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| SteveM, Comment for image # 7016 | 11 Mar 08 14:19 |
| Good news! Last night I heard a couple of strong gusts of wind in one of the rain showers that passed through. This morning I checked the park and found its limp, mangled, wet remains about 30' from the base of the tree. The tissue is a loss but must of the structure should be easy to repair. I'll post a picture when I get home tonight. |
| SteveM, Comment for image # 7016 | 09 Mar 08 20:03 |
| There are no limbs the first 20' or so, which means a tall ladder before the long climb. Not only do I not have said ladder, but it's been a few years since I climbed trees and I don't think the risk is worth it. Maybe a good wind storm will come along soon and knock it down, I'll have to drop by the park from time to time and look. |
| Xanadu, Comment for image # 7016 | 09 Mar 08 19:56 |
| This the one biggest drawback of Free Flight. Lack of control once in the air.
Bit of a climb it appears.
Or a very, very long stick. |
| SteveM, Comment for image # 7014 | 09 Mar 08 18:57 |
| There were a few things that went wrong with this flight and a few things I could have done that could have prevented it.
First you will notice the plane is circling to the left despite the right rudder that was applied. I have no idea why this is, but it resulted in a flight at the edge of the grassy area rather than centered over it.
It was free flight so I could not change the rudder after launch to keep it over the park.
I had no method to dethermalize, but since the tree got in the way after only 1:20 of flight, a DT may not have helped.
If the tree was not in the way the thermal would have kept pushing the plane futher and eventually out of the park and possibly to to highway. So a DT would have been a good idea.
If I had a larger flying area I might not have had a tree issue, but then losing this plane is still probably cheaper than a $58 AMA membership that is needed to fly at the county aerodrome.
Put your contact info on the plane so if/when it blows down someone might return it to you.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Don't feel sorry for me, that was a ton of fun and I'm proud to say it got stuck high, near the top of the tree, not near the bottom.
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| SteveM, Image # 7016 | 09 Mar 08 18:47 |
DOH! |
| SteveM, Image # 7015 | 09 Mar 08 18:47 |
My, that is a tall tree, what is that red spec near the top? |
| SteveM, Image # 7014 | 09 Mar 08 18:46 |
Next I tried the 4" prop, not expecting it to do too well. Initially it did climb very slowly and looked like it wouldn't fly long. But then it began to climb in the thermals and got higher than with the 5.5" prop! |
| SteveM, Image # 7013 | 09 Mar 08 18:44 |
Just look how high it is compared to the trees in the background! After this flight I put on the 7" prop but it only flew about 10 seconds as it slowly lost altitude. |
| SteveM, Image # 7012 | 09 Mar 08 18:42 |
Despite the forecast for showers, we have a sunny afternoon! So I rushed back to the park and launched with the 5.5" prop using the same battery chage as before. This time thermals helped it get very high. Flight time was probably around a minute. |
| SteveM, Image # 7011 | 09 Mar 08 18:39 |
All repaired and ready to fly! In addition to the 5.5" prop I used before, I want to try out the 7" and 4" props shown here. |
| SteveM, Image # 7010 | 09 Mar 08 18:38 |
A couple hard, nose first, landings and I had to return home for repairs. |
| SteveM, Image # 7003 | 09 Mar 08 16:02 |
There is a tendency for the 1/8" wing incidence block to fall out, sending the plane into a dive that ultimately broke the engine free of its mount and sent the plane back to the hanger. |
| SteveM, Image # 7002 | 09 Mar 08 16:00 |
High altitude fly over. |
| SteveM, Image # 7001 | 09 Mar 08 15:59 |
Just launched - starting to climb as it circles around. Flights are more smooth and not the jack rabbit jump out of the gate of a tightly wound rubber motor. |
| SteveM, Image # 7000 | 09 Mar 08 15:57 |
Keep your rubber, lube, and winders. Just 3-4 minutes on the charger and it's ready to go. |
| SteveM, Comment for image # 6995 | 09 Mar 08 15:47 |
| Yah, I saw that, I was helping poke fun at myself. |
| supercub, Comment for image # 6995 | 09 Mar 08 14:30 |
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| supercub, Comment for image # 6995 | 09 Mar 08 14:20 |
| Oh, sorry. I typed my comment the same time you did! |
| SteveM, Comment for image # 6995 | 09 Mar 08 14:11 |
| Oh for the love of cats! If I had a wrinkle in a tissue job you guys would overlook it and say it was a flawless covering job. But make a minor aerodynamic mistake and you call me on it! :-D
The real questions is: If poppy hadn't said anything, how many times would I have tried to launch it before finding the problem, if ever? |
| supercub, Comment for image # 6995 | 09 Mar 08 13:59 |
| I also would like to know why you put the wing on backwards. Did you just put the wing on for the picture, or was it something to do with the electric F.F. conversion? |
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