July 2002

Steve’s the name; flying is the game! And I’ve been given an opportunity to impart to you some of my hard-earned aerial wisdom. The YOU in this instance are the beginners and improvers to our wonderful hobby but if you are a first time beginner you will most certainly need the help of both a club and its instructor system.


Steve Vine

First a bit of back ground on yours truly and how I got here!

I was taught to fly slope soarers by a friend and club mate, Barry Jackson. He said, "I’d never make it as long as…..?" So I rose to the challenge to prove him wrong. (Hmmm, clever chap that Barry!) A lot of the gems that I shall give to you have come from Barry, some I’ve been drawn from other instructors and the rest I’ve learned the hard way!


The Hard way ?

After being a solo glider guider for about a year, I progressed to power flying as well. I enjoyed a progression through club competition, A & B certificates and finally made it to examiner level. I’m now looking to see where I can go forward to next! You see I believe that continually trying for new goals pushes you to try harder and so improves your abilities! That’s my first gem for you and you’ll soon learn that the "brown stuff" (adrenaline) actually helps! (That was one of my earlier lessons from Barry, who walked away from me one day at the time for a landing saying, "It was about time anyway!" And it worked!!)

July 2002

Right then, the content of this article is going to be about the ‘Take Off & Landing".


Take off as it should look.

Before anything else is considered, the first part of a take-off is to determine where and how the landing will be made. This was lesson number one from Barry and I’ve never forgot it, indeed it has saved me from the ‘mire’ more than once when friends around me and already flying, have said in a panic "How d’ya land ‘ere then?). This is especially true for a new site, whether it be slope or power site. So when you arrive, no rushing off to get one under yer belt; instead sit and watch the other flyers for a moment and see how their approaches are made, you can base your arrivals accordingly; this applies even to your own site. (If you are being taught by an instructor, he will either be doing the landing for you or making you understand what you need to know for your landing.) But there is nothing wrong with your observing anyway – so get used to it!

OK, so now we’re ready for the take off… nope! First you’ve got to check yer plane out aint ya? And then get frequency control, OK? (Sorry that was me zaminers ‘at!) OK so now you’ve checked out the approach and checked out your model, now’s the time to check out the wind direction and circuit style.

Unlike when I was taught to fly power planes, it is now considered dangerous to fly an aircraft around yourself, some reasons being that you will have to fly over of your buddies in the pit area or the parking area, so don’t do it. Instead, fly the way that you would have to if you were demonstrating at a show, i.e. circuits in front. It’s just as easy and teaches you right from the start to turn in both directions, also teaching you to take off and land from both directions. As an incentive to landing from either direction, you may be able to arrange your site and pits so that the sun is always behind you; never having to look directly at the Sun instead of the plane is definitely a good aid to accurate flying.




So, having correctly evaluated the wind direction and strength, you should now be able to picture the shape of the circuit. This should be a rectangle with round corners (or a racetrack) and parallel to the take-off direction. By the way, now is a good time to estimate if you can safely complete the flight, I mean you know what the British weather is like - a hurried landing and all that…

For this takeoff we are doing a right hand circuit, presuming that the wind is coming from the left (If your situation is with the wind from the right then substitute opposite aileron or rudder controls.)
Right, here we are then, at the flight line, observed all the local safety rules, engine at tick-over and you are politely informing you buddies of your intentions (or your instructor is!). To which they, just as politely agree or just politely nod (!). Next you look for yourself that upwind of the take off is clear and then say clearly and loudly "ON THE PATCH" or "TAXIING" depending on weather you are going to carry it or other-wise. Remember though that taxiing can only take place away or parallel to the flight line. After a last check that the airspace is clear above and behind call clearly "TAKE-OFF" and follow the part that you last read in the building instructions…Point into wind and advance the throttle!

Make a steady climb to a safe altitude, (75ft aprox. Conditions dependent) then execute the first crosswind turn using gentle right aileron and a little up elevator to keep the nose of your aircraft at the correct attitude. A couple of notes here: 1) Different aircraft require varying amounts of control input to make a satisfactory turn. 2) don’t hold in the control input as this has an accumulative effect. 3) the main point is BE GENTLE! - Over controlling can seriously misshape your circuit, and at the least looks very shabby! It should be noted that it is advisable to make the clime-out to this point at a steady rate for this is the time when most engines try to prove "Sod’s Law". This law say’s that if an engine can stop when you most need it, it WILL! And if you are hanging on the prop when it happens you will know that I’m right! Your next turn is a right turn to down wind. Using the same procedure as with the first turn but with the added input of lowering the throttle a little to achieve a satisfactory speed, you should now be cruising down wind. Your next two turns are back across wind followed by a turn into wind and over the runway or just beyond at about four to five houses high and carried out using the same inputs as with the other turns. Your second across wind turn should be judged according to the wind speed in order not to fly too far down wind and disorientate yourself, i.e. if it’s windy turn a little earlier. That’s basically your take-off and into your first circuit. Further circuits should be carried out using the same pattern over the ground and maintaining a reasonably level flight path. You will find that this is best achieved with good throttle control with just a little assistance from the elevator control.

Here are some thoughts that you should be considering whilst flying:

  1. The capabilities of other aircraft and pilots around you so that you can assess where they are in relation to your own model.
  2. The sound of the other aircraft so that you can estimate where they are.
  3. Without actually taking your eyes off your aircraft you should try and develop a good peripheral vision to also aid in estimating where the other aircraft are, or will be when you reach a certain point.
  4. And lastly, clearly calling any part of your circuit that other fliers will need to know about, i.e. "LANDING" whilst also listening for their calls.
  5. Oh! Lastly – lastly, and most of all don’t panic… enjoy the adrenaline!

Happy flyin’ Steve. J

Part 2 - Getting you back down to earth


Article by Steve Vine for Bumpy Green Model Aerodrome
July 2002

Comments left by others...
Comment by Graham on 00000000000000. Rating 5

So thats all there is to it then? Now I've got it buzzing around how do I get it down in one piece?

Comment by Kevin on 00000000000000. Rating 5

A good read. I can't wait for the next installment. Please get my plane down.

Comment by on 00000000000000. Rating none

why dont you mention rudder input, or are we flying elevators and ailerons only for a special reason?

Comment by absolute beginner on 00000000000000. Rating none

why dont you mention rudder input, or are we flying elevators and ailerons only for a special reason?

Comment by stavvy on 00000000000000. Rating none

hey,absolute beginner.. who even needs elevator,i fly one model with rudder only that's it! Can't be too windy though

Comment by AndyT on 00000000000000. Rating none

It would be interesting to know what position the elevators need to be in during take off..!! Does the plane just rise on throttle alone or do you need to use the elevators to adjust the attitude during take off? Also someone told me it is best to have the elevators fully down whilst taxiing across the field??

Comment by Jez Harris on 20040127165834. Rating 4

what if your plane doesnt track straight? also any difference between taildragger and trike undercarriage?

Comment by Daniel Malcman on 20050330222101. Rating 5

Hello Steve and greetings from Melbourne Australia I have a copy of Model world plan for the Titus / TitanII, I am thinking of building the big one as a glider tug, using a zenoah 62 engine In the Titus construction You promised to revisit the Big Titan and pass on tips and improvements, is this model suitable for the task? and is there more information available? Thanks

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