Are flight stabilisers the answer to landing in gusty wind?

[Romeo Whisky]

Here in SW Scotland, this is the third or fourth flying season where strong (and often gusty) winds have seriously impacted on flying opportunities. This year it is virtually 1 day flying followed by 10-14 unflyable, which is getting very frustrating!

(Please don't suggest slope flying as most scottish roads run through the glens - not up the mountains and I'm not up to mountaineering!)

I fly Spektrum, so I'm really asking my colleagues out there for their experiences of flight stabilisers (ASX636, EagleTree, Orange etc). The main branded ones aren't cheap, but most claim to facilitiate flying in windy conditions.

Of course it's really the landings that are scariest part of flying in gusty winds, so are flight stabiliser gyros the answer?

What is the real world experience of these gizmos?

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[The Wright Stuff]

Good question, and like you, I look forward to hearing views.

In my mind, the most difficult part of landing in gusts is judging the airspeed. The stabiliser will help with keeping the wings level, but unless it is also connected to throttle, I can't see it being the whole solution.

[Denis Watkins]

Ah but, even in crosswinds, the stabiliser gives you the opportunity to fly in on the throttle

In light wing conditions, the stabiliser is almost imperceptible, and mostly can be left switched off

Switched off, you can get on with aerobatics

But on "no fly" windy days, you can just switch on and get flying.

Any Non inbuilt receiver stabiliser, can be wired to your favourite " bullet proof" receiver

[Chris Walby]

Here goes...this should provoke a few views!

The aircraft - some will respond better to stabilisation (size and number of control surfaces + servos) e.g. works well with my Carbon Yak (digital servos and large throws), poor response from my Delta with Elevrons & slow servos as it has no rudder! but it does try!

Conditions - there are limits and its not the gust, but the dead air that follows which is the issue (IMHO) as with very decreased airflow over wings/control surfaces their effect in reduced/non existent

Would I use it, well it allows me to use the Yak in windier conditions than if I didn't have it., but if its really windy I get the Delta (with no AS3X) and belt it about (low cost & easy fixed) so horses for courses. I switch the AS3X off the Yak most of the time as it just feels a little sharper that way & back on for the bumpy/gusty cross wind landing! If I didn't have AS3X it would be a into wind/middle of field touchdown

One point, if it was a high value model especially difficult to repair would you want to fly in very gusty conditions and rely on the AS3X getting it back on the ground in one bit!?

Anyone else have a view!

[Stuphedd]

I use the 3 axis "stabalizers" Orange, Lemon and Asx, , But only use them for gusty conditions as they do DULL the responses,But mine are all switchable so its not a problem , Started using them out of curiosity after a fellow club member used a gyro on the rudder of one of his planes for landing and it did improve matters .

I picked a "spare " one up at a swapmeet for pence and put it on a Flash for fun ??, you can now prop hang it easily and watch it drift down wind , it can make you look far better than you really are !!

and those little E flite umx AS3X things fly as though they are "locked on " even when its windy ,

Yes they are useful , but only in the right application , Try one , nothing ventured nothing gained , but dont use too much Gain !

cheers

[Simon Chaddock]

Romeo Whiskey

+1 for the Lemon 7 ch Rx stab.

Relatively cheap and very effective, If anything rather more sensitive than the Orange equivalent.

With my slow flying Depron light weights I have the same wind/gust problem even on days when others think the weather is benign.

I have all mine set so the stab can be switched off from the TX so I can compare the handling with and without.

The first time I flew with the Lemon stab it flew so straight and level "hands off" I began to worry about just how far it would go if it ever lost the signal.

Remember the stab controls the 'attitude' as well, so providing you have it set up for the correct approach flight path my advice is to resist the temptation to interfere and only adjust the heading until the final landing 'flair' but I have to admit it easier to say than do!

[John Lee]

I've got three AR636 equipped models, all came BNF (Visionaire, big & small T28) and a stabilised Lemon Rx in a Multiplex Rockstar. All work well & help.

However on really rough days I think a high wing loading and responsiveness is required & my unstabilised AcroWot or WotsWot is my weapon of choice.

Regarding judging airspeed then Power + attitude + trim = performance. At a given power setting, attitude & trim you airspeed will always be the same regardless of windspeed. It's then just a question of practice, experience and ignoring groundspeed. There is no substitute for hours in the air.

[Colin Carpenter]

Another vote for the Lemon stab . Helped a club mate improve overall performance and his landing in his Sebart. AS3 X is also very good but expensive and not so easily adjusted at field . Colin

[John Bisset]

Posted by John Lee on 21/07/2017 11:39:52:

However on really rough days I think a high wing loading and responsiveness is required & my unstabilised AcroWot or WotsWot is my weapon of choice.

Regarding judging airspeed then Power + attitude + trim = performance. At a given power setting, attitude & trim you airspeed will always be the same regardless of windspeed. It's then just a question of practice, experience and ignoring groundspeed. There is no substitute for hours in the air.

Quite agree that high wingloading will help reduce the effect of gust impacts; I like my old Wot4 for that.

Presumably for lightweight foam models, while the stabiliser can sort out attitude changes for the pilot, the airspeed and trajectory variations are going to be the limiting factor. Once it gets really rough, you will need bags of throttle or pitch changes to keep the airspeed within limits and then the approach path (and flare) will be the next challenge. All the stabiliser can do is delay the problem ?

[Tim Flyer]

Interesting topic . I like the heavy bit . That's why my weapons of choice for high wind are my heavily built and "overpowered" glass covered Acrowot and Wots Wot. Even with slightly dodgy landings they can take the punishment. .

[John Stainforth]

Posted by John Lee on 21/07/2017 11:39:52:

I've got three AR636 equipped models, all came BNF (Visionaire, big & small T28) and a stabilised Lemon Rx in a Multiplex Rockstar. All work well & help.

However on really rough days I think a high wing loading and responsiveness is required & my unstabilised AcroWot or WotsWot is my weapon of choice.

Regarding judging airspeed then Power + attitude + trim = performance. At a given power setting, attitude & trim you airspeed will always be the same regardless of windspeed. It's then just a question of practice, experience and ignoring groundspeed. There is no substitute for hours in the air.

The main problem with landing in strong windy conditions is that what you say in your last paragraph is not always strictly true. If a head wind suddenly drops, which can happen in gusty conditions or with wind shear near the ground, the plane does not instantly reach a new dynamic equilibrium, because of its inertia, and can be left hanging there with insufficient airspeed. (Of course, it does not just hang there!) This is why in windy conditions it is necessary to land with more throttle than usual, i.e., more airspeed, to counteract unexpected sudden drops in windspeed.

[The Wright Stuff]

Posted by John Stainforth on 21/07/2017 13:08:48:

If a head wind suddenly drops, which can happen in gusty conditions or with wind shear near the ground, the plane does not instantly reach a new dynamic equilibrium, because of its inertia, and can be left hanging there with insufficient airspeed. (Of course, it does not just hang there!) This is why in windy conditions it is necessary to land with more throttle than usual, i.e., more airspeed, to counteract unexpected sudden drops in windspeed.

Exactly.

This issue is also compounded of course, by the tell tale sign of an imminent stall being unhappy wobbling of the wings. If it's blustering around all over the place anyway, then it's much more difficult to recognise this. For both of these reasons, I agree there is a need to 'bring it in hot' when it is gusty, regardless of whether there is stabilisation fitted...

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

There's no substitute for having the "tool for the job". Flying something responsive and maybe without an undercarriage on less than ideal days will give you confidence to fly in most conditions the UK throws at us - and without the "benefits" of stabilisation (the odd one I've flown just seems soggy and unresponsive). If it's easy to repair and not too precious then that's a bonus! I'm nothing special as a pilot but it's extremely rare that I don't fly on one of our bi-weekly "club days" when the hard core of the members turn up regularly. Far too many end up just coming up for a chat on the iffy days though...

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

It's a no from me, fly em like proper modellers n take your punishment like a man.

What's the world coming to, you'll be using expo next.

[Robin Etherton]

+ another one for lemon.

Reasonably priced and does what it says on the tin.

Using one in a "Not for Sale" model.

Takes the wind away in landings and takeoffs.

Robin

[Ace]

+1 for the Lemon (have 2) however it doesn't have a failsafe facility Ace

[Allan Bennett]

I switched over from Futaba to Taranis earlier this year, and recently I installed one of their stabilised receivers (X8R) in my Twinstar.  It has a "stabilisation" mode which noticeably smooths out the effects of wind, and a "self levelling" mode which will recover it from almost any position -- both of them switchable from the transmitter.  Of course there are limits to what they (and any other stabiliser) can achieve but, for only a couple of quid more than the equivalent unstabilised FrSky receivers, I'll be getting them for my remaining models.