A question

You won't improve your C/L flying by whipping, it's a totally different thing, the only way to improve C/L is to practice, engine running, model flying!

Here is one way to learn(?), he should have been in the chair himself though...

The thing that helped me most when learning to fly C/L planes, was to use a straight arm pointed at the plane and don't use wrist. This minimizes over controlling. Pointing arm up with stiff wrist will provide enough up elevator to go pretty much where arm is pointed, same with pointing arm down. After you get the feel of it, then play with wrist action. Dizziness can be minimized by focusing on a far distant object and rotating while holding that focus for a moment, then shifting and holding focus on another distant object farther around the circle. Do not focus on the rotating blur beyond the plane.

Happy flying,
David

daviddiag wrote:The thing that helped me most when learning to fly C/L planes, was to use a straight arm pointed at the plane and don't use wrist. This minimizes over controlling. Pointing arm up with stiff wrist will provide enough up elevator to go pretty much where arm is pointed, same with pointing arm down. .................
David

This is a good technique to help the beginner get some time in the circle.

daviddiag wrote:The thing that helped me most when learning to fly C/L planes, was to use a straight arm pointed at the plane and don't use wrist. This minimizes over controlling. Pointing arm up with stiff wrist will provide enough up elevator to go pretty much where arm is pointed, same with pointing arm down. After you get the feel of it, then play with wrist action. Dizziness can be minimized by focusing on a far distant object and rotating while holding that focus for a moment, then shifting and holding focus on another distant object farther around the circle. Do not focus on the rotating blur beyond the plane.

Happy flying,
David

Very good advice, this is how we learned back in the day

Have to touch on this subject. I have some knowladge on this subject. Never took engines out to "whip" fly them. C/L's will fly this way but I think you will find they behave completly different while under power or not. Don't think you will learn a lot from "whip" flying. At least I found it to be so. I never "saved" equipment by learning to fly this way either, as I seemed to crash a lot both ways. Buy or build something cheap that you don't care a lot for and have fun with it. Power is the way to go.

You could build one that secures the wing and motor mount with fuelproof rubber bands, sort of like the PT-19. That saves a lot of frustration and repairs. I have had new office rubber bands melt on the first flight on my PT. That's always hilarious.

RknRusty wrote:I have had new office rubber bands melt on the first flight on my PT. That's always hilarious.

Oh my, I think I should change the bands on my Super Cub then.

Where would one find fuel-proof bands?

I find small nylon wire-ties a suitable substitute for rubber bands in many, but not all, instances like securing landing gears.

BTW: Nylon wire-ties ARE fuel-proof.

As to learning to "fly" by whipping, I could NOT disagree more. Over the years I have taught hundreds of people to fly CL and I never found "whipping" a satisfacory method. As Wilf has said, CL and "whipping" are two different dimensions in flying one far superior to the other.

If the thought of flying CL makes you feel uncomfortable, find a "mentor" or "coach" to guide you. Once learned, like riding a bicycle, the skill is learned it is never forgotten. Just "man up" and do it!

Where is your spirit of adventure? How many of you learned to ride a bicycle without crashing?

microflitedude wrote:

RknRusty wrote:I have had new office rubber bands melt on the first flight on my PT. That's always hilarious.

Oh my, I think I should change the bands on my Super Cub then.

Where would one find fuel-proof bands?

I get them at Lexington Hobby. He usually only has one pack at a time. That place out at Spring Valley probably has them. There are different widths for various uses. I'll show you what I use next time you come over to my house.

Thanks for the replies, I am ordering some fuel from glow plug boy fuels so I should be able to practice soon. Would the Cox Hustler or Crusader be easier to train on?. I have been looking at a few kits such as the sig skyray and deweybird, I would like to make a Guillows kit control line since I build them. Should I go for sig or guillows? I have heard the guillows wood that is supplied in the kit isn't strong enough, so I don't know what to do. I'll probably practice on what I already have before I build anything.

I would really like to find some old Cox plastic CL models but they are so hard to find. Cox should start making these again.

I was going to point you to a good trainer, but Sig seems to be offline this morning. I'll try again later.
The old Cox plastic models are awful trainers and you only get to hit the ground hard once. Unfortunately Cox has been out of business for quite sometime now.

Cox 049. wrote:I would really like to find some old Cox plastic CL models but they are so hard to find. Cox should start making these again.

Since Cox left the business in 1986 that's not likely to happen. Cox's successor was Estes in manufacturing engines but Estes engines are not highly rearded in the hobby. As has been noted plastic Cox planes were terrible flyers compared to what you can build for yourself.

Cox plastic planes were made to "carash and trash" though some people will pay "big money" for those that have surrived to the present day.

"Mind over matter" was never better exemplified.

For a UC trainer, a Goldberg Lil Wizard on 30' to 35' lines is hard to beat. Even better was an old Flite Streak Trainer with a .15 on it, using 52' lines. Looks like Firebabys will be produced again but a few spare wings would be rcommended.

Have I got a deal for you. This plane looks like a pig and flys like one, but it's guaranteed not to rust, bust or collect dust. It will get you into the air and keep you flying long enough to get your legs under you and help you develop enough skill to fly a less durable plane.

http://www.balsabeavers.ca/begginers_page.htm ----- plans at the bottom of the article. You don't really need plans, just a ruler and sheet of coroplast. None of the measurements are critical --- I used whatever was round and TLAR for the circular parts.

these guys are from my home town!