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Next steps - Post 'A' test


Robert Rundle 1
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Only a bit more. Trouble is, pass the A, and then you want to fly inverted. Or roll it, stall turn it, hey ho.

They all result in disorientation, and learning how to dis- disorientate yourself PDQ.

The cost is in broken airframes. So until the airframes start to last unto old age, fly what you can emotionally and financially laugh off. Game of blood.

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    Hight is your friend when trying new manoeuvres.  Keep flying the A test stuff trying to be more accurate with placement of aircraft in the sky. When flying a model new to me I still fly multi figure of eights testing out its its reactions to stick inputs.

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40 minutes ago, Rich Griff said:

Congrats on your A test.

 

The real learning starts now, gently expanding the flight envelope and capabilities of your model, and your self.

 

Steady as you go.

 

Think about a B test in a year's time.

 

3 or 4 channels at the moment ?

4 channels currently. But not great use of the rudder in the air. 

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But used in take off, stall turn and spiralling down, even knife edge and side slip landing...?

 

I used rudder for hi boy 3 channel inverted eights....

 

Just fly, fly, fly, and increase gradually what you can do with the plane.

 

Hieght is your friend...

 

Practise makes perfect.

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    A fun fly type like the Weston Cougar can be a good next step, IC or E it matters not. Can fly quite slowly and goes where you point it, can be flown quite close in to the pilot so can see the effect of stick inputs. Just start off with less than standard [ for a fun fly ] control surface movement.

 

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All good suggestive. If you're not using rudder much i would start by practicing coordinated turns and side slips. 

 

Also:

 

Increase the throws on your existing trainer. Move the cg back. Fit a bigger engine. 

 

Practice basic aeros. Aim for accuracy.

 

Practice landings until you can hit a spot.

 

Practice touch and gos.

 

get comfortable flying lower than you have. 

 

practice dead sick approaches

 

Lots still to be learned even from a high wing trainer before you move to more tricky airframes. 

Edited by Nigel R
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I agree with the other comments here. Until you can wring the neck of your trainer it still has things to teach you. 

 

Also 'wring the neck' does not mean loads of speed and a g force test of the wing with every turn, it means you can exploit the entire flight envelope without breaking a sweat, often with very little speed/power. I would tend to leave the engine on the smaller side as well to give you more practice planning your flying. You cant just power through something with a smaller engine so you have to plan things better and learn when to use the power you have to your advantage. Bit like overtaking a lorry in my first car. 1987's finest nissan micra of 998cc was not know for its great power and speed! Anyway flying smoothly using the momentum of the model can really help. 

 

If you want a rudder lesson just choose to not use the ailerons. Fly rudder elevator for a while. I was always mean to my students and disabled the ailerons on their buddy box. I did it as reversed ailerons are a common failure (i would sabotage these as well to make sure they did their pre flights correctly) and in that instance being able to land rudder only would be helpful. One chap used to get so angry with me as he thought i was being difficult, but one day in a cross wind he came up to me and said 'ok, now i understand'. Also try a loop with a cross wind using the ailerons to angle the wings into the wind and the rudder to keep the nose pointing straight. Its a bit of a brain bender as you use the controls in opposition to eachother. 

 

The other thing to consider is what trainer you currently have and what you want to fly in the future. Do you want a tiger moth? a spitfire? an extra? do you want 3d or pattern? Knowing that can be helpful as your next model can be a step towards your chosen end goal. 

 

 

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hello Robert.....lots of good advice.i would go flying with a plan in your head for what to practice, achieve next....set a target to do a couple of consecutive rolls(each direction)...try doing them coming towards you as well,loads of things to practice...use plenty of height in case you make a mess and get caught out....enjoy.

 

ken anderson...ne..1..plenty of height dept.

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What do you want out of the hobby Robert?

 

We are all different, with different aims, ambitions, talents & skills. Don't loose sight that his is a hobby and is undertaken for your personal pleasure & satisfaction.

 

Some participants are quite content to just get airborne with a simple model, cruise about and never do a loop in their life. Others have ambitions to become a World Champion. Both are equally valid, there is no right & wrong.

 

The hobby is a very broad church from the chuck glider to multi-engine jets. Decide what you want to achieve and I'm sure you will get plenty of help in achieving that objective.

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Practice your aerobatcs with  the eventual aim of passing the B certificate test.    A model with a thick airfoil and well rounded leading edge will allow you to get away with errors much better than something sleek that will speed up.  Gives you just a few extra fractions of  seconds to sort things out.  So a Wot4 or SLEC Limbo Dancer or similar will prove ideal once you 'outgrow' a trainer.  Study the airfoil on any new plane to assess the likely characteristics - bigger and fatter the better at this stage.

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I would also suggest a Wot4. I returned to the hobby after a long layoff and started off with a Riot and then moved onto an ARTF Wot4 after about a year on the Riot. The Wot4 is more challenging to fly than a foamy and capable of everything needed for the b test.

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Thanks for all the great advice. I don't know what direction I want to head with my flying, but currently just to get to a decent club level with b test sounds a good target. 

 

I learnt on and currently fly on a nitro Wot4. I do have some other planes in the hanger, but nothing to extravagant just yet. Electric 45" extra 300 and seagull challenger. 

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Nothing wrong with a Wot 4. Fine flyer. Loads of fun.

 

One caveat, it does not punish mistakes.. Turn in too slow to finals, using ailerons only, and it does not spin in to its death. It wobbles and drops, increase power, and it’s good. A Mosquito will spin. No warning. No recovery on finals. 

 

Don't buy/build anything you don’t mind losing. No hurry.

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Now that you have your "A", try being slightly more adventurous with learning some new manoeuvres.  

 

Just remember that the sky is NOT the limit. . . . The ground is the limit, so practice at a height which allows a couple of mistakes. 

 

Importantly, have fun.

.

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Robert

Well done on your A test but it is a bit like the driving test.

You have demonstrated the ability to fly a plane competently but not yet how to spot when trouble might develop and how to stop it developing further.

As every situation is likely to be different it a skill that requires both judgement & experience. One needs practise the other needs time & understanding.

For learning purposes the best crash is the one you just avaoided by your own efforts rather than by pure luck.?

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  • 2 months later...
On 03/05/2022 at 19:58, Robert Rundle 1 said:

Thanks for all the great advice. I don't know what direction I want to head with my flying, but currently just to get to a decent club level with b test sounds a good target. 

 

I learnt on and currently fly on a nitro Wot4. I do have some other planes in the hanger, but nothing to extravagant just yet. Electric 45" extra 300 and seagull challenger. 

Well you do have two good models there to develop with The Wot4 and the Seagull Challenger.

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