THAI TUN
Hi.
I have exactly the same view as you with regard to r/c models. I mainly fly mine over the sea and have learned the hard way that when it is gusty (when is it not so far as a model is concerned?) then you really need to watch it with such turns. I agree the balloon when turning into a gusty wind and the sink when turning downwind and a gust hits you up the backside.
At full scale speeds there are plenty of very experienced guys who rubbish the whole idea and back up their views with the standard theories that you have touched on. Rufus Heal wrote a very convincing article in Flyer a while back explaining that when full sized aircraft crashed turning downwind in the circuit it was for other reasons.
I have a very trusted mate whose maths are of the standard to question the detail of Einstein’s theories (I am not jesting and nor are the Unis he works with) and who is also the only bloke to get a Harrier (not Kestrel or P1127) back onto an airfield following a donk failure. He says there is no such thing as the downwind turn problem in a steady wind. But he says gusts are quite a different matter. And as we have said, when is there a wind that has no gusts.
It is never a problem with a jet borne Harrier because the lift forces are being generated by the exhaust gas velocities which are enormous compared to any wind gust speeds and so the distortion of said lift system by any gust is negligible. But be careful of turning your tail to wind as it is like reversing into your own hot air which will loose you thrust at 1000lb per 10deg C rise in the temperature of the air entering the intake.
Cheers
John
Last edited by John Farley; 15th Feb 2004 at 21:04.