Just how effective is the steering on those things? do they have differential on the tracks as well as the steering front wheel, or is it all a bit of a lottery?

The best 150 that I ever flew was the oldest, an early ’60s example from Slepe in ’88, it just trimmed out perfectly, and even the rudder trim tab was set correctly, it flew feet off at 85kts!

There’s some good ones there…
here’s some more:
From my flying scholarship, a chap from Eton wasn’t particularly hot on RT:

G-YM: Norwich Approach, Golf Yankee Mike Downhill
Nch App: Roger Yankee Mike, Report Uphill!

Another flight on finals….
G-YM: Norwich Approach…erm…..Please may I land?
Nch App: Yankee Mike, you may do so if you so wish!

Overheard, an exchange between a Gazelle student Pilot and Shawbury tower whilst I was in a Wessex going through start up, the Gazelle Pilot was asking the ATC if she was going to be in the mess bar that night, and a voice from the ether came on:
“You’ll be sorry!”
apparantley, whilst she had a lovely voice, she drove a ‘skin-tight’ TR7

Lastly, from aviation folklore…Gold Romeo Romeo was unsure of position over the Irish Sea and was calling for QDB (if my memory serves me correctly) and voice from the ether said:
“Romeo, Romeo, where art thou?

Unlike with being a commercial, military or private pilot, a RC model pilot is only “advised” to take flying lessons with a club although it is possible (and legal) to learn to fly by “trial and error” by flying alone (ie. the very expensive option – crash, crash and more crash) although the rules are slightly different for larger models. No licence (to the best of my knowledge) is needed for smaller models.

Model aircraft flights are governed more by geographical location (eg. are you flying in an area where regular RAF low flying exercises take place or within a flight zone regulated by Air Traffic Control?) It is necessary to find this out before flying.

The British Model Flying Association (BMFA) has a number of certificates that you can attain, my club runs a training programme to take you up to BMFA ‘A’ rating, after which you are allowed to go and fly solo at the club. This is taken in 2 parts, an Oral safety test and a flight test involving take offs, landings and figure of 8s operated safely
In order to fly for public display you have to hold a ‘B’ Certificate which is basically a full aerobatic rating.
There are obviously instructor and examiner ratings as well.

Our club strictly adheres to all of these rules, especially as our club President is also President of the BMFA!!

Models larger than 20KG are considered as small aircraft under the ANO, and as such have to have a full inspection regime by the large Model association (LMA) during the build, and have to operate a series of observed flights before they are allowed to fly for public display

I was stationed at Finningley when PoC was shown on Telly, I remember renting a Cessna 152 from Doncaster Flying club a couple of times and spending the whole flight practising the peel away and dive maneuvre….

Not sure if I was strictly allowed to do that in a non-aerobat….

I think Tim Manna’s Seafire is pretty close :rolleyes:

Has he got them there wings on, with the flappy bits moving as they should yet?

Another for Cambridge.Getting Crowded..would you mind just moving your arm, I need to scratch my Nose….