Better builder than pilot

[the unmagnificent man]

Hello everybody, wow it’s been a long time since I was on here but that’s only because I’ve been busy making stuff..... all sorts of stuff except model aircraft! I can build them ok but when it comes to flying I just fly my trainer and the beautiful models collect dust on a shelf. It’s a big shame but it’s the building that I enjoy best.

As well as planes I built a dolls house, a rocking horse, a workbench and my last project was a 2 seater pedal boat with propeller.

http://s121.photobucket.com/user/shux_photos/media/Boat/63C4E35D-3AEA-4937-BF7B-642E8A28D21F_zpspns2vtwt.jpeg.html

people always ask if I make build blogs and so I direct them to this forum to see my planes but apart from those I don’t have any other blogs..... until now!

My latest build is a child’s ride on 1989 Keaton BATMOBILE I designed it myself and expect to finish it within a few weeks (4-6) here’s a sneaky peek

http://s121.photobucket.com/user/shux_photos/media/Batmobile/3AF6F92C-3766-45F6-BBD0-857B44B2B1CE_zpsrzk0udp0.jpeg.html

if you like Batmobiles maybe you’d like to see me making it? If so click this link and check me out on YouTube before returning to this marvelous forum... oh and if you do I’d really appreciate a 'like' and appreciate even more if you subscribe.

thanks in advance, I hope you like what I’m doing...... happy flying UM

 

 

 

 

**LINK**

Edited By the unmagnificent man on 30/09/2019 17:54:29

Edited By the unmagnificent man on 30/09/2019 17:59:31

Edited By the unmagnificent man on 30/09/2019 18:06:05

[Stephen Jones]

Hi, i see you still have that Dick Dastardly flying machine in your workshop.

Steve.

[Don Fry]

Why worry, I showed the boat to beloved. She was in awe.

[the unmagnificent man]

Steve...... yeah, I built that over 10 years ago (OMG) I just realized how long ago... ouch! It’s now waiting until I retire and then I’ll try again. But like the title says 'better builder than pilot' I managed to run it along the runway, it lifted into the air vertically and I panicked and shut it off..... crash! It just needed better balance and pilot and I’m sure it would be great....... I hope you are going to watch me finish the Batmobile...... new video every 5 days. UM

Don. The boat took 8 months to build, it has adjustable seats in case someone has short legs. One or both people can pedal at the same time. The back is removable and you can fill it with all your gear for a trip. Me and my daughter took it into the sea near our house and we happily pedaled for an hour and a half....... great day!

thanks for the reply! UM

[Glyn44]

A kindred spirit. I’m with you on this. I have 10 aircraft built but never been out of the hanger! The 3 or 4 that have been airborne were all maidened by other people. I just can’t bare the thought of crashing them. I always seem to do that.

Two more under construction at present. Ah the joy of building. May shortly have to construct a larger hanger.

[David Davis]

I'm also a better builder than pilot, mind you, I'm not very good at either!

[Michael Barclay]

I love building but could not build something and then not fly it. For me flying is the proof that my build is good. I wrote off my Heyford Bomber (see albums) ten days ago after a tip stall and bad recovery but I learnt so much. It flew beautifully at a slow scale speed but was overpowered and needed more down thrust on the motors. I learn so much by flying my models and this improves my builds, also my piloting skills are coming on apace. I don't understand why anyone could build a model and not want to fly it, but each to his own. Enjoy our fantastic hobby.

[Cuban8]

An old TV programme with David Boddington and Bob Symes covered R/C scale and I clearly recall Boddo saying something along the lines of " there are two dimensional hobbies (I suppose he meant boats and cars) but very few three dimensional ones". "The model is only good in the air". He then went on to have an 'arrival' with IIRC, a very nice and quite large Bleriot 11.

Anyone remember that? I think I have it on DVD somewhere.

Edit.... I suppose model submarines are 3D

 

Edited By Cuban8 on 01/10/2019 10:17:34

[Glyn44]

I look at it as a catch 22 situation. I fear flying my beauties as am not proficient, and, I guess, I’m not proficient because I’m afraid to fly much!

Thats the way it is, I’ve not found away out as yet.

I’ve even considered flying them one by one, until their inevitable destruction, until they have all gone to the big hanger in the sky. Stop building planes and concentrate on boats. (Which I find last forever!)

decisions, decisions. All help gratefully received.

[Martin_K]

Could the solution for nervous pilots be the stabilising RX? Test one out on an unloved plane then fit to the new beauty? I have never programmed such an RX but my understanding is you can limit roll and have hands off self levelling. The maiden will still be a thrill!

[Dai Fledermaus]

I often have " and why do you want to build another one, when you can't fly the ones you have properly " ringing in my ears.

Sigh.

[Cuban8]

Posted by Martin_K on 01/10/2019 10:47:47:

Could the solution for nervous pilots be the stabilising RX? Test one out on an unloved plane then fit to the new beauty? I have never programmed such an RX but my understanding is you can limit roll and have hands off self levelling. The maiden will still be a thrill!

Not convinced........it's usually the take offs and landings that get you........flying around the circuit, providing you can see the model ok (eyesight) is not normally the problem.

[Chris Walby]

I agree with Cuban8, Flying circuits is not the issue, taking off is normally not too bad (although full rates and no expo on someone else's model was unpleasant).

Its the landings that get me. Trying to get a feel of how slow it will fly and what its about to do (pleasant or unpleasant) with out the benefit of high and speed for recovery just adds to the pressure!

IMHO, The giro settings for one model will not translate to another especially if they are quite different in design + if it runs out of airspeed it will fall out of the sky (controlled or uncontrolled).

My Renaissance at point of stall will very nearly descend harrier like (into a slight head wind) with no tendency to drop a wing so recommended if you want something without vices.

[Martin_K]

Posted by Chris Walby on 01/10/2019 12:55:02:

Its the landings that get me. Trying to get a feel of how slow it will fly and what its about to do (pleasant or unpleasant) with out the benefit of high and speed for recovery just adds to the pressure!

Cuban8, Chris,

I understand that if you are flying too slowly to generate lift stabilisation is not going to prevent rapid descent. That got me thinking, is a model with a low stall speed the best type for use with on-board stabilisation? That sounds daft, which raised the question, do on-board flight controllers also detect speed and control the throttle? Answer, yes some do, using either an airspeed sensor or speed computation from other detectors.

The catch is calibration of the flight controller is done in the air so you need to be a good pilot, to think about software setup while managing the plane and collaborating with an assistant. Easier for companies building setup files for mass produced models, rather than the club modeller with a unique plane.

I learned about this looking at parts of the ArduPlane documention, i.e. firmware that runs on a flight controller board.

[Geoff S]

Some beautiful work there. I love the ketch. You're lucky to have somewhere to sail. One of things that stopped (or made me take a long pause) in building my Thames sailing barge was that there really no decent model sailing water anywhere near even though the hull is just about complete though not your standards.

My dad made my pedal car out of plywood with pram wheels. It was during the war so toys were not available - most of mine were second hand.

I know slightly a very prolific modeler who build beautiful scale models that never fly. I know he has a stunning Gladiator that was finished 10/15 years agi yet has never flown. IIRC it was featured in a magazine article either in RCME or RCMW.

Geoff

[J D 8]

How would it be to team up such builders with good flyers ? It is a shame that models built to fly do not get to do their stuff even if only once in a while. Had such a person in our club [ still a club member but has had to go into a care home ] and his aircraft would get a fly now and then by other club members. Buddy box would give them a go while reducing the risk.

[the unmagnificent man]

Hi guys, I’ve just been reading all the replies and have to agree that it’s sad that I have these beautiful planes and can’t fly them.

my excuse is that whilst building the beautiful models I was flying my trainer, then moved onto an ARTF Messerschmitt 109 in preparation for the Hurricane then onto the Bf 110. I had lots of successful flights with my 109 and just before moving on to the Hurricane I decided to upgrade the motor in the (underpowered) 109 to equal the Hurricane. At the same time I acquired a Mustang. On the first Mustang flight I realized I hadn’t cut enough space around the engine and it overheated and stopped....... I couldn’t get it back and it went in nose first behind trees.... I went back to the 109 and for the first time in 100 flights it failed on take off and that too went in and was beyond repair. I’d repaired the Mustang and so tried again but my poor pilot skills together with nerves resulted in a crash on landing........ it was at this point I decided to build a boat.......... Hurricane and 110 still on the shelf (build blogs here on this forum)

Oh and thank you if you have subscribed to my YouTube channel via the link in the first post I need all the help I can get. UM

[Mike Etheridge 1]

I think I qualify as a better builder than flyer. After starting RC flying over 50 years ago I am yet to pass or take my A-certificate. As I have 'granddad rights' at my flying club at Sheerness I am trusted to fly on my own however, and to date I have not written off any RC planes as they have always been repairable. I have mended planes for other club members also.

Ah well perhaps things will change next year and I can get some regular flying in if we have better weather ?.

[the unmagnificent man]

Hi guys, a quick update photo for those of you not subscribed to my YouTube channel.... UM aka Know Expert

**LINK**

[Andy48]

Posted by Martin_K on 01/10/2019 10:47:47:

Could the solution for nervous pilots be the stabilising RX? Test one out on an unloved plane then fit to the new beauty? I have never programmed such an RX but my understanding is you can limit roll and have hands off self levelling. The maiden will still be a thrill!

I find them great for landing on those gusty days when I would probably not fly that plane otherwise, but once in the air, provided you have enough height, they offer very little for the nervous pilot except a feeling of dependency.

[Peter Jenkins]

The solution to nervousness is to fly a lot and in increasingly windy conditions. Practice makes perfect is perfectly true. If you never fly on windy days then your opportunity to fly in these Islands is highly limited. AND, fly just one aircraft until you are really familiar with it and can make it go where you want it to go all the time!

I often see pilots turning up with 3 or 4 aircraft which they then proceed to fly and crash as they never get used to one. Once you have got really proficient with one airframe then you can move on to build up your repertoire of aircraft but remember that each one will be different in the way it flies and you will need to remember that otherwise the inevitable happens.

The best way to avoid crashing is to think about what you want to do when you get airborne before you get airborne. Think about what the aircraft will look like when you are performing the manoeuvre you want to do and get the control actions required clear in your mind. Many pilots give little thought to what they want to do till they get airborne, try out a new manoeuvre, get it wrong and crash! Think before you fly and it becomes a lot less stressful!

[Stephen Jones]

Hey look what i have just come across.

Link

Link 2

interex 2019

 

Steve

 

Edited By Stephen Jones on 17/10/2019 00:22:00