What did you fly today?

[Wild Man]

UTOOB is full of examples “what not to do” and it really hurts the entire community of responsible AMA members. The problem is some have the attitude that the rules don’t apply to them, or use defense mechanisms to justify what is obviously not the best choice of behavior. When that is defeated they play the ‘taking away my rights...”card. And, by making remarks such as these, I get flamed by the unwashed masses...

unfortunately I don’t think Darwin will weed them out before we all lose the privilege to fly our models safely.

You may not like what I am going to say. I do not care what you think. The two clubs here in the Black Hills fly at a local city lake. that has people kayaking fishing along the shore line and there is a bridge out to a center Island. I have went out and watch these AMA wanabe Pilot's fly their floats planes into the bridge and almost hit people on that bridge put their so called tested planes in the trees around the lake. Also two of them crashed there planes on the street at least one City block away and almost hitting cars in the traffic I will not join either AMA Club 90% of them when flying are just an accident looking for a place to happen. This summer I watched one of them out at there club Black Hills Rally pit a 100cc plane in a tree over 1,000 ft from the end of the field put it in a tree next to the county road no more then 100 feet from a house across the road. That is a SAD State of Affairs. They want over $150.00 to fly from the pasture and can not get any new members No surprise to me So maybe you should keep your Opinion to yourself. I fly almost every day no matter what the weather is to stay proficient at what I do, I fly Choppers. twins, float planes, Q40, Q500, and many Electric racers, War birds, and many 3D planes.large or small I fly them all from UMX to 40%. I haven't crashed anything for years. Love to do tail touch landings with my large gasser. I wear em out and give them away and a lot of times to AMA people you take them out and with in a short time I here they have crashed them. So you have a good day Sir.

[Elbee]

Hobby Squawkers, With the FAA looking to control more of our hobby and the AMA seemingly inept to make an argument to distinguish $20 USD Wally-world quadcoptors and $1000 USD fixed wing setups to the Authorities, I would hope that all RC pilots would think twice about how and where they fly. Irrespective of anyone's opinion of the AMA and its' membership, we all should work to a common goal. that is to say, safe and sane flying practices whether we are using a public area or a private property. It could only take one incident of complaint to the FAA to provoke an inquiry that could be the tipping point. It is not worth the risk in this current atmosphere to allow others to determine our future based on prideful thinking. For the time being, those who have decided that, "It's my party and I'll do what I want to" put all of us at risk of losing this privilege (and it is a privilege not a right) all together. Respectfully, Steve

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hobby Squawkers, With the FAA looking to control more of our hobby and the AMA seemingly inept to make an argument to distinguish $20 USD Wally-world quadcoptors and $1000 USD fixed wing setups to the Authorities, I would hope that all RC pilots would think twice about how and where they fly. Irrespective of anyone's opinion of the AMA and its' membership, we all should work to a common goal. that is to say, safe and sane flying practices whether we are using a public area or a private property. It could only take one incident of complaint to the FAA to provoke an inquiry that could be the tipping point. It is not worth the risk in this current atmosphere to allow others to determine our future based on prideful thinking. For the time being, those who have decided that, "It's my party and I'll do what I want to" put all of us at risk of losing this privilege (and it is a privilege not a right) all together. Respectfully, Steve

Eloquently spoken Steve, you laid it out "on the money". It's no wonder the FAA is trying to shut us down with incidents like this. One errant pilot error and it could cause serious injury to a bystander or damage to a vehicle. Although the odds are slim, why take the chance of having to pay for someone's medical costs or property damage. And if it's not pilot error (and even the absolute best and most experienced pilots have experienced it), then why put your faith in these high priced Chinese servos and electronics which of course never fail. Our club has some of the strictest flying rules I've seen, including not being able to fly over the runway except to land, leaving the flight pattern 100 feet away from the pilot stations and 200 feet away from the paddocks and parked cars. We may complain about it, but at the end of the day it's what keeps us all safe.

[ICM]

Agree. Even if you have a right or privilege, that does not mean you should choose to exercise it when conditions are such that person or property are at risk, ie. a farmer has granted you permission to hunt his property; should you choose to do so when his children are playing in the woods?

[BluesDragon]

So.. did I mention I crashed my Corsair the other day?
Winds have picked up around here again, so just been working on fine tuning my warbirds. Mainly with my rudder % and expo. Having way too much trouble, on my take offs, keeping the P-51 runnin a (semi) straight line. Was told the issue was in my settings. So tweaking that a bit here and there... on the ground.. in my cul-de-sac... when the winds let me get a pretty accurate line. Lookin like tomorrow may be a good day, weather wise, to get back out to the field and get back in the air streams. Keepin my fingers crossed..

[Hugh Wiedman]

So.. did I mention I crashed my Corsair the other day?
Winds have picked up around here again, so just been working on fine tuning my warbirds. Mainly with my rudder % and expo. Having way too much trouble, on my take offs, keeping the P-51 runnin a (semi) straight line. Was told the issue was in my settings. So tweaking that a bit here and there... on the ground.. in my cul-de-sac... when the winds let me get a pretty accurate line. Lookin like tomorrow may be a good day, weather wise, to get back out to the field and get back in the air streams. Keepin my fingers crossed..

The Corsair is one of those tail dragging warbirds (guess most are) that loves to take a left turn immediately upon giving it throttle. It's other big issue is lifting off before you have enough speed, causing a wing stall to the left and a possible "mishap". Doubt it has anything much to do with your settings, assuming you have enough rudder travel and expo less than 35%. May I suggest that you keep a little up elevator at the start of your take-off run to keep the tail wheel down and be ready to start steering right. Give the throttle a slow, consistent increase (don't punch it). As the tail rises, let it come up and keep the nose attitude at level or even slightly down which will prevent it from lifting off too soon and stalling. As you increase power, the rudder now gets more effective allowing you to steer better (but you'll still need some right rudder). If you've been able to maintain the slightly nose down attitude (maybe only 5%), you can bring it to full power and ease in the elevator and you'll have a nice, smooth, scale looking take-off. It took me quite a few take-offs to get it right and I initially had many OMG moments where it lifted off too soon and almost crashed, and other times I let the nose get too low and mowed the lawn.

Although the 1600mm Corsair will take off in like 25 feet if you punch it and get it going up at a 40 degree angle, it's always, at least for me, a severe pucker moment (as you need some quick aileron to the right) and looks a bit like I'm still hung over from last night.

[Hardway]

I found this little bird setting in my hangar! It has been finished for over a year... New paint and graphics by Callie. It is time for the maiden, I guess! But wind today is gusting to 34 mph, so not so good for a flight... Here are a few pics though.

[BluesDragon]

Excellent advice there, Hugh.. thanks! Almost per betim as I heard it from the lead instructor at my field. My travel was set @ 100% h/r & 70% l/r with expo only 10%h/r & 5%l/r (per the manual). Was told my travel need not be that high and my expo was set too low. 25 to 35% on my expo is what I was told to try for as well. You know.. pinning the tail to the ground with up elevator was one of the 1st things I learned with these... and now I'm realizing it was also one of the first things I did not do on my initial attempts! I am speakin of my P-51 though. I know now my mishap with the Corsair was from punching the throttle to hard upon lift off. I'm pretty sure, from the feedback, and what I visualized (between tears) was due to torque roll. It was definitely an overly excited rookie pilot error. I should have known better by now. After that nice maiden of the new P-51 the day before.. I think I just got over confident in myself too soon. Live, learn, have fun, ..and then file for bankruptcy!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Well said BlueDragon. Just because I know what to do, doesn't mean I always do, brain f..... are always just 1 flight away. My most uttered words are "I can't believe I just did that. Again!"

[Wild Man]

Had a Great time with the new Turbo Timber again today. Lots of snow, 18 degree's and a light 5 mph cross wind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxgN9mSQZSc&t=26s

[F22trainer]

You may not like what I am going to say. I do not care what you think. The two clubs here in the Black Hills fly at a local city lake. that has people kayaking fishing along the shore line and there is a bridge out to a center Island. I have went out and watch these AMA wanabe Pilot's fly their floats planes into the bridge and almost hit people on that bridge put their so called tested planes in the trees around the lake. Also two of them crashed there planes on the street at least one City block away and almost hitting cars in the traffic I will not join either AMA Club 90% of them when flying are just an accident looking for a place to happen. This summer I watched one of them out at there club Black Hills Rally pit a 100cc plane in a tree over 1,000 ft from the end of the field put it in a tree next to the county road no more then 100 feet from a house across the road. That is a SAD State of Affairs. They want over $150.00 to fly from the pasture and can not get any new members No surprise to me So maybe you should keep your Opinion to yourself. I fly almost every day no matter what the weather is to stay proficient at what I do, I fly Choppers. twins, float planes, Q40, Q500, and many Electric racers, War birds, and many 3D planes.large or small I fly them all from UMX to 40%. I haven't crashed anything for years. Love to do tail touch landings with my large gasser. I wear em out and give them away and a lot of times to AMA people you take them out and with in a short time I here they have crashed them. So you have a good day Sir.

See what I mean.
Thanks Steve for driving the point home.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Had a Great time with the new Turbo Timber again today. Lots of snow, 18 degree's and a light 5 mph cross wind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxgN9mSQZSc&t=26s

Very nice flight Wild Man, don't you just love the wide open spaces, a lot less "pucker factor". Well done.

[Wild Man]

Very nice flight Wild Man, don't you just love the wide open spaces, a lot less "pucker factor". Well done.

I still fly out in front of my house. Even at night. The Timber is lit up like a blank in a fog bank LOL!!!! As far as the first flight there was no pucker factor. In fact I just came back in the house after doing a little night flying over the church parking lot and landing in the yard.

[Aros]

Nice flight with my 90mm F-16 yesterday...

[Pauly]

Nice flight with my 90mm F-16 yesterday...

Cool, nice & smooth flight.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Nice flight with my 90mm F-16 yesterday...

Outstanding Aros, saw you flew fully "loaded for bear" and it seemed rock solid steady with a nice high alpha landing. Bravo! Last time you flew it you thought it was a little sluggish after the repaint. Is that still the case?

[Wild Man]

Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman Is that all the planes you have in your Hangar? if I listed all mine I wouldn't have any room to post any thing else LOL!!!!!

[Aros]

Thanks Pauly and Hugh! No this time it didn't feel sluggish at all...Not sure if the cold weather played into it last time or not...Yesterday was substantially warmer comparatively than the last flight before where she felt sluggish. The inrunner setup is really the only way to go with this bird. Getting her dialed in, she's a presence!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman Is that all the planes you have in your Hangar? if I listed all mine I wouldn't have any room to post any thing else LOL!!!!!

Not even close, it's all that fit character wise on the signature line. I even sold 8 planes (of course never listed) a couple weeks ago at a flea market at one of the 2 clubs I am a member of, just to make more room at my inside hangar. The garage rafters are also full. Made enough cash to buy the SU-30, the FW 90mm F-18 and upgraded to the DX9. Need to sell a few more soon if FW keeps coming out with new models and upgrades existing ones. FW, please stop!

[Wild Man]

Outstanding Aros, saw you flew fully "loaded for bear" and it seemed rock solid steady with a nice high alpha landing. Bravo! Last time you flew it you thought it was a little sluggish after the repaint. Is that still the case?

Want to feel how sluggish that same plane would be at over 7,000 ft. MSL I know, try it some time You guys that fly at near sea level and your warmer weather have it made. It's tougher up North LOL!!!!