How to avoid common mistakes

 

What are common mistakes ? Well, the one that most beginners would do, the others that even more experienced pilots would still do, and finally, the one very common to you only, but not to the others. How to avoid them, read the small example of some below (Really not exhaustive list...). If you remember these, hopefully you will do other mistakes, but not these ones.

 

Beginners' common mistakes

  • Never turn on your radio before you checked and re-checked that you're the only one using your frequency

  • Perform a range check for the first flight with the motor on & off

  • Never fly directly over people's heads, no matter how good of a pilot you are

  • Use sunglasses or you may risk loosing your plane in the sun

  • Not exceeding the number of servos rated for your specific BEC

  • Impatience, that would lead to build a plane too fast, with some missing parts or wrong ones

  • Flying with a CG (Center of Gravity) not well positioned

  • Having the radio off, while turning on the plane

  • Not asking for help, thinking it looks so simple (Building and Flying)

  • Having the motor stick from the radio, not on the ZERO position, when turning the plane on

  • Forgetting that the battery will run out of power, and the plane will need to come back

  • Flying one plane, getting used to its behavior, switching to a new one, and thinking it will fly like the previous one. Each plane has his own personality, with good and bad behaviors. Forgetting it could lead to unpleasant times. So for each plane you fly, learn it, feel it, understand its shape and predictive behavior in the air, then fly it

  • Putting a power system (Propeller/BEC/Motor/Battery) which is not suitable for itself or for the plane. In other words, turning the motor full speed may burn it, or burn the Speed controller if not well coordinated. The second option is having a plane underpowered. That will show either if you use MotoCalc or when you will want to fly it, it may not take off or be very difficult to fly

  • Not fixing good enough the propeller to the motor shaft. At low speed, it won't show. At full speed, for a short time, it may not show either, but eventually, the propeller will leave the shaft, if not well fixed

  • For Pushers (Plane with the motor in the back of the plane), not inverting the propeller

  • Forgetting to extend fully, the antenna, from the receiver, and making sure it won't be able to touch the propellers, while flying

  • Forgetting to extend the antenna, from the Radio, when the plane flies

  • Not checking the coordination Radio/Servos. Meaning for example having the plane elevator go down, when your radio stick should make it go up. The inversion is even more common, as a little more difficult to spot, with the ailerons

  • Don't fly your plane, above places where if your plane would crash, you would have problems to get it

  • Keep eye contact with your plane, at all time, even if someone says "Wahoo, look at this beautiful ..."

  • If your plane crashes, before you start running to find it, make sure to take a little moment to make sure you locate completely where you assumed it crashed. Use some marks on the landscape and mark your current position.

  • After a crash, and when you find your plane, make sure to check all missing parts that could have dropped around. Also, try to locate well the place, as you may discover later on, that you forgot something, at the crash site.

  • Having many planes recorded in the computer Radio, thinking that it is already switched to the plane planned to fly, and having in reality a different one.

 

More experienced pilots common mistakes

  • Forgetting the beginner's common mistakes, thinking it is obvious you won't do them

 

Your personal common mistakes

  • On this last category, you'll be in charge of the listing...

 

Finally, check the "How to come to the Field with a survival kit" Section, as it might help if you forget some of the above.