I make the turn on finals, when I'm throttling back to lose height, it doesn't exhibit this behaviour either. I shall persevere and learn its foibles. 😊

Thanks for the fascinating insight Bob. It would appear that, at least for the time being, I should leave well alone.

Thanks BEB that is indeed encouraging. I shall persevere. I've come a little ways since you advised me a while back on my Cub. I'm still learning; although, at present I'm flying electric, until I get better. I've changed clubs since (from Slough to Maidenhead) because the first one had no instructors. I got past the buddy box and graduated to solo. I still get things wrong on occasions, when my enthusiasm gets the better of my skill. Thanks, as always for sharing your knowledge. It's appreciated.

BEB. Thanks. The way you describe it is a pretty accurate description of what I am seeing. What do advise? Is this then, simply a question of modifying my flying technique?

Donald. It does drop its nose in a turn, but then climbs as it comes out of it, without me applying any elevator. If I leave the stick and throttle alone it climbs briefly then settles into level flight. And yes, it does climb under power, as it should and the more power I give it the faster and higher it climbs. I must admit, I'd not actually thought of your last point. You might very well be right. 😊

Thank you all for your replies. Where to start? 1. The model is Chapter One, an electric high wing trainer. 2. The wing is semisymmetrrical, with minimal dihedral. 3. Decalage is 0. 4. My first thought was that it was me, keeping pressure on the stick to keep the nose up in the turn, so I deliberately didn't apply any elevator during the turn and let go of the stick the moment the wings levelled. 5. It doesn't occurr in the glide, even when I put the nose down to gain speed. 6. This characteristic only appeared after replacing the tailplane and motor, following a crash; suggesting that I've unwittingly changed the previous setup. 7. I'll try the 45 degree test - power on or off? I've tried a shallow dive only and, under these circumstances the plane self corrects.

Previously my plane had a tendency to climb as it straightened out of a turn, after which it levels off slightly higher in the exit than that of entry. On rechecking the CG I felt it was to far aft, following the fitting of a new tailplane and a different electric motor. I've since corrected this and the plane now balances slightly nose down. I have some down and side thrust added to the motor. I also checked the decalage and this is 0, using a semi symmetrical wing and a flat tailplane. The plane is perfect in the glide, with slight elevator down trim; which it doesn't really need. With the now corrected CG the plane now flies much better. However, it still climbs slightly straightening out from the turn before settling into level flight. I was flying today in flat calm, so I don't think this is to do with coming into wind (it's in both directions) and it doesn't do this when turning in the glide. My thought is that the plane needs more down thrust. What do you guys think?