RC flying and building for beginners- from a noob! [Banter Allowed]

I made this video to demonstrate the effect of a bit of 'up' on a tail dragger take off.

First clip shows a full power take off but with the plane trimmed to fly straight and level flight at 85% power. No control input apart from the rudder to keep it straight. It takes off, just, continues to speed up so climbs very slowly.
In the second clip once flying speed is achieved a bit of 'up' (stick back a tiny amount) is applied to make the Tiger climb and maintain 'best climb' speed.

Rather low quality after the motion is first 'captured' from Microsoft Flight Simulator FS2002 and then 'processed' by Vimeo loosing a bit of quality at each process but it does show the principle involved.

G-ACDC depicted in the simulation is the oldest flying Tiger Moth - and the prop goes round the correct way!

Nonsense, this is how it's done;

lol Klippy, I believe in pilot/RC terminology that is called a " oh shiiiii......" maneuver, have practiced the "oh shiiiii......" maneuver a few times myself but as yet to actually get the flipin thing to LAND on the run way as opposed to next to it in a heap lol!

Good vid Owen, the commentators in the flight tower made me chuckle!!

Thank you oh wise ones, beardie and simon hehe- I have that now down to a tee, just wanted to make sure sim wasn't doing something different to a real flight- take off is sorta now in the bag (though on one sim had to click on the expo on the rudder otherwise it just went round and round in circles and getting it straight to take off was hard work.....so my next question is........... what the blinkin' nora is the reason for that?

Its all to do with prop wash.
As the air leaves the prop it is not only going backwards fast but it is also corkscrewing round at the same time. When close to the ground the drag of the ground's surface causes the air stream to bend so it hits the fin at an angle which makes the plane want to turn even though it is still stationary on the ground.
The more powerful the plane the worse this tendency becomes. On the most powerful single engine tail dragger war birds you had open the throttle progressively and even then you needed lots of rudder to keep straight until the speed had built up.
Even low powered model planes have a relatively high thrust to weight ratio so plenty of rudder is needed at the early stages of the take off.
Just make thing a bit more complicated the engine torque will try to make the plane bank as the wheels leave the ground so it may also require a bit of aileron to keep a straight and wings level take off.

The A cert requires:
"Take off should be reasonably straight with the model not being pulled off the ground too soon."

It needs practise to do well.

My Sparrowhawk had excessive elevator in the air but would not take off as it didnt have enough,It was cured by shortening the horns,so if you dont need elevator to take off why wouldnt it.i tend to have aileron rudder mix on all my models which helps me in take off.

Cant see the benifit of rudder aileron mix for take off Stephen. If you need excessive elevator for take off, either the angle of attack is wrong or the model is not trimmed correctly. None of my models need elevator to take off, just power.

Garry

ok, that makes sense- i get what you are both saying now how does the exponential figure in it?

I sort of get the meaning behind expo and how exponential rates allow for smoother control at speed while keeping "full surface throws" (not sure what that bit is though) for slower speeds........without it enabled stick movement and servo movement are the same (eg if stick is moved 50% servo moves 50%), with it enabled the movement between stick and servo differs BUT on the sim, if I dont have a cross in the box for expo for the rudders plane goes round and round in circles on the runway before take off and i have to battle to get it on a straight run. If i put a cross in the box for exp plane easier to taxi in a straight line before take off

WHY?? (sorry for asking daft questions)

The expo is making the rudder less effective on the first part of the stick movement but gives full movement at full throw. Try less movement on take off. Most novices over control. Be gentle

Garry

I think that particular sim is dodgy unticked the expo box ( i have no idea if an X is on or off lol) and put throttle down, very slowly increasing it and did it gently as recommended and it went straight into circles still I think its the Sim at fault

The rudder is broke too, lol I know this sounds daft on a sim but I swear it is broke lol, was practicing figure of 8's using rudders and can move clockwise but not anti clockwise.

Either that or i have managed to break the plane on the sim haha!!

It is the freebie R/C desk pilot am using, will go back to aerofly I think

Thanks guys, will remember all this when Dotty gets going

Sarah
I think you may need to 'calibrate' your Tx controls to the sim. In other words you 'teach' the sim the range of each stick movement and where its neutral point is.
There should be a option 'Calibrate Joystick' on the sim to do this. It will include the necessary instructions. Once completed it wont need doing again (unless you change your TX!)

Already done it Simon , the calibration on aeroflyer is actually pretty good and more extensive in wiggling the controls- has more options as well and you can play around with the percentage of expo and travel. The other RC programme just doesn't want to play ball and is really basic, you calibrate through the actual computer joystick driver bit and thats spot on from what I can see. It was a free download from the internet though so will uninstall it I think and stick to Aeroflyer till I can play on phoenix.

Even I can't surely crash and break a sim!! (errr............ )

The trainer plane Simon, has that got ailerons AND rudders (I cant remember if it was one or the other now)? cos will practice with a plane that is similar if can find one on the sim

By having rudder /aileron mix I can control the model on take off with my right thumb because I tend to over correct with my left thumb,seems to work for me.

The trainer plane is rudder and elevator only.
Normally on mode 2 this would be the left hand stick for rudder (steering) and throttle (power) with the right hand stick for elevator (climb and dive).
To make it behave in a similar way to your Cub I have put the rudder on the right hand stick so once in the air it behaves more like a plane with ailerons i.e. sideways on the right hand stick makes it bank.

Forget what actually moves but just treat it as if it were normal Mode 2, ailerons, elevator and throttle but with no rudder.

I have now fitted the Orange Rx in it and in such a way that is it easily removable (but still all connected) so it can be bound to your Tx.
We must arrange to do this and then it is all yours.

Thats a good way of settong it up.My problem is I learnt to fly woth the rudder control on the right and casnt get used to it being on the left on 4 channel.