Selecting a Flying Field

ROG take-offs put more constraints on a flying location than hand launching, especially for the beginner looking for ideal conditions. The SkySeeker GT landing gear requires a rather smooth ROG path (runway), either paved or smooth compacted dirt found on baseball or other playing fields. Consider the following when selecting a flying location.

• Choose a flying field with a ROG path based on safety first, keeping a safe distance from people, cars and property.
• Fields with ROG areas which permit take-offs in more than one direction, the more to choose from the better.
• Consider the wind direction at the field. Take-Offs into the wind are most desirable because the ground speed is minimized, lift maximized and easy to keep a straight path. Downwind is next best if you are uncertain of your ability to correct for a cross wind.
• If your eyes are sensitive on bright sunny days, wear good sunglasses and choose a field that allows most of your flying to be with the sun to your back.
• Choose a flying area with a large clear accessible area for retrieving your aircraft should it go down there. Avoid flying over water and fenced off areas.
• Consider any other factors that may affect your safety, visibility, hearing or concentration.
• Consider the best time of day to gain the best weather and the most advantage. Often dawn and/or dusk are favorites because of a low sun, and little or no wind.

Taxi Practice

Place the SkySeeker GT on the ground and view head-on. Bend one or both sides of the forward landing gear wire as needed to level the wings. If the main wing do not appear parallel with the tail horizontal stab, check both for proper seating.

This adjustment is almost always needed after each landing. Hard landings may also twist any or all of the wheels out-of-alignment. Usually the adjustments are easy to perform by hand.

Your SkySeeker GT is now ready. Before attempting a ROG, get the feel for taxi handling and practice driving straight down the runway and a taxi back. Discover the throttle position needed to obtain various ground speeds, and the rudder stick movements needed to steer. Note that the SkySeeker GT doesn not have steerable wheels like a car. The airflow from the propeller wash and relative airpeed over the rudder will turn your SkySeeker GT as a rudder turns a boat. The combination of throttle and rudder throw determines turning rate. If your run way length permits, practice taxi speeds just short of ROG. Since the propeller is close to ground debris, check for propeller chips and other damage periodically. Take this time to observe how a distortion in the landing gear alignment affects your control.

 

ROG Launch Guidelines

Now that you have some feel for how the SkySeeker GT handles on the ground, and the throttling/speed threshold for ROG, you are ready to see through a complete ROG launch.

Prior to each launch, in addition to the routine control surface, airframe, propeller and control system checks, you need to check the alignment of the landing gear. Perform these pre-flight checks now.

These are the basic steps for a controlled take-off.

• Power Up your Transmitter with throttle OFF
• Power Up your SkySeeker GT
• Check elevator and rudder center positions and servo movement
• Point the SkySeeker GT in the desired direction for Take-Off
• Take-Off . There's a lot going on in this step, so lets break it down and consider the following guidelines.
  • Set the Throttle Position - Within about 1-2 seconds increase the throttle gradually to the ROG throttle threshold position determined in taxi practice. This typically would be about 75%. Avoid 100% throttle take-offs.
  • Rudder corrections - needed to maintain a straight level ground-to-flight path. This is the top priority. Make the rudder corrections your focus.
  • Add elevator input only if needed to increase climb rate - increase throttle slightly and pull back on the stick moderately to pull the nose up slightly, about 10 degrees but never more than 30 degrees.
• If you loose control - Cut the throttle! Otherwise congratulations on your first ROG take-off!

 

Landing Guidelines

The approach for a landing the SkySeeker GT with landing gear is no different than you're used too. Continue to do your best to cut the throttle for a straight glide-in approach from far out. However, the touch-down with landing gear differs in two important ways.

Touch-Down Bounce

If your approach speed is low but the decent is steep, your SkySeeker GT will bounce when it strikes the runway, perhaps more than once. This is because the wire frame landing gear is essentially a spring with very little damping shock absorption like the real ones.

Be prepared to abort the landing if the bounce puts you higher than is reasonable to finish the landing in the space remaining. This will require high throttle to safely regain airspeed and a controlled turn. Otherwise keep the path straight and level with momentary forward stick (down elevator) pulses to offset each bounce leap.

Run-Out

If your approach descent is shallow with high speed, your SkySeeker GT isn't likely to bounce much but very well may run-out of clear landing space because there are no brakes!.

Be prepared suddenly turn your SkySeeker GT prior to a run-out, especially if it terminates with a fence or other fixed barrier. If your speed is still quite high going into a sudden turn, you very well may flip your SkySeeker GT but will avoid a potentially higher impact collision.

Alternately, you may momentarily pull back on the stick (up elevator) for a flared landing, like a bird landing. With each flare, speed will drop considerably, but your SkySeeker GT may lift off more than expected depending on speed and flare technique.

After some experience with both types, you will develop a feel for the optimum compromise between descent rate and airspeed prior to touch down. This is the challenge and great fun of flying your SkySeeker GT with a landing gear set. Enjoy and have fun!