Tony Harrison 2

Thanks David. No doubt the setup you describe works better than the simulation software (couple of different ones) I've tried so far, find them very unsatisfactory. I'll look into Aerofly, and perhaps you could provide details of the USB controller - ?

Thanks kc. Comments: My small trainer was built from a US kit, lovely little thing, gentle flyer and not fast. Then I tried solo, crashed it within seconds, destroyed the front end, the pretty plastic cowl, had to rebuild front end laboriously. It still flies but isn't so pretty. My very few attempts at solo flight were all very brief, never got as far as landing. No loss of concentration, just doing the wrong things. Latest plane was designed to make flying more stable, positive, controllable, less jittery than these lightweight foamy jobs (had a couple, destroyed one, sold the other) and my little trainer. It's a 5' span high-wing job, tricycle undercarriage, ailerons, got it s/h fitted with a seized i/c engine, I modified the front end for electric power, quite hefty when loaded with two 4S batteries. It flew very nicely under buddy lead supervision, feels solid and reassuring. But that was some months ago. When there's a decent flying day (hah!) I really don't want to try it solo: all very well saying crashes are normal, but I hate the destruction of all that careful work, especially if it means total destruction. Expensive, too. Which is why I'm considering paid tuition before I return to France in spring.

Don, I agree entirely. My French club owns a super large field, great landing strip, flat ground amid vineyards, and they're v friendly & sociable. The weather is not just better, it's more reliable, predictable. The best tuition I've had has been there, with one of two Brit members, a personal friend - but he's moving away. I shouldn't be discouraged by this, I know: the chairman is very welcoming, as are other members I've met. We'll see what 2023 brings.

One club I visited, S.Devon, was far too regimented for my liking - and I overheard one instructor member talking unkindly and disparagingly about a new member he'd been teaching. I didn't go back. Another in the same area gave me the distinct impression that they weren't keen on new members requiring instruction - tried to put me off by exaggerating the huge sums of money it would allegedly cost to get into the hobby.

Thanks Frank - I've contacted Heckles, will see what happens.

Thanks David, very kind. We're a long way apart: our 2nd home (from roughly late spring to mid-autumn) is in Dep't 30, Le Gard, on the edge of the Cévennes. We drive south on the A71 to the east of you, via Clermont Ferrand, on our way there. My club is the AMCC, Aeromodel Club Cevenol: great bunch, lovely flying field which they own, but my French isn't quite good enough to take instruction in that language.

Thanks Andy but my circumstances (see my replies here to others) have been somewhat complicated - I don't blame others for this.

Thanks Chris. I do not dispute the advantages of club (the right one, and I belong to two) over trying to teach oneself. In several years so far I haven't had a "normal instructor": at one club, my experienced instructor gave me two lessons then moved to another county without telling anyone; at another, a similarly very experienced instructor gave me one lesson then died, very sadly; at yet another, my best instructor to date (a personal friend) is moving far away...

Thanks kc. I've tried foamies, I've built two traditional kits (elec glider, elec small high-wing trainer) which flew very well in others' hands, crashed when I tried them solo. Latest is a fairly big high-wing job with ailerons, tricycle wheeled, i/c engined bought s/h, electrified it myself and it flies very micely under buddy-lead supervision, stable & solid. I daren't try it solo, dread destroying it. Would love to have 4-5 flights in a day, supervised & instructed - it's what I'm willing to pay for.

Ah, clubs. A real curate's egg. I belong to two clubs, England and France, each excellent in different ways. (Had tried a couple of others, and dropped them.) Lack of continuity from shutting between different countries has handicapped me, plus other factors; and I'm reluctant to cut into friends' own flying time by asking them for buddy-lead assistance. In England, autumn to spring, the atrocious and erratic weather means flying opportunities are rare anyway, aggravated by rain-sodden fields making vehicle access impossible. I've been thinking about abandoning the hobby and concentrating on fishing... But thanks for your interest.

Anyone suggest a good trainer whom I'd pay to get me flying properly? I'm based in S.Devon, prepared to drive a moderate distance. Thanks

Further thanks - I see what you mean re those offset dowels - like you I don't understand why the holes aren't centred exactly. Yes, I wondered about the notches and those 3/16 side pieces, hope I can figure it out! Thanks again, Tony

Thanks again KC. You guys who've been doing this for decades need to appreciate that newcomers don't share your expertise! I built a couple of balsa & tissue KeilKraft planes in my teens, but got back into this game only about 7 years ago; interpreting these plans is challenging since we lack experience. I don't understand your reference to the wing dowels not being symmetrical. I know what you mean about the upper notches on F3, and I just hope that as I continue to fiddle around, their purpose might become clearer. I'm reasonably flexible (have built two kits incorporating some personal changes, each flew well) and might just use my initiative instead of trying to follow a plan I don't understand. I'm already having to adapt this plane, since it was designed for i/c and I'm installing electric - did this with another ready-made plane I bought s/h and it flies well. rgds Tony

Thanks for your advice. I don't follow your closing query: F3 has a few notches, but level with the dowels...? rgds Tony

Yup, the very same - and naturally I have the article, which serves as a very basic set of instructions. My F5 is cut & fitted exactly according to plan, though I cut it out as a single piece, and the side apertures for longerons aren't cut yet; perhaps you refer to the on-edge strips of ply fitted side to side across the upper edge of F5, sandwiching some trailing-edge section balsa? I haven't cut & fitted those yet. I take your point about the wing fixing bolts. My current concern is to understand fully the size, shape and exact relationship between those "1/8" hard rails", the 3/16" balsa strips, and the F4 - F5 between which they're fitted. I'll just have to take it slow and easy. Thanks - Tony

I wonder if anyone here has built this? It's from quite some years ago I believe. This is my first attempt at building from a plan, and I find some aspects of the plans very difficult to interpret. The fuselage is more than half assembled, next stage being to complete the wing-bearing platform above the cabin - and I'm concerned about getting it wrong. Might build the wing next instead, since that might assist in getting the fit-to-fuselage process right. All advice welcomed - rgds Tony

That's useful to know, Chris - willcontact SLEC when I'm back in the UK and ready to re-start my plane build. rgds Tony

Thanks John, I'll consult SLEC. rgds Tony

Thanks Andy. The Bird Dog isn't a wholly straight wing, and I really don't want the labour of making 3-4 different sizes of rib. I've already started building from a plan, scaled down, and I don't want to abandon it - though there is a nice Bird Dog from Sarik. Happy to pay a few quid for accurate bespoke ribs. rgds Tony

Thanks Geoff, but this chap doesn't do bespoke, and I'm building from a plan which I've already scaled down to 80% so it's a one off. rgds Tony

I enjoy building, but find wing ribs both challenging and tedious. Willing to spend a few quid to get them done by someone else. Not sure how it works! Can someone recommend a good reliable UK service for doing this? This winter I hope to finish a Cessna Bird Dog, wingspan around 60", ribs not too complex. rgds Tony

Thanks Phillip, will try that - far easier to obtain than mono. rgds Tony

Thanks again. Lead has sealed plugs, can't inspect joints. TX sockets seem firm. rgds Tony

Thanks Rich. To be honest, I don't understand much of what you say! However, perhaps you can tell me whether a new lead using 3.5mm stereo jacks would work: loads of these available, even here in a large store in my nearest French town, but finding a lead with mon jacks is like searching for hen's teeth. If I were in England, I have boxes full of cable, plugs of all sorts, soldering gear - but my French workshop is more modestly supplied. rgds Tony

Thanks fellows, solid advice. From memory (it was a few weeks ago) we did try a different jack lead - same result, no buddying... But I'll dismantle the lead and check everything again. rgds Tony