3D foamy for up to 15 mph winds!

[Yoda]

I am new to 3D and am really excited by the prospect of flying it well. I want the PA Katana MX but fear I may destroy it in the first few flights. In other threads I have posted in, and received advice, it is suggested that I go for a foamy first and progress from there. I have decided to take that advice but where I fly the wind is rarely less than 5 - 10 mph. I understand that foamys are light and are not really suited to windy situations. I have looked through the 3Drc forum sites and other forums to find information on a 3 D foamy that will handle winds of up to 15 mph but so far had nothing definitive to choose from. the crack yak 55 seems it might be big enough to handle some wind but not much. I have also looked at some of the 3DRC slick 51 amongst others, but they are balsa and probably not as bouncy and forgiving as EPP. I seem to be between a rock and a hard place when it comes to finding a good plane for my situation. I would appreciate any advice.

 

[3dmike]

I am new to 3D and am really excited by the prospect of flying it well. I want the PA Katana MX but fear I may destroy it in the first few flights. In other threads I have posted in, and received advice, it is suggested that I go for a foamy first and progress from there. I have decided to take that advice but where I fly the wind is rarely less than 5 - 10 mph. I understand that foamys are light and are not really suited to windy situations. I have looked through the 3Drc forum sites and other forums to find information on a 3 D foamy that will handle winds of up to 15 mph but so far had nothing definitive to choose from. the crack yak 55 seems it might be big enough to handle some wind but not much. I have also looked at some of the 3DRC slick 51 amongst others, but they are balsa and probably not as bouncy and forgiving as EPP. I seem to be between a rock and a hard place when it comes to finding a good plane for my situation. I would appreciate any advice.

Can you find a place to fly indoors like a YMCA, HS Gym etc... ? I don't really know of any foamies that can handle 15mph especially with a small motor... you basically end up kiting it or wind surfing which gets really old really quick! What about in the early mornings or evenings outside your house, whats the wind like?

 

[njswede]

There are only three fool-proof ways of dealing with wind: Skill, mass and motor power. So unless you're insanely skilled, flying a foamie in wind will always be a challenge.

However, if I would do it all again and learn from scratch, I'd probably go for something gyro stabilized. What radio do you have? If you have a Spektrum radio, there are some planes from Horizon Hobby that may fit the bill. The Visionaire comes to mind. It's no monster when it comes to high energy maneuvers, but for learning the low and slow stuff it will do just fine. Plus, the gyro really helps to deal with the wind. Also, a plane like that has a little bit more mass and a little bit more power, so it will handle the wind better than a small profile foamie even without the gyro.

 

[AKfreak]

Also a gyro.

 

[Yoda]

Thank you all for your advice. I don't have access to indoor venues but early or later in a park may be an option. Skill, mass and motor power are what I also believe to be the basic requirements for wind with any aircraft. As I don't have the skill yet I may get a cheaper balsa model and fly it higher! There is one here called the Cougar made by Weston models that will do most 3d manoeuvres though knife edges are difficult. I believe 3DRS also make a Slick that's quite good.
I haven't considered gyros as I feel it's cheating and can seem misleading as it seems that the excessive inputs you are making are being corrected for you.
Gotta go now but will finish this later.

 

[AKfreak]

Depending on the gyro, it can be used as a wind canceler. I hear that people say gyros are cheating, I disagree. Gyros are the future of RC fixed wing aircraft. I remember when helicopters were all but impossible to fly before gyros. Now they are as common as a lipo pack,

Also gyros have had a huge impact on modern aircraft design, for without them lots of them could not even fly. Think of all the incredible and yet to be developed aircraft that are still to come that simply will not fly without a gyro. Think of all the new maneuvers that have never even been seen yet that our kids will be doing all because this, "cheating technology" a gyro.

I watch so many of the old guys struggle to take off with their warbirds not going straight down the runway because they aren't quick enough in the rudder. A simple, cheap gyro on the rudder only would make their flying exspierence so much more fun.

I also see so many people on the fence because a little wind has them so scared, that they won't even take their plane out of the car. Again a gyro, if set up properly would change all of that for them.

As to the cheating, a gyro will not fly a plane for you. If you do not know how to fly a plane, it will crash with a quickness. Gyros are so good now, that you can set them up to be transparent. For example, when you press the stick to full deflection, the gyro is turned off so it does not interfere of the control surface. Then when the stick is at the center, the gyro will become active. You can also control how aggressive the gyro latches on for corrections. The. At the flip of a switch, it can be turned off.

So you have the guy that refuses to, "cheat, sitting on the sidelines because of a little crosswind or the guy flying his plane getting better every day. You see the gyro won't do a rolling harrier for you, it would to a pop top, a harrier, a crankshaft, or knife edge spin. It won't fly your plane inverted, or do a low to the ground top speed, knife edge pass. However it will make you a better pilot and help you progress much faster than someone that's constantly faced with all the little things that make learning to fly an expensive and often frustrating endeavor.

I don't use a gyro, but I recently helped a friend set up a Demon Cortex gyro, and he is in love with the way his plane flys now. In the end, it's a choice we all name on how we look at technology. I for one tend to embrace new tech, especially tech that makes life easier and more fun.

 

[Yoda]

NJSweed, I've looked at the Visionaire and agree that this is a possibility for me but my radio is a Futaba so will not work with the Visionaire as it stands. I don't know enough about radio systems to know that if I swap the Spectrum rx with a Futaba one it'll work as advertised.

AKfreak, I understand what you are saying and really appreciate your explanation. Wind does not really scare me; if it did I'd never get to fly. Today I flew in winds of 18 + mph. What I find with wind is that it is more difficult to perform manoeuvres well as I'm constantly fighting it. Thinking about what you have written whilst writing this, I'm thinking that you are right. I'm not afraid of new technology (I have many technological toys) but have been resistant to adopting the new technology in this fantastic sport. My aim is to get better at flying so maybe I need to put aside my old ideas and embrace the new. Thank you all again for your advice. Advice on different aircraft would still be appreciated.

 

[njswede]

Wind does not really scare me; if it did I'd never get to fly. Today I flew in winds of 18 + mph. What I find with wind is that it is more difficult to perform manoeuvres well as I'm constantly fighting it.

Saying what yoiu just said makes you a perfect candidate for a gyro. You're not scared of wind, because you're obviously good enough a pilot to handle it. But the wind kills so much of your flight envelope that it takes the fun out of the flying. A correctly configured gyro will help you with exactly that: If will take out some of the bobbing and swaying caused by the wind and turbulence and give you back the full flight envelope of your plane. It's not cheating. It's just making flying more fun under a wider range of weather conditions!

BTW, I met one of the arguably best 3D pilots on the planet a few weeks ago. He had gyros in some of his planes. Not because he doesn't know how to fly (far from it), but because it helps him focus on cool tricks instead of fighting turbulence.

 

[AKfreak]

I you are looking for a plane to grab and go a little 48" plane (Extra, Edge, Slick, Ect.) would be perfect. Any of them are good from EF, 3DHS, RedWing, Piot, PAU, AeroPlus. If you want a great Gyro Get the Cortex. Also if you want to move it from plane to plane (set up between planes is simple and takea 8-10 mins) you can buy a special harness from 3DRCparts.

As to the AS3X from HH, it really isnt as good as it should be. I have had 2 AR635 receivers, and had a Splendor, and a few Micro UMX planes. The problem with AS3X is it will not get out of your way. It is fine straight and level, but when you bang the sticks, the gyro never disconnects, and it fights to correct the plane. A prime example is on a Hammer head, the tap slaps around and never allows a clean maneuver. You can dial the gains down, but when they are really low, you might as well not even have a gyro. Also without some fancy programming, you cant disable it. I go think that Gen 4 or 5 from HH, you might see them get it right.

I flew the Cortex, and you never know its there when it's dialed in. They really set the bar high with that gyro. After I saw that harness from 3DRCparts, I thought about buying a Cortex because its easy to move from plane to plane.


If you are looking for a 3D foamy TH is the top of the food chain, the New 39" crack Yak is incredible. I am about to build one in a few days.

 

[njswede]

I have a EagleTree Guardian in my Beast 60e. It's a bit of a quirky plane that needs some taming, so a gyro is a great addition to it. I like the 3D heading hold mode. Center a channel, and it keeps that axis steady (e.g. the rudder in a hover). But as soon as you touch the stick, the gyro disengages and you have full control. It takes a bit to get used to, but it's kind of fun to play with. There's also a 3D "damping mode" that's just designed to take out the wind effect. I haven't played that much with it, but it's supposed to know when you're trying to do a high-energy maneuver and get out of your way.
[MENTION=3374]Hiway[/MENTION], no doubt you're going to encounter grumpy people saying that a gyro is cheating. As long as you're not competing in any events that don't allow gyros, respectfully ignore them. It's your plane and it's supposed to give YOU pleasure, so whatever way you get the most pleasure out of the plane is the way it's supposed to be. If that includes a gyro, so be it!