Warm up planes

[XF-15DCC]

Just wondering how many out there use a "warm up plane" just to get the hand eye coordination going and blow the dust off before taking the prized aircraft up.

[PappaBear]

RE: Warm up planes

I know many people use a practice plane for aerobatics, and many people have a plane they use to practice there scale flying. However nothing flies quite the same as the prized model. Its very difficult to get two models to fly the same., but you can get them close.

You always seem to have one that you prefer over all the others.

Martin.

[Alpha]

RE: Warm up planes

I take up the FMS Ki-61 Hien. Quick and agile, I usually start the morning with two back to back batteries on it before I move to the other aircraft in the trailer. I'll also take up the Freewing 80mm Mirage if I don't have the Hien. It's quite a thrill to fly so it helps to sharpen my focus if I'm feeling groggy.

[Capt. Crunch]

RE: Warm up planes

Guilty. I always use a warm up plane. And I think Martin is spot on by saying   "You always have one that you prefer over all the others"  I think that's the reason I keep buying planes. Maybe the next plane will be even better and become the ONE! :)

[Loneflier]

RE: Warm up planes

I know I always take along a warm up plane when I go flying. Not always the same one, but it is one that I have flown many times and one with which I am very comfortable flying. Lately it has been the Park Zone Sport Cub (the larger 50" span one in red and white), sometimes it is a glider I enjoy, such as the FMS Moa. Just depends on what I am in the mood to fly that day! Which is another reason I have so many planes, they all fly a bit different, and sometimes I want a warbird, sometimes a nice Civilian plane like the Cub, or sometimes, I just want to relax, sit back in a chair, and thermal a while with a glider. All are fun!

[rc-eflyer]

RE: Warm up planes

Guilty as well. If I'm flying my Freewing Iron Ass P51 I'll warm up with the old trusty E-Flite P47 Razorback you see hanging on the wall in my avatar. No retracts, but it has an outrunner,flaps and a steerable tailwheel. Also the rather flimsy main gear struts force you to grease in a nice landing or you'll be replacing that prop. If I'm flying the yellow and black Extra 300 hanging on the wall I'll start out with the OLD trusty foamy blue and white Shockflyer on the floor. That little sucker is still my favorite "fly it like ya stole it" plane!!

Steve

[Rocketeer]

RE: Warm up planes

Greetings Gang,

I will confess that I always take a tried and true flyer to the field with the definite intention of flying it first!!!

Usually it's a Parkzone T-28, or the Zeta Dolphin, the Durafly Das Ugly Stik or the Waco.

Any of these planes are perfect to get the old tentacles and eyeballs dialed in before anything creative happens.

Bill L.
In Okla.

[Lon]

RE: Warm up planes

With rare exception. I start out with my Freewing P-51 Iron Ass to warm up. It's so very predictable and flies like it's on rails, and handles any winds better than any other plane I have. But....if I just want to fly from the yard or football field down the block. Then it's the Pandora. The main factor for this is the surface to land and take off on is not as critical as my Mustangs.

[Grossman56]

RE: Warm up planes

Lately, for me, its been the Waco simply because I haven't got the skill of packing more than three planes like Lon does.  One of the Mustangs goes in the stand in the pick up box, with the wife's Apprentice in front of it, wing off it and the wing just nicely slides under the back seat. Radios, tool box and battery box go in the floor of the back and the Waco fits nicely on the back seat with her nose in the seat itself.
I'm not a fan of pulling wings and I can, on a good day, get a Pandora in the back but its a job, especially for early morning hours.  So yes, little wacky has become a warm up plane!! Hard to believe, but on the other hand, if you can fly her, you can fly anything.  Besides, I have the Mustangs, especially BBD, dialed in so that they really don't fly much different than the Pandoras, I get the response I want with the control input I give her.  But, there is nothing like having that extra power to do big loops or verticals.
Surprisingly, to anyone who doesn't own one, the Rochobby Waco can go like a bat out of you-know-where as well and she's a great aerobatic plane once you get her dialed in.
AND (I can't believe I can finally say this) a lot of fun to fly!!
(Pilot definitely needs a scarf)

Grossman56

[Pauly]

RE: Warm up planes

Maybe one day soon I can say I have a warm up! My hanger is off to a fresh start with the Pandora and a Apprentice. But then again there is my little ole Sport Cub S. There are many to come in the future, but I need to sharpen my pilot skills a lot more before investing in more planes. Happy flying to fine folks.

[Grossman56]

RE: Warm up planes

Pauly, you are a wise man.  I see you have two great primary trainers in the Apprentice and the Cub.  We have both of those as well as the Pandora(s) and they will get you there my friend.  Enjoy yourself, you are off on the right foot.

Grossman56

[Rocketeer]

RE: Warm up planes

Greetings,

When you can consistently fly the Apprentice without any electronics /stabilizers assistance, it's time to move on.


Bill L.
In Okla.

[Grossman56]

RE: Warm up planes

Yes, I agree with Bill, I've tried the Apprentice in High settings and if you can fly it on those settings, you can fly a Pandora, in fact I think the Pandora is an easer plane to fly.
Both mine are in low wing configuration, which I found better than high wing, at least for me. 
Anyway, it should be a pretty seamless transition.  The only thing is getting used to a tail dragger if that's the way you have the Pandora set up, which was no biggie for me as I flew tail draggers right from the beginning, up until this Summer

Grossman56

[retiredflyer]

RE: Warm up planes

I agree with the warm up theory. Even if I go out several times a week I still start with an "easier" plane. I like to warm up with something docile, especially because I go flying at the crack of dawn usually and I'm still waking up!

[Rocketeer]

RE: Warm up planes

Greetings,

Sounds like a good plan.....especially at dawn!!



Bill L.
IN Okla.

[Grossman56]

RE: Warm up planes

Always the challenge of getting as many planes into the truck as I can. Usually one of the 1400s in to the back with Diane's Apprentice, the wing for it slides under the rear seat perfectly.  Now with a little finesse I can get one of the Pandoras in the back seat, the floor gets covered with the tool box, two radio boxes and the battery box, and if I remember it, a box with spare props and things as well.  The Waco also will easily fit in the back seat so she's been going out quite often, especially now with the gyro in her.
So, the warm up plane is either the Pandora or the Waco, besides, if something goes wrong when trying to fly the 'main event' plane, I have a fun fall back plane to ease the pain. 

Grossman56

[XF-15DCC]

RE: Warm up planes

Gee Grossman, I think "warm up plane" has a better ring to it than "fallback plane"! LOL!

[Grossman56]

RE: Warm up planes

Yeah, or maybe a cool off plane after the main event goes sour!

LOL
Grossman56

[Rocketeer]

RE: Warm up planes

Greetings Guys,

That'll fly!!


Bill L.
In Okla.