Vic Clare 1

Hi Guys, Thank you so much for your input in reply to my post. Lots of different viewpoints, many valid and perhaps some not quite so, but that can only be a good thing for me to be able to add to the mix. I'm NOT a 'B' flyer but I'm planning to see if I can develope my flying skills over the winter months from where I am (A) to where I wanna be, (B) hence my seeking advice from those with more experience and those who have already been there and got the 'B' Tea shirt.. I dont have the depth of knowledge as yet, and I am keen to learn from those who do. I was hoping you'd share and I appreciate you taking the time to do just that. There are two or three 'gems in the posts that have crystallised where my next step should be. * I'm a sport flyer and not interested in display flying *I can still remember the buzz of my first solo. * I can still remember the buzz when I passed My 'A' * I see the 'B' as a natural progression and a signpost to aim at. * You won't ever see me flying at a show.........but hopefully I will be remembering the Buzz I got when I achieve my 'B' in the not too distant future. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. " life long learning what a wonderful thing!" Best regards VC

I normally fly a Wot 4 Foam E, both the original and Mk2+ ( not at the same time). I'm working on a plan to regularly train for my "B" test thru the winter months rather than just stooge around when at the strip. I'd appreciate advice from you "B" ticket flyers and your thoughts on the suitability of both the Wot 4 foam E for the "B" test schedule or whether I should add an Acrowot foam E to the fleet to the mix. Whats the conventional wisdom? VC

I am fortunate in that I have a dedicated room within the house that has been converted into a modelling workshop. it has a door to access the patio and extractor fans to keep most of those unpleasant smells and dust out of the rest of the house. I've recently expanded my fleet into electrics and have a selection of Lipos in a recently purchased Bat Safe which is a great addition. I'm now looking to add a 'CLASS ' D ' fire extinguisher suitable for lipo fires ( just in case ) to my existing class 'A & B' that hangs on one side of the patio door. I would appreciate any thoughts, comments and or guidance and recommendations from fellow members. All information would be gratefully received. VC

It's not just me that has the problem and even more experienced pilots struggle with what is a challenging landing approach. Because of the proximity of trees we all have to keep a blue line (sky) between the model and tree tops so we're at height on the base leg. As we turn onto finals were still quite high and with a short run over the gorse which is a bit like a wind tunnel. I've tried slow approach and as the model slows it starts to wallow and has far less authority unless some down is fed in to aid penetration, but then it speeds up. I always have an open mind and am never too proud to copy a good idea. I will experiment some more taking into account your comments, so thanks everyone. I did think about installing an aileron rudder mix on a switch which should give me more authority for level flight when flying slowly on approach in the wind tunnel over the gorse. I'm still up for looking for a workable solution. I'm shall see how I fare keeping the fus level, controlling speed with elevator and controlling height with power too. I'm gonna be looking for the best solution cbecause I need to figure how to get from 'where I am to where 'I wanna be. So all comments welcome, warts and all! Vic

I've just started flying my E Wot 4 from a woodland clearing site. The strip is 70meters long, undulating and covered in something green( not trees) but not your normal grass. Landings are far more challenging than on conventional sites I'm used to. The approach is over 3 feet tall gorse bushes which create considerable turbulence on finals. Because of this I've been trying a much steeper landing approach but the model just refuses to come down unless I feed in a fisful of down but then I'm travelling at warp speed and Go arounds are almost mandatory. I fly with a Spektrum DX6i and I've just wired it for flaperons. Has anyone out there any experience of this on an E Wot 4 and can you suggest what would be a sensible percentage of flap to start with in my flaperon mix. All suggestions and thoughts would be gratefully received before I go and try it out. I suspect bicycle clips will be a must on the day too! Vic

Another day and my 'calm button' has reset! Thanks for the information everyone, I shall follow your advice,plus make sure I have a rubber band in the box for the hatch.I have to say it does make life a lot easier in the battery bay. Just need to check the COG and I'm setup for a Maiden at the weekend...............................'just don't tell the wife! Vic

Just finished my very first wot 4 foam E and I'm stuck on how to secure the S3 2200 battery during flight. There's not a lot of room in the battery bay. The speed controller is velcro'd to one side of the bay and it's been suggested I do the same with the battery on the opposite side. I've tried this and the only way to separate the two sides of the velcro when in position is to pull and fiddle with the battery's power cable and I'm very uncomfortable doing that because I forsee it ending in a cloud of smoke and a melted model. I need inspiration and guidance guys, if you can please. I've had to walk away before I throw something. All suggestions very much appreciated. Vic

Well,.... your comments and observations have certainly given me food for thought! Having read them all I'm wondering if I'm not over engineering my requirements. I shall give all your comments a thorough airing..........probably over a single malt methinks, or perhaps even two. * I like the look of the E flight box ( and I want one)...........but..is it really what I 'need'...I'm not so sure now TBH. * My flying sessions particularly now I'm retired and can fly whenever I choose are rarely longer than 2-3 hours... so do I need a field charger? 6-8 batteries will more than cover a session for me and some! They could travel in an Ammo box or aluminium case as suggested by Dave and Gangster. * Hadn't even thought about different sizes of lipo, but then on reflection I only started IC with a single Enya 35 back in 1983 plus my youngest daughter's Mother care box doubled as my first flight box on which I rested my trusty Precedent Hiboy. *That kit grew to a fleet of 30 odd engines and on to include a dedicated workshop in the house where the only thing I'm always short of is "space". Your advice is much appreciated and I'm grateful to have such a group of like minded guys to bounce around ideas. Many thanks Vic

As a lifelong IC flyer returning after a long absence I'm converting slowly to electric and some 'sagely advice' would be most welcome. I'd like to buy a dedicated field box for my growing fleet of electrics running alongside my IC kit. I'm seeking recommendations from those who've 'been there done that' for a dedicated electric field box a la E flight's EFLA 180. I've read good and bad reviews on this particular box. My only stipulations is it must have facility for mounting a field charger and provision to carry lipos probably 3S 2200Ah which I seem to have most of at the mo'. A cradle I guess would be desireable l but not essential. Many thanks for your thoughts Vic

I hear what you say about the Great mate being expensive. Someone many years ago shared his interpretation of two prevalent pricing strategies.. a) the British strategy b) the American strategy At the company pricing strategy meeting for the new widget' , the conversation goes something like this; The British conversation...." How much do you think we can we get away with charging for our new widget so we can get rich? The American conversation; " What's the lowest price we can sell our new 'widget' at so that we sell millions of them, go multinational and get as rich as Bill Gates? I've lost count of the times I've run that conversation in my mind when out shopping.

Many years ago I was given a Great Mate flight stand (the yellow one) as a Christmas pressie. Recently I retrieved it from the back of the loft still in its box and unused. In the past week or two I've used it outside on the patio to run up the engines in a couple of long unused models whilst making them ready for flight. Its an excellent piece of kit but I struggle to find somewhere to hang the Tx so I can operate throttle etc. I have a recollection there used to be a Tx.holder that was available as an option, but as the company is no longer trading they're not available. Has anyone that uses the Great Mate made their own Tx. holder? I'm really looking for that Light bulb idea or design so that I can fabricate one. Unfortunately as the years have advanced and my centre of gravity shifted relentlessly South, bending to the floor is no longer an option. Gone are the days when I return from the flying site with one muddy knee. Any advice pics or suggestions would be gratefully received. Vic

Ian, Many thanks for your 'Dummies' guide. It worked a real treat and I'm back in the air with the controls all in the correct orientation and that snippet of information filed away for future use. Today I'm exploring what the 7.5 has to offer. One again Many thanks vic

I am really not computer savy. Today I bought realflight 7.5,. followed the prompts as it installed itself on my windows 10 PC. Eventually the INSTALLED SUCCESSFULLY APPEARED.....This is great I thought and opened the throttle on my first take off run...kept it nice and straight down the strip and pulled in some 'up.... and ploughed a furrow...I've calibrated the elevator in reverse.....'Doh! As I say I'm not computer savy..and I cant find my way back to the calibration screen to re-calibrate the elevator the right way round. Can anyone give me the' Dummies' quick guide please. Thanks in advance Vic

I started out with 35Mhz Digifleet, sometimes unkindly dubbed 'Dodgyfleet'. then moved on to Sanwa and Futaba. My two current outfitsin regular use are Spektrum DX6i's. I still have the Digifleet and Sanwa which are in full working order but choose to use the Spektrum as 2.4Ghz is less faffing around at the site with a peg board.

I keep three models hanging on the workshop, wall, fully charged and ready to go. Alongside these I usually have two or three in build on the bench or stashed around the workshop. Altho I really enjoy building from scratch or from kits I hate covering so I do tend to have an unusually large proportion of 'nude' models. I also have a selection of models in the loft and the closest they ever get to flying is up and down the loft ladder. Lots of 'one day ill build that!!! ' plans and kits too. One day Ill sort the lot out..........................maybe !. Vic

Moderators I hope you will move this thread if I've placed it in the wrong place please. As I've only recently returned to the hobby and even more recently converted to electric flight I was shocked when I received my household renewal documents from esure. Buried on page 8 of 12 was the following new exclusion from my buildings and contents insurance from this renewal. The wording is as follows under the heading of EXCLUSIONS; " Contents- Personal liability and your liability as occupier of your home- What is NOT covered- new exclusions; Liability which arises because You own, possess or use aircraft,drones,model and toy aircraft." That says to me that the hobby I've enjoyed for many years is now a risk that as far as esure are concerned is now my problem and not theirs even though I pay a handsome premium to protect my home and contents. I phoned around several insurers to check if they too had similar exclusions and had no problem locating several that were happy to cover my hobby and equipment in my home. Needless to say I am no longer an esure customer. Might be worth checking the small print when youre buildings and contents comes up for renewal. Vic

Hi guys As I'm new convert to electric flight I'm looking for a quick simple way to swap out batteries so I can maximise flying time. As I've found other forum members a font of useful information I thought I'd ask what may be a simple question for those with more experience than me. "Can anyone suggest a 'universal' type design of battery holder that I can fabricate that will facilitate quick battery swaps " I'm playing with lite ply and velcro at the mo'... but my designs thus far lead me to think others must have more know how and better designs that have worked for them. All thoughts and or suggestions would be much appreciated. Vic

Hi guys, I recently bought a Wot 4 foam e. Which I use at the club's power site and you're spot on about its performance. On this occasion i'm really looking for a smaller model that I can just sling in the car fully assembled and whizz off to the park with for the odd half hour and give me that 'quick flying fix'. I've read horror stories of too small models that just don't cut it! Im hoping to avoid those by tapping into the experience of flyers who've already trodden the path I'm on. VC

Post retirement now and as a returning i.c. pilot my power club site is too far away ( 60 mile round trip), for those impromptu flying sessions when I've got an hour before dinner is on the table. I'm looking for an electric powered model with small span 30" -36" or so inches, either three or 4 channel ARTF that I can sling in the car assembled, perhaps running S3 lipos. My days as an adrenalin junkie are now well behind me and I'm looking for something that will fly sedately at low throttle but at the same time when the stick goes forward will have some aerobatic performance a' la the trusty Wot 4. Its also gotta handle a bit of wind say up to 15 MPH which in my part of the Hampshire countryside is predominantly a South Westerly. As I've recently started flirting with electrics I've an open mind and nothing is ruled out and would greatly appreciate any insights or recommendations from anyone with more experience of electrics and Park Flyers. than me , which is pretty much everyone at this point. VC

Hi MattyB, Mine came minus any servos for flaps, although I did order some extra servos as the addition of flaps seemed like a good idea. Many of the reviews I watched thought it was a better model for adding the flaps. One reviewer from Australia also recommended fitting a skid at the rear of the fus. to keep the rudder clear of the grass plus two small skids on the underside of the wing tips for similar reasons. I hear what you say about the servos and I've taken your idea on board, thank you. Any thoughts on a suitable replacement servo? VC

Update! Thank you so much to all those who responded with suggestions. I made a list of the models put forward. Then I set about the Internet for reviews and videos etc. I spent an enjoyable week enjoying everyone's experiences with their models, which was great Co's I couldn't go flying at the time. I made my choice and yesterday the postman dropped off my Phoenix 2000. I'm still in the anticipation phase, with the model box on the dining room table, a cuppa in my hand imagining all those enjoyable sessions to come. I guess we all do that in our own way? Once again............Thanks for your suggestions everyone. VC

Update! Thank you so much to all those who responded with suggestions. I made a list of the models put forward. Then I set about the Internet for reviews and videos etc. I spent an enjoyable week enjoying everyone's experiences with their models, which was great Co's I couldn't go flying at the time. I made my choice and yesterday the postman dropped off my Phoenix 2000. I'm still in the anticipation phase, with the model box on the dining room table, a cuppa in my hand imagining all those enjoyable sessions to come. I guess we all do that in our own way? Once again............Thanks for your suggestions everyone. VC

I have a silent flight club not too far from where I live with a great bunch of lads, which I've visited and would like to join as an addition to my regular power club. Most of the guys there fly electric powered (EP) sail planes of 3m plus span some of which cost a kings ransome. As I'm a newbie flirting with electric at the moment, I'd like something more reasonably priced and maybe a model that would provide a little limited aerobatic performance along with slow sink characteristics. perhaps 2metres +? A sort of crossover model as per my title. My building board is occupied currently so ARTF or RTF would be ideal. I'm confused by all the offerings I see on line so advice from those that have been there and done that would be great. Any thoughts. Vic

I don't expect to ever give up ic, but I never thought I would ever say this since I learned to fly fixed wing i.c. back in the 1980's. " I'm expanding the fleet to include electrics" Just bought a wot 4 foamE and some S3 lipos and an old ammo box. In all honesty I have more trepidation about the amount I just don't know about this branch of the hobby than I ever did with i.c.. I need a good book I can use as a reference and I'm hoping someone can recommend an up to date one I can get. I have a couple which are over ten years old but they are sadly lacking in up to the minute info. Any suggestions very much appreciated. Vic

Well' as suggested I plugged it in line with the throttle servo and sure enough it works as was described by iqon. Tx. on then Rx. on just like it says in the BMFA handbook .'wiggle' (a technical aeronautical term) the throttle every now and then and no alarm. Don't move the throttle ( or turn off the Tx. to simulate lost signal) and after 50 seconds it start beeping and keeps on going till I find it sitting on the workshop bench where I left it. Thank you so much guys for your input, that's another problem solved after my 20 year absence on the sticks. Vic