How many of us are also RC pilots?
 

Hi all,. .I've been a keen RC pilot for many years, and always look out for places throughout the world, on layovers, to go and just spend some time and chat about a common interest.. .Unfortunately, this means that I cannot be at home, RC flying at my local club.. .Also, I've found that many professional pilots also have an interest in this hobby.. .I've also taught a few, and they are by far the most difficult to teach - all those pre-conceived ideas to get past!. .It's great fun - I'm just interested how many others are keen RC flyers?. .Cheers.

Flight Detent. .I used to be a regular RC flyer - sport, aerobatic, slope soaring etc - and before that did some parachuting, paragliding and a little hang-gliding. I think most aviation enthusiasts have more than one area of interest and virtually every full-size pilot I have ever met has been into free-flight or RC models at some stage. With job, family and flying the real thing nowadays I never seem to have time for either building or flying RC anymore. I still have all the gear though, in the loft, and I have no doubt I will return to flying RC models again one day.

One day when I have time and money I would like to try some RC flying.. . . .Kermie

And there was I thinking we were off on some kind of religious tangent!!! Doh! <img src="redface.gif" border="0">

Hey, . . I'm not a pilot (yet! Gimmie 5 months!) but i've been into R/C flying for about... 3 years now, currently 17. I fly in North Wales if anyone is near by it's the "Delyn Model Flying Club". Great place, great people, lots of GREAT aviation fun <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> . .. .Ian

Hi Detent. .. .Glad to see the thread. I’m in the process of teaching myself RC flying and find it very satisfying (and difficult). Very much at the beginner stage. Started with a bungee launched Windstar, got fed up with the launching method, which was very constrained by wind direction, as my strip was very narrow. Went to a Winstar EP so could now cope with any wind direction, graduated to the sand at low tide, then added wheels to teach myself decent landings and touch and goes. Feel nearly ready to have a go at building an EP vintage type Junior 60. Control all so much harder than when sitting in the thing though.. .. .50 years ago I used IC for free flight but am now totally sold on the quiet clean simple switch on and go of electrics. !

Just noticed this thread.. .I am also a RC modeller, large and small glider, IC power, and recently started dabbling with electric.. .. .Now that I can no longer fly full size I get a lot of satisfaction from hurling a model round the skies doing many of the manoeuvres that were forbidden or those I was unable to do. Particularly those involving lots of negative G.. .. .John, you certainly chose the hard way if you are teaching yourself. Its much easier with an instructor using a buddy box, and less destructive. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> . .As you are probably finding out it is relatively easy if the model is going away, but its a different story when it is coming towards you. Good luck. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

G'days Tigers,. .Great to see I'm not the only one. Modelling was a great intro to full size but as fishbed said before, the real thing seems to take up more time than I ever thought it would years ago.....hence, bring on small electric stuff!!. .Bought a small electric chopper that fits nicely in the suitcase to fly around those motel rooms on over nights, gotta mind the chair legs though! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> . .Good onya John for teaching yourself, a bit o a challenge but all the more rewarding when you get there. Hope the self teaching isn't being to hard on the hip pocket. . .While I'm here, has anyone ever dabbled in electric ducted fan?

Hi Chaps. .. .As for teaching yourself I reckon any licensed pilot should be able to do it IF they first get a PC R/C simulation and stick at that (40 hours ish for me) and get to the point where they never move the ailerons the wrong way, before trying it with a real model. I did not care if I crashed the sim for any reason other than a reverse input as I figured I would take more care with a real model. . .. .I have always been a big one for talking to myself when flying real aeroplanes and I continued thus with the model. So I looked at it flying and issued continuous voice commands - as if it was a free flight model and I was wishing it to do something - “Go left, go left, go left” etc which I had no trouble getting correct regardless of which way it was flying. I found no trouble making my hands follow my voice commands so far as the sense of input was concerned.. .. .I eventually wrote off my first model (glider) after a year or so when I thought it was my side of an obstruction (a neighbours house) and was gobsmacked when it flew downwind at about 30 kts straight into the roof. Tremendous bang and then a bin liner job. But in many ways I felt it to be an honourable end compared to rolling the wrong way on finals!. .. .Regards

Yes, me R/C too!. .. .Not had time to use them for some years now but with teenaged son showing an interest I may be obliged to dust them off soon.... .. .Got a glider (Breguet Fauvette, semi scale, V-tail, v.fast slope soarer, whistles as it goes by).. .. .Also a 25 yr old fibreglass fuselage trainer, unfortunately no wing now available since the missus allowed a table top to fall against it <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" /> , I must repair it one day.. .. .With regard to the laterally inverted controls with the aircraft coming towards the "pilot", the best way to learn is to learn to drive a R/C car first, same problem, but brakes and slower crashes make it less expensive and seldom terminal.. .. .Also have 3 control liners (2 unfinished including one made from remains of the trainer's squashed wing). The oldest one, a small flying wing, is almost 30 years old and still flyable.. . . . <small>[ 09 March 2002, 22:29: Message edited by: ShyTorque ]</small>

Hi,. .. .I've been flying R/C planes for 3yrs now. I think I have logged over hundreds of hours.. .. .But I still have difficulty in landing. The approach is considered good by others but the flaring always cocked up.. .. .By the way, have never crashed before.... .. .Cheers,. .Herman <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="cool.gif" />

Hermie. .. .You mention trouble with the flare, feel like going into a little more detail? To late, too early, balooning, what sort of aircraft and undercarriage etc? The reason I ask is that the flare is the only thing I have actually found easier with R/C models than with real aircraft and would be interested to chat about the detail.. .. .Regards

One of the major problems was acquiring the skill level to fly demo's in public and, therefore, HAVING to fly circuits in front of oneself - (the mental reversal on base leg). I found the best lead-in technique was to fly figure of eights initially so that the base leg was always away from you and maintained the orientation. Once happy with that, I started to fly level circuits with the base leg towards me (and, yes, JF, TALKING the whole thing through) and then, as it became less of a strain, taking the descent on final. Eventually, it became ALMOST second nature, but I cannot believe I would ever have reached the standard of the demo at Sandown Park, some years back, of an IMMACULATE, continuous, rolling circle....... now that was real hand-eye co-ordination. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

Hermie, over the years I have noticed a number of flyers having trouble in the flare because they have too much elevator movement for that stage of the flight. . .. .Lots is fine for aeros and spinning etc, but a real pain at that delicate stage just prior to touchdown. . .. .If your transmitter has a rates switch try a lower elevator setting for circuit work.. .. .Also if you have the facility, try feeding in some elevator exponential so there is initially a greater stick movement for a given amount of elevator while in the circuit.. . . . <small>[ 12 March 2002, 23:41: Message edited by: henry crun ]</small>

Just found this thread, great, must keep it going.. .i've been into RC for about 20 years now.. .For landings exponential is a good idea about -30 is usualy ok. Been flying gliders a lot, living down near the Purbecks, but best of all I have a flying site outside my back door where I can fly electric any time, well when there is nobody playing rugby or cricket.

I had a fling ( pardon the pun ) with R/C helicopters some years back, before I got into the real things.. .. .I got hooked up by accident with a guy who sold an R/C simulator - both f/w and r/w - and spent loads of time on that while putting the kit together.. .. .When I came to fly my newly built helicopter for the first time, with training wheels and all, I managed a decent hover, and the people I was with didn't even bother to tell me I was doing it downwind.. .. .However, once I'd proved to myself I could hover a helicopter, I soon lost interest. Ah well.

Never had the patience for r/c flying. I was more into rocketry and managed to build myself an r/c launch pad from an old r/c Mini Cooper with which I originally intended to wreak havoc on the neighbourhood. Wire-control is for wimps. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

Got a half built yellow aircraft 1/9 scale f16c ducted fan, been building it for about ten years now,got all the kit, scale U/C, ten channel R/C.. .Truth to tell it was a bit to complex a project for a relative beginer, even if I ever finish the ****** ,it cost so much I will be afraid to fly it.

I started in aviation with R/C, but had to stop when I began to fly real gliders and then Aircrafts.. .I really enjoyed my times at building, flying, and sometimes crashing my toys !. .. .I was very lucky to have one of the Finest teacher in the world : Cristophe Paysant-Leroux, who has won all the world class competitions; including Tournament Of Champions in Las Vegas last year.. .. .I still have my Remote control somewhere, and when richer times will come ....I'll put some stuff in the skies !. . . . <small>[ 18 March 2002, 17:17: Message edited by: PorcoRosso ]</small>

Don’t bother to read this unless you are interested in electric power models.. .. .Had an interesting one today, flying from a bit of dry sand at low tide on the south coast. 10 kts from the sea. Planned to do a few circuits. On first overshoot when just out over the sea power faded away. Nearly managed it back to the sand. Big splash in about 6 in of water. Model OK, controls OK but no donk. Another bl**dy speed controller I thought. Wrong. Speed controller OK. Motor brushes corroded and not free to slide in under wear. Extra item of WD40 to same now added to after flight service. Bad stuff sea water. (Which reminds me that the USMC used to spray fresh water hoses into the intakes of their jets after you landed on and before you shut down.)