What kind of plane for high gusty winds?

[GrahamWh]

I have been getting a bit frustrated at the amount of potential flying days that end up being too windy, so am thinking of building a plane that can handle high and gusty winds.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a type of plane or perhaps a specific model?

[Mr.B.]

Flying wing types handle high wind. They bounce well too.

[Tim Hooper]

Graham,

Something with a reasonably high wing loading and enough power to penetrate, perhaps?

My two favourite 'windy weather' models are a small pattern ship/aerobat and a high-powered hotliner glider.

tim

[Concorde Speedbird]

Wot 4s are great in wind from my experience, don't worry about making it too light may help a bit too.

CS

[Frank Skilbeck]

We were out this morning flying in the wind, 18 mph gusting to 28 mph, best fun was with the gliders on a bungee, but also had a couple flights with my EDF Habu.

[Old Geezer]

Splash Bogey - so ugly only it's Mummy (and/or it's Designer) could love it

But the combination of wing-loading, power to weight ratio and not a lot of drag makes for a very handy plane in windy and bumpy conditions. They're also ridiculously cheap and quite difficult to break.

[Lee Smalley]

you want a trad built model, thats what they were built for, pb models bullet is great for this and also great planes revolver artf is a good choice, was giving mine a good seeing to today in the wind!! although the spats take a bit of a bashing, the bullet is the one really !!

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I agree models like the Bullet will cope better - on the heavy side, robust and preferably fairly fast is the key. Anything too light (like most modern electric ARTF Aerobats) is just going to get tossed about and eventually get tossed into the ground - where, due to it spiders web like structure, it will not fair well!

BEB

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I like your thinking Graham

Get something that copes with the wind better, it makes you a better flyer because your working harder and builds your confidence.

[Rich too]

Posted by Concorde Speedbird on 26/04/2014 21:47:11:

Wot 4s are great in wind from my experience, don't worry about making it too light may help a bit too.

CS

I agree, I can fly my Wot4 foam-e in practically any weather

Rich

[Peter Miller]

I take my Swamp Rat on windy days. Recent RCM&E plan. Small, fast and pwoered with a .25.

[Luke Lane]

Calm days don't make pilots. Any of the Chris Foss designs are good all rounder's as with most sport models. All that's required is to adjust the elevator trim by a click or two. Avoid flat bottom wings, old timer/vintage and WW1 types.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Another tip is something without a U/C! Belly lander are much less likely to suffer damage if plonked down a bit too hard!

The Tucano we built in last year's Mass Build is an example of another good model in windy conditions - fast, robust and no U/C to damage!

BEB

[Djay]

The most fun you can have in strong winds is with a high wing vintage model. We have huge winds here in Dubai, coupled with sandstorms that ground most flyers, but me being English brave it out with my lightest models.

My Majestic Major takes off in a couple of feet and you can hover, fly backwards, remain stationary for ages and actually go forward, all on a 52 fs engine and 3 channel radio, all whilst other fliers are grounded or compaining that they take off/fly/land badly due to the wind

Such fun, hovering on one spot for ages without going forward or go vertically up and down, even prop hang to the dismay of the 3d'ers.

I have an old timer that looks like a magnatilla only half the weight, does about 3 mph and you fly it like a kite , but if you want a bit more speed then the Super Sixty with a 4stroke engine is good fun.

Takes a lot of practise to hover or fly circuits backwards with the engine running and gauranteed to bring a big smile to your face, without the worry of smashing your plane up.

Then you have the bonus of windless summer days where you can putter round all day relaxing.

Darryl

[Phil 9]

fun fly models work well if they have enough power. my Hanger 9 tango was a good wind beater

I also had a hanger 9 ultra stick with quad flap set up. This was great to play around with in the wind. with crow breaks out it would hover and vertical land

Edited By Phil 9 on 27/04/2014 10:11:27

[Chuck Plains]

Ironically, against advice on these threads, I've flown my foamy Bixler (almost completely covered in reinforcing tape) in 20mph+ winds. It was definitely interesting but great fun. Plus I've watched a few vids of clipped wing Sky Surfers (same plane basically), and not only are they quite aerobatic, but they also handle windy days. The main thing about these planes is their relative cheapness and therefore reduced worries during less than perfect landings.

[Cuban8]

Nothing to beat a proper Acrowot from a kit. Glassed and with the undercarriage beefed up, coupled with as big a fourstroke that you can shoehorn in will fly in anything, howling gale or flat calm. Mine was probably a pound and a half over the specified weight but still handled beautifully thanks to the lovely thick wing. Had it for years and eventually sold it on - totally bullet proof - must build another one sometime.

[Phil May]

Great Planes Big Stik, great model, tough as old boots and flew mine regularly in 15 plus mph winds...big rudder as well to kick it straight in those cross wind landings.

[Braddock, VC]

Posted by Djay on 27/04/2014 09:45:05:

The most fun you can have in strong winds is with a high wing vintage model. We have huge winds here in Dubai, coupled with sandstorms that ground most flyers, but me being English brave it out with my lightest models.

My Majestic Major takes off in a couple of feet and you can hover, fly backwards, remain stationary for ages and actually go forward, all on a 52 fs engine and 3 channel radio, all whilst other fliers are grounded or compaining that they take off/fly/land badly due to the wind

Such fun, hovering on one spot for ages without going forward or go vertically up and down, even prop hang to the dismay of the 3d'ers.

I have an old timer that looks like a magnatilla only half the weight, does about 3 mph and you fly it like a kite , but if you want a bit more speed then the Super Sixty with a 4stroke engine is good fun.

Takes a lot of practise to hover or fly circuits backwards with the engine running and gauranteed to bring a big smile to your face, without the worry of smashing your plane up.

Then you have the bonus of windless summer days where you can putter round all day relaxing.

Darryl

+1 for this, my southerner major, 84 ws and junior 60 have repaid their debt to me, both being at least 10 years old, so they get flown in any weather. Engine reliability is essential. Other planes that I feel confident with are the wot4 kit built and the acrowot ditto, never having flown the artf versions.

Few artfs that are fairly windproof, world models midget mustang and the kyosho calmato 60 low winger. The ARC (now thunder tiger) range of planes, cessna, ready, jupiter and beaver are all good in the wind.

None of these planes is exactly small.

[malcolm woodcock 1]

I'd go for a Bogey every time, they're very hard to destroy and believe me, I've tried. They're the only useful thing to come out of 'Estate Agents' signs.

[Paul Williams]

Any good model for high winds? that easy every model you have that you will not cry to much when it gets damaged!

So any model that cost 50 quid on E-bay any model that has been in your hanger for 3 years plus oh and any model you hate will fly well in the wind at least once ha ha

[Geoff S]

Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 27/04/2014 09:21:16:

Another tip is something without a U/C! Belly lander are much less likely to suffer damage if plonked down a bit too hard!

The Tucano we built in last year's Mass Build is an example of another good model in windy conditions - fast, robust and no U/C to damage!

BEB

That's good to know. I've just finished mine - a bit delayed, I know. It was scheduled for a test flight on Thursday (3 days agao) but my Taranis had a little wobbly and so it didn't.

My go-to high wind models are my plan-built Limbo Dancer (electrified last year) and my foamie Riot, which, though looking less than pristine after well ovr 200 flights, seems to be sturdy enough to withstand my flying technique (for want of a better word).

Geof

[Rob43]

Graham, I fly a hk axn floater jet and it copes surprisingly well in windy conditions. Its cheap as chips and quick to assemble so wont worry you in the wind like an expensive kit or a long build. It also has no undercarriage and bounces well. There is a video somewhere on you tube where bruce from rc model reviews shows you him flying one in some very high winds!

Edited By Rob43 on 27/04/2014 14:57:15

[Stevo]

Well the Max Thrust Riot copes well over the WOT4 foam-e due to extra weight. But, land into a strong head wind and it lacks the guts to cut through it.

[Tom Wright 2]

Coping with blustery conditions is probably more down to pilot skill, but it is surprising how capable a light low drag model can be,particularly when it has plenty of power and positive control authority .

Many of the low inertia models on the market can be fine in a blow and bounce extremely well , were as the heavy models are fine until the pilot gets it wrong then the higher flying speed and weight usually result in extensive repairs . As others have said flat wing bottoms are less than ideal , but as an example I flew a mates fomie pusher in 25 mph wind the other day and found penetration and landing was easy ,but it was set up on high rates and had plenty of power reserve.

Tom.