The stick bangers thread

[pawnshopmike]

Not to change the subject but I'd like some input on poptops. Mine always just kind of pop and don't spin at the top.

 

[jhelber08]

I must do my pop tops backwards. With some speed I pull to an up line then in one motion I cut throttle and go to left rudder while I input a little up elevator, roll the stick to right aileron to down elevator. It really flatens out and spins about 3 times then As it starts to fall I keep left rudder and down elevator in it, go to half throttle and it does a wicked ke spin. Terry thinks it should be my signature move and it turns out pretty cool.

You can do pop tops both ways...I like doing it this way for that reason, you can go right into a knife edge spin and it looks cool.

 

[Terryscustom]

You can do pop tops both ways...I like doing it this way for that reason, you can go right into a knife edge spin and it looks cool.

Crashflow has it about nailed too. He was doing them over and over rubbing it in that I do my pop tops the other way.
I remember watching that bone doc video a LOT. Must be why I do my rollers better rolling left as well, just easier for me to steer them.

 

[ryan_m]

Not to change the subject but I'd like some input on poptops. Mine always just kind of pop and don't spin at the top.

What plane? Some just don't do them. Others seem to defy physics and do them with very little speed. The 3dhs 87" Extra for example excels at them. So does their Velox, and the EF 64" MXS does as well. But the big 3dhs 89" Slick stinks at pop tops, while the 104 does them nicely. The EF 78" Extra also stinks at them, but the similar sized 76" MXS does them really well too.
For what it's worth I do mine exactly like crashflow describes above this post. Have a local buddy at our field that does them opposite though and uses right rudder and right aileron initially, and then stirs down to up elevator and over to left aileron and up into down elevator.

The key is speed. As much as you can get, and then it's all timing to convert that speed into rotation. If you aren't getting spin, make sure you have the rudder at full throw and also fully pegged to whatever side you do them right as you are coming off the throttle.

 

[Terryscustom]

Ryan that is funny, I agree with you that some do it better than others. But now I wonder if some do it better left than right! When you say the 89" slick does the poorly, I always thought it was close to best pop top and crankshaft plane I had, 2.5-3 rotations was not uncommon.

 

[Flyingjon]

What plane? Some just don't do them. Others seem to defy physics and do them with very little speed. The 3dhs 87" Extra for example excels at them. So does their Velox, and the EF 64" MXS does as well. But the big 3dhs 89" Slick stinks at pop tops, while the 104 does them nicely. The EF 78" Extra also stinks at them, but the similar sized 76" MXS does them really well too.
For what it's worth I do mine exactly like crashflow describes above this post. Have a local buddy at our field that does them opposite though and uses right rudder and right aileron initially, and then stirs down to up elevator and over to left aileron and up into down elevator.

The key is speed. As much as you can get, and then it's all timing to convert that speed into rotation. If you aren't getting spin, make sure you have the rudder at full throw and also fully pegged to whatever side you do them right as you are coming off the throttle.

I've got the AW Freestyle 260 30cc with a VV40 twin in it. I might have to try it with left rudder....

 

[tylerzx9r]

Good Stuff! Keep it going!

 

[ryan_m]

Ryan that is funny, I agree with you that some do it better than others. But now I wonder if some do it better left than right! When you say the 89" slick does the poorly, I always thought it was close to best pop top and crankshaft plane I had, 2.5-3 rotations was not uncommon.

Was yours gas? Mine was electric, maybe I just didn't have enough speed on mine... or maybe my rudder servo was getting blowback. It was only a 7955 on 6 volts, so with a plane that size it's entirely possible that that was partially to blame for my poor pop topping 89. Though the same setup in an 87" Extra rocked them. Though that plane was also gas, and faster, but it would even do them from half throttle and get 2-3 spins.
My 70" Velox is the best at them though, but I also have that plane setup for fast XA style flying, and it gets 3-4 spins effortlessly. Love that thing!

I too have wondered if some spin better left than right....

 

[Terryscustom]

Yea mine was gas. @cardenflyer just got a new slick on electric so I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do with his.

 

[Astrohog]

Great thread idea!

I am just a rank amateur pilot, but I find that too much rudder will kill my KE spins. Once I figured that out, they became much more consistent and I found I could fine tune them better as well.

Of course it doesn't hurt to look in the bottom of an empty gas can for the answers, either!

Regards,

Astro