Little help needed to prevent a big crash

[JMHansen]

Will try and make this long story short. I have been practicing all my 3d maneuvers on the sim and they all go really well on the computer. Something about that red reset button that turns me into a pro. Most of the maneuvers have been transffering to my 2.6m xtreme composite edge effortlessly. Rolling circles waterfalls rolling loops flatspins inverted spins are all no problem and looking smooth. I know want to dust off my high alpha and hovering skills. On the computer all is well and there are no problems. The control inputs are second nature no matter the orientation of the plane. Having said that the real world is not the simulator and the minute the red reset button goes away and the dollar signs of an airplane appear things get ALOT harder. I have of course tried high alpha and hover along way from the ground and it seems to be ok. Hard to tell if it is high alpha and a hover or slow climb when it is that far from the deck. Can someone give me some thoughts on how i might grade my skills to see if i am ready to bring the plane down. Is it better to enter a low hover from high alpha or a wall. Any and all tips would be appreciated. Is it best to be 5 feet of the ground or 50. I hear different opinions. Obviously the visual reference near the ground would be helpful to establish a proper hover. Sorry for rambling. I look forward to your thoughts.

[dpoles]

fly smaller planes low down?
buy a foamy or check out 3DHobby shop.

[SleepyC]

[JoeAirPort]

The foamy idea is great. But sooner or later you have to transition off the sim IMO. It's not the same as the real world. It's a great tool to get your brain burned into the stick movements and orientation but that's where it ends. All those manuevers eventually have to be done with your real planes in real weather. As far as how low to go. For me it's been a gradual thing. People freak out at the field that I do rolling harriers 10 feet off the deck and harriers close to rudder dragging...hovering at same height. But I'm not freaking out because I transitioned so slowly to that point. They only see me fly every few months....not every flight. Also I freak out when I see guys hover huge gassers 2 feet right in front of them because I'm no where near that level of skill. But they are not freaking out because they're used to it and gradually worked up to that point. The last thing is sooner or later you have to push yourself to do more difficult things lower or you just stay 100+ feet where it's safe. The really good guys push themselves harder I think (in addition to having freaken alien skillz). Just be safe....and be prepared to dork a few in during those low hovers. They can get away from you.

My favorite hover entry is from a wall at a very slow speed. Just slow enough to rotate to vertical.

[wc524]

Before hovering with your real plane I suggest mastering hovering with the wheels facing you. So many people I know have dumped in their planes when the plane have begun to torque roll and pushed the wrong rudder.

I suggest a foamy since (1) they are cheaper and (2) they respond a lot faster if you mess up and lastly (3) THEY R CHEAPER. LOL....been through several planes myself.

Foamies are the easiest to repair and fly, then graduate to the bigger more $$$$ stuff.