Turning, Taxiing, Taking Off and the Flight Pattern
There
are those who believe that flying a model aircraft is more difficult than a full
scale. Visualizing yourself from the aircraft view takes some practice. It's
like an out of cockpit experience. Everything is fine so long as you are coming
towards yourself, is a whole different story. Think of it as sitting backwards
on the dashboard of your car steering wheel between your legs, and driving down
the road. Here's a reference list to help you along.
Aircraft
Direction
Control
Movement
Aircraft
Reaction
Aircraft Going
Away
Aileron
Same
Elevator
Same
Rudder
Same
Coming Towards
You
Aileron
Reversed
Elevator
Same
Rudder
Reversed
Inverted Going
Away
Aileron
Same
Elevator
Reversed
Rudder
Reversed
Inverted Coming Towards
You
Aileron
Reversed
Elevator
Reversed
Rudder
Same
You will soon find, however, that after a little practice,
you don't think much about which control does what, or even which direction
to turn. Like riding a bicycle, it all becomes "second nature",
and you'll do it without thinking about it. But you'll need to practice,
practice, practice.
Flight
Pattern:
The FP, or traffic pattern,
is made up of four legs. Starting at the runway, the aircraft takes off as
directly into the wind as possible. If the wind direction is described
as "East" or "Easterly", that means it is coming from
the East and blowing toward the West. If the wind is from the East,
you take off and land, if possible, with the aircraft pointing toward the
East.
The part of the flight
pattern off the departure end of the runway is called the "upwind
leg". The first 90 degree turn is
the "crosswind leg". The second 90 degree turn results in the aircraft
flying away from the wind direction, and so it is called the "downwind leg".
The third turn is the "base leg". It is this leg
where the aircraft sets up for entering the "final approach".
Usually the word "leg" is dropped, and each part of the
pattern is called simply by its one-word name, i.e., "upwind",
"crosswind", "downwind", "base" and "final".
Shout
A Warning
Always announce
your intentions when it involves use of the runway such as "Taxiing
on the Runway!", "Taking Off!", "Touch and Go!"
and "Landing!". Be sure to listen for other pilots doing
the same. Also, announce each time you yourself are entering the runway
by saying "Man On the Runway!" or simply "On the Runway!"
and make sure it is safe before you step onto it. Because pilots cannot
watch you, be sure to announce "Clear of the Runway" or simply
"Clear!" when you are no longer on it. Remember, a pilot
may need the runway quickly if a plane loses engine power (called a "dead
stick").
Takeoff
Before takeoff, don't
spend a lot of time taxiing around on the runway... find another place,
like an empty parking lot, to practice your taxiing skills until you're
confident. You
should not taxi or takeoff if you do not have complete confidence in your
ability to control your aircraft. An
aircraft that is out-of-control is a serious hazard to life and health.
If you
have any doubt about any aspect of your aircraft or flying,ask
for help! If
you are having problems with your aircraft, and takeoff is doubtful, taxi
into the grass just outside the edge of the runway, preferably a safe distance
away from any persons. Remember, the runway must be shared and may
be needed in a flight emergency.
After takeoff, as you
climb into the upwind, make sure you have gained enough altitude quickly
enough to clear any obstacles such as trees, fences or poles, or turn away
from them. Turn downwind
when you are at an appropriate distance. . Remember, at Markham Park, you
must turn toward the North after takeoff. Never
fly your aircraft South of the runway!
Air
Traffic
The pattern depicted
is only a "recommended" practice, and is the "default"
pattern (the diagram shows wind from the East... the direction of flight
would be reversed for a West wind. This flight pattern is not an "enforceable"
procedure, and some aircraft may be flying opposite to the pattern, or not
following any type of pattern. Luckily, at Markham Park the sky is
an extremely big space, and although it does occur sometimes, mid-air collisions
are fairly rare. First and foremost, you must concentrate and have
a continuous awareness of your plane's location in the sky, and the "attitude"
of the plane (that is, which way it is pointed, and whether it is right-side-up
or upside-down). If you feel you need to take an evasive measure,
and you can do so safely, then you are certainly free to do so. But
it would be best not to allow yourself to be so fearful that you cannot
maintain your composure. Panic
is your enemy, and
makes it much more likely that you will make a mistake, or be unable to
recover from an unexpected event.
