Flying Techniques

  We’ve looked at a number of stick-pumping manoeuvres so I hope you’ve been out there practising and are ready for another challenge! I thought we could finish off our look at spinning manoeuvres with yet another version… knife-edge. Here again we’ll experience differences in perfection of execution depending on the model and set-up. The…

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If you’ve been following my articles (see links below) then by now you should be quite familiar with using the 12-hour clock face to describe the position of the model through rolling manoeuvres, where upright and level has the fin pointing to 12.00. For the one-roll rolling circle we’ll introduce a second clock face, which…

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Over recent articles we’ve covered a number of basic aerobatic manoeuvres in detail, and before moving on I thought it a good idea to recap on some of the key points and look a little more at a subject that's equally important – model set up. When taking a closer look at the loop we…

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The roll is a very pretty manoeuvre that has many variations, and to perform perfectly is quite a challenge on both pilot and model. A roll, of sorts, can be performed by banging in full aileron and hoping for the best… the model will surely start to roll, but will head for terra ferma as…

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  Performed correctly the stall turn is a very pretty manoeuvre and has, perhaps surprisingly, numerous formats. First we’ll take a look at the basic manoeuvre, which is usually performed at one end of your flying space (or ‘box’) with the top of the model facing you throughout. FIG.1 ENTRY As with all aerobatic manoeuvres…

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  Right, in Part 1, I'll try and cover the basic performance setups – I use this as a bible for setting up my planes and I've not had a problem with it. Engine Up/Down Thrust Check Engine Side thrust check Centre of gravity Checking A model should have none too little trim on any surfaces, unless…

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To help readers and in answer to a number of requests, I've added a downloadable prop-size chart that can be accessed from the left hand centre section of our home/front page. It lists all the common two and four-stroke motors sizes and the appropriate props. Check out Andy Ellisons article 'Propping up' – a guide…

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This time we’ll move on to more ‘hands on’ R/C aeromodelling, exploring what the controls of your transmitter do and how they affect your model aircraft in flight. We’ll also begin to examine things from the instructor’s viewpoint with some words of guidance to help you get the most from each day at the patch.…

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There’s no denying that ARTF models now dominate the R/C scene, and for most new fliers such a model will be their first experience of a fully-fledged flying machine. The novice has a steep hill to climb in mastering his first model; hand-in-hand with learning to fly the aircraft is the requirement to understand what…

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