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This thread is privately moderated by siriusflier, who may elect to delete unwanted replies. |
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Discussion
Beginner RC Plane Pilot
I just started flying RC airplanes the first week of November, 2019. I had actually tried over 10 years ago with cheap 3 channel planes, but was not very successful back then. I have been flying helis and quadcopters a lot since then, but got the bug to try airplanes. I had some success with flying quadcopters in acro but never really got good at it.
So the first plane I bought was an XK A430 four channel foam plane. I was successful in flying that one but also managed to crash it and do major damage on about the sixth flight. I don't know anyone around here that is into RC and as far as I know there are no RC clubs around, so I have always had to learn on my own. I do read a lot on RCGroups and pick up a lot of info from here, but that is not the same as having a competent person to teach you or show you what you are doing wrong. I learned a lot about repairing a foam plane from the A430 crash, but I had to order a new prop mount after putting it all back together. Still didn't know if it would fly right after the repairs, so I also ordered an XK A600 and received it about the same time I got the prop mount the last week of November, 2019. Main reason for ordering the XK planes was because I have an XK X7 radio I could fly them with, which is a little bit better programmable transmitter. I had better success with the A600 and it helped me learn how to fly a plane. I have crashed it, but have only sustained minor damage. I liked the way I could fly it really slow and glide. I also got the A430 repaired and flew it a few times, but the motor had been loosened in that first major crash, came loose, and the prop cut a gash in the wing, so I set it aside for repairs. Because I liked the slow flying and gliding and wanted a mid mounted motor and prop, I ordered the Volantex 767-2 and received it the first week of December. The Volantex 767-2 was a mistake. Even after careful adjustment of everything and repeatedly checking everything, all it would do is goes hard nose down into the ground within about 10 feet. Almost a month after I got it, I finally got it to fly by changing the motor mount and prop angles. It ended up with the A430 fcb, esc, and rx in it because the stock esc burned out just about the time I changed the motor/prop angle. The 767-2 flies fairly well now, but I would advise anyone not to buy that plane. It is not ready to fly out of the box, probably took over 2 hours to get it ready, then it would not fly. The only good thing I can say about the 767-2 is that it is a very tough and durable plane due to all the hard nose crashes it had before it would fly. Since I could not get the 767-2 to fly for almost a month, I ordered an OMPHobby T720 and got it near the first of January 2020. IMHO, the T720 is the best trainer I currently have. All it took was a little assembly, less than 30 minutes, and a little COG adjustment, and it flies beautifully. I found that the T720 is also a very good glider, I have got it up around 100 feet in altitude, cut the power, and been able to glide at least 500 feet into and with the wind(light wind) before I would have to add power again to regain altitude. I timed a flight with the stock battery at 12 minutes with enough left to keep going. Then I used a 400mah battery and timed a flight at 30 minutes, gliding with motor off about half of the time. The 400mah battery is heavier and with it as far forward as I can get it, I don't need extra weight in the nose for a correct center of gravity. |
Last edited by siriusflier; Jan 20, 2020 at 12:15 PM.
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About a week ago, I became interested in the Hobby Zone Aeroscout 1100 airplane from Horizon Hobby. A larger plane, but similar to the T720. Main difference that I can see is that it has large landing gear and steerable nose wheel. But double the price of the planes I bought before so I was having trouble convincing myself to buy it. I decided that before I ordered that plane, I had to see if I could learn to fly aerobatics without the 6G stabilization engaged.
My first attempt with the T720 at doing rolls ended in a nose down crash. No damage but it did cause a wing to come off. I figured out that my mistake was not giving the plane enough throttle when trying the rolls. So the next time I tried I gave it plenty of throttle and was more successful, but still ended up crashing. I was also trying to switch back to beginner mode to stabilize the plane when I got into a little trouble, but wasn't able to do that before I crashed. Then after several days of wind, cold, and rain, I had a nearly perfect day yesterday to try again. Wind almost calm and temperature about 50'F. On the first flight, with the plane in sport mode and almost full throttle the whole flight, I managed to do a lot of rolls and a few loops. I also flew inverted once by accident for a short time. Only switched back to beginner mode to save it once and to land it. Second and third flights, full throttle most of the flights, lots of loops and rolls, flew briefly by accident with the wings nearly vertical, and only used beginner mode for take off and landing. No crashes. So I feel like I have now learned to fly aerobatics. Will get to fly again today in low wind conditions as soon as it warms up enough. I have ordered the Aeroscout and should have it within about a week. |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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Yesterday was a rare day around here with almost no wind. I managed 6 flights in aerobatic mode, 5 with the T720 and one with the 767-2. All flights were in sport or aerobatic mode except for take offs and landings. Had one minor crash with the T720 when I ran out of power when I was landing and ran out of power. It was the first time I tried aerobatics with the 767, and I was doing fairly well with it, but let it get too far away and too low, lost orientation, and went down. Minimal damage in both crashes. Lot's of loops and rolls.
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Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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So two days ago I received a Hobby Zone Aeroscout 1100 S that I ordered from Horizon Hobby last Friday night. Put it together and checked it out yesterday, but it was too windy to fly, so I only did a little ground testing in a wind break to see how it would handle rolling on the ground in the grass. It did well.
Today the wind was light and temperature was about 50'F, so after removing the landing gear and adding nose weight, I tried my maiden flight with a hand launch. The plane actually scared/surprised me a bit on take off. The instructions say to increase to full throttle to hand launch, and I was not prepared for how powerful and fast it is. But I managed to control it and fly around for a while in stabilized mode. Seemed a little nose heavy though, maybe I added too much weight. Landing was not pretty, missed the taller grass and landed on packed ground with the nose down too much, forgot to flare at the last second. Probably would have caused damage to the front landing gear. It did cause a little road rash to the underside of the fuselage, but nothing serious. Before I fly it again, I think I need to reduce the added nose weight. |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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Flew the Aeroscout again this afternoon in beginner mode. Landed better, but still not really good, added a little more road rash, even though I had put clear tape on the bottom. Road rash where I didn't add tape. Had reduced weight in nose, but think I need to reduce it some more.
Also managed 4 aerobatic flights with the OMPHobby T720. Two of those landings in beginner mode were not good. |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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I am using the stock transmitter, a DXe. It actually feels like a decent transmitter, one of the best RTF models I have received. In the description it says it is a full range tx. I have probably only flown it 3 or 4 hundred feet away so far.
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Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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Haven't been out to fly since Sunday because of cold, windy, and wet weather. Almost like winter here. Decided to go try a flight with the OMPHobby T720 even though the temperature was only 40'F - I usually wait till it gets to about 50'F before I fly. But the winds are calm, so I put on some light weight gloves and went for it. I could tell my stick movements were not as good because of the gloves, and I came close to crashing a couple of times. Once I ended up flying inverted, nice and level for a little while. But instead of pushing down elevator to gain altitude, I pushed up elevator. Luckily it was just high enough to do a half loop and end up right side up again. A little lower and it would have done a nose dive into the ground. So now I know the plane can fly well inverted, just this pilot can't.
Could have charged another battery and got in another flight, but I don't like flying with gloves on, and it seemed to cold without them. |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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After a few days of cold and wind, I took the T720 out for a flight this afternoon. I was flying aerobatics, doing loops and rolls, then decided to try inverted flight. I got it upside down and was doing okay for a little while, but I think I dumb thumbed it and crashed. Caused the first damage to this plane. I think it knocked the wing off and the wing went back into the propeller. Put the wing back on and flew it a while longer, couldn't tell any difference. I found the wing part right where it landed and it looks like it can be glued back in place.
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Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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Have been fairly busy with planes since I last posted here. Was able to easily repair the T720 and have continued practicing loops and rolls with it, even flew inverted once and have managed some knife edge flight with it. Haven't really flown the Aeroscout much, kinda saving it for really good days and better pilot skills, and it has been windy a lot lately.
Also bought a 20 dollar plane kit from Value Hobby the first week of February and have been working on it a lot. Took the XK A430 electronics out of the 767-2 and used them in the VH F4U Corsair kit. Finally got the Corsair flying well in the last few days. Spent less than $50 US building that plane because I had all the electronics, props, and a motor for it. I really like it. More info on that build is in my latest blog entry. Bought a new ESC for the Volantex 767-2 and may try to get it flight worthy again in the next few days. |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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