AFTER YOU LEARN to fly
an RC model, you have a large
number of wonderful options to
pursue. For some, the pull of
competition will take you into
events such as Scale, Speed,
or Aerobatics.
I think I am safe
in asserting that
most RC pilots fly
for the pure joy of keeping and
controlling a model in the air.
There are a myriad of designs
available these days that might
catch your eye. That big warbird
or multiengine beastie you
dreamed of awaits your wallet
and your guidance through the
air.
The thing that all of the
preceding has in common is that
they are individual activities. In
competition, there is some
interaction with your helpers but
not much with your competitors
or fellow club fliers.
A good analogy might be
running. Many of us have the
ability to run. You can run as
fast and as far as you like. You
can become, by definition, a
“runner.”
However, running is largely a
solo activity and does not reflect
our general nature as humans.
We are gregarious and like to do
to as “formation flying,” has
many components of a team
sport. You “buddy up” with
people, have common goals,
practice with each other, and
share the highs and lows—
literally as well as figuratively.
Many people feel that fullscale
air-show formation flying
is the pinnacle of aviation skill.
It is a bit more difficult to do
when you are not actually in the
airplane, but with planning,
sensible safety rules, and a
bunch of practice, you can
achieve a high level of
performance.
Team flying comes in many
forms and can be as outgoing as
doing demonstrations at a local
RC air show or as neat as flying
your models tightly together on
a calm summer’s evening. It can
be a choreographed reenactment
of a World War II
scenario or pulling a few loops
side by side, at the same time.
The result might be that you are
putting on a show, but the
primary goal is to have some
fun beyond flying in a circle.
Most aspects of RC flying
make you into a solo pilot at
first—similar to the running
analogy. Then flying with
someone adds a huge new
dimension to your RC fun. It
07sig2.QXD 5/22/09 1:48 PM Page 48
engages friends and adds a new level of
interest for the spectators. Be ready for lots of
oohs, aahs, and occasional laughter.
To be successful with team flying and, more
important, be welcomed at your club field,
you need to establish good ground rules for all
concerned. What you do with an RC model
must be as safe as possible. It has to be
acceptable to other club members.
You need to negotiate for airspace and
time slots. Make sure you are not all crowding
the air while a beginner pilot is learning or a
new Scale beauty is being tested.
Midweek evenings have proven to be good
for formation flying at our local club: the New
Jersey Pine Barons. (The “Barons” part of the
name is a play on words; the nearby South
Jersey Pine Barrens lands lead to the southeast
New Jersey shoreline.)
If you decide to try formation flying, the
next issue is what airplane(s) to use. Many
types of models lend themselves to this
activity.
However, nobody said it was going to be
easy. Cost is a major consideration. To be
realistic, you have to accept that flying close
to one another can lead to “unplanned
landings.”
There is currently a big selection of nottoo-
expensive, electric-powered ARFs and
RTFs. A good choice is rear-motor-pusher
designs; Zagis from Trick R/C and ParkZone
Strykers fit into this group. These models
have no propellers on the front. They are
made from tough and light foam construction
and cost less than what it would take to fill an
SUV’s gas tank.
The ParkZone T-28 RTF and Plug-N-Play
versions are made from molded foam
construction. They are tough, and it is easy to
get spare parts. These models fly well and are
nice and stable at lower speeds.
As you get good, you could advance to
any type of aircraft. When you see RC
turbine-powered jets flying in smooth
formation, you might find it hard not to be
thrilled. I have been in awe since I saw three
large B-17s in formation, “bombing” down
the runway at the Lums Pond Warbirds Over
Delaware event.
A final word about cost considerations:
until you are excellent at formation flying and
landing, I strongly advise you to use a lowcost
model that will not break the bank if it is
destroyed.
Choose an aircraft that is easy to repair at
the field or even have a backup available. This
may sound nonsensical, but it is no fun to be
the only one who is not flying; I know.
Whatever you choose, you need a process
to build your team skills. You and your
friends can fly your airplanes around at the
same time and gradually build up to doing
passes together. More likely, you will initially
want to fly as closely together as is practical.
In no time, it becomes a choreographed
event. One of you has to become the leader
and the caller of what you will all be doing.
The lead pilot does not necessarily have to be
the caller; the caller could be a nonflier or a
spotter. Soon you will hear such commands as
“Form up!” “Low pass at half throttle,” or
“Roll or loop—now!”
I can’t stress enough that there should be
basic rules to which all of the pilots agree. You
must accept that any midair among yourselves
is “blame-free,” no matter what happens.
It is also a good idea to establish proximity
rules. How close is appropriate or too close?
Plan to use altitude as a separator when your
models are the farthest away from yourselves.
You cannot have a collision if there is height
between the airplanes.
A basic error that most fledgling formation
pilots make is flying too far out or too close to
the flightline. We are not inside the aircraft, as
our full-scale counterparts are, so the only sure
things are the sky above and below your
model and your formation teammate’s
airplane. When your aircraft are coming
toward yourselves, it is nigh impossible to see
who is leading, catching up, or going too
slowly until it is too late.
Keep a couple of wingspans between all
models—even if you are sure that your model
is in front or behind. Life comes at you fast,
as they say, and so do RC airplanes.
One important thing to practice is flying
in a straight line, parallel to the runway. If
you don’t do it already, it will soon show up
and your flying buddy will insist that you
learn to use your rudder. Bank-and-yank
course corrections are clumsy, ugly, and
disruptive to formation flying. If you can
adjust positionally with your rudder, your
routine becomes smooth and seamless to the
spectator.
With good rudder control, you can slip
into position with grace. It may well be that
your airplane has some roll coupled with
rudder application. In that case, it is worth
spending time programming antiroll
correction with rudder application before you
get serious about formation flying.
Flying in formation will teach you many
things about your flying, your buddy’s flying,
and how to set up a model. When you have
developed a good flying relationship and skill
level with one pilot, you should invite more
to join.
Sometimes the “freshmen” tag along and
get it right away. Maybe a session or two with
the new pilots will work best. There is no
limit to how many airplanes you put in the
air.
My favorite demonstration flight was
eight Gremlin flying wings pulling into a
loop. Half of them did full loops and the other
four did Immelmanns and went back the way
they came.
At the end, they all did Split “S”
turnarounds and came back toward each
other. At center stage, the first four pulled
into loops again. The opposing four pulled up
earlier into 45° climbs.
Then they did half reverse Cuban 8s that
placed all eight Gremlins on the same back
radius of the loop in progress. All eight
airplanes then headed off together. It looked
and felt fabulous!
To get flying in formation working right,
plan the whole flight routine from takeoff to
landing. Schedule the circuits to reflect the
wind direction.
Design a series of simple and then
complicated maneuvers. Do simple racetrack
circuits at different speeds and heights.
Intersperse passes with fun stuff including
loops, rolls, stall turns, spins, inverted passes,
mirror passes (some airplanes inverted; some
the right-way up), loops with breakaways,
and rejoining.
Crowd-pleasers are the lowest, slowest
passes you all can do. Low looks great to the
casual observer. You could also throw in a
touch-and-go or two for grins.
One problem with racetrack formation
50 MODEL AVIATION
flying is that the downwind leg is “out there”
and boring unless you are the one flying. This
is where you might employ a solo pilot or
two. They can do spins, snaps, fancy four- or
eight-point rolls, and even opposing passes, if
planned right.
A solo pilot may be a member of the
formation team or perhaps the pilot you could
not get to stay long in formation. We have
one in every team, don’t we? This pilot is
excellent, but he or she is individualistic in
flying by nature. Use that “skill” to your
team’s advantage.
A great place to fly in formation is on the
slopes. Slope Soaring sailplanes lend
themselves well to being flown closely
together. The more robust the glider, the
better. You almost have to fly the same design
on the slope, because you do not have a speed
control as in electric- or gas-powered models.
Dave Garwood supplied some great
photographs of EPP-foam gliders being flown
closely. The thing with Slope Soarers is that
the same design at the same weight,
especially when flown closely, will fly the
same way.
RC pilots who fly slope “foamies” have
being doing this activity for many years. I
have had the pleasure of seeing a dozen foam
flying wings executing airborne formations.
Team flying will generate friendships and
levels of trust among fellow club members.
Your flying will probably improve, and this
activity will add a new dimension of interest
for all concerned.
There are many means of doing formation
flying; please don’t limit your choices to only
the ones I have mentioned. You can fly
indoors or outdoors. The airplanes can be
gliders or have electric, gas, or glow power.
You can fly any size, shape, or type of design
over land or sea, cliff or runway.
Go out and find someone with which to
team up and have fun. You never know;
one day you could be an AMA
demonstration team. MA
Eric Henderson
[email protected]
Sources:
New Jersey Pine Barons RC Club
www.njpinebarons.com
Trick R/C
(360) 275-6853
www.zagi.com
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
EPP-foam warbird, slope jet kits:
Leading Edge Gliders
(785) 525-6263
www.leadingedgegliders.com
Dan Sampson fiberglass warbird, slope jet
kits:
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 46,47,48,49,50
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 46,47,48,49,50
AFTER YOU LEARN to fly
an RC model, you have a large
number of wonderful options to
pursue. For some, the pull of
competition will take you into
events such as Scale, Speed,
or Aerobatics.
I think I am safe
in asserting that
most RC pilots fly
for the pure joy of keeping and
controlling a model in the air.
There are a myriad of designs
available these days that might
catch your eye. That big warbird
or multiengine beastie you
dreamed of awaits your wallet
and your guidance through the
air.
The thing that all of the
preceding has in common is that
they are individual activities. In
competition, there is some
interaction with your helpers but
not much with your competitors
or fellow club fliers.
A good analogy might be
running. Many of us have the
ability to run. You can run as
fast and as far as you like. You
can become, by definition, a
“runner.”
However, running is largely a
solo activity and does not reflect
our general nature as humans.
We are gregarious and like to do
to as “formation flying,” has
many components of a team
sport. You “buddy up” with
people, have common goals,
practice with each other, and
share the highs and lows—
literally as well as figuratively.
Many people feel that fullscale
air-show formation flying
is the pinnacle of aviation skill.
It is a bit more difficult to do
when you are not actually in the
airplane, but with planning,
sensible safety rules, and a
bunch of practice, you can
achieve a high level of
performance.
Team flying comes in many
forms and can be as outgoing as
doing demonstrations at a local
RC air show or as neat as flying
your models tightly together on
a calm summer’s evening. It can
be a choreographed reenactment
of a World War II
scenario or pulling a few loops
side by side, at the same time.
The result might be that you are
putting on a show, but the
primary goal is to have some
fun beyond flying in a circle.
Most aspects of RC flying
make you into a solo pilot at
first—similar to the running
analogy. Then flying with
someone adds a huge new
dimension to your RC fun. It
07sig2.QXD 5/22/09 1:48 PM Page 48
engages friends and adds a new level of
interest for the spectators. Be ready for lots of
oohs, aahs, and occasional laughter.
To be successful with team flying and, more
important, be welcomed at your club field,
you need to establish good ground rules for all
concerned. What you do with an RC model
must be as safe as possible. It has to be
acceptable to other club members.
You need to negotiate for airspace and
time slots. Make sure you are not all crowding
the air while a beginner pilot is learning or a
new Scale beauty is being tested.
Midweek evenings have proven to be good
for formation flying at our local club: the New
Jersey Pine Barons. (The “Barons” part of the
name is a play on words; the nearby South
Jersey Pine Barrens lands lead to the southeast
New Jersey shoreline.)
If you decide to try formation flying, the
next issue is what airplane(s) to use. Many
types of models lend themselves to this
activity.
However, nobody said it was going to be
easy. Cost is a major consideration. To be
realistic, you have to accept that flying close
to one another can lead to “unplanned
landings.”
There is currently a big selection of nottoo-
expensive, electric-powered ARFs and
RTFs. A good choice is rear-motor-pusher
designs; Zagis from Trick R/C and ParkZone
Strykers fit into this group. These models
have no propellers on the front. They are
made from tough and light foam construction
and cost less than what it would take to fill an
SUV’s gas tank.
The ParkZone T-28 RTF and Plug-N-Play
versions are made from molded foam
construction. They are tough, and it is easy to
get spare parts. These models fly well and are
nice and stable at lower speeds.
As you get good, you could advance to
any type of aircraft. When you see RC
turbine-powered jets flying in smooth
formation, you might find it hard not to be
thrilled. I have been in awe since I saw three
large B-17s in formation, “bombing” down
the runway at the Lums Pond Warbirds Over
Delaware event.
A final word about cost considerations:
until you are excellent at formation flying and
landing, I strongly advise you to use a lowcost
model that will not break the bank if it is
destroyed.
Choose an aircraft that is easy to repair at
the field or even have a backup available. This
may sound nonsensical, but it is no fun to be
the only one who is not flying; I know.
Whatever you choose, you need a process
to build your team skills. You and your
friends can fly your airplanes around at the
same time and gradually build up to doing
passes together. More likely, you will initially
want to fly as closely together as is practical.
In no time, it becomes a choreographed
event. One of you has to become the leader
and the caller of what you will all be doing.
The lead pilot does not necessarily have to be
the caller; the caller could be a nonflier or a
spotter. Soon you will hear such commands as
“Form up!” “Low pass at half throttle,” or
“Roll or loop—now!”
I can’t stress enough that there should be
basic rules to which all of the pilots agree. You
must accept that any midair among yourselves
is “blame-free,” no matter what happens.
It is also a good idea to establish proximity
rules. How close is appropriate or too close?
Plan to use altitude as a separator when your
models are the farthest away from yourselves.
You cannot have a collision if there is height
between the airplanes.
A basic error that most fledgling formation
pilots make is flying too far out or too close to
the flightline. We are not inside the aircraft, as
our full-scale counterparts are, so the only sure
things are the sky above and below your
model and your formation teammate’s
airplane. When your aircraft are coming
toward yourselves, it is nigh impossible to see
who is leading, catching up, or going too
slowly until it is too late.
Keep a couple of wingspans between all
models—even if you are sure that your model
is in front or behind. Life comes at you fast,
as they say, and so do RC airplanes.
One important thing to practice is flying
in a straight line, parallel to the runway. If
you don’t do it already, it will soon show up
and your flying buddy will insist that you
learn to use your rudder. Bank-and-yank
course corrections are clumsy, ugly, and
disruptive to formation flying. If you can
adjust positionally with your rudder, your
routine becomes smooth and seamless to the
spectator.
With good rudder control, you can slip
into position with grace. It may well be that
your airplane has some roll coupled with
rudder application. In that case, it is worth
spending time programming antiroll
correction with rudder application before you
get serious about formation flying.
Flying in formation will teach you many
things about your flying, your buddy’s flying,
and how to set up a model. When you have
developed a good flying relationship and skill
level with one pilot, you should invite more
to join.
Sometimes the “freshmen” tag along and
get it right away. Maybe a session or two with
the new pilots will work best. There is no
limit to how many airplanes you put in the
air.
My favorite demonstration flight was
eight Gremlin flying wings pulling into a
loop. Half of them did full loops and the other
four did Immelmanns and went back the way
they came.
At the end, they all did Split “S”
turnarounds and came back toward each
other. At center stage, the first four pulled
into loops again. The opposing four pulled up
earlier into 45° climbs.
Then they did half reverse Cuban 8s that
placed all eight Gremlins on the same back
radius of the loop in progress. All eight
airplanes then headed off together. It looked
and felt fabulous!
To get flying in formation working right,
plan the whole flight routine from takeoff to
landing. Schedule the circuits to reflect the
wind direction.
Design a series of simple and then
complicated maneuvers. Do simple racetrack
circuits at different speeds and heights.
Intersperse passes with fun stuff including
loops, rolls, stall turns, spins, inverted passes,
mirror passes (some airplanes inverted; some
the right-way up), loops with breakaways,
and rejoining.
Crowd-pleasers are the lowest, slowest
passes you all can do. Low looks great to the
casual observer. You could also throw in a
touch-and-go or two for grins.
One problem with racetrack formation
50 MODEL AVIATION
flying is that the downwind leg is “out there”
and boring unless you are the one flying. This
is where you might employ a solo pilot or
two. They can do spins, snaps, fancy four- or
eight-point rolls, and even opposing passes, if
planned right.
A solo pilot may be a member of the
formation team or perhaps the pilot you could
not get to stay long in formation. We have
one in every team, don’t we? This pilot is
excellent, but he or she is individualistic in
flying by nature. Use that “skill” to your
team’s advantage.
A great place to fly in formation is on the
slopes. Slope Soaring sailplanes lend
themselves well to being flown closely
together. The more robust the glider, the
better. You almost have to fly the same design
on the slope, because you do not have a speed
control as in electric- or gas-powered models.
Dave Garwood supplied some great
photographs of EPP-foam gliders being flown
closely. The thing with Slope Soarers is that
the same design at the same weight,
especially when flown closely, will fly the
same way.
RC pilots who fly slope “foamies” have
being doing this activity for many years. I
have had the pleasure of seeing a dozen foam
flying wings executing airborne formations.
Team flying will generate friendships and
levels of trust among fellow club members.
Your flying will probably improve, and this
activity will add a new dimension of interest
for all concerned.
There are many means of doing formation
flying; please don’t limit your choices to only
the ones I have mentioned. You can fly
indoors or outdoors. The airplanes can be
gliders or have electric, gas, or glow power.
You can fly any size, shape, or type of design
over land or sea, cliff or runway.
Go out and find someone with which to
team up and have fun. You never know;
one day you could be an AMA
demonstration team. MA
Eric Henderson
[email protected]
Sources:
New Jersey Pine Barons RC Club
www.njpinebarons.com
Trick R/C
(360) 275-6853
www.zagi.com
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
EPP-foam warbird, slope jet kits:
Leading Edge Gliders
(785) 525-6263
www.leadingedgegliders.com
Dan Sampson fiberglass warbird, slope jet
kits:
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 46,47,48,49,50
AFTER YOU LEARN to fly
an RC model, you have a large
number of wonderful options to
pursue. For some, the pull of
competition will take you into
events such as Scale, Speed,
or Aerobatics.
I think I am safe
in asserting that
most RC pilots fly
for the pure joy of keeping and
controlling a model in the air.
There are a myriad of designs
available these days that might
catch your eye. That big warbird
or multiengine beastie you
dreamed of awaits your wallet
and your guidance through the
air.
The thing that all of the
preceding has in common is that
they are individual activities. In
competition, there is some
interaction with your helpers but
not much with your competitors
or fellow club fliers.
A good analogy might be
running. Many of us have the
ability to run. You can run as
fast and as far as you like. You
can become, by definition, a
“runner.”
However, running is largely a
solo activity and does not reflect
our general nature as humans.
We are gregarious and like to do
to as “formation flying,” has
many components of a team
sport. You “buddy up” with
people, have common goals,
practice with each other, and
share the highs and lows—
literally as well as figuratively.
Many people feel that fullscale
air-show formation flying
is the pinnacle of aviation skill.
It is a bit more difficult to do
when you are not actually in the
airplane, but with planning,
sensible safety rules, and a
bunch of practice, you can
achieve a high level of
performance.
Team flying comes in many
forms and can be as outgoing as
doing demonstrations at a local
RC air show or as neat as flying
your models tightly together on
a calm summer’s evening. It can
be a choreographed reenactment
of a World War II
scenario or pulling a few loops
side by side, at the same time.
The result might be that you are
putting on a show, but the
primary goal is to have some
fun beyond flying in a circle.
Most aspects of RC flying
make you into a solo pilot at
first—similar to the running
analogy. Then flying with
someone adds a huge new
dimension to your RC fun. It
07sig2.QXD 5/22/09 1:48 PM Page 48
engages friends and adds a new level of
interest for the spectators. Be ready for lots of
oohs, aahs, and occasional laughter.
To be successful with team flying and, more
important, be welcomed at your club field,
you need to establish good ground rules for all
concerned. What you do with an RC model
must be as safe as possible. It has to be
acceptable to other club members.
You need to negotiate for airspace and
time slots. Make sure you are not all crowding
the air while a beginner pilot is learning or a
new Scale beauty is being tested.
Midweek evenings have proven to be good
for formation flying at our local club: the New
Jersey Pine Barons. (The “Barons” part of the
name is a play on words; the nearby South
Jersey Pine Barrens lands lead to the southeast
New Jersey shoreline.)
If you decide to try formation flying, the
next issue is what airplane(s) to use. Many
types of models lend themselves to this
activity.
However, nobody said it was going to be
easy. Cost is a major consideration. To be
realistic, you have to accept that flying close
to one another can lead to “unplanned
landings.”
There is currently a big selection of nottoo-
expensive, electric-powered ARFs and
RTFs. A good choice is rear-motor-pusher
designs; Zagis from Trick R/C and ParkZone
Strykers fit into this group. These models
have no propellers on the front. They are
made from tough and light foam construction
and cost less than what it would take to fill an
SUV’s gas tank.
The ParkZone T-28 RTF and Plug-N-Play
versions are made from molded foam
construction. They are tough, and it is easy to
get spare parts. These models fly well and are
nice and stable at lower speeds.
As you get good, you could advance to
any type of aircraft. When you see RC
turbine-powered jets flying in smooth
formation, you might find it hard not to be
thrilled. I have been in awe since I saw three
large B-17s in formation, “bombing” down
the runway at the Lums Pond Warbirds Over
Delaware event.
A final word about cost considerations:
until you are excellent at formation flying and
landing, I strongly advise you to use a lowcost
model that will not break the bank if it is
destroyed.
Choose an aircraft that is easy to repair at
the field or even have a backup available. This
may sound nonsensical, but it is no fun to be
the only one who is not flying; I know.
Whatever you choose, you need a process
to build your team skills. You and your
friends can fly your airplanes around at the
same time and gradually build up to doing
passes together. More likely, you will initially
want to fly as closely together as is practical.
In no time, it becomes a choreographed
event. One of you has to become the leader
and the caller of what you will all be doing.
The lead pilot does not necessarily have to be
the caller; the caller could be a nonflier or a
spotter. Soon you will hear such commands as
“Form up!” “Low pass at half throttle,” or
“Roll or loop—now!”
I can’t stress enough that there should be
basic rules to which all of the pilots agree. You
must accept that any midair among yourselves
is “blame-free,” no matter what happens.
It is also a good idea to establish proximity
rules. How close is appropriate or too close?
Plan to use altitude as a separator when your
models are the farthest away from yourselves.
You cannot have a collision if there is height
between the airplanes.
A basic error that most fledgling formation
pilots make is flying too far out or too close to
the flightline. We are not inside the aircraft, as
our full-scale counterparts are, so the only sure
things are the sky above and below your
model and your formation teammate’s
airplane. When your aircraft are coming
toward yourselves, it is nigh impossible to see
who is leading, catching up, or going too
slowly until it is too late.
Keep a couple of wingspans between all
models—even if you are sure that your model
is in front or behind. Life comes at you fast,
as they say, and so do RC airplanes.
One important thing to practice is flying
in a straight line, parallel to the runway. If
you don’t do it already, it will soon show up
and your flying buddy will insist that you
learn to use your rudder. Bank-and-yank
course corrections are clumsy, ugly, and
disruptive to formation flying. If you can
adjust positionally with your rudder, your
routine becomes smooth and seamless to the
spectator.
With good rudder control, you can slip
into position with grace. It may well be that
your airplane has some roll coupled with
rudder application. In that case, it is worth
spending time programming antiroll
correction with rudder application before you
get serious about formation flying.
Flying in formation will teach you many
things about your flying, your buddy’s flying,
and how to set up a model. When you have
developed a good flying relationship and skill
level with one pilot, you should invite more
to join.
Sometimes the “freshmen” tag along and
get it right away. Maybe a session or two with
the new pilots will work best. There is no
limit to how many airplanes you put in the
air.
My favorite demonstration flight was
eight Gremlin flying wings pulling into a
loop. Half of them did full loops and the other
four did Immelmanns and went back the way
they came.
At the end, they all did Split “S”
turnarounds and came back toward each
other. At center stage, the first four pulled
into loops again. The opposing four pulled up
earlier into 45° climbs.
Then they did half reverse Cuban 8s that
placed all eight Gremlins on the same back
radius of the loop in progress. All eight
airplanes then headed off together. It looked
and felt fabulous!
To get flying in formation working right,
plan the whole flight routine from takeoff to
landing. Schedule the circuits to reflect the
wind direction.
Design a series of simple and then
complicated maneuvers. Do simple racetrack
circuits at different speeds and heights.
Intersperse passes with fun stuff including
loops, rolls, stall turns, spins, inverted passes,
mirror passes (some airplanes inverted; some
the right-way up), loops with breakaways,
and rejoining.
Crowd-pleasers are the lowest, slowest
passes you all can do. Low looks great to the
casual observer. You could also throw in a
touch-and-go or two for grins.
One problem with racetrack formation
50 MODEL AVIATION
flying is that the downwind leg is “out there”
and boring unless you are the one flying. This
is where you might employ a solo pilot or
two. They can do spins, snaps, fancy four- or
eight-point rolls, and even opposing passes, if
planned right.
A solo pilot may be a member of the
formation team or perhaps the pilot you could
not get to stay long in formation. We have
one in every team, don’t we? This pilot is
excellent, but he or she is individualistic in
flying by nature. Use that “skill” to your
team’s advantage.
A great place to fly in formation is on the
slopes. Slope Soaring sailplanes lend
themselves well to being flown closely
together. The more robust the glider, the
better. You almost have to fly the same design
on the slope, because you do not have a speed
control as in electric- or gas-powered models.
Dave Garwood supplied some great
photographs of EPP-foam gliders being flown
closely. The thing with Slope Soarers is that
the same design at the same weight,
especially when flown closely, will fly the
same way.
RC pilots who fly slope “foamies” have
being doing this activity for many years. I
have had the pleasure of seeing a dozen foam
flying wings executing airborne formations.
Team flying will generate friendships and
levels of trust among fellow club members.
Your flying will probably improve, and this
activity will add a new dimension of interest
for all concerned.
There are many means of doing formation
flying; please don’t limit your choices to only
the ones I have mentioned. You can fly
indoors or outdoors. The airplanes can be
gliders or have electric, gas, or glow power.
You can fly any size, shape, or type of design
over land or sea, cliff or runway.
Go out and find someone with which to
team up and have fun. You never know;
one day you could be an AMA
demonstration team. MA
Eric Henderson
[email protected]
Sources:
New Jersey Pine Barons RC Club
www.njpinebarons.com
Trick R/C
(360) 275-6853
www.zagi.com
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
EPP-foam warbird, slope jet kits:
Leading Edge Gliders
(785) 525-6263
www.leadingedgegliders.com
Dan Sampson fiberglass warbird, slope jet
kits:
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 46,47,48,49,50
AFTER YOU LEARN to fly
an RC model, you have a large
number of wonderful options to
pursue. For some, the pull of
competition will take you into
events such as Scale, Speed,
or Aerobatics.
I think I am safe
in asserting that
most RC pilots fly
for the pure joy of keeping and
controlling a model in the air.
There are a myriad of designs
available these days that might
catch your eye. That big warbird
or multiengine beastie you
dreamed of awaits your wallet
and your guidance through the
air.
The thing that all of the
preceding has in common is that
they are individual activities. In
competition, there is some
interaction with your helpers but
not much with your competitors
or fellow club fliers.
A good analogy might be
running. Many of us have the
ability to run. You can run as
fast and as far as you like. You
can become, by definition, a
“runner.”
However, running is largely a
solo activity and does not reflect
our general nature as humans.
We are gregarious and like to do
to as “formation flying,” has
many components of a team
sport. You “buddy up” with
people, have common goals,
practice with each other, and
share the highs and lows—
literally as well as figuratively.
Many people feel that fullscale
air-show formation flying
is the pinnacle of aviation skill.
It is a bit more difficult to do
when you are not actually in the
airplane, but with planning,
sensible safety rules, and a
bunch of practice, you can
achieve a high level of
performance.
Team flying comes in many
forms and can be as outgoing as
doing demonstrations at a local
RC air show or as neat as flying
your models tightly together on
a calm summer’s evening. It can
be a choreographed reenactment
of a World War II
scenario or pulling a few loops
side by side, at the same time.
The result might be that you are
putting on a show, but the
primary goal is to have some
fun beyond flying in a circle.
Most aspects of RC flying
make you into a solo pilot at
first—similar to the running
analogy. Then flying with
someone adds a huge new
dimension to your RC fun. It
07sig2.QXD 5/22/09 1:48 PM Page 48
engages friends and adds a new level of
interest for the spectators. Be ready for lots of
oohs, aahs, and occasional laughter.
To be successful with team flying and, more
important, be welcomed at your club field,
you need to establish good ground rules for all
concerned. What you do with an RC model
must be as safe as possible. It has to be
acceptable to other club members.
You need to negotiate for airspace and
time slots. Make sure you are not all crowding
the air while a beginner pilot is learning or a
new Scale beauty is being tested.
Midweek evenings have proven to be good
for formation flying at our local club: the New
Jersey Pine Barons. (The “Barons” part of the
name is a play on words; the nearby South
Jersey Pine Barrens lands lead to the southeast
New Jersey shoreline.)
If you decide to try formation flying, the
next issue is what airplane(s) to use. Many
types of models lend themselves to this
activity.
However, nobody said it was going to be
easy. Cost is a major consideration. To be
realistic, you have to accept that flying close
to one another can lead to “unplanned
landings.”
There is currently a big selection of nottoo-
expensive, electric-powered ARFs and
RTFs. A good choice is rear-motor-pusher
designs; Zagis from Trick R/C and ParkZone
Strykers fit into this group. These models
have no propellers on the front. They are
made from tough and light foam construction
and cost less than what it would take to fill an
SUV’s gas tank.
The ParkZone T-28 RTF and Plug-N-Play
versions are made from molded foam
construction. They are tough, and it is easy to
get spare parts. These models fly well and are
nice and stable at lower speeds.
As you get good, you could advance to
any type of aircraft. When you see RC
turbine-powered jets flying in smooth
formation, you might find it hard not to be
thrilled. I have been in awe since I saw three
large B-17s in formation, “bombing” down
the runway at the Lums Pond Warbirds Over
Delaware event.
A final word about cost considerations:
until you are excellent at formation flying and
landing, I strongly advise you to use a lowcost
model that will not break the bank if it is
destroyed.
Choose an aircraft that is easy to repair at
the field or even have a backup available. This
may sound nonsensical, but it is no fun to be
the only one who is not flying; I know.
Whatever you choose, you need a process
to build your team skills. You and your
friends can fly your airplanes around at the
same time and gradually build up to doing
passes together. More likely, you will initially
want to fly as closely together as is practical.
In no time, it becomes a choreographed
event. One of you has to become the leader
and the caller of what you will all be doing.
The lead pilot does not necessarily have to be
the caller; the caller could be a nonflier or a
spotter. Soon you will hear such commands as
“Form up!” “Low pass at half throttle,” or
“Roll or loop—now!”
I can’t stress enough that there should be
basic rules to which all of the pilots agree. You
must accept that any midair among yourselves
is “blame-free,” no matter what happens.
It is also a good idea to establish proximity
rules. How close is appropriate or too close?
Plan to use altitude as a separator when your
models are the farthest away from yourselves.
You cannot have a collision if there is height
between the airplanes.
A basic error that most fledgling formation
pilots make is flying too far out or too close to
the flightline. We are not inside the aircraft, as
our full-scale counterparts are, so the only sure
things are the sky above and below your
model and your formation teammate’s
airplane. When your aircraft are coming
toward yourselves, it is nigh impossible to see
who is leading, catching up, or going too
slowly until it is too late.
Keep a couple of wingspans between all
models—even if you are sure that your model
is in front or behind. Life comes at you fast,
as they say, and so do RC airplanes.
One important thing to practice is flying
in a straight line, parallel to the runway. If
you don’t do it already, it will soon show up
and your flying buddy will insist that you
learn to use your rudder. Bank-and-yank
course corrections are clumsy, ugly, and
disruptive to formation flying. If you can
adjust positionally with your rudder, your
routine becomes smooth and seamless to the
spectator.
With good rudder control, you can slip
into position with grace. It may well be that
your airplane has some roll coupled with
rudder application. In that case, it is worth
spending time programming antiroll
correction with rudder application before you
get serious about formation flying.
Flying in formation will teach you many
things about your flying, your buddy’s flying,
and how to set up a model. When you have
developed a good flying relationship and skill
level with one pilot, you should invite more
to join.
Sometimes the “freshmen” tag along and
get it right away. Maybe a session or two with
the new pilots will work best. There is no
limit to how many airplanes you put in the
air.
My favorite demonstration flight was
eight Gremlin flying wings pulling into a
loop. Half of them did full loops and the other
four did Immelmanns and went back the way
they came.
At the end, they all did Split “S”
turnarounds and came back toward each
other. At center stage, the first four pulled
into loops again. The opposing four pulled up
earlier into 45° climbs.
Then they did half reverse Cuban 8s that
placed all eight Gremlins on the same back
radius of the loop in progress. All eight
airplanes then headed off together. It looked
and felt fabulous!
To get flying in formation working right,
plan the whole flight routine from takeoff to
landing. Schedule the circuits to reflect the
wind direction.
Design a series of simple and then
complicated maneuvers. Do simple racetrack
circuits at different speeds and heights.
Intersperse passes with fun stuff including
loops, rolls, stall turns, spins, inverted passes,
mirror passes (some airplanes inverted; some
the right-way up), loops with breakaways,
and rejoining.
Crowd-pleasers are the lowest, slowest
passes you all can do. Low looks great to the
casual observer. You could also throw in a
touch-and-go or two for grins.
One problem with racetrack formation
50 MODEL AVIATION
flying is that the downwind leg is “out there”
and boring unless you are the one flying. This
is where you might employ a solo pilot or
two. They can do spins, snaps, fancy four- or
eight-point rolls, and even opposing passes, if
planned right.
A solo pilot may be a member of the
formation team or perhaps the pilot you could
not get to stay long in formation. We have
one in every team, don’t we? This pilot is
excellent, but he or she is individualistic in
flying by nature. Use that “skill” to your
team’s advantage.
A great place to fly in formation is on the
slopes. Slope Soaring sailplanes lend
themselves well to being flown closely
together. The more robust the glider, the
better. You almost have to fly the same design
on the slope, because you do not have a speed
control as in electric- or gas-powered models.
Dave Garwood supplied some great
photographs of EPP-foam gliders being flown
closely. The thing with Slope Soarers is that
the same design at the same weight,
especially when flown closely, will fly the
same way.
RC pilots who fly slope “foamies” have
being doing this activity for many years. I
have had the pleasure of seeing a dozen foam
flying wings executing airborne formations.
Team flying will generate friendships and
levels of trust among fellow club members.
Your flying will probably improve, and this
activity will add a new dimension of interest
for all concerned.
There are many means of doing formation
flying; please don’t limit your choices to only
the ones I have mentioned. You can fly
indoors or outdoors. The airplanes can be
gliders or have electric, gas, or glow power.
You can fly any size, shape, or type of design
over land or sea, cliff or runway.
Go out and find someone with which to
team up and have fun. You never know;
one day you could be an AMA
demonstration team. MA
Eric Henderson
[email protected]
Sources:
New Jersey Pine Barons RC Club
www.njpinebarons.com
Trick R/C
(360) 275-6853
www.zagi.com
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
EPP-foam warbird, slope jet kits:
Leading Edge Gliders
(785) 525-6263
www.leadingedgegliders.com
Dan Sampson fiberglass warbird, slope jet
kits:
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 46,47,48,49,50
AFTER YOU LEARN to fly
an RC model, you have a large
number of wonderful options to
pursue. For some, the pull of
competition will take you into
events such as Scale, Speed,
or Aerobatics.
I think I am safe
in asserting that
most RC pilots fly
for the pure joy of keeping and
controlling a model in the air.
There are a myriad of designs
available these days that might
catch your eye. That big warbird
or multiengine beastie you
dreamed of awaits your wallet
and your guidance through the
air.
The thing that all of the
preceding has in common is that
they are individual activities. In
competition, there is some
interaction with your helpers but
not much with your competitors
or fellow club fliers.
A good analogy might be
running. Many of us have the
ability to run. You can run as
fast and as far as you like. You
can become, by definition, a
“runner.”
However, running is largely a
solo activity and does not reflect
our general nature as humans.
We are gregarious and like to do
to as “formation flying,” has
many components of a team
sport. You “buddy up” with
people, have common goals,
practice with each other, and
share the highs and lows—
literally as well as figuratively.
Many people feel that fullscale
air-show formation flying
is the pinnacle of aviation skill.
It is a bit more difficult to do
when you are not actually in the
airplane, but with planning,
sensible safety rules, and a
bunch of practice, you can
achieve a high level of
performance.
Team flying comes in many
forms and can be as outgoing as
doing demonstrations at a local
RC air show or as neat as flying
your models tightly together on
a calm summer’s evening. It can
be a choreographed reenactment
of a World War II
scenario or pulling a few loops
side by side, at the same time.
The result might be that you are
putting on a show, but the
primary goal is to have some
fun beyond flying in a circle.
Most aspects of RC flying
make you into a solo pilot at
first—similar to the running
analogy. Then flying with
someone adds a huge new
dimension to your RC fun. It
07sig2.QXD 5/22/09 1:48 PM Page 48
engages friends and adds a new level of
interest for the spectators. Be ready for lots of
oohs, aahs, and occasional laughter.
To be successful with team flying and, more
important, be welcomed at your club field,
you need to establish good ground rules for all
concerned. What you do with an RC model
must be as safe as possible. It has to be
acceptable to other club members.
You need to negotiate for airspace and
time slots. Make sure you are not all crowding
the air while a beginner pilot is learning or a
new Scale beauty is being tested.
Midweek evenings have proven to be good
for formation flying at our local club: the New
Jersey Pine Barons. (The “Barons” part of the
name is a play on words; the nearby South
Jersey Pine Barrens lands lead to the southeast
New Jersey shoreline.)
If you decide to try formation flying, the
next issue is what airplane(s) to use. Many
types of models lend themselves to this
activity.
However, nobody said it was going to be
easy. Cost is a major consideration. To be
realistic, you have to accept that flying close
to one another can lead to “unplanned
landings.”
There is currently a big selection of nottoo-
expensive, electric-powered ARFs and
RTFs. A good choice is rear-motor-pusher
designs; Zagis from Trick R/C and ParkZone
Strykers fit into this group. These models
have no propellers on the front. They are
made from tough and light foam construction
and cost less than what it would take to fill an
SUV’s gas tank.
The ParkZone T-28 RTF and Plug-N-Play
versions are made from molded foam
construction. They are tough, and it is easy to
get spare parts. These models fly well and are
nice and stable at lower speeds.
As you get good, you could advance to
any type of aircraft. When you see RC
turbine-powered jets flying in smooth
formation, you might find it hard not to be
thrilled. I have been in awe since I saw three
large B-17s in formation, “bombing” down
the runway at the Lums Pond Warbirds Over
Delaware event.
A final word about cost considerations:
until you are excellent at formation flying and
landing, I strongly advise you to use a lowcost
model that will not break the bank if it is
destroyed.
Choose an aircraft that is easy to repair at
the field or even have a backup available. This
may sound nonsensical, but it is no fun to be
the only one who is not flying; I know.
Whatever you choose, you need a process
to build your team skills. You and your
friends can fly your airplanes around at the
same time and gradually build up to doing
passes together. More likely, you will initially
want to fly as closely together as is practical.
In no time, it becomes a choreographed
event. One of you has to become the leader
and the caller of what you will all be doing.
The lead pilot does not necessarily have to be
the caller; the caller could be a nonflier or a
spotter. Soon you will hear such commands as
“Form up!” “Low pass at half throttle,” or
“Roll or loop—now!”
I can’t stress enough that there should be
basic rules to which all of the pilots agree. You
must accept that any midair among yourselves
is “blame-free,” no matter what happens.
It is also a good idea to establish proximity
rules. How close is appropriate or too close?
Plan to use altitude as a separator when your
models are the farthest away from yourselves.
You cannot have a collision if there is height
between the airplanes.
A basic error that most fledgling formation
pilots make is flying too far out or too close to
the flightline. We are not inside the aircraft, as
our full-scale counterparts are, so the only sure
things are the sky above and below your
model and your formation teammate’s
airplane. When your aircraft are coming
toward yourselves, it is nigh impossible to see
who is leading, catching up, or going too
slowly until it is too late.
Keep a couple of wingspans between all
models—even if you are sure that your model
is in front or behind. Life comes at you fast,
as they say, and so do RC airplanes.
One important thing to practice is flying
in a straight line, parallel to the runway. If
you don’t do it already, it will soon show up
and your flying buddy will insist that you
learn to use your rudder. Bank-and-yank
course corrections are clumsy, ugly, and
disruptive to formation flying. If you can
adjust positionally with your rudder, your
routine becomes smooth and seamless to the
spectator.
With good rudder control, you can slip
into position with grace. It may well be that
your airplane has some roll coupled with
rudder application. In that case, it is worth
spending time programming antiroll
correction with rudder application before you
get serious about formation flying.
Flying in formation will teach you many
things about your flying, your buddy’s flying,
and how to set up a model. When you have
developed a good flying relationship and skill
level with one pilot, you should invite more
to join.
Sometimes the “freshmen” tag along and
get it right away. Maybe a session or two with
the new pilots will work best. There is no
limit to how many airplanes you put in the
air.
My favorite demonstration flight was
eight Gremlin flying wings pulling into a
loop. Half of them did full loops and the other
four did Immelmanns and went back the way
they came.
At the end, they all did Split “S”
turnarounds and came back toward each
other. At center stage, the first four pulled
into loops again. The opposing four pulled up
earlier into 45° climbs.
Then they did half reverse Cuban 8s that
placed all eight Gremlins on the same back
radius of the loop in progress. All eight
airplanes then headed off together. It looked
and felt fabulous!
To get flying in formation working right,
plan the whole flight routine from takeoff to
landing. Schedule the circuits to reflect the
wind direction.
Design a series of simple and then
complicated maneuvers. Do simple racetrack
circuits at different speeds and heights.
Intersperse passes with fun stuff including
loops, rolls, stall turns, spins, inverted passes,
mirror passes (some airplanes inverted; some
the right-way up), loops with breakaways,
and rejoining.
Crowd-pleasers are the lowest, slowest
passes you all can do. Low looks great to the
casual observer. You could also throw in a
touch-and-go or two for grins.
One problem with racetrack formation
50 MODEL AVIATION
flying is that the downwind leg is “out there”
and boring unless you are the one flying. This
is where you might employ a solo pilot or
two. They can do spins, snaps, fancy four- or
eight-point rolls, and even opposing passes, if
planned right.
A solo pilot may be a member of the
formation team or perhaps the pilot you could
not get to stay long in formation. We have
one in every team, don’t we? This pilot is
excellent, but he or she is individualistic in
flying by nature. Use that “skill” to your
team’s advantage.
A great place to fly in formation is on the
slopes. Slope Soaring sailplanes lend
themselves well to being flown closely
together. The more robust the glider, the
better. You almost have to fly the same design
on the slope, because you do not have a speed
control as in electric- or gas-powered models.
Dave Garwood supplied some great
photographs of EPP-foam gliders being flown
closely. The thing with Slope Soarers is that
the same design at the same weight,
especially when flown closely, will fly the
same way.
RC pilots who fly slope “foamies” have
being doing this activity for many years. I
have had the pleasure of seeing a dozen foam
flying wings executing airborne formations.
Team flying will generate friendships and
levels of trust among fellow club members.
Your flying will probably improve, and this
activity will add a new dimension of interest
for all concerned.
There are many means of doing formation
flying; please don’t limit your choices to only
the ones I have mentioned. You can fly
indoors or outdoors. The airplanes can be
gliders or have electric, gas, or glow power.
You can fly any size, shape, or type of design
over land or sea, cliff or runway.
Go out and find someone with which to
team up and have fun. You never know;
one day you could be an AMA
demonstration team. MA
Eric Henderson
[email protected]
Sources:
New Jersey Pine Barons RC Club
www.njpinebarons.com
Trick R/C
(360) 275-6853
www.zagi.com
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
EPP-foam warbird, slope jet kits:
Leading Edge Gliders
(785) 525-6263
www.leadingedgegliders.com
Dan Sampson fiberglass warbird, slope jet
kits:
[email protected]