EyeStation
Well-Known Member
Beachy and I were out at our local field today and I brought the Aerobird Swift out of the closet and powered up that long antenna/ 8 AA cell transmitter. The wind was a nice 5-8 mph with gusts up to 12 mph.
I got the plane up with the servo horns out on their outer most holes. Seemed responsive, but the V wing elevator was a challenge to pull up on throw into the wind on takeoff.
So we adjusted the ailerons and V-Tail horns up two holes.
Beachy took it up and was having a blast, soaring and powered stunts, then an unexpected Death Spiral to the ground which he was unable to correct out of. Took the walk out and found the bird without a nose, but relatively unscathed. We wrote it off to the rate being on the Hi setting and Beachy not being in that situation before, and really felt helpless once the spiral started.
So, we lowered the rate to the Lo setting and I took it up for a flight. I was taking a more leisurely flight when I did an aileron turn out of the wind and watched the nose drop and plane start to spiral down.
What causes these uncontrollable spirals? Is there a way to pull out of one of these predicaments?
I do have to say, that Aerobird Swift is a tough little plane considering all this baby has seen and is still not done flying yet.
I got the plane up with the servo horns out on their outer most holes. Seemed responsive, but the V wing elevator was a challenge to pull up on throw into the wind on takeoff.
So we adjusted the ailerons and V-Tail horns up two holes.
Beachy took it up and was having a blast, soaring and powered stunts, then an unexpected Death Spiral to the ground which he was unable to correct out of. Took the walk out and found the bird without a nose, but relatively unscathed. We wrote it off to the rate being on the Hi setting and Beachy not being in that situation before, and really felt helpless once the spiral started.
So, we lowered the rate to the Lo setting and I took it up for a flight. I was taking a more leisurely flight when I did an aileron turn out of the wind and watched the nose drop and plane start to spiral down.
What causes these uncontrollable spirals? Is there a way to pull out of one of these predicaments?
I do have to say, that Aerobird Swift is a tough little plane considering all this baby has seen and is still not done flying yet.