Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-31 Instruction Manual page 38

Sukhoi at Its Best
3-D maneuvers (in simplest terms) are maneuvers performed by
an airplane that are not usually done in a normal airplane flight
path. What can be done with a 3-D plane is to make it fly like no
other. For example, hovering in the air nose high at a 45-degree
descent, floating along in level flight, hanging on the prop, or
tumble tail-over-nose in a rapid flipping motion. When you
sprinkle these maneuvers together with other loops, rolls, snaps,
and spins, it seems like the aerobatic options are endless. To fly
3-D, you must have a plane that's capable. What's capable?
Well, it starts with having outlandish pitch control from having
huge elevators. The same applies, but not to the same extent,
with rudder and ailerons. When it comes to 3-D aerobatics, our
Sukhoi lives up to the Sukhoi reputation and then some.
The Maneuvers
Let' s cover the seven 3-D maneuvers where the Sukhoi really excels.
• The Blender
What it is: The Blender or Panic maneuver is a vertical
diving roll that virtually stops its descent as it instanta-
neously enters into a flat spin.
Setup: Follow the 3-D setup as described in the manual.
Be sure to use Expo. Setting the CG toward the aft location
will help, but I have had great results even at the forward
CG location. This is a wing tester and can be extremely
violent but will always generate gasps of excitement.
Done correctly, the Sukhoi can handle the challenge.
How to do it: Start from about 400-500 feet straight and
level, chop throttle, and push the nose straight down. As
soon as the model is diving straight down at low throttle,
add full left aileron. Let the model compete two or three
rolls and then quickly transition the sticks to an inverted
snap roll position (left aileron, right rudder, down elevator)
all at the same time. As soon as the Sukhoi enters a spin,
quickly neutralize the ailerons while holding full right
rudder and down elevator. If you do it right, the airplane
will instantly transition from a left roll to a flat spin in the
same direction, and the decent will all but stop.
Tip: Add full throttle just after the spin goes flat. That'll
keep fuel going to the engine, make the rotation speed
high, and help stop the vertical decent.
Recovery: Simply release rudder and hold just a little
down elevator. The model will stop rotating and begin to
fly out. As it gains airspeed, roll back to upright. Since
you're in 3-D mode, make sure you don't do anything
abrupt, or you'll stall again.
38
The Blender