Takeoff in rough grass

[mikejbb]

Just something I noticed today, probably everyone already knows...

I normally was launching my sc because the grass I fly over is just very rough, tuft after tuft, especially in the winter. Now that the grass has been growing, I've tried to take of on the grass a few times. Sometimes good other times a nose dive and a couple of broken props. So today I noticed that the sc was very stable when I did full up elevator. Hmmm makes sense to cause the prop wash hit the elevator and pushed the tail down. SOooo I did that a few time to be sure it worked. Well it did work until a gust hit my sc at just the wrong moment and I crashed on takeoff (not enough airspeed) no damage thankfully.

So my recommendation is to start the sc rolling in the grass with full up elevator and after it gets rolling a bit then just do normal takeoff elevator (up trim a bit, depends on your setting) so the sc stays on the ground until it gets up to speed. Then a gust is negotiable.

I forgot, I put on 3" wheels, that helps a lot.

Mike

[av8tor]

Mike,

I agree with you completely. I always use full up elevator when I take off on grass. I actually hold it just until it leaves the ground and then just let go of the stick. I haven't nosed over since using this technique.

[duck9191]

also do this when landing, just before you touch down give it up elevator to keep the tail down since the cub likes to nose over when in grass.

[mikejbb]

May 8, 2008 3:00:11 GMT 1 duck9191 said:

also do this when landing, just before you touch down give it up elevator to keep the tail down since the cub likes to nose over when in grass.

Yeah, that's for sure. And it's a lot harder to do than it should be. I've had a few very nice rolling landing, but it's only about half the time. I attribute it to the very rough grass, not pilot error. Just kidding.

And I used to always kill the motor at final approach to stop the props from breaking. My sc does glide sooo nice. But now I power in at very low rpms, but still some power and that helps a lot too.

Mike

[duck9191]

^^^ i went 5 for 6 the other night, the last landing resulted in a nose over, but the rest were nice rolling landings in long grass. i just used alot of elevator when it was about a foot above the ground.