Geesh I hate this

[wizard]

There are a lot of different methods to use when this situation occurs. What method to use depends on a lot of things, how high the plane is, the glide rate,the stall speed, length of runway left, even what is at the end of the runway for an off field landing. The only way to know which method to use is experience.

Here are a few different things to think about.

1. Is there room and and a surface you can use for an off field landing? The last dead stick on my 30% was one of these. A buddy was flying the plane (the first time he was on the sticks of this plane) when the engine quit, I was standing right beside him. He handed the transmitter back to me and with the position of the plane, I wasn't able to bleed enough speed to get it down on the runway without it being a hard landing. I ended up putting it down about 75 feet off the end of the runway in the tall grass. I just did a normal type approach and just slowed the plane a little higher flared a little higher and mushed it down in the high grass. It wasn't a pretty landing, but, there was no damage. (BTW found the reason for the dead stick was due to the battery lead in the wrong place and got unplugged)

2. "Crab" the plane to bleed of speed. Use the rudder to kick the tail of the plane to the side a little (ailerons to keep the plane level). This will cause more drag and cause the plane to slow.

3. You can use the elevator to put the plane a little nose high to drop speed. At first this can increase altitude but will slow the forward speed. You just have to be careful not to stall the plane.

4. If you try to make a turn back to the runway, remember to use the rudder to prevent "Adverse Yaw". Adverse yaw will put the plane nose high and can bleed off to much air speed. Using the rudder will keep the nose down and conserve airspeed.

5. If you have enough altitude you could even do a split S and land in the opposite direction of takeoff.

6. Along the same lines IF you have enough airspeed, you could perform a 1/2 Cuban 8 to land down wind.

Again the only way to know which method will work is experience, and even that isn't always enough. As you said the only way to insure that a plane will never crash is not to fly it.

As for your move to the aircraft you are flying. If you are comfortable with it, safe in your flying, and can afford it. Do it and enjoy. Many people have a different speed learning curve. It sounds like you have picked up the hobby very quickly and are progressing well.

[sp2pilot]

Thank you Wizzard

I will practice more of the Rudder "crabbing" I actually have to do this in a smaller way with the crosswinds our field will expierance late in the morning when the wind begins to change direction. I always thought that was called a "SideSlip" but "Crabbing is an accurate discription.

One of the truly gifted flyers in our club was talking to me and suggested I start learning how to use higher rates for these type of emegencies. His suggestion was to learn how to use the throttle in a "Blip" to pop the nose up without actually accelerating. Sort of a mini wall manuever to do an exagerated flare to drastically slow the aircraft. This is the beggining of a manuever where he snaps the aircraft nearly verticle when he is right on the deck at a very slow speed then quickly puts full down elevator to table top the sequence resulting in his plane being at near standstill and about 2 feet above the runway. He did it with such a smooth controlled appearance. I am in such awe of the skills displayed and hope to someday be able to replicate it.

[wizard]

Side slip may be the proper term. I just have always heard crabbing. Either way it is a good was to bleed off some air speed.

[hillmanr2]

In your original post you say you were 25' high. I of coarse, don't know what your Field looks like but at mine the only thing to do is make a slight right turn and flare the crap out of it into the weeds praying you don't hit a very large rock. Damage would have ensued if I was flying your plane in this situation at my field. Bent gear and ripped covering at best!
To be completely honest with you on the reason for the "harder" responses is that while I feel for you, and have "been there done that" with the crashing, I think it ticks some people off that they have been flying for years and still can't afford a 30%+ and you went out and got when in 12 weeks. I myself and envious as I still don't have an 30%+ plane
My .02c

[sp2pilot]

Honestly I think the strong feelings against my choice of aircraft from some of the members is not a jealousy issue. In fact I would say it is not at all. It is probably more about what is perceived as my lack of following the tried and true formula of spending a lot of time in a trainer then gradually moving up to larger aircraft. In my assessment it is probably perceived as disrespectful to not following their template. I mean no disrespect in how I have entered this hobby. I am just aware of the physical limitations of smaller aircraft and see very little reason to not go forward with a much more advanced and larger airframe. In the end I should be at much higher level in a shorter period then if I had chosen the traditional education posted above.

In WW2 My uncle was trained as a tail gunner aboard a B17 during his training he got a very bad infection that put him in the hospital for 10 days, during that 10 days his unit was in Parachute school and he missed it. It was something that was required and he was not going to ship out with his unit because of it. His commanding officer took him to task to have an expedited training that was done in 2 days consisting of only one actual jump where his unit had 4. After his deployment he was stationed in England and flew 84 missions. He was also shot down 2 times and was "in the silk" both times. He said his 2 day training was fine. He paid attention as if his life depended on it. (It did)

This is my take on how I learn to become a proficient RC pilot. I train, I listen, I respect everyone that has traveled this road ahead of me. In the end I hope to be accepted as a safe and competent pilot.

[Colonel Klank]

	Quote: Originally Posted by wizard
	I always liked the saying "Don't stop flying it until all the pieces stop moving!"

I little of the topic, but...Cale Yarborough was interviewed after a crash at Daytona that left him sliding down the track at 140mph on his roof! When showed the replay and asked what was going through his mind at the time, he said; "Hell, I was still turning the steering wheel and mashing the brakes!"

Fly it all the way down!