Checklist for Electric Flight
Here's the checklist I am using. I add to it as I learn things. It starts at the field and assumes you have bought your plane, batteries, controller etc.
- Safety Check - Assess the field. If there are people using the field make sure you can fly safely with them there. Don't plan to fly over them, plan to fly in the space they are not using. If there isn't enough space don't fly. Come back some other time.
- Sun and Wind Check - Assess position of sun and direction and strength of wind. Go to a position on the field where you can safely take off into the wind, and wont have to deal with the sun during your flight (so ideally, be near the edge of the field with the sun at your back). If the wind is strong make your own call based on experience, skill and judgement as to whether or not to fly.
- Sun glasses check - look into the sky for a few moments (say 10 seconds) and figure out whether you need your sunglasses or not - even on overcast days where you wouldn't use your sunglasses at ground level you may still need them due to glare.
- Frequency Check - Check that no one else is flying or using RC in the immediate vicinity. If they are, check what frequency they are on. If necessary wait.
- Plane Check - Check the plane is straight. Make sure the wings are correctly aligned.
- Transmitter Voltage Check - transmitter on. Check voltage indication is okay.
- Battery Connection and Check - Make sure throttle is closed. Connect battery to plane. Check that battery is properly connected by ensuring it wont pull out without using the clip.
- Control check - standing next to the model operate the rudder, elevator and airlerons (if you have them). Make sure they travel freely and without hinderance.
- Trim check - Check the neutral position of the control surfaces with no control input (ie transmitter on, but sticks not being pushed in any direction). Make sure they align well and adjust trim using transmitter if they don't.
- Radio Check - with the transmitter on but the aireal not extended, walk 25 metres away from the plane and visually confirm that all control surfaces respond to control input through the transmitter. (Note: Don't combine your radio check and control check - you can't see the control surfaces well enough at 25 metres to be confident they are moving freely.
- Extend your aireal.
- If you are "taking off" rather than hand launching then do the engine and throttle check (15) now.
- Last Safety Check - look around the field once again and make sure you know where any groups of people are congregating. Once the plane is in flight you will not have much opportunity to look at the ground (because you should keep your eyes on the plane) so if the field is busy consider not flying. Keep in mind people will move about while flying.
- Last Wind Check - Is the wind still coming from the same direction? Is it still safe to fly? If you are "taking off" rather than hand launching, you are clear to take off. If you are hand launching proceed to 13.
- Throttle and Engine Check - Arm the engine (if you have that feature). Holding the model firmly open the throttle gradually making sure the engine comes on when it should, and at full throttle makes the normal noise (you only need to listen for 1 second or so to tell). If you are hand launching then launch. If you are "taking off" then proceed to 13.
posted by Oz RC Boy @ 11:26 AM
11 comments
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11 Comments:
Great checklist... one thing that got me on my first attempt to hand launch was having the throttle trim fully down. This meant not enough throttle for lift.... so I would recommend setting the throttle trim to max just to ensure maximum available thrust for launch.
Hi Crawf - thanks for stopping by. I think step 13 kind of covers what you are suggesting - I think you should listen to the engine at full throttle for 1 second before you launch. However, if the problem is that you don't know what full throttle sounds like, I guess that is a different problem. I'll try and figure out how to incorporate it. Thanks.
Yes - good point. I was only thinking from the absolute noob POV. ie if you didn't know what full throttle was supposed to sound like, you would have no idea what to listen for. But it has not happened to me since (not that I'd admit anyway).
BTW if you're interested, I video'd my first attempts and posted on YouTube - here's the link.... //www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrvSkiYoTjg
Love your video mate. Now that you have *it* I guess you can easily reflect on some of the things you did wrong to start with... that looked like an awfully tight space to be trying to learn to fly with an Electrafun for example.
BTW - are you an ozzie? The "light"in your video just seemed about right. If so there is a great forum of Australians that fly parkflyers on rcuniverse here:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4363309/mpage_77/tm.htm
Plenty of Electrafun owners - if you hop on and introduce yourself I'm sure you'll be made most welcome.
Oh, and don't hesitate to drop me an email if you wish: ozrcboy@gmail.com
That first real flight it magic isn't it...
Yes that first flight is really magic. And you picked it correctly, I am an Ozzie - the flying field is around Buranda in Brisbane where I live and I had no idea really how much space I'd need until I hit the top of the light tower :-)
The main thing I was doing wrong on the first day was probably not recognizing that the reason the plane veered off to the right and spun into the dirt was just that I needed to make the smallest of adjustments to the runner linkage z bend, possibly no more than 1 or 2 mm to get it to flight straight.
The other problem was that I was used to flying my small electric indoor heli and the controls were a bit back to front...
I will check out the RCUniverse forum you suggested - thanks for the encouragement.
Cheers
Hi I also have a electrafun xp. I did my first few flights near trains and in a windy field, no wonder i crashed soo much! now I'm going down to my local park. anyway i think that you where flying higher than 150 feet. try keep it lower and you will do better! trust me on this, I'm a regular down at the park!
Yes, lower seems less deadly in crashes to me and easier to reference your orientation to the ground, but Ive read exactly the opposite from professionals. Perhaps they dont realize there arent little men inside the cockpit who'll get killed if you hit the ground or something. Who knows.
BTW: A really nice tip for total newbies I saw when I was a kid is to wait for a *windy* day and then just hand launch it into the wind, motor off, and try to control the elevators etc. to keep it still and shoulder height relative to the ground - no major crashes, no deadly deadly speed, and if it goes all haywire, your friend (or you I suppose, if you want to drop the transmitter) can just sort of catch it out of the air.
This supposedly works best with gliders, but my 1st attempts yesterday during bigger gusts with the electrafun seemed to work ok + a little forward motion. A couple of those later, and I was having no trouble flying straight and level with power on, unlike Mr. crawf there. *snigger*
Hi Surge,
I still reckon altitude is the way to go. Things go wrong when you fly rc - if they go wrong close to the ground you crash - that simple.
While I understand the point you are making about energy from altitude, at flying speed it sometimes doesn't matter - it's just the energy of the flying speed that destroys your plane not necessarily extra energy you pick up on the way down.
Your gliding test seems like an interesting technique, and a simple way to get an introduction to the elevator component of flight. However, that's not the control that usually disorients people. It's always the rudder or aileron work that gets them into trouble - its when the plane is banked close to the ground that they have their brain freeze and go in - seen it so many times.
Crawf's issue turned out to be trim if I recall correctly - long time gone ago now.
I'm glad to hear it is going well for you, but I will say this - if you laugh at others misfortune with their planes karma will get you in the end 8-)
Hi oz,
yes, having had a few days more experience, I totally agree with you on the height. Its not really a matter of the energy involved, but simply that at higher altitudes you dont hit the ground at all because theres time/height to recover. Ive since taken to flying alot higher, but now I have *massive* trouble determining if its in level flight. I guess its something you just have to get used to. I'm still very glad I did the low flying first.
As for the glider/elevator bit... thats pretty much the idea, one control at a time. It is a trick for someone (like me) who's never touched a RC controlled flying object before. I certainly have gotten 'dumb thumbs' and ruddered it into a crazy attitude, but at least I know my elevator :)
Mr. Crawf had some helicopter experience, so its not the same thing - it was meant in good humour. And yes, Ive since crashed horribly many times :)
Thanks for the encouragement. I did my 1st two loops today. whee!
Hi Surge,
Thanks for dropping by again. I certainly hope I didn't put the kybosh on your later efforts with my karma comment.
If you have a trainer, and she is trimmed correctly, she will naturally find her way to level flight if you run at around 2/3rd throttle - she may nose up if you go WOT, and she will probably stall if you close.
If you've basically got the hang of her in the air you can bring your altitude down a little - that may make it easier to see. The old rule of thumb is three mistakes high - probably about 10-20 metres.
BTW - feel free to drop by the Aussie parkflyers forum I've linked above (in a response to Crawf) - doesn't matter if you are an aussie - we have a englishman living in Scotland, some kiwis, and even some people from Queensland ;-)
Cheers,
Oz.
Maybee I missed it but your item no8 should be to stand behind plane and check direction of contol surfaces. Waggling wont do, right ail stick gives right ail etc.
Great site only stopped buy for a minute from rcgroups.
All the best from Scotland, John
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