Did you Fly today?

[bugstersdad1]

Mar 20, 2012 6:23:23 GMT -6 19000rpm said:

We stayed in a cabin, "Red Cottage", about 5 mins north of Blue Fin. We did go to Blue Fin for lunch one day. Good Walleye sandwich.

We're just west of the twin cities by Lake Minnetonka.

Very nice ! Next time you head up this way, let me know. It would be fun to meet up with another heli pilot. I don't know of any around here. I have family in Anoka so when I head down that way, I'll let you know as well and maybe we can hook up.

[bugstersdad1]

Mar 20, 2012 9:50:06 GMT -6 Doozer said:

You must purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka!


That's a cool looking plane. I bet that pontoon landing is tricky? I'd love to try that some day.

"Uh, Baby, thats not Lake Minnetonka"

[19000rpm]

Mar 20, 2012 9:50:06 GMT -6 Doozer said:

You must purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka!



That's a cool looking plane. I bet that pontoon landing is tricky? I'd love to try that some day.

Take off can be a little tricky, landings are pretty easy. First you need to get on step and then you kind of pop it off with elevator.

It's a bit more difficult to takeoff and land in crosswinds and/or rough water than with wheels. The floats dig in and it wants to flip if you're careless.

Like anything else it takes a little practice. It's worth it though. There's something magic about a plane on water.

[19000rpm]

Mar 20, 2012 17:18:35 GMT -6 bugstersdad1 said:

Mar 20, 2012 6:23:23 GMT -6 19000rpm said:

We stayed in a cabin, "Red Cottage", about 5 mins north of Blue Fin. We did go to Blue Fin for lunch one day. Good Walleye sandwich.

We're just west of the twin cities by Lake Minnetonka.

Very nice ! Next time you head up this way, let me know. It would be fun to meet up with another heli pilot. I don't know of any around here. I have family in Anoka so when I head down that way, I'll let you know as well and maybe we can hook up.

OK!

[Doozer]

It was an expensive day. I started off with the Stinson and it flew well. I had a small hop in the landing but it wasn't too ugly. I was happy. So I break out the Gee Bee. It's got a ton of prop torque but I start to lift off the ground and the plane hits the only thing for a 1/4 mile. Someone had dumped a seat out there and I hit it. Couldn't believe that out of all that area, I hit the only friggin thing sticking out of the ground. There wasn't much damage... all very fixable, but I couldn't fix it at the field.

Then I fired up the Pitts. It started nice and I taxied it for a bit. While in taxi, I accidentally turned the ignition off. I had my ignition on bound to Pos 2 of the Aux 2 channel. I reversed it so all the way up is on and the other two positions are off. It flip starts really well now so I just flip started it from where I was standing... but I was right it was just too tight of a fit given the amount of prop torque. I gave it gas and it just got too close to the curb and I over corrected. It spun around then nosed into the pavement and the prop broke. I didn't have a spare so that was that.

Next I break out the heli and this is where it gets really ugly. I fly some circuits in normal mode then pop Idle up. The engine just took off and and it climbed. I got it turned around then it just wouldn't respond to the radio and death rolled into the ground. The damage was extensive and just about every thing took a hit. Blades, rx, battery, boom, main gear, tail gears, side frame, shaft drive, the canopy is totaled, all three cyclic servos are toast.... and that's just what I could see and remember off the top of my head. I wanted to try the Century gasser air frame, I guess I'm going to get my chance.

I'll post some video later on. Right now I'm going to eat lunch and then go after some props.

[akent]

Bummer Doozer!
I've had days like that, though, too!
Kent

[19000rpm]

We've all had days like that. We all feel your pain. It sucks.

If we fly; we are all doomed to crash from time to time. It's just a extra kick in the arse when multiple crashes happen on the same day.

I used to have a rule: One mishap per day after having everything possible go wrong on one day. One crash and I'd head for the barn. I don't follow that rule anymore. Maybe I should, but I don't.

I don't know what causes these days for sure, but I've come to the conclusion that some days we'd be better off in the lounge chair, in front of the TV, rather than out at the field. Knowing, for sure, which days to stick with the TV remote rather than the radio remote remains illusive.

I lost 3 planes in one day. I mean total scrap piles. Then I'd fly for months with nothing happening worse than a chip in the paint.

Yesterday, I had the wing fold on my Super Duper Clipped Wing Cub. A nose in at probably 110mph. Foam everywhere. I had a 5mm spar in the wing. I had just inspected the wing this week. No sign of anything amiss. The RC gods laugh.

[akent]

Yep, exactly like you said, 19k!!

My most recent total dumb thumb face plant was last week. I was flying my Pogo formula 1 racer around a three pylon course and for some reason I went over center on turn one. When I cranked it, the thing went in at probably 115mph. It made a pretty good crater! The battery and motor were about 300 feet away! The rest was pretty much dust. Nothing was salvageable. I just finished up a Shoestring racer. I now have two completed formula 1 racers and two more being built from kits! I have a Miss Dara (from a kit), a Shoestring (Eflite ARF), a Wagner Solution (modified Shoestring from a kit), and a Nemesis (from a kit).
These are amazing flyers, even for sport flying. Nothing I have ever flown is as rock stable as these in the air.

Before that, I did a blender with my Revolver and like an idiot, I went to WOT in the middle of it. This plane has 2,100 watts of power (about 300 watts per pound). That tore out some control surfaces. Which one(s), I'll never know. It went in at about 100mph and exploded! Another total loss.
I love that plane, so I built up another one.

But, the MOST spectacular crash was my Funjet Ultra. That plane went over 150mph in a straight line. On it's final flight, I came out of a dive at WOT and into a straight line. Right over the middle of the runway and right in front of the field, it EXPLODED in mid air!!! I can still remember the gasps! People still talk about that! Parts were everywhere. The battery was all the way at the end of the runway!

Anyway, as I always say, if you are going to crash, you might as well do it right! After all of those crashes, I was all smiles!
It is spectacular to see a good crash! You can never let it get you down! I always look at it as making room for new stuff in the hangar!

Oh, and the best (worst!) crash was when I planted my 500 heli into my entire fleet of planks!! I have a video of that somewhere. Tore everything up all at once!!!

Best,
Kent

[Doozer]

Funny thing was, I wasn't all that bummed. Sure it will be expensive, but I've learned that instant gratification isn't always long term gratification. I look forward to rebuilding the gasser as a Century/HWC 600 conversion. Unfortunately not much is left of the gasser. There's not much that was salvageable. Wiped out my Voltage regulator, wiped out my 9000 RX and it's satellite, taco'd the battery, stripped out all three cyclic servos and destroyed the throttle servo case, the blades... mainshaft... feathering shaft... paddles.... sideframe.... boom ... drive shaft and tail gears..... and much much more.

The skids, engine, and tail servo made it.

[19000rpm]

Good for you Doozer. It took me a long time to learn to not take these things too seriously. There were earlier times when I was extremely bummed.

And kent, those dumb thumb incidents make you want to slap yourself don't they? I found myself going to low throttle when I should have gone to high throttle recently. I almost crashed, but that time got lucky. I guess that result helps average out how how other mistakes end up. A lucky save instead of a trash pile.

[r/c basher]

I flew my FBL Exi 450 today, and tried my first loop with it. I've been practicing with the MCPx and have gotten decent,, when the tail holds. Well anyway the loop didn't go the best. I ended up crashing, I was at the top of the loop and the Exi stalled because I didn't have enough forward speed. #1 reason why I crashed the Mcpx during loops, apart from the tail only wanting to hold half the time.

The damage consisted of a stripped main gear and thats it! I almost saved the Exi from crashing too, I had gotten it skids down (somewhat) a few feet off the ground and instead of hitting throttle hold, I tried powering out of it, but it was to late. I landed on the skids in the weeds, then tipped over and I heard the awful grinding of a main gear, I think everything else was saved.

[Doozer]

Flew all 3 of my planes. Had a little trouble with the Stinson. The stab kept moving and it kept want to dive. I thought maybe I put the battery too far forward until I landed the plane and saw the issue.

Finally got video of the Gee Bee and posted it in the Cermark Fantasy Racer thread. Tried many times, and it always seemed like something would go wrong. Either my dad totally missed the plane and shot nothing but sky, or there wasn't enough battery, or the dreaded "I thought I pushed the record button," which yielded several minutes of tennis shoes or feet.

I love flying that thing. That's why I've decided to buy the 30cc version.

I also flew my Reactor. The engine is still breaking in and I need to stop chasing the needles and let it break in. It flew well but definitely felt less powerful this time out. It was fun anyway.

I also met another flier on the street. He started flying as I was packing up, and I stopped and talked with him once he landed. He said he'd been coming out there for about a year, and that he lived close by. He said including my car, he's seen three cars out there in a year. So... as long as I keep flying around sunset, there should be no problems. If this spot goes, I'm joining a field.

Heres a teaser video of my day


In order Stinson, Gee Bee R3, Reactor Bipe

[19000rpm]

Looks like you've got those takeoffs down pat.

Weather here is stalled from Sandy. What that means to us in Minnesota; is that while the East and portions of the Midwest are being pounded we're having day after day of mild weather. Those conditions, plus having no school activities on the running track and field, have made for some nice bonus days of flying the jets off of the track. We'll get our lousy weather soon enough.

[19000rpm]

I inspired myself from the last post to go out to the running track this AM to enjoy this great stretch of weather we're having courtesy of Sandy.

Stellar! Wind zero. Temp 28 degrees. Which doesn't feel all that cold with no wind and horizon to horizon sunshine.

I flew a couple of packs through the 70mm TV F16 and a few through the 70mm TV F35. Then a few packs through my 10 powered PKZ P51 with flaps and retracts. All sweet flights and great landings. Who could ask for anything more?

I've been watching the mess out East. I can really relate having survived a half dozen hurricanes over the years. Two of which occurred on my birthday. We had plenty of non-celebratory candles. Hurricane lamps too. One blew the roof off the house. Hope all here have fared better than that.

[Doozer]

28 degrees, no wind, sounds perfect. Almost time to put skis on your planks

I flew a bit today too. I flew the Stinson, GB, and the Reactor. There was a noticeable difference in power for the Reactor once I leaned it out some. It's still missing a little at idle, but I don't want to lean it out much more. Solved some other issues (see Reactor thread). Had fun!