Step 5 - Two Upwind Rolls and Stall Turn.

Fixed Wing Silver

Perhaps the most difficult of all the manouevres in the Silver, flying two continuous rolls (whether upwind or downwind) requires a fair degree of co-ordination and timing. Firstly ensure that your model has a low roll rate (about one roll per second) and that it rolls at the same rate to both the left and the right. You will be surprised (I was anyway!) at just how slowly a roll rate the Examiners expect this manouevre to be carried out at. Rolling slowly gives you adaquate time to input the correct amount of down elevator at just the right time when the model is inverted to ensure good axial rolls. If you've got computerised radio gear then setting the roll rate in both directions is simple (at simple as it gets with computerised gear, anyway!). Dual rates can be used instead.

If you've tried continuous rolling, or even one roll, you'll know that the model drops appreciably when inverted. Most fliers compensate for this by going hell-for-leather into a roll, raising the nose before starting the roll then they roll as fast as they can so that the model comes out level-ish at the end. This isn't an axial roll - it's a ballistic one. Try two or more of this type of roll and you'll be digging your model out of the dirt. Don't even bother with this variation. The Examiners have seen this one before - often! Simple rule - Aileron before Elevator.

The only way to do this manouevre properly is to enter the first roll horizontally and use a touch of down elevator when the model is inverted. Keep practicing a single slow roll until you can master this then try for two. The timing of inputing the down elevator is important. Too early or too late and the model will start to barrel roll or worse, it will veer to the left or right. Get it right and you'll be able to continuously roll from horizon to horizon. (When you can do this easily, take the model up high and deliberately get the elevator slightly 'out of sync' and you'll be off on a rolling circle! Not many Club fliers can do that!)

You have to roll both to the left and to the right in the new schedule and the simplest way to do this - without having to remember whether you've rolled to the left or right - is to always roll away from you. It's safer. It also means that you automatically roll in opposite directions when you roll upwind and downwind.

Finally, just to put the icing on the cake, time the two rolls so that the model is upright, directly in front of you, as it completes the first roll. You'll knock 'em over with that!

The Stall Turn is a relatively easy manouevre to execute but difficult to perfect. Again, the timing is everything. When you pull into the vertical through a quarter Loop (don't yank on up elevator as you want to be able to come back down this quarter Loop after completing the Stall Turn), cut the throttle and allow the model to 'coast' to a stop. Time closing the throttle so that the model is stationary at the topline. Only when you have stopped should the Stall Turn begin with full rudder. The model should always turn away from you. Note that you have to go straight up from a Stall Turn - not "nearly" straight up! Some power may be required to induce the turn. The model should then rotate about it's centre of gravity and not it's wingtip. Be prepared to use a small amount of elevator, aileron and throttle to stop the model flopping over. Track straight back down the path you took on the way up, including pulling out along the same quarter Loop at the bottom.

Clockwise Circuit

 

Counter-Clockwise Circuit

Fixed Wing Silver