120" 3W QQ Yak Snaps

[bob knudsen]

I am looking for some help and maybe this information is secret stuff that no one wants to share. I went to Tuscon last summer with my Dalton and received a bunch of zeros on my snap rolls. I talked to a number of judges and flyers and read all the articles on snap rolls. I bought a 3W QQ Yak and set it up the way everyone said to. I practiced for 4 months and went to my first contest and received more zeros on my snap rolls. Is it possible you could give me the exact throws that QQ uses and his technique for doing snap rolls? Any help would be appreciated.

Big Bob

[3D-Seth]

When doing your snaps, are you showing a slight pitch movement just before the plane snaps around? That slight little pitch has to be there, otherwise the judges will zero you. Also, are your snaps "rolling" over, or almost the speed of a somewhat slow roll? You can also be zeroed for that.

Hope this helps!!
Seth

[bob knudsen]

Seth,

The change I made from Tucson was to jack my elevator rates up. I always hit the elevator first the plane does a huge pitch break now, then I take the elevator out as I put in the ailerons and rudder and the plane goes around fairly fast. The judges said I had a good pitch break they just thought the rotation looked funny. No body could explain what it was and I was the only one getting zeros. Very frustrating!!! Thanks for your help.

Big Bob

[torquen]

What is happening is the judges that are judging you are smart enough to tell when your letting off the elevator. Sounds to me like your trying to keep the plane on the same course in a snap-roll. But actually the plane can displace to another location and stay on the same heading and you will get your scores back up. My guess from what your saying is your popping the elevator then hitting rudder and ail together and then letting off the elevator and finishing by letting off the rudder and completing the snap with ail. If so that is not a correct snap.
Garrett

[bob knudsen]

Hi Garrett,

What I actually do is hit the elevator then take the elevator out as I put in the aileron and rudder and then I take the aileron and rudder out at the same time when I want it to stop. This is as per, the Mike McConville, cheater snap instructions. Thanks for your help.

Big Bob

[shannah]

Don't take out all the elevator, you can relax it but don't back out all the way. Maybe you can try using a little less rudder if you are having heading problems.

[Ryans Rebel]

The model does not have to pitch "prior" to auto-rotation, it can be simotaneous with auto-rotation. Pitching then rolling does not qualify for a snap (sounds like what you described above). Maybe try giving all 3 inputs at the same time and releasing them all at the same time. It does takes lots of practice making the plane "look" like it is snapping.

My $0.02.

[Mudsurfer1234]

I'm flying the same plane in the IMAC's up here. I too am having trouble with snaps. Last weekend in Maryland, someone told me that the Yaks have a hard time doing a good looking snap roll. Maybe it's too much drag, or just the layout of the plane, i don't know.

I do know, that my snaps (there's 1 positive snap on a 45 downline, i'm flying sportsman, so no big snapping uplines and stuff) were pretty bad in the start. I was pretty much doing tiny barrel rolls, cuz they were too slow and didn't really break. Then i just used a little more throw on everything, and it looked like it "snapped" around quicker, but still looks kinda funny. I think the main reason it looks so weird is the round nose, going around, makes it look like it's not breaking as much. (cuz my snap is coming down towards judges and me, so you're looking straight at it almost).

I dunno, but i'm gonna stay tuned in this thread.

[bob knudsen]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have been practicing putting all the throws in and taking them out at the same time. The headings have never been a problem, it is the rotation that they don't like. I was still hoping there is someone that is flying this Yak and not getting zeros that could give me his control throws, just to make sure that I am practicing with the right set up. Thanks for your help--anymore suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Big Bob

[Mudsurfer1234]

Bob, I only zeroed one snap in the contest last weekend, but that was completely my fault, i didnt use nearly as much throw as normal (stick wise).

Tomorrow i'm gonna run through the sportsman and intermediate routines, and i'll measure my throws on my IMAC rates. I don't max them completely during the snap though. I think i start with max elev, then let off to about half of max throw on low rates, and use about 3/4 of my rudder and aileron.

[torquen]

Ill tell you a good way to know if your snapping hard enough. I find when you do a really nice snap you can actually hear the stress on the engine and airframe. It winds up and them makes a relief sound. If you do a fast aileron roll you don't get this sound. So you can actually hear the loading and unloading of the snap.
Garrett

[torquen]

Bob forgot to say I had the same plane 3w qq yak and my throws were as follows.

Ail was about 35 deg up and down.
Elevator was 11 deg up and down
Rudder is enough to just pull the nose up on full rudder during about 75% throttle in knife edge flight.
This is just about the same on every plane I fly.
Garrett