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Episode 4: Launching and Landing
There are some fundamental things that you can do to prepare yourself for a successful R/C flying experience and they all start with properly learning how to launch and land you're airplane.
Preflight Check
The Preflight Check is a list of essential tasks that increase your chances of a successful flight.
Check Range
Each radio manufacturer has different methods. Refer to your manual for instructions. If a manual is not available you can search R/C forums for the information you need.
Check Batteries
Use a battery checker to make sure you’re starting with a fully charged battery.
Label with Contact Info
Check CG
Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for the Center of Gravity for your specific plane. Quite often the CG is between 25%-30% from the leading edge of the wing.
Check out these videos for more information:
Check Propeller Direction
Make sure your prop is facing the right direction and it is spinning the right way.
Check out this video for more information:
Check Control Surfaces
Make sure your control surfaces are moving freely and moving in the right direction.
Check out these videos for more information:
Check Flight Area
Plan your pattern before taking off. It’s easy to get excited and take off quickly. Look up and visualize wide turns and make yourself aware of obstructions, wind and sunlight.
Plan Your Landing
Always have a plan to land before taking off. It helps to visualize your approach and touchdown.
Check Wind
It’s important to always take-off and land into the wind. If the wind is too strong don’t attempt to fly.
Taxi
Practice “driving” your plane. It’s good to understand how your plane responds to your input on the ground.
Ground Launch
Launch into the wind
Launch and land straight away
Don't climb too steep (the plane will roll or stall)
Hand Launching
Have a friend throw it for you
Don't launch in a way that will chop your fingers
Launch into the wind
Throw level
Launch and land straight away
Running glide test
Check out this video for more information:
Landing
Always Land into the wind
Don't stall (landing faster is better than stalling?)
Practice (maybe touch and go?)
Flaring (Check out this video Landing and Flaring)
Touch down before the plane passes you.
Hard surface landing
Belly landing
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Launching and Landing
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