Official Freewing Twin 70mm AL37 Airliner Thread

[MeyerVW]

She got banged up on that one. I think its all fixed and will fly tomorrow.

[GliderGuy]

Short flight to no-power crash….what was the cause? Glad it was repaired and wasn’t worse.

-GG

[xviper]

Short flight to no-power crash….what was the cause? Glad it was repaired and wasn’t worse.

-GG

I've done that before myself and it wasn't anything mechanical or electrical. It was me NOT being able to gauge the distance from the end of the runway and miscalculating the final approach path - too low, too slow, too far from the end of the runway.
In his video, it's hard to tell, with all the wind noise, if he even powered down at that point. Can't really hear any change in the sound right up to the point it hit the bush.

[MeyerVW]

I've done that before myself and it wasn't anything mechanical or electrical. It was me NOT being able to gauge the distance from the end of the runway and miscalculating the final approach path - too low, too slow, too far from the end of the runway.
In his video, it's hard to tell, with all the wind noise, if he even powered down at that point. Can't really hear any change in the sound right up to the point it hit the bush.

I think you are right on this. I had and have no signs of any issues with the radio and receiver. I do thin I have an issue with gauging my distance and I definitelycannot tell my airspeed when its comming right at me. It could be 10 or 100 mph. I was able to get the aircraft together and fly today. I tested a bunch of things last night and found no problems within the aircraft or radio systems. I also struggle with the wind out there. It goes from calm to windy in a second and without warning. Its amost always a cross wind. So maybe a combo and most pilot error. To slow for the position of the aircraft. I was not over the end of the runway like I thought. Wind contributed to an already slow aircraft and bam. Two flights today and no issues. The main damage was the vertical stab and 1 engine nacel. So not bad for that.

[GliderGuy]

Got it…Thanks MVW.

A tip: The position of your elevator control stick is one good indicator of your airspeed on approach. If you are holding a lot of back stick, you are SLOW.

But another good airspeed indicator on approach is……

Bump the stick back just a bit then return to where you just were. If she immediately responds and hops up with no lag….you have plenty of speed. HOWEVER, if she slowly hops up…lags in response…or doesn’t want to move up at all, YOU ARE TOO SLOW.

And, if she jumps up rapidly and climbs a lot, you are too fast.

Your approach will look a bit of a roller coaster (not much), but you will know what your airspeed is by how she responses to the stick wiggle.

Tip #2…For determining your position over the runway end, watch for the shadow to appear ON the runway. Works when there is sunshine.

-GG

Aside: The shadows of full scale aircraft are much easier to see (as they contrast and move on the ground) around airports when you are low and in the traffic pattern near an airport. Your eye will easily see a moving shadow on the ground when your eye may not see the aircraft in the air.

Many times I have spotted an aircraft’s shadow before I have seen the aircraft. If that shadow is near your shadow or on an intercept path…better figure it out FAST!!!

[MeyerVW]

Great info to know. Thank you.

[ridgerunner]

Another tip (from another glider pilot) - practice flying with power off. Get to know and understand its power off flying characteristics. This is also how I trim the CG on planes both powered and unpowered. Power off, (with the elevator parallel to the horizontal stabilizer), it should settle into a nice steady glide at a speed above best L/D with no tendencies to porpoise - if it does porpoise, then the CG is too far aft. Once the CG is set, then I set the elevator trim for various throttle cruise speeds.

Bottom line: Power pilots could learn a LOT BY getting in some quality soaring time. Dead stick landings do not frighten glider pilots - its just another day at the office!

[themudduck]

Great advice from GG and RR. From what I am reading (and from seeing the video) I think that the main reason for the accident is that MeyerVW simply mistook the model to be closer to the runway than it actually was. Depth Perception while you are flying is a really important skill that requires practice to develop. I've noticed that many RC pilots make this mistake - you may think the model is close when its actually farther away, but it can also be farther away than you think. One of the older members at my field will often warn me (while he is watching me fly) that my plane is much farther out than it actually is (it is not) - but when he is flying his own planes he thinks they are MUCH closer than they actually are! He has been flying for decades but he has a hard time with this. Its not simply about good eyesight (which is very important of course).

I like the shadow trick that GG mentioned - its not always visible when you want it to be, but while you are flying you should watch for it and use that to train yourself to understand exactly how far away your plane is. When you see the shadow, ask yourself: did the plane seem closer than it was, or farther away? If you practice checking the shadow while you are flying you can get a better understanding of your depth perception. At my field we have some trees around the perimeter and I often watch for the shadow to move over the treetops, that tells me exactly how far away the plane is. As GG said, watching for the shadow to appear over the threshold can be helpful while landing - and can help train your depth perception so that you will have better results when you can't see the shadow!

[MeyerVW]

A better flight. Thank you for the tips and I will start putting them to use.

[themudduck]

Nice job! All fixed up and flyin' fine...

[Bazza]

can someone give me a copy of the sheet that shows where the waterslide stickers go interested in the "area vsm" without window and the eight smallest stickers, Thanks heaps in advance

[Scale Freak]

can someone give me a copy of the sheet that shows where the waterslide stickers go interested in the "area vsm" without window and the eight smallest stickers, Thanks heaps in advance

here is where I put some.

[Scale Freak]

What type of camera are you all using to take these videos?

[MeyerVW]

I have a runcam2 4k and runcam 5 The 5 is awesome.

[wrangler1]

Hi to all from the Dominican Republic. I decided to build my storage AL-37 a few weeks back and decided to decorate it with the Alaska Airlines Cartoon scheme. Due to a lack of information i didn't prepare the base color of the tail for the decals, so i used one that i ordered also of the B 737-800 original launch livery as a base and over it i put the face that goes on all Alaska Airlines planes. Also i modified a little bit the original design but it came completely amazing !!!!. Also i will use the Spektrum Ar 637T receiver and decided to put it over the CG point, to reach the position i design and printed myself a base that compensates the 12 mm difference (nose down) from where is going to go vs the real leveled attitude. And also i'm taking my time with your comments so i can made the improvements before the maiden.

[GliderGuy]

Nice Job Wrangler1 / Just a couple of items for you to consider...

#14
Feb 25, 2021, 09:53 PM This will help keep the wing from developing cracks, if you plan to fly a lot and/or do aerobatics.


AND....enter the words ferrite or RF choke or choke in the search window and read/learn about this easy to install and cheap preventative measure for helping prevent potential radio issues. I installed them on both the frontside and backside of the AL37 ESCs (lots of room under the battery tray). I also installed an RF choke in the tail on the wires running to the elevators and added a small one by the green ferrite ring up by the receiver.

I've made several thousand flights on the AL37 (and F-4 and MiG-29) without issue. Others have shown better radio performance (fewer holds and fewer frame losses) after installing the RF Chokes. Prior to using them, I lost an F-4 and an A-10. No issues since I began using them.

-GG

[wrangler1]

Nice Job Wrangler1 / Just a couple of items for you to consider...

#14
Feb 25, 2021, 09:53 PM This will help keep the wing from developing cracks, if you plan to fly a lot and/or do aerobatics.


AND....enter the words ferrite or RF choke or choke in the search window and read/learn about this easy to install and cheap preventative measure for helping prevent potential radio issues. I installed them on both the frontside and backside of the AL37 ESCs (lots of room under the battery tray). I also installed an RF choke in the tail on the wires running to the elevators and added a small one by the green ferrite ring up by the receiver.

I've made several thousand flights on the AL37 (and F-4 and MiG-29) without issue. Others have shown better radio performance (fewer holds and fewer frame losses) after installing the RF Chokes. Prior to using them, I lost an F-4 and an A-10. No issues since I began using them.

-GG

HI glider Guy, normally i put some ferrite rings on the power line to the rx and also to the ailerons, elevators and rudder. But when you say choke, what type of choke are you reffering to ( can you show me an example pls ?).

By the way, today i made the cables that goes from the rx to the blue box and also a PLA base for the blue box and put it below the battery tray. ( photos attached).

[GliderGuy]

Lots of options available …. One example

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CWCSNW9...Y208NXE4DZKQ8G

Place as close to the ESCs as possible. Several wires can run through one choke. I then put a zip tie around each choke to ensure they don’t pop open.

If you have room, add to both sides of the ESC.

-GG

[elmshoot]

I want to do the P-8 and wondered who does the bomb bay and all the warts that are on the airplane?
Sparky

[Zakir hussain syed]

I can’t connect with radio t4k…?