The guy who taught me to fly many years ago told me I can do all the fancy flying I want. But when you call "landing" everyone will turn to watch. You nail the landing, you truly show your skills.
i can not agree more, practice is key, i sometimes spent whole days doing nothing else then...take off, go around, approach and land and repeat...repeat till you run out of batteries... :), good viedeo
Appreciate the comments as always. Something so relaxing about flying your confidence plane and doing T&G’s. So fun. Where as doing that with my new Spitfire is still a little work in progress. Getting better, but not automatic yet. Practice, practice, practice…. -Will
1. I learned to use landmarks off the ends of the runway many years ago while flying the RealFlight simulator. When it was set to automatically zoom in on the airplane so that I could see it better, the runway would go out of the field of view. I found I could turn toward myself over a particular feature on the horizon. As the plane got closer, the runway would come back into view, and the plane would come right down the runway. Michael Wargo doesn't like the landmark method. He apparently thinks a student can fly toward himself at a fairly large angle to the runway and make a last second turn to align with the runway centerline. I think it's a good way for the student to dump their airplane or crash into a pilot station or the pit area. I take my students out to the center of the runway (when no one is flying) and have them look down the centerline in each direction to see the landmarks on the horizon. Another reason for this is to show them that they shouldn't fly on the near side of those landmarks. 2. On final, I use the elevator to control the plane's angle of attack and the throttle to control the rate of descent. I don't think so much about the speed. If the nose is too high and it's descending, I know it's too slow. Also, I stand about 1/4th of the way down from the approach end of the runway and try to touch down just as the plane passes in front of me. 3. I think new pilots have a tendency to quit flying when they get the airplane to the runway. They seem to let go of the up elevator and let it drop in. They need to fly the plane down to a few inches off the ground and try to keep it from touching down until the speed has bled off and the nose wheel is a little higher than the main gear. I used to say that when my plane is just about to touch down, I shift my focus from the wings and fuselage to the wheels and fly them onto the ground.
Very well said.. I really like how you are approaching teaching new pilots. Its a wonderful hobby, but the price for success is a lot of stick time (to do it right...). Your techniques and tips are great. Thanks for sharing.
The technique of pointing the plane at you until it intersect the runway is excellent, especially for beginners. Just keep in mind that you need to stand near the beginning of the runway! If the club does not allow that, then point it between you and the beginning of the strip, lining-up before the plane passes behind you. Using landmarks aIso work well when having more experience. I found that for electrical airplanes, it also help to find a good combination of motor idle and elevator rate (use the "throttle cut" to stop the engine and the low rate for the elevator). Not using exponential on the low elevator rate helps keeping the plane's response predictable across the landing and flaring sequence and avoid over flaring and ballooning. I try to set up the elevator's low rate so that at the end of the flare (and before stalling), the stick is fully or nearly fully up. Many tend to use way too much amplitude on the control surface leading to over reaction, then counter-over reaction. Save the high control surface rate for aerobatic, on landing you need precise smooth and predictable control. If you are a little short on landing, add throttle but try to keep the same attitude and go back to idle once back on track. And practice. Often time after landing I check my battery level and if possible, go for a few take-off and landings. Treat landings as just another maneuver to perfect! And that will pay-off in the emergencies! If you fly electric, use some power on landing and do not have telemetry for battery level, regularly do a few practice with the motor completely cut-off too so that you are still comfortable in "dead stick" situations.
Since I don't fly in the winter months, usually November to April. I keep a simple flyer to start every season with. Fixed gear, high lift, slow qualities, and I spend 3 or 4 days minimum just going around and setting up for final and before touch down, throttle up, and come around again. After a week or 2, I like to move up to an A6M Zeke. They handle a lot like a low wing trainer, and balance nicely for a smooth approach, working the throttle, and the pitch. The roll is very nice and I have the wing balanced so that it stalls straight forward, and doesn't drop a wing left or right, clean or dirty. The one I wait for and usually fly last in the 109 E4. I even installed a 3 axis gyro for takeoff and landing assistance. The narrow landing gear, combined with the steep angle of decent on landing with no leading edge slats makes it a tricky one. But that's the way I usually go about the new season.
Brilliant video on landings. Everything you said is true. Most of the crashes I have saw at the flying club involved bad landings. Practice does make perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Nice video. Over the years I have struggled to help people learn to land. I ended up analyzing what it is I do and have come up with several points, the main one being that from the beginning of the downwind leg, you are going through a checklist of things. This leaves you at the end of the flight needing only to manage power to your touch down point. Never lose sight of the fact that your elevator is the speed control and the throttle is the altitude control. If your landings are consistently too fast, add a couple of clicks of up trim when you are starting your approach. I have more, but this is enough for now.
Thanks for watching and commenting. I just posted another video on landings for beginners. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-__ZmKMUJS-c.html You are spot on.. The approach is so important and until a pilot can consistently make a good approach they will struggle. The other part that is hard for pilots, like you said is the speed is controlled with elevator and decent by throttle. Its a weird concept for the new pilot to grasp. But once they nail the approach and can control the speed and decent, the light bulb will turn on and their fears of landing will dissipate.. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. - Will
@@skupper672 Thanks for the compliment. FWIW, when I am landing I try to emulate a full scale landing pattern, with downwind, base and final. throttle is altitude control and elevator is speed control. In full scale the decent would start on the downwind, but I wait until the turn to base leg. This begins my internal checklist, or habit. During downwind establish a parallel path to the runway and begin slowing up. I plant my feet parallel to the center of the runway and look both right and left to help me visualize the big rectangle. For me, this helps with making the final approach directly down the runway. When looking to the upwind I am also trying to visualize a line running up the center of the runway and extending into the distance. If there is a tree or landmark in that line, I use it as my point to turn to final approach. Recognizing that throttle controls altitude, I establish rate of decent on the base leg by reducing throttle. Comparison to the horizon gives me a notion of how fast the decent rate is. With decent rate set, I can now wait for the plane to get to my turning to final landmark (horizon mark?). I try not to alter the decent rate when turning to final. I turn to final with that imaginary center line running away from the runway in mind. when I am on that line I can now think about flair and touch down. I do not want to make a long, flat approach. I want to make the turns to base and final leaving me in shape to continue a definite nose down attitude. As long as the nose is a bit down I am not going to get into a stall situation. If I find I am short of the runway the throttle gets reduced more, or if long, the throttle is increased slightly. As long as I am on that enter line I do not need to take the wing away from level. I can just concentrate on dropping the throttle more (depending on the plane type) and finessing the touchdown with the elevator (which is the speed control). And I practice landings. You have to practice to gain proficiency. There is also an element of child’s play, where you do things over and over until you get good at it. You know how many beginners have a landing set up pretty well, but a bit too far out, and then as they are nearly to the runway the plane rolls slightly lift or right and drifts away on them? I think the wings tilt because of a mild tip stall. Our trainers are so very forgiving, they do not snap like a full scale or a scale model would. Even Cubs and Taylorcraft type planes can bite a beginner, big time!
@@dginia Thank you for taking the time to craft a thougthful response. I really appreacite it. Two things jumped out at me “As long as the nose is a bit down I am not going to get into a stall situation.” And “You know how many beginners have a landing set up pretty well, but a bit too far out, and then as they are nearly to the runway the plane rolls slightly lift or right and drifts away on them? I think the wings tilt because of a mild tip stall” I also seem to have trouble lining up when flying LOS, although i can nail it when FPV! I will take these tips to the field and just practice with my foamie!
There is something about mastering that perfect landing. I love the challenge and it creates that confidence, which makes landings less stressful. I hope more pilots participate in your thoughts...
So many drills to become a better pilot. All are good. Just keep practicing. I did another video on landing for beginners in my "Learn to fly rc planes" series..
Great video, very important topic. Just getting back to the hobby after a couple of years and on my first flight, defaulted straight to setting up for a landing almost immediately after take off, just to be sure I remembered how to do it when I no longer have a choice 😅
When I'm teaching students to fly. We get the plane up and start doing circuits.. Then get them making approaches in that circuit.. Once they nail that, the rest is easy.... Thanks for watching and commenting..
Appreciate the comments. This is a 101 landing video. Most pilots can't even hit the runway or the slam into the pavements and rip off a gear.. Since I'm filming with a hat mounted Gopro, I like to land in front of me so it shows up on camera. With this plane, doesn't matter so much where I touchdown. I guess if you are focused on flying scale, then yes, I should land in that first 20% of the runway. Thanks for watching Will
@@SteffenRC Well not so much if “focused on flying scale” but avoiding running out of runway (like you nearly did a couple of times). Not really a training video as there aren’t any tips on how to approach and line up. Thanks for the videos, I enjoy them :)
Really appreciate that you left in the last example of what happens even when there's a little too much energy left on your final flare. Shows the importance of always being ready for it and that there is never any shame in going around (if you can).
It always seemed harder to land from the left hand side guys would swap sides depending on the wind direction but during displays you would have to stand with the public behind you so had to learn to fly from either side
I had an epiphany one day after another attempt at learning to fly my RC plane and so told it to my wife, “You can’t fly if you can’t land”. Like you who are reading this, she was not impresses.
You are spot on. Too many pilots get there plane in the air, fly around and then feel terrified they are going to crash on landing. They don't practice. Obviously, I'm a big advocate of landing practice. So, much practice that you actually enjoy landings.. Then, you'll be able to impress your wife, with a beautiful scale landing... (if she's like mine, she won't care....)
The approach is so important. Also, if you watch my other landing video, I talk about that throttle control. I'm always moving that throttle.. Might be small amounts, but its not static for long.
1 of my flying buds told me this. (which seems like a no brainer, but it helped me a lot!) get it down into level flight at wing effect altitude over the runway (for those who do not know wing effect is equal to your wingspan high off of the ground), and then start slowing down with combination of less throttle and more elevator. with most of my EDF jets i get into final than cut throttle to a little more than idle until I get a good sink rate (which is you have enough airspeed to be able to level off at ground effect over the runway. which depending on the amount of wind that landing might require adding some throttle or less throttle.)
Good technique. There are many thoughts on that last few seconds to land with a smooth touchdown. The ground effects play a big part, as does throttle management. You can power off and keep feeding elevator until you have that nose up smooth landing. However, I tend to continue to modulate that throttle a little (very small movements) to get that consistent smooth landing. Lots of options and techniques... The weather can really play a factor as you mentioned.. Thanks for sharing.... - Will
There was an article in one of the R/C modeler magazines, where I first saw the best way to set up for the perfect landings. In it you set up your plane for the best power off glide in the air a good distance above the runway, find the slowest speed you can glide before stall using your elevator trim. Land and record where the elevator is set on the plane after landing. Then move your trim tab on the transmitter to the full back setting. Then re-adjust the elevator to match this recorded position you observed after landing. You would have also recorded where the idle setting trim is just before it will kill the engine. Now all you have to do is pull back throttle and elevator trims so those full back positions, no quess-work. Just fly the plane using the throttle to adjust the elevation of the plane as it gently glides to a perfect landing. No jumping on the elevator up or down to get it to settle on the ground. I used this method from then on, with all my models. It works perfectly. The trick is learning where your plane stalls with the power set to idle, high enough in the air to recover. Make the corrected adjustments on the elevator horn to reset it to the best-glide position.
Thats one way to do it.. If it works for you, that the best.... I find there are way too many variables while landing to create a set it and forget it type of trimming. Depending on weather/wind condition and all planes require adjustments that are a bit different depending. I land using throttle to adjust rate of decent and elevator to control the speed of the plane. I really appreciate you sharing your approach on landings.. Thanks for watching and sharing.. - Will
Try that with a war bird that way in 30 to 40 pounds, and you’ll be building another one! There are these programs on computer radios that allow you to set different trims for different air speeds, as in flaps. Spectrum radios it’s called flight modes. Futaba radios it’s a little different but basically the same it’s called conditions, but there’s another step you have to do and that is in the functions/trim. You have to change from group trim to single trim. Flight modes is much easier. You can also allow different trim settings for aileron and rudder if so desire. Most of these radios allow you to use a flap setting but limit you to a three position switch. I use the flight modes or conditions so I can use a slider so I have full proportional control of the flap system. In other words on takeoff if I only want 10° of flap I can do it or set it at any position I want. I realize most electrics in this video are comparatively light, but it’s a different story with these high-performance Warbirds. be safe and have fun flying, and yes, I agree the landings and approach are the most satisfying aspect of flying model airplanes and full scale.😊
Glad you think so! Just keep practicing.. So many pilots get up in the air and just land once per flight. They never really get good at it... Don't be that pilot.. Thanks for watching, Will
There are two type of approaches and landings. 1. flying it to the ground which is basically these kind of landings and 2. constant descent speed/angle approaches where the landing takes place in a regular flair instead of just flying it to the ground. Shorter landings can be made from the steady-descent to flair landing as the flair kills the forward energy where flying it to the ground, not so much. Second, speed across the ground does not translate to airspeed except on a day with zero wind. To nail airspeed is to look at the position of the tail to the wing. This gives you angle of attack. When you see the tail drop, your too slow. When the tail is high, your too fast. Each airplane has it's own sweet spot and works regardless of wind. Third, in the constant descent to flair, which is typically more scale, the flair can be accomplished by picking a point and halving your descent, then half your descent . . .trying never to completely level off, until you grease the wheels on. Also, if you are fast or high on approach, especially in light airplanes, you can dive to a low altitude as you will only pick up so much speed then level off until you set you descent. This will shorten your approach distance. By staying at best glide, you would greatly increase the approach distance. Meaning, you can prevent an overshoot by diving down early. Double your speed, 4x your drag. These are things to play with and are fun.
On the last point as an example, I like to make a flyby into a half Cubin-8. Coming back to the runway, I keep the nose pointed down and it bleeds off energy setting me up for a touch and go from the half Cubin-8. If I did not dive down, it would over shoot.
For an example of watching the horizontal stab versus the wing, watch a bunch of RC videos on landings and you can see the good approaches and the bad. You can see the tail drop and the airplane pivot and cartwheel on landing. Or you can see the tail never come down at all and the airplane flown off the end of the runway in an overshoot.
That sounds like a fun practice maneuver. I gotta try that, back and forth a bunch of times. Thanks again for watching and sharing your experience. - Will
Virtually every normal flight I practice landings It does take time, each plane is different, wind, not wind, cross wind, blustery wind, all change your landings. Some planes can be easily dead sticked in, most require some prop. I feel like I can count on greasing my landings on only one of my planes, Eflite 1.2 Valient.
Thomas, you get it.. takes practice to really consistently grease those landings on each plane. As you know, having lots and lots of planes makes it hard to become an expert of each plane. That said, the fundamentals are the same. So becoming an expert on landings all planes is possible. I don’t have the Valiant, but I’ve seen them at the field and love them. Good luck and keep practicing. - Will
Thanks for watching. I’ve found the pros/cons of tarmac vs grass depend on the plane. Also, depends on the quality of grass runway. Golf course greens would be the best. I wish are club had that.
Its the Eflite Cirrus SR22T 1.5M. I purchased it from Horizon Hobby. Its a fantastic plane to practicing your skills due to durability and performance.. As you noticed, the landing gear is tough... Thanks for watching - Will
Sorry you didn't get anything out of that video, the point of that video is about practicing. I made a more recent video you might find useful - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-__ZmKMUJS-c.html
As a newbie my biggest problem is when the a/c is on final and I can't seem to get the aileron inputs correct when the a/c is coming towards me I get the inputs reversed. I wish someone would explain that skill and how to do it correctly.
There are a few things you can do to help you basically reprogram your brain.. One, whichever wing dips, move the stick in that direction to level the plane. Two, turn your back slightly to the plane and look over your shoulder. Three, get a flight simulator and practice, practice and more practice. Or a RC Car.... Four, you can pretend you are in the pilot seat of the plane and visualize. This is part of the hobby that will take time for your brain to figure out.. But rest assured it will get easier...
I find it a chuckle when people make take off and landing vids and most all of them are in pristine runways I fly in locations most would not ever dare to do so, I land and take off in areas that are shorter than most peoples porches and decks . And on grass, and or a piece of carpet or whatever is there at the time. And not all of them are perfect, But as in real life any landing you do not do damage while doing so, it is a good one . LOL
Its funny that landing videos are the most popular videos. Probably because many pilots struggle with it. The concepts are the same whether you are landing on a pristine runway or a front porch.. So keep on chuckling because guys will continue to make videos on the subject and most will show it on a pristine runway... Maybe you can make a video on how to land on a front porch or patch of carpet... LOL... (Really, get back to making videos.....). - Will
@@SteffenRC They are popular because they usually are the most funniest of all RC video's because of the many mishaps that occur while doing so...LOL well I do not post vids because of the communist control freaks called the FAA and their proxies . I just soon enjoy the few moments of my funny landings all by myself...LOL Keep it up, I will still chuckle watching them...lol
Very good video, thanks! Beautiful plane! I fly small foamy planes, 50cm wingspan or less. Very sensitive to wind, of course. Crashed often but they don't tend to break because they're so light. Easy to fix too if they do break. I'm getting better at landing though, once I master it, I'll consider getting something bigger.
Well, that elevator is pretty important on those landings. That throttle isn’t going to get the nose of the plane up. I get what you’re saying about throttle management as it’s a critical component to a great landing.
@@Leedledlee watch some other videos that tell how to use methods using elevator and throttle to control speed and different approach scenarios. All this does is show that he can land a plane. Only instruction is to find an alignment point down from the end of the runway.
Every plane and condition requires a little difference technique. I have a more recent video as part of my beginner series that speaks specifically about the basic landing process.. Hope you give it a watch... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-__ZmKMUJS-c.html
c'est bien, mais l'approche n'est pas bonne. Beaucoup trop de piste effacée. Il faut décomposer en deux virages au lieu d'un seul : de vent arrière à étape de base (un peu plus longue) PUIS pour une finale longue et bien dans l'axe, pas déporté comme montré ici à chaque fois. Ainsi on peut stabiliser tranquillement l'appareil dans sa descente et tenter le flare.
Thanks.. I use a single turn since these planes need to be close to see them. two short 90 degree turns isn't ideal. Its easier for one longer turn for base to final. I show landing in the middle of the runway so my camera gets better video. Not sure I understand the "Offset" comment. But maybe your mentioning my short approach from the side, not a long straight approach. This was to introduce a short quick landing which is a good drill for rc pilots to perform as they improve their skills. Thanks for the comments.. - Will
@@SteffenRC Sorry if my english is not really good 😁 French I am and I will stay 😅... I was actually talking about a quiet two-turn approach, or a single turn but a bit wider than this, with less incline, so as to go a bit further and get on glide and slope sooner, to be easy making corrections. As I was pilot (Cessna), I can see the lack of realism in the pre-landing approaches. Knowing that it doesn't help to have a good control either. For greater comfort : a long, straightforward finish, with a constant slope and a pitch close to the threshold. This allows you to clear a little of the track if you arrive too quickly. The same goes for take-offs, where we often apply too much throttle and too high a climb rate. It's easier to write than to do... 😏
@@LonewolfCBX Yes, I have some limited experience with general aviation and the long approach is the norm. RC Planes are harder to see and control speed on those long approaches, especially with my old eyes. So, keeping the plane closer and shorter approach is easier to see, but harder to get that nice long, controlled approach.. I have many videos showing those longer approaches. Thanks for watching my video.. Appreciate it..
When you say "Toy". its a flying model? If so, then the F16 lands a bit hot and requires some skills... for sure... I've done several videos of my landings of F16....
Full size pilots fly with trimmed out airplanes. RC pilot trim their models in cruising speed trim and land .than we see all kinds of videos how to crash rc planes. Not to many pilots know how slow their models fly trimmed for slow speed and when they quit flying. Trim is VERY important part of controlling the plane. Real plane pilots practice landings all the time, not one flight one landing….
Lots of variable on the trimming RC Planes. You can setup flaps and elevator to trim for slow flight. Many rc pilots will do this to help with the out of trim plane issues when the flaps are deployed. I'm all about landing practice.
Steffen, your title is "how to land RC planes...." ....in your descriptions, you mentioned, once, "ground effect." But, you didn't mention what it is and how to overcome the effect. Some of your landings, or should I say missed landings, were because of the ground effect. I AM a certified fixed wing, single engine pilot and pilots know what the "ground effect" does and we know how to overcome it. Your missed landings were because of the ground effect, but you chose to bypass the reason for your missed landings. To those who are not proficient at landings (just above the ground the plane hits a cushion of air, which is equal to the wingspan of your RC plane). Once you see your plane hit that cushion, a little down elevator corrects this for a smooth landing.
All you need is a FPV VTX and some googels. The hard part is that you can't see shit, ANYONE can land a plane with FPV . Now go get a Air unit and you all well see I'm right.
I keep thinking about putting that spare DJI unit in one of my planes. (I have it on my AR Wings and T1 Ranger). Hmmmmm. Could be a fun project.. Thanks..
