Winter sun fun

[Electric George]

Beginner here, making steady progress and having fun. Flying loops and eights and a little inverted. I don't want to lose, over the winter, what skills I have gained and find myself using the precious few opportunities to fly in the summer trying to get back to where I was. So I am trying to keep flying as much as possible this winter, even if it is just enough to be ready to pick up from where I am now.

How do you cope with the low sun that seems to accompany any calm days? I have dark over glasses  but they don't help when your plane flies through the sun.
Are their any techniques you adopt for these low sun situations? Or is it just silly to fly?

I'm flying a Flite Streak and find 8/9mph with around 16mph gusts ok but the wind is often 11/12mph with 18mph gusts.
Should I be learning to cope in the stronger winds?

Any advice gratefully received.

[Colin McRae]

I have the same basic issue. Low sun in the mornings. But luckily for me the wind at our club flying field is usually low speed in the mornings before noon and in the right direction, so the sun is at my back during basic maneuvers.

I wear prescription sunglasses. One thing I sometimes do is to wear a second pair of tinted safety glasses over my normal sunglasses. It is quite dark, but I can still see the model. It allows me to look at the sun for a brief period as I rotate past the low sun. May not be for everyone but might be worth a try. Wear-over type safety sunglasses are usually available at a local hardware store and not that expensive.

[Dennis Toth]

EG,
Great that you are progressing with your flying skills. Two things could help. First, if you have an iPhone there is a weather app that usually is in the upper left corner and shows the temperature. If you tap that box it opens the app and will show the temperature graph for the day. To the right of that graph is an icon that looks like a thermometer, tap that and it drops down a list of other items you can get information on an one is wind. Tap that and you can see the expected wind speed and along the bottom are arrows showing the direction. This allows you to pick your time and day (you can switch days to see ahead) when you have flyable conditions. I have used this alot and its very close all the time.

Second thing you can do is dry fly visualization. This is an old technique used by many athletes to practice their routines where you would go through your flight as if you were actually at the field just without the lines and plane. Get a handle and just imagine flying the whole flight actually turning and going through the control motions. This works well if you develop a flight pattern to fly not just free style. You can actually get better and learn new maneuvers this way before actually flying them for the first time too.

For electric in the colder weather, it will be fine just keep your batteries in a small foam cooler or insulated box (I have an amo box that I put separators in with sections for dropping in hand warmer packs, but never needed them yet) that you pack at room temperature, for very cold temps make up a couple of hot water bottles to put in the cooler to keep it warm between flights. Electric flights should be ok if you can take the temp they can take the temp.

Best,   DennisT

[Electric George]

I have the same basic issue. Low sun in the mornings. But luckily for me the wind at our club flying field is usually low speed in the mornings before noon and in the right direction, so the sun is at my back during basic maneuvers.

I wear prescription sunglasses. One thing I sometimes do is to wear a second pair of tinted safety glasses over my normal sunglasses. It is quite dark, but I can still see the model. It allows me to look at the sun for a brief period as I rotate past the low sun. May not be for everyone but might be worth a try. Wear-over type safety sunglasses are usually available at a local hardware store and not that expensive.

Hi Colin, Thanks for that. I shall explore this option. I think I will try and go as dark as possible but ensure the ground will not disappear when coming in to land!

[Electric George]

EG,
Great that you are progressing with your flying skills. Two things could help. First, if you have an iPhone there is a weather app that usually is in the upper left corner and shows the temperature. If you tap that box it opens the app and will show the temperature graph for the day. To the right of that graph is an icon that looks like a thermometer, tap that and it drops down a list of other items you can get information on an one is wind. Tap that and you can see the expected wind speed and along the bottom are arrows showing the direction. This allows you to pick your time and day (you can switch days to see ahead) when you have flyable conditions. I have used this alot and its very close all the time.

Second thing you can do is dry fly visualization. This is an old technique used by many athletes to practice their routines where you would go through your flight as if you were actually at the field just without the lines and plane. Get a handle and just imagine flying the whole flight actually turning and going through the control motions. This works well if you develop a flight pattern to fly not just free style. You can actually get better and learn new maneuvers this way before actually flying them for the first time too.

For electric in the colder weather, it will be fine just keep your batteries in a small foam cooler or insulated box (I have an amo box that I put separators in with sections for dropping in hand warmer packs, but never needed them yet) that you pack at room temperature, for very cold temps make up a couple of hot water bottles to put in the cooler to keep it warm between flights. Electric flights should be ok if you can take the temp they can take the temp.

Best,   DennisT

Hi Dennis, Thanks for the suggestions. The dry flying suggestion is comforting. I like the idea that if the weather is no good I can at least do some preparation/ practise. I have done some dry flying before  but I will aim to make the most of it in the next few months.
 I am already hooked on constantly checking the weather apps for hourly windspeed. Not long ago, like you, I could choose am/pm for the lower windspeeds but now it is just windy all day.
Just like you, I use hand warmers in an insulated thermal lunchbox. I have a couple of warmers and a little thermometer. I use one warmer and then a bit later bring the other into service. Works well.