Flew backwards today

[Ara Dedekian]

       Swapped some cash and a Veco Brave with the local junk/antique dealer for furnishings from my old home renovation. It seemed not to have any flight damage, just a bit of hangar rash, brittle silkspan and a well castored Duramatic/McCoy 19 up front. Adaquately built but with minimal fininish. Two(?) coats of clear and one coat of paint that comes off with rubbing alcohol. I replaced the missing rudder and buit a uniflow tank. Very light, but set up to fly clockwise.

      I was advised that my brain would interpret the plane flying clockwise as its being inverted and to reverse the handle. Flew it with the handle normal and experienced my hairiest C/L flight ever! I had to talk myself through each handle movement so as to move it the correct way. It survived the flight, but I found my head and neck sore from cocking it in the direction it's used to and the same with my arm and wrist!

      The good news is that the McCoy is in great shape and was a perfect match for the light weight Brave. Do I add clockwise flying to my to-do list or strip the silkspan and convert it to clockwise flight.

      The Brave was a steal with a $75 price tag compared to the Buster/Fox 35 $125 tag! Waiting for the right grandmother to come by? We negotiated $25 for the Brave.

Ara

[Dalton Hammett]

The old McCoy .19 was a pretty good engine.   I started out with one on a Papoose back in the 50's and still have the engine.   

[Target]

Ara-
Seems like a real score on the deal. I need to find one of those deals!
Question-
Will you be reversing the handle the next go around? Just curious. It does make sense though.
Good luck with the plane.

R,
Chris

[PerttiMe]

Try flying with the other hand?

[De Hill]

Set it up to fly the other (normal) way. I saw Jim Tichy's original Colossus destroyed because the new owner who normally counterclockwise  tried to fly it clockwise.
( The way Jim flew)

[Ara Dedekian]

       It's a huge temptation to convert the Brave to counter clockwise flight as Dee recommended because it's light and flies so well. But with a number of builds on the bench already, I'll keep it as is. It'll be fun to fly occasionally with my normal hand and upright handle. My aging brain is limited as to how much stimulation it can process!

       Ara

[Scott Richlen]

Fly with the other hand.  Let us know what happens.

[Motorman]

Wait to see what happens when you fly inverted.


MM

[Gerald Arana]

       Swapped some cash and a Veco Brave with the local junk/antique dealer for furnishings from my old home renovation. It seemed not to have any flight damage, just a bit of hangar rash, brittle silkspan and a well castored Duramatic/McCoy 19 up front. Adaquately built but with minimal fininish. Two(?) coats of clear and one coat of paint that comes off with rubbing alcohol. I replaced the missing rudder and buit a uniflow tank. Very light, but set up to fly clockwise.

      I was advised that my brain would interpret the plane flying clockwise as its being inverted and to reverse the handle. Flew it with the handle normal and experienced my hairiest C/L flight ever! I had to talk myself through each handle movement so as to move it the correct way. It survived the flight, but I found my head and neck sore from cocking it in the direction it's used to and the same with my arm and wrist!

      The good news is that the McCoy is in great shape and was a perfect match for the light weight Brave. Do I add clockwise flying to my to-do list or strip the silkspan and convert it to clockwise flight.

      The Brave was a steal with a $75 price tag compared to the Buster/Fox 35 $125 tag! Waiting for the right grandmother to come by? We negotiated $25 for the Brave.

Ara

Hi Ara, That's the way we flew in the '60's..........And I have a crashed Ringmaster & Stuntwagon 30 to prove it, well pictures anyway! Roy and I was (were?) having a little combat with my two planes when we mid aired. But it was fun!

Roy still flies clock wise. I might try it again with an ARF. Been doing it in my head..............................................................yeah, I know: Lots of space! Hahahahahahahahahaha

I can fly both mode one & two in RC. Prefer mode one butt teach mode two because that is the way most people fly.

Good luck, Jerry

[Randy Powell]

I originally learned to fly clockwise. When I came back to flying after college, everyone seem to be flying counter-closkwise so I learned to fly that way. I never thought it a big deal. Have to pay attention and it can screw with your reflexes, but far from impossible.

[Don Coe]

You think it was hairy from your end?  Those of us watching are still wondering why anyone would take off and fly a plane the whole flight inverted!   

[john e. holliday]

I was going to put a second gear on my Doodle Bug and try that from take off.  Would hold the handle the old normal way.   If you have ever had the privilege of watching the great gentleman Lew Woolard fly,  you would see his handle is upside down.

[Bill Little]

Hi Ara,

If the silkspan is brittle, it will need the normal recovering job soon.  So when time comes, flip the lead outs to the other side.   

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM