Flying Standard.
- Flying Standard Take Off and Procedure Turn Figure Eight and Half Cuban Eight
- Two Loops and Immelmann Turn Bunt and Split 'S' Two Upwind Rolls and Stall Turn
- Two Downwind Rolls and Immelmann Turn Three Turn Spin and Half Loop
- Inverted Pass, Procedure Turn and Overshoot Rectangular Circuit And Land
- Getting It Together
Unlike the Bronze, you will be tested by two Examiners, at least one of whom will not be from your own Club. Since you're trying to impress the socks of these guys, there are a number of things you can do which will swing things in your favour.
The most obvious thing to do is to practice the schedule before you are tested. You probably have an Examiner in your Club so ask him to go through the schedule with you and follow his advice. Another benefit of practice is that you will find out just how much of the sky you require for this schedule for any particular model. Use the turnaround manouevres to set yourself up nicely for the following manouevre. Every individual manouevre in the schedule should be entered with the model horizontal - upright or inverted - with the wings level so don't cramp the manouevres up into a small tight box. Give yourself space!
Another good practice is to push the model well out in front of you. It makes it much easier to see just how well you're doing the manouevres. Most fliers tend to be guilty of flying very close in to themselves - and too low as well - so you have a rapidly changing tracking angle between yourself and the model. Apart from that, close in, low manouevres give me the screaming willies!
If you practice the schedule sufficiently, you will not need someone to call the next manouevre for you. To create an even greater impression, call your own manouevres just prior to executing them. That way the Examiners can see that you know what you are about to do and that you can then do it.
Generally speaking, all the manouvres in the schedule should be carried out with the model no nearer than about 17m. (50') from the far edge of the runway. It looks really smart if you can carry out the whole schedule within an imaginary 'box' in the sky so that, for example, the 'top' part of every manouevre is the same height.
Choose a suitable model for flying the schedule. Most sports type aircraft are capable of doing the required manouevres. Inevitably, some are better than others. For the most precise flying, the "pattern ship" is probably the best for most fliers. Check out our page When's The Fun Begin? For any kind of precision flying, it is also essential that you have properly trimmed the model - a smart flier starts with an edge!
You can't expect to have the sky to yourself even though you are being tested. You have to practice the schedule when other fliers are present so be prepared to abort any manouevre to a safe position if a dangerous situation could occur - this can't be emphasised enough. Talk to any other fliers so that they are aware of what you're doing - another good reason for calling your manouevres. There is a positive advantage in having a "minder" when you're flying turnaround schedules when others are free flying to give you warnings of possible "close calls". If you do have to call an abort for safety reasons, the Examiners will look favourably on this and may simply ask you to circle (until things get sorted out) and then pick up the schedule at a suitable point.
Another good idea is to grab hold of an Examiner and get him to "judge" a practice flight and get a feel for the standard of flight being looked for. It also gives you a "free" chance to help overcome the inevitable nerves you'll get from someone watching over you!
Be especially prepared for one of the Examiners engaging you in conversation, while the other sneaks in front of your propellor when you're starting up. This gives you the unique opportunity to score points and tell an Examiner to to go somewhere else - or words to that effect! You must be aware of all that's going on around you and give any helper positive instructions on what you want him or her to do - before you start the engine.
Finally, while super-precision is not required, take pride in your flying and excede the Silver requirements. Learn to fly each manouevre as if you were attempting the Gold. For example, the requirement for the Upwind and Downwind Rolls does not include the rolling direction (It is, however, specified in the Gold). The correct way to roll a model aircraft is for the nearer wing to go up so why not do this? This means that when the aircraft is flying from right to left, roll to the right and when flying from left to right, roll to the left. For better performance, practice this so that the first roll is completed as it approaches, the second as it leaves with the model the right way up exactly in front of you. Make sure that the roll rate is slow (around one full roll per second) so that you can demonstrate full control throughout the roll and that the model rolls to the left and right at the same rolling rate.
In the following sections, diagrams show the flight path for both left to right and right.
- Flying Standard Take Off and Procedure Turn Figure Eight and Half Cuban Eight
- Two Loops and Immelmann Turn Bunt and Split 'S' Two Upwind Rolls and Stall Turn
- Two Downwind Rolls and Immelmann Turn Three Turn Spin and Half Loop
- Inverted Pass, Procedure Turn and Overshoot Rectangular Circuit And Land
- Getting It Together