Preflight and the sun

[bill rutherford]

      Before an official flight take a few seconds to figure out where you will place your manuvers .  You know , where is the wind coming from and all that stuff. This is easy when the wind is three to five out of the sun. The problem is when the wind is ten to fifteen in to the sun. So many times in the past I have tried to figure this out during the flight. Almost always this leads to some degree of confusion. Do you circle the sun , move you stuff to one side or the other? You must not fly through the sun when your headed to the ground . This takes some planning , and the harder the wind blows the less options you have. So now I plan that out before the flight.. Bill

[Tim Wescott]

Where I live the wind direction rarely stays steady for the duration of a flight, so I'm constantly changing where my maneuvers are.

About the only time the wind is steady, it's pointing toward the sun!

Fortunately I've pretty much got a catalog for where to put maneuvers when the wind is close to the sun.  It's really two: one for the sun at 45 degrees, and another for when it's higher or lower.  I generally put loops just to the side of the sun or around it (if it's low or high enough).  The biggest thing I try to avoid is putting the intersections of eights right on the sun -- it is a dynamite reference point, but it makes it a bit hard to see the plane!

[Sean McEntee]

If the wind is blowing that hard-- 10-15kts or so, I bias my maneuvers anyway to keep from winding up (speeding up), so if the wind is blowing right into the sun, then its never an issue.  Eights are still directly downwind, but going through the intersection is always uphill...just wait for the model to pop out of the sun is the best advise I have. 

[FLOYD CARTER]

Often, flying into the sun can't be avoided.  My special sunglasses help some, but the sun is still a blind spot.  I usually hold up a hand (the other one) to block the sun.   You really can't afford to lose track of your plane, even for a split second, if you are trying to perfect your shapes.

Floyd

[phil c]

You can also practice closing one eye when you get near the sun.  Then open it up as you move away.  Just one more thing to remember.  Since the plane is probably pulling pretty well downwind and into the sun you can think about finishing some maneuvers based on where the lines are pointing rather than blinding yourself trying to watch the plane in the sun.


Phil C