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Post by yamahaevans on Sept 24, 2012 3:23:40 GMT 1
;D
I am as green as grass to the RC flying fraternity. My wife bought me a Super Cub BNF and a Spektrum DX61 for our 25th anniversary! I flew it for the first time the day after I got it in the mail, after making as many of the modifications as I could. Flights 1 and 2 were scary, but I'll take any form of getting the thing back to the ground intact as a win. Flight number three was going as scary as the first two, when WHACK! A builder's van jumped out of nowhere in the carpark and I flew straight into the side window! The van was unscathed, but my poor SC was cracked across the chassis, and the gearbox was buggered up.
Undaunted, I found out from the local hobby store that superglue could be used to repair the chassis...hooray! I repaired the chassis, replaced the gearbox, and rebuilt the SC. Fired it all up, and was pleased to see she would live to fly another day. I took it out today (two days after getting it), and the repairs held up. Sadly, inexperience won out, and I ended up nosing into the ground, blowing the landing gear and battery box out completely. I've recovered all the parts, have pulled the superglue out again, and am reinforcing the chassis cavity with balsa wood. The foam supports for the battery cover also have gone, so I'll be rebuilding them with balsa wood too.
Yeah, I know that a replacement chassis only costs $25, but for a few scraps of balsa wood, some packing tape, and perseverence, I'll get the hang of this flying thing.
My biggest issue, like most newbies, is over-compensating on the controls. I'm probably going to rebuilding this thing a few more times until I can get a feel for it.
Anyway, this forum looks like a friendly bunch, so I figured I'd say Hi with my story!
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Post by flydiver on Sept 24, 2012 4:34:05 GMT 1
Welcome to the thrill of victory.....and.....the agony of defeat.
It's a rocky road learning by yourself.
Get it up HIGH FAST, throttle back to medium speed and try to relax into the controls. Make slow easy circles. Quit and land after 8-10" so you can breathe again.
Turn off ACT!!!!
Keep gluing it back together until it either won't fly right anymore or you quit crashing it. No sense destroying a new one if the old one will still fly.
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sdg111
Flight lieutenant
Posts: 85
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Post by sdg111 on Sept 24, 2012 12:40:41 GMT 1
Welcome! I too am a newbie, flying for only a week or so (in fact probably less than 20 minutes if you add it all up). Great story, and from what I've read, not an unfamiliar one. It's nice to know others are going through this steep learning.
I'm "off the road" just now, waiting for the mail man to deliver my ordered parts. I guess it's all about limiting the damage done until you've racked up enough 'flying time' to feel capable of not crashing it so often.......
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Post by renard80 on Sept 24, 2012 18:22:08 GMT 1
Keep on keeping on! Most of us have been there (on the ground, in pieces  ), but it does get better - honestly! Take flydiver's wise advice. Also, remember she will probably tend to lose height as she turns, so ease back slightly on the right stick on each turn to compensate and maintain altitude. And try to keep your wings horizontal (level). When she's coming towards you, easing the right stick slightly IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DROPPED WING should restore level flight. When she's flying away from you, the opposite applies. Good luck for continued success. |
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Post by renard80 on Sept 24, 2012 18:29:32 GMT 1
My wife bought me a Super Cub BNF and a Spektrum DX61 for our 25th anniversary . . . . . . Yet according to your profile you're only 22 years old, born in 1990!  I've heard of child brides, but come on!! |
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Post by yamahaevans on Sept 24, 2012 18:44:37 GMT 1
This is all great advice, thanks for the encouragement! Currently, Ive got the chassis cavity reinforced with balsa, I'll be replacing the battery box cover mounting points with balsa wood and popsicle sticks tonight. I found some clear vinyl plastic that we used to cover our kids schoolbooks with, so I wrapped the chassis with a layer of that too. Everything I've read has told me to expect to crash it often and to plan on repairs....I'm more excited about the three successful flights so far instead of the two not so successful ones! And renard80...you got me. If you believe I was born in 1990, then you'll also believe my real name is "Yamaha Evans"!  The anniversary is accurate, the birthday is not! |
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mcom59
Flying officer
Posts: 24
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Post by mcom59 on Sept 24, 2012 18:59:23 GMT 1
Hi man, and welcome to the world of SC flying/crashing..
I got my SC recently and IMO some things are a must for the newbie..
1. height..
2. relax..
3. height..
4. concentrate..
5. height..
6. don't panic..
7. buy some glue...
You are not on your own as we have all been there, and the SC is a tough little bird so stick with it..
I wish I had got the SC earlier in my flying/crashing career as it is a great newbie plane and is very rewarding on a low, slow pass down the line (while listening to all the oohs & aahs and congratulations that you hear in your head..!)or completing your first(intentional or not..)loop..!!
On a more serious note, all the usual mods are a first-do asap as it will save you time in the long run.. So, keep going and enjoy the SC as much as you can cos when you get your 2nd plane it wont be long until you start wishing you had your SC back..! lol..
Just one final thing.. when the SC is coming towards you and looks set on a kamikaze dive into the deck, remember this mantra...
"Move the stick, to the wing that is sick" [i.e. hanging down..] it works for me..!
last but not least..TURN OFF/DISCONNECT A.C.T.!!!
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Post by yamahaevans on Sept 24, 2012 19:16:01 GMT 1
I wish I could blame ACT for the two times I plucked defeat from the jaws of victory, but nope, both crashes are fairly and squarely mine. I disconnected ACT as soon as I took it out of the box, and have been modding it up as I go (after doing the wing reinforcement, the wheel struts, taping the cowl, etc.
"Move the stick, to the wing that is sick". I'm gonna be muttering this now to myself, the missus will think I've lost it!
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Post by flydiver on Sept 25, 2012 0:46:18 GMT 1
This is worth repeating here since everything of value seems to get lost on the net. Six Keys to Success for New Pilots www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=355208Ed Anderson was my guru when I first started flying and is still one of the most knowledgeable pilots and best ambassadors for RC in the community. Pretty much anything he says should be taken seriously. He's a very thoughtful and helpful person. |
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Post by mebillica on Sept 25, 2012 1:38:05 GMT 1
Welcome to the thrill of victory.....and.....the agony of defeat. It's a rocky road learning by yourself. Get it up HIGH FAST, throttle back to medium speed and try to relax into the controls. Make slow easy circles. Quit and land after 8-10" so you can breathe again. Turn off ACT!!!! Keep gluing it back together until it either won't fly right anymore or you quit crashing it. No sense destroying a new one if the old one will still fly. +10 for nailing it on the head perfectly! The BEST advice ever for a new pilot!!! |
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Post by brakallie1 on Oct 8, 2012 3:53:28 GMT 1
I am a newbie to rc flying. I have to say that, flying a (real time) plane was easier to (land) still scary buy easier).
I've flown my super cub once and with the (act) turned on it crashed. No matter what caused it I feel I should have been able to save it. You know what they say................."once you got the (first) scratch, go have fun.
Face on flying (plane) facing me is my biggest problem, so I have been putting time in on the simulator and (taxing) the sc on the ground facing me. Hope that works.
Hey goodluck to all and happy flying.
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Post by flydiver on Oct 8, 2012 16:33:24 GMT 1
Most pilots make poor RC fliers at first. They are used to the cockpit perspective and seat of the pants feedback. You get neither in this sport.
As the plane is coming at you push the stick in the direction of the down wing to 'prop it up' unless you actually want it to turn that way.
A SIM will help develop your thumb response. It is not the same as real flying.
TURN OFF ACT!. It's a miserable product that doesn't work as 'promised'. Here's my well worn rant on the subject:
[ACT works by using sensors looking at the ground and horizon. It differentiates shade (dark ground/light sky) and tries to keep them that way. If the plane goes up or down too fast and the shade isn't right it 'takes control' AWAY from you and essentially neutralizes the controls. You can achieve the SAME result just by letting go of the sticks. Of course new pilots don't they just over correct some more. The high wing Cub will self correct in time but not immediately.
If ACT kicks in up high, no problem, but then letting go of the sticks would work also. If it happens down low you have NO ABILITY TO CORRECT SINCE CONTROL IS REMOVED! Just like letting go of the sticks once you pointed it straight at the ground from 20 feet up it's going in! Its not useful down low and wrecks more planes than it saves, but it sure sounds good to new fliers. Since they can't fly anyway and they wreck anyway they figure it would only have been worse without it. They can't differentiate between their short comings and ACT's problems.
So it works up high where you don't really benefit from it and screws you up down low when it doesn't help. It also gets totally confused when you fly over water, snow or very light ground surfaces (light concrete, sand) since it doesn't know what to do with that. It's NOT SMART, it's just a shade sensor. What it does best is lure in new fliers. Great marketing scheme. ]
Persistence pays off.
Welcome to the sport.
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Post by johnny1 on Dec 14, 2012 16:28:19 GMT 1
Having wrecked my SC a few times, like you, I decided to try a simulator. I bought the phoenix simulator (version 4) for $129. I knew it was good when I also wrecked the simulated SC! After a few days of practice and a hundred landings in various weather conditions, I tried my real SC again, and felt in far more control. Definitely worth it!
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), but it does get better - honestly!
The anniversary is accurate, the birthday is not!