david 7 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Got up nice and early today to get some more practice in as last week whent good with new model, got 3 new battery to take with me for about 30 mins flying time, got ready to launch her it did a very steep climb near vertical whent behind me and then lost sight over bushes, found the plane with wing ripped off, what could have gone wrong last week every thing was fine, the wind was about 0-10mph could it be a gust of wind the plane is a little champ model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eck Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Sorry to hear that, David, hope it's repairable. Sounds like there was either 1. too much up trim or 2. the centre of gravity had moved backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 hello david...dont know if your a learner or established flyer?.....sounds like the model caught you out good and proper......as above it was totally out off trim(altered since last time out)...or the wind caught it and you didn't have time to respond......and then it hit the ground........if it's early day's in your flying model's career...i suspect you've just been caught out due to inexperience...when i started out i expected the model to behave exactly as it had done the previous visit to the club field....and i got caught out also...and went home with a load of matchstick's.........all part of the learning curve.....and i'm still learning 20 year's later...... ken anderson ne..1. (fill in some details in your profile for us)...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Are you cinfident the battery was: 1. in the right place 2. securely fixed down? It does sound like you might have had the CoG too far back. This can happen because the batterry is too far back, or if it was a bit loose it slides back with the initial acceleration. Alternatively where you holding up in? Its easy done, unthinkingly, under the pressure of launching? Anyway - you've got the right attitude - don't be too downhearted - these things happen to the most experienced flyers. The thing to do is to ask "what can I learn from that?" then fix your model, dust yourself down and get back "in the saddle"! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david 7 Posted January 9, 2011 Author Share Posted January 9, 2011 thanks for all your advise i think i just panicked and its only my second flight in 25 years i think the wind was to strong as its is so small and light, the battery is small lipo 1cell could of been a bit hasty when putting battery on, found a new wing for £10.00 whats the best double sided tape to use this what holds the wing on, and whats the best way to remove the old wing. thanks dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 B&Q do a very strong double sided tape - under the "No More Nails" brand. Not cheap - but VERY sticky! Very carefully is the answer to the second part! Try and prize a knife into the joint and see if you can "work" the tape loose without damaging the wing. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Try using dental floss as a sort of flexible saw by drawing it through the join while pulling it one end then the other. It works for car mirrors and trim where it's stuck on with ds tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hedges Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Hi David, I have an ERC mustang, also very small and light on a single cell lipo, and with ANY wind it tries to flip over backwards...if you are ready for it then you can catch it with down elevator, but you need to be quick or it will reach vertical, the flying surfaces stall and the wind just takes it whereever it wants. Of course once a model goes over your head the it is difficult to keep the correct orientation and it is easy to loose control! Hope you can get it fixed and flying again! Dan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Smith 1 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Hiya David, You weren't stood behind me were you? I had exactly the same thing happen but I think I know what went wrong. I took off with the dual rates on and all went very well until I got above tree height. Bit blustery up there and as I pulled round for an upwind leg the nose dropped and I seemed to lose all control, perhaps having the rates on restricted the control movement I needed. Still never mind it is repairable so we will try again when the wind is not so strong. Cheers Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Posted by Geoff Smith 1 on 09/01/2011 20:34:53: nose dropped and I seemed to lose all control, All the hallmarks of a classical stall that Geoff. In blustery conditions its particularly important to keep that airspeed up! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Absolutely, BEB and particularly on the approach some extra speed is the key to arriving at ground level under control but in this case I suspect the opposite! If it (not knowing the model) is a typical trainer with a healthy positive AoA a good armful into a gust could cause a zoom climb and the complications of flying while looking over your head backwards makes it very tricky to sort out in the few moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Smith 1 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Hiya my friends, you are most probably right in your posts, I put it down to 19 years off the sticks. It seemed to me that when the nose dropped, I had the power still full on, that the wind got on top of the wing and 'cos I had the rates on I couldn't get enough elevator to counter act it. Anyway lessons learnt. He's to the next time. Cheers Geoff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Smith 7 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Wind gradient can increase the effects ... as the model climbs into stronger wind the increase makes it surge up, but conversely on the way down the more it descends the more the airspeed decreases and increases the descent rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david 7 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks for all your advise , your a good bunch guys. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Posted by Tony Smith 7 on 09/01/2011 21:53:39:Wind gradient can increase the effects ... as the model climbs into stronger wind the increase makes it surge up, but conversely on the way down the more it descends the more the airspeed decreases and increases the descent rate. Haven't we all been caught out by that one - at least once! Where it drops the last 5 feet like a brick! And you're left wondering, "What happened there?" BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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