Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / August 2007

   You did a heck of a lot better than me on my first outing! I had the
nose crushed before I even got the hang of hand-launching. That first
pusher-glider lasted only a few outings, and only spent a total of about
3 minutes flying.

   Wind is what got my second plane, a Hobbyzone Scout. I figured that
since I was in a field I'd be ok, but the wind just took this little
plane and sent it in a huge loop up, over my head, behind me, and
stright down to the dirt shoulder of the nearby road, nose-first. It
*seemed* to have only minor damage, but on the next outing the tail boom
snapped on the first hard landing - which was also the first launch -
and despite numerous efforts to fix it, the plane won't fly. I've been
sticking to those cheap, tough, more wind-resistant "Vulcan" gliders you
may have seen on Ebay, and had much better luck with them, defects
aside. I've had flights of 6-8 minutes at nearly 100', and when
conditions are right the planes will soar in a gentle oval with the
motors off for up to 45 seconds without losing a huge amount of
altitude. I've flown them in wind up to 10mph, but the sight and sound
of the whole airframe *flapping* in the wind on turns doesn't appeal to me.

   I just bought another one on Ebay, and just repaired the latest nose
damage to the replacement model (aka "B-4 Stealth"), which is inferior
to the original "Vulcan." I hope to fly again tomorrow.

Thanks for sharing your learning experience.

A year from now, you may have fun playing with the
same level of gusts that brought you down today.

I bought a simple anemometer (glass tube, plastic
float, external gradations) for about $40 when I
came back to the hobby in the mid-90s.

I used it a lot to get some sense of how strong the
winds are at our field and what the range of flyability
is.

I only take it out once or twice a year now.  I've
got some other clues that help me decide what to do
(airplanes & chairs being blown over are cautionary
signs).

We get a lot of wind in our area, so my buddy and I
decided that we'd have to make friends with the wind.
I got too rambunctious in ~25 mph winds trying to
land his trainer vertically.  I chickened out about
six feet above the ground, got some pilot-induced
oscillations going, and did some fixable damage to
his plane.

Once I almost let a beginner lose his .40-sized
trainer over the nearby reservoir.  He just wouldn't
make timely turns and I waited too long to start
bringing his plane back.  We lucked out.  The
plane ran out of fuel but was able to glide to
the dry side of the shore line.  It was a loooong
walk to retrieve it, but we didn't have to go
swimming for it.  That taught me a lesson.
I keep my students on a shorter leash nowadays.

                Marty