3D Aerobatics
Encyclopedia
3D Aerobatics or 3D flying is a form of flying using flying aircraft to perform specific aerial maneuvers. They are usually performed when the aircraft had been intentionally placed in a stalled position.
, aileron
s, and elevator
and having greater amounts of throw applied to these control surfaces.
Depending on the type of competition, a pilot may compete in Set Maneuvers where a pilot can choose from a number of maneuvers from pre-published set of moves or Freestyle, where pilots must show their skill within a predetermined environment in a free format.
Pilots often train moves using PC simulators such as RealFlight
or other RC flight simulator
s. This allows the pilot to practice and hone their skills before using the real RC model which may be costly exercise in the event of a crash. Pilots have the ability to plug the controller used to fly the real model to the PC and simulator via a USB link cable thus giving the pilot a better response to the real world controls.
Some of the most popular scale models are below:
Extra Aircraft:
Extra 260
Extra 300
Extra 330S
Zivko:
Edge 540
Yakovlev (Also known as Yak):
Yak-54
Yak-55
Sukhoi:
Su-26
Su-29
Cap Aviation:
CAP 230
AkroTechs
Giles G-202
There are also custom made 3D capable aircraft that are not modeled after full scale aircraft.
For instance:
Showtime 50
Showtime 4D
GP Reactor
Twist 3D
Thunder 3D
Torque Roll The plane is made to hover in place, rotating around its roll axis. This is an extension of a Hover where as the Torque of the engine rolls the airplane.
Elevator The aircraft is stalled with a large amount of elevator up or down. This causes the plane to descend vertically down.
Wall The Wall is where the airplane is made to come to a stalled stop to a vertical position from a previous horizontal flight path, Usually this is executed prior a Hover.
Alien Wall The same as a Wall but pulled into full vertical position violently at a high rate of speed.
Harrier A very slow forward flight motion with the nose high at about 45 degree's of attitude.
Inverted Harrier The same as the above, just inverted. Must capable pilots find this easier than a standard harrier due to the wing being above the center of gravity as oppose to being below.
Harrier Roll Like the Harrier maneuver but with a roll move combined and performed simultaneously in flight
Flat spin
A spin induced with full up elevator, full rudder, and full aileron. Once the spin is initiated you will level the ailerons and increase engine speed a bit to pull the aircraft around. This will in turn flatten the spin.
Inverted Flat spin
The same as the above but inverted. Inverted flat spins are easier to control, but can be hard to come out of due to orientation, and knowing when to stop the spin. When entering a inverted flat spin, you must apply opposite aileron to which the rudder is going. Once the spin is initiated, you do the same as a standard Flat Spin.
Waterfall The waterfall is a move where the plane is made to pivot 360 degrees in the pitch axes. Ideally this is performed with little altitude gain or forward motion.
Pogo A hover that causes the plane to climb and descend.
Roll A 360 degree revolution around the longitudinal axis.
Snap Up
Introduction
3D aerobatic flying is a typically performed by model aircraft which have been configured with a higher thrust-to-weight ratio of more than 1:1. In fixed wing airplanes large control surfaces assist the aircraft on performing radical maneuvers which allow the aircraft to turn in tighter than conventional turns. This is achieved by having larger control surfaces; rudderRudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
, aileron
Aileron
Ailerons are hinged flight control surfaces attached to the trailing edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. The ailerons are used to control the aircraft in roll, which results in a change in heading due to the tilting of the lift vector...
s, and elevator
Elevator (aircraft)
Elevators are flight control surfaces, usually at the rear of an aircraft, which control the aircraft's orientation by changing the pitch of the aircraft, and so also the angle of attack of the wing. In simplified terms, they make the aircraft nose-up or nose-down...
and having greater amounts of throw applied to these control surfaces.
Depending on the type of competition, a pilot may compete in Set Maneuvers where a pilot can choose from a number of maneuvers from pre-published set of moves or Freestyle, where pilots must show their skill within a predetermined environment in a free format.
Pilots often train moves using PC simulators such as RealFlight
RealFlight
RealFlight is a radio-controlled airplane and helicopter simulation software series created by Knife Edge Software and published by Great Planes...
or other RC flight simulator
RC flight simulator
An RC flight simulator is a computer program that allows pilots of radio-controlled aircraft to practice on a computer, without the risk and expense of a damaging a real model. Besides the obvious use of training beginners, they are also used for practising new aerobatics, evaluating a model before...
s. This allows the pilot to practice and hone their skills before using the real RC model which may be costly exercise in the event of a crash. Pilots have the ability to plug the controller used to fly the real model to the PC and simulator via a USB link cable thus giving the pilot a better response to the real world controls.
Airplanes
There are a multitude of Hobby Grade Model Airframes that can perform 3D maneuvers. Many of these models are designed after full scale airframes with slight modifications to accommodate thrust to weight ratios, control surface sizes.Some of the most popular scale models are below:
Extra Aircraft:
Extra 260
Extra 300
Extra 330S
Zivko:
Edge 540
Yakovlev (Also known as Yak):
Yak-54
Yak-55
Sukhoi:
Su-26
Su-29
Cap Aviation:
CAP 230
AkroTechs
Giles G-202
There are also custom made 3D capable aircraft that are not modeled after full scale aircraft.
For instance:
Showtime 50
Showtime 4D
GP Reactor
Twist 3D
Thunder 3D
Airplane Manoeuvres
Hover You pull the aircraft into a completely vertical attitude and allow the propeller to hold the airplane in the air in plane much like a Helicopter. This is the most basic 3D maneuver and usually the first one new modelers want to learnTorque Roll The plane is made to hover in place, rotating around its roll axis. This is an extension of a Hover where as the Torque of the engine rolls the airplane.
Elevator The aircraft is stalled with a large amount of elevator up or down. This causes the plane to descend vertically down.
Wall The Wall is where the airplane is made to come to a stalled stop to a vertical position from a previous horizontal flight path, Usually this is executed prior a Hover.
Alien Wall The same as a Wall but pulled into full vertical position violently at a high rate of speed.
Harrier A very slow forward flight motion with the nose high at about 45 degree's of attitude.
Inverted Harrier The same as the above, just inverted. Must capable pilots find this easier than a standard harrier due to the wing being above the center of gravity as oppose to being below.
Harrier Roll Like the Harrier maneuver but with a roll move combined and performed simultaneously in flight
Flat spin
A spin induced with full up elevator, full rudder, and full aileron. Once the spin is initiated you will level the ailerons and increase engine speed a bit to pull the aircraft around. This will in turn flatten the spin.
Inverted Flat spin
The same as the above but inverted. Inverted flat spins are easier to control, but can be hard to come out of due to orientation, and knowing when to stop the spin. When entering a inverted flat spin, you must apply opposite aileron to which the rudder is going. Once the spin is initiated, you do the same as a standard Flat Spin.
Waterfall The waterfall is a move where the plane is made to pivot 360 degrees in the pitch axes. Ideally this is performed with little altitude gain or forward motion.
Helicopter Manoeuvres
Loop- Inside loop. A vertical circle commenced from horizontally and with level flight. A positive pitch is applied throughout the movement so the upper surfaces of the aircraft is pointing towards the center of the circle. The circle must remain perfectly round, with entry and exit to be at the same altitude.
- Outside loop. A vertical circle commenced from horizontally and with level flight. A negative pitch is applied throughout the movement so the lower surfaces of the aircraft is pointing towards the center of the circle. The circle must remain perfectly round, with entry and exit to be at the same altitude.
Pogo A hover that causes the plane to climb and descend.
Roll A 360 degree revolution around the longitudinal axis.
Snap Up
See also
- AerobaticsAerobaticsAerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight. Aerobatics are performed in airplanes and gliders for training, recreation, entertainment and sport...
- 3D Masters3D Masters3D Masters is an international 3D radio-controlled helicopter competition held over three days in July. The competition is held over three days during July. The 3D Masters is a premier radio controlled helicopter, attracting several elite model pilots from around the world.The event attracts...
- Radio-controlled aircraftRadio-controlled aircraftA radio-controlled aircraft is controlled remotely by a hand-held transmitter and a receiver within the craft...
- Radio-controlled helicopterRadio-controlled helicopterRadio-controlled helicopters are model aircraft which are distinct from RC airplanes because of the differences in construction, aerodynamics, and flight training...
- RC flight simulatorRC flight simulatorAn RC flight simulator is a computer program that allows pilots of radio-controlled aircraft to practice on a computer, without the risk and expense of a damaging a real model. Besides the obvious use of training beginners, they are also used for practising new aerobatics, evaluating a model before...
- Extra EA-300