911hillclimber

Flew the Kingfisher this morning! Got a lot of help from all 4 flyers there on a very sunny and quite still field. Eventually got the buddy cord to work and the 2 experts trimmed the plane, checked it's abilities (a loop!) and handed over to me and took over when it went pear shaped. Ran one battery down and 2/3's of another before Tim had to leave, but i flew it and did not crash. They obviously took off and landed it, but it flew great. So, what did i learn? 1 It takes (or will take) this old dog ages to learn this new trick, but I'm keen, but not sure I can deliver tbh. 2 Away and Towards flight orientation is not yet intuitive, and getting a SIM was recommended. 3 This is the place to learn, so will be joining up so keeping my 'instructors' 4 Fly high and get used to it. Adds much more room for recovery. 5 Everyone want you to succeed! 6 Battery capacity is easily exceeded... Next lesson Tuesday I hope if weather permits and Tim is free.

Quite a few fly powered gliders there with success. The breeze always seems to be horizontal to 45 deg sock, about 8 mph or more. The land falls away not that much tbh, maybe 10 feet beyond the mown field usually full of sheep!

As I understand the FMS device is the plane will stabilize itself in flight to level and straight no matter the height if the sticks are all 'hands-off' except the motor. In full Stab mode you can hold the plane and move it rapidly and the surfaces correct to seek level flight using it's gyro element even if the plane is out of trim. This same thing happens in flight at slow speed or fast. Obviously, too slow and the plane will descend while trying to seek level flight, a slow glide down to a bump/belly landing. All this helps (I presume) to give a novice time to think and respond. Anything that intervenes can be difficult, but here 'hands-off' is a control you apply oddly. The Optimum mode is ailerons only interestingly. I have just noticed how BIG this thread is getting! I really do appreciate all the advice given and I hope by the end of summer to be safe enough to cope, and especially if I can fly my original recent plane the Ben Buckle Buccaneer and float around the fields in total control! This is the plane being flown by one-who-knows at the windy hill-top field I'm a member of.

I bought the FMS Kingfisher because it had stabilisation. The unit is set to a switch on the Tx, so it starts OFF, but can be switched to MAX or Enhanced. The man who has helped so far wanted it off, and also reduced the control surface movement so my abrupt inputs would not result in violent changes. This is how it is trimmed today, OFF. Will see what the next man thinks on Tuesday. When flown in this OFF/trimmed state the pane flew really well at the hands of the experienced flyer who felt the calmer controls would suit my level of proficiency.

Sorry, it was just a little 'joke' as I've tested ground hardness several time recently.. The Instructor I guess will have the Stabilisation mode switched off, but when getting more 'solo' should I switch it on or just carry on?

Arranged for all the planets and witches to be fully aligned for next Tuesday. Also armed with instructions to find the field, I was 1/4 mile away down the gravel track yesterday. Tuesday's breeze should be low. Ground hardness is 'soft' so the undercarriage might survive the session.

I think my wife wanted me to do this flying thing to stop me doing another old Honda (££££££)! Secretary of today's club has asked me to call him, hopefully to arrange another day and a Guide Dog for me....

What a total waste of time today. Tried to find the 'new' flying field, impossible to me, even 3 locals had never heard of it. Went down every lane twice and a very rough stone track once which, i think if I drove a further 1/4 mile I would have found it. Not sure. Google would not work on the phone so could not check directions. Text the guy I was expecting to meet to say sorry. Went to the other field where I have crashed 4 times. Several there, Bob, the good flier had his plane up a tree (the one I nearly went into last week, others had flown once and were packing away, the sock was horizontal. So, came home, the plane in one piece. Seems this lark is just so dependent on weather and such things uncontrollable, not sure it is really my cup-of-tea, so will sleep on it and ponder if to sell up and restore another vintage motorcycle instead.

So do I, so do I. Bought 2 more cheap(er) LiPo's today and charged them. Had to refer to a Russian video on how to charge the battery as I had no matching connector to the battery output. Lots of other leads, but none to match the yellow ones i've used. The provided instructions are rubbish imho. Seems crude to use crocodile clips in the female connector after actually reading ALL the warnings about LiPo's from instant death to merely burning your house down. I think I will remove the clips and solder on a matching connector. How on earth did they ever get to production and global distribution? So, have 4 x fully charged batteries, all @ 99% and all cells even for each. Feel very much "All the Gear, No idea" and more nervous than before my wedding day. Hope Tim knows what is turning up tomorrow.

David, missed the pm but have responded. Will try to get some batteries tomorrow from Penn Models. I think the place I'm visiting on tuesday have 240V so can re-charge easy with my new charger, but will look to get some more. My potential 'instructor' has to leave at 1.30pm and with the weather looking good I think tme on the field could be at a premium.

Well.. It's all I have for now, but take your point.

Have arranged to meet-up with an experienced flier at a new field to get me going hopefully without damage next Tuesday. Should get 10 mins in the air or more with 2 batteries. Will report on the day later.

Yep, get the messages! As a novice I am reliant on the good will of others around me at the time when I arrive. Certainly, not everyone is happy to take the responsibility of another's plane esp when it is all neat and tidy like my FMS was... Yesterday, my 'instructor' was not there. Martin has set up a buddy connection on a switch so he can join me on the field. I will try to 'connect' to another willing sole at another field for tuesday, weather seems good. I already have contacted thier secretary who I think can help. The point is with a larger field and facilities comes a larger flying group, so I hope I can get help easily. Their web page does not mention instructors, but I hope someone will take pity. The FMS Kingfisher is proving robust.

There is another larger club closeto me sort of Telford way. The secretary there has encouraged me to come along mid week and will get me going. A larger site and maybe with less exposed scenery.. cant keep on smashing this expensive plane up, so will be my next step, hopefully Tuesday.

Frustrating day this morning. My helpful plane-buddy has gone on holiday. The sock was lively but the others there made it look simple, so with a heavy heart off I went. Takeoff went well, climbed well and when at a reasonable height backed off the throttle to the stick at Vertical, not too bad. However, I really did not have control and it steadliy went due-south and ended nose diving to the ground at some speed. as i tried to avoid a bloody big tree. Undercarriage off again, bigger tear-out from the body, wings dislodged, both struts broken and some other superficial damage. So, ate some cake the wife had made for us and came home to wash the car. "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again" Right?

New charger from 4-Max arrived today. Not all that simple, but looks good. Hope to use both my 2200 LiPo's tomorrow down to 20% and see how we fare.

Thanks Trevor, good to read. Once I have actually learnt to fly reasonably well I can put these old designs 'at risk'!

Agree, and the other models that are rapidly accumulating are on 2200 3 cells, so will use this battery size for the Stol as and when it takes to the air. Thanks for the reply. Graham.

Bought a battery for the plane 5 years ago, but never used it. Noticed today the outer casing has swollen and is soft to the 'squeeze'. Have put it out in the middle of the garden to be safe, but should i discard it?

Bang on 2.5 lbs! the wing underside is also not flat, has a good undercut, very Clark Y section. Graham.

David: George did not spec it, the contributors to the RCME forum did, but here are the details: Motor: Turnigy Aerodrive D2830/11 1000KV ESC: Turnigy d/lux # 30A BEC 5.5V Peak current 30/40A Battery Turnigy 1.3 1300 mAh As i said, have never flown this plane but the physical size of the motor looks a bit small to the airframe. This is partly why I used4-Max for the larger Buccaneer and the proportions of the motor etc all look better to my eye.

I actually have one of those original Stols. 48" span, simple rudder/elevator/motor R/C. I bought it built and flown well in 1986 and converted it with the help of many on here to electric, but never flown in electric form. imho I would contact George at 4-Max with the model's details, esp the span, and ask him for a matched package. I did this for my new BB Buccaneer and the result is superb. Good luck, nice looking plane when done.

I'm sure you are correct about the Bangood charger, and certainly about George at 4-Max. I have ordered the GT Power C607D 80W charger that seems very versatile, but should charge the 2200 in about 1 hour. £45 delivered. It was George's suggested charger. Hoping to get to the field again next thursday, hope Martin will also be there so he can help with the buddy connections we now know works.

Nope, another supplier who sold me a motor andbattery for my stol.

George at 4 Max is obviously bored today, and has replied to my email ref chargers. He has confirmed, that charger of mine is not up to the job, so a further £40 going his way for a very flash looking charger.