Rolling circle

[njswede]

I'm trying to figure out how to do rolling circles. My problem is this: Once I get the rhythm locked in, my elevator and rudder movements seem to accelerate the roll and even if I reduce my aileron input to almost nothing, the roll often accelerates out of control before I can complete the circle.

What's going on here? Is the solution as simple as lower rates/more expo or is there something else at play here?

 

[Brian Yak Dude]

This might be able to help. My good friend Josh "Bone Doc" has a number of videos explaining 3D moves and tricks.

What I would say is to slow down the roll to a nice easy rate, not even doing a circle. Start out by doing slow rolls across the field, and then start speeding them up. Once you have the "stir" down so well you could do it with your eyes closed, start doing quarter circles, just rolling at a pace you know you can keep up with. Do about 4 of each quarter until you have all of them down. At this point you should be able to add it all together and have a complete circle.

One thing I will ask is, are you doing a speedy rolling circle, or more like a rolling harrier circle?

Thanks
Brian

 

[njswede]

Kind of a 1/2 -- 3/4 throttle rolling circle. No high alpha yet. I get about 1 out of 3 right, so it's getting there. It's just that acceleration that gets me.

 

[Brian Yak Dude]

Just keep working on that 1 until you have it down, rinse wash an repeat with the others.. Make sure you're not adding more aileron without your knowing, and keep doing slow rolls to get the correct stir timing and know what goes where are when.

Hope this is helping.

Thanks
Brian

 

[Kris...]

Have a look at this

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1388896

 

[Ohio AV8TOR]

Have a look at this

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1388896

The point at which I was felt comfortable with rollers is when I started thinking push and pull as in this image from the above link. Then as you unknowingly in the beginning change roll rate you can compensate for the different roll rate. I don't think much about the rudder yet (probably a bad thing) but just keep it alternating with the elevator movements.

 

[Aaeolien]

I have the same issue at times swede. The roll just gets faster and faster and I "think" (yes it's dangerous when that happens) it is because I am early on putting in the rudder and elevator so the plane is starting to snap roll, which is violently fast. I have started practicing them on my lower rates so I can slow the whole thing down a bit and that has seemed to help the smoothness of them. Lets me concentrate on the stick movements themselves instead of how much stick I am putting into it. Nothing wrong with toning things down to do certain maneuvers if needed for smoothness.

 

[gyro]

Have a look at this

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1388896

Kris, that infor would nicely enhance our wiki article. Could we convince you to put it there for all to easily reference: http://www.3drcforums.com/showwiki.php?title=The+Rolling+Circle&redirect=no

 

[wedoitall]

slowing down the physics on the sim helped me tremendously in learning the rolling circle. i started out around 40% and worked my way up to 125%
other than that LOTS of practice on my foamy.

oh yea a good tip Joe Smith gave me is to practice the stick movements on your Tx, this has helped me greatly with rolling harriers also. for the past month or so ive been sitting in my living room "watching TV" with the wife and ill go over the stick movements on my Tx. this has actually helped me alot, like Joe said to me, you dont have to be flying a plane to practice.

Just a side note, Scott Stoops book "Pilots guide to mastering R/C flight" and David Scotts books are all great and I know have helped me learn manuveurs alot faster.

Im pretty sure Kris got his info on the rolling circle from David Scotts book "Advanced Aerobatics". http://www.rcflightschool.com/Adv_Manual.asp i have all of his books and would have to highly recommend them along with Mr. Stoops. Its hard to find Pilots Guide at a decent price but if you contact Scott he may still have a few copys left. Thats how i got mine.

Another tip i got that ive been doing is when im learning something new on a epp, as soon as i think i have the manuveur down i immediately switch to my balsa planes and practice it. my epp and balsas fly totally different, sometimes bad habits can be had on the foamys. ive already learned that. the foamys can sometimes make you "lazy" on the sticks also.

 

[Kris...]

I cant remember where i got this one from i use by blog over on rcg to store all the best info i source.