More RV4 Goodness...

More RV4 flying this morning. Was working on getting the flap elevator mix correct. About 60% flap and 18 elevator (on a JR x2610) seems to be making an appreciable difference to lift at slow speed, but stopping the nose pitching forwards which I have talked about before.

The result is a plane that can be brought in at quite a slow speed to land, which I know will make things easier in the future.

I nosed the RV4 over on one of the really bad landing attempts this morning, but she was okay. In some ways she is tough. In others, looking at her nastily will cause all sorts of issues.

On all four takeoffs today she dipped a wing slightly, but full power and plenty of elevator saw her safe at altitude. I'm not used to paying so much attention to planes at takeoff (excepting the endless nose overs the zero does). With a foamy takeoff just normally isn't that risky. You aren't going that fast, and even if the worst happens it will glue back together quickly. It would seem things are a little difference when it comes to balsa planes.

Very happy with the way she flys - was a little more relaxed today and enjoyed the flying a little more. Did a victory roll - no probs. And her colours actually make her really easy to see, even at distance - quite a lot of fun.

The Zero did a few more sorties on the new LiPo. I think I set up the CoG a bit better today because I was much happier with the way she was flying. Not as good as the RV4, but the Zero is foam after all.

Getting a bit sick and tired of these nose overs on takeoff, but I'm just not sure there is much that can be done with a park flyer scale foam warbird. I tried hand launching the zero today - mini disaster. She plowed straight down into the ground. Only damage was a busted prop so nothing to major there, but suggests that over arm hand launching is not really an option. Maybe the underarm fling is the way to go.

Spent a little more time with WOT on the Zero today, and she is actually a pleasure to fly with the extra poke (and the CoG right it would seem). Actually did an outside loop today. First time I've been able to do that since I replaced the 350 with the 400 (which it turns out was a bad move...). I did a low level pass or two with the Zero - she has enough poke to be a contender now. Now I just have to figure out whether I want to burn out all my brushed motors before going brushless, or whether that needs to happen straight away.