Tim Mackey Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Had possibly the worst day at the strip for a long long time yesterday.1) Transferred GWS Tiggy Moth to DX6i as my DX7 needed memory freeing up - bound it - wiggled sticks, all seemed fine. Take off, rolled into deck - obliterated. Cause? Reversed ailerons - operator error. RIP 2) Flew the F18 Hornet, super flight, after approx 3 minutes motor shut down, and did not restart, despite "re-arming" with throttle stick - hit trees and stubble in adjacent field - Lots of debris.Cause? 4 cell Lipo pack dead back home - open circuit cell. Probably RIP 3)The big PC9, set up for maiden flight, lovely take off, retracts up, 5 minute flight ( slightly pitchy but perfectly controllable ). Looked superb in the air, plenty of power @2.2 kw, all in all excellent. Good landing and taxi back to box. Really really pleased. Repeated with fresh battery, all fine, half way up a large loop - motor cut dead. Called deadstick, not particularly worried ( had height to simply stall turn and recover to land back in the field ) but then realised that all sticks were also dead. She piled in hard and was obliterated.Cause? Full post mortem to be yet completed, but early signs suggest failure of the 5A UBEC. RIP. Wonderful hobby this sometimes. I'm off to the slope now - back in the saddle and all that. Pictures later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 bad crack-tim-if only we had a crystal ball or two...what allway's astounds me is the way we all go back to the drawing board and come back..ready for more.....if we are honest we've all had day's like you had yesterday........have a good time at the slope..and stop in the saddle today if poss... ken anderson ne..1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r6dan Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 That is rubbish Tim I feel for you, But as you know it happens to the best of us. Have fun lobbing things off a big hill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 (speechless) Commiserations, Timbo, now that is a bad day at the patch Pete Anyway, onward and upward............ Edited By David Ashby - RCME Administrator on 19/03/2011 17:00:19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Whisky Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Really feel for you Tim. I lost two in a week last year and that was bad enough. One high up in a tree due to cheap glitchy 35MHz RX. The other - no-one else to blame - inadvertently flew into the sun on a steep low banking turn and never saw the crash - just heard it! Dented my confidence for quite a while afterwards too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 These things go in runs. You should be OK now for a while. Last one that I lost was due to disorientation while trying to adjust trims on a misty day. My own stupid fault. It crashed 700 yards away across a very muddy clay field, down in a valley. The engine was going for a long time after it vanished from sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Oooh 'eck TIm... That sounds like a day to forget. Reminds me of someone who used to fly with us a few years ago. As I arrived one Sunday he was leaving and looked even more disgruntled than normal. He had a bit of a reputation for being a bit "unlucky" (his version) or slapdash (our version) and generally crashed rather more than the average flyer... But on this particular weekend he'd crashed 2 or 3 fixed-wing models and a couple of helis, writing off around £1k worth of gear. He now flies full-size. It probably works out cheaper for him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 HI Tim, That is a terrible day, that lovely PC9 too .Ah well, 3 down, surely the only way is up (then gently down )Hope your next few flights are more uplifting. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOHN BOWMAN Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Tim, What can I say, well at least we managed a few pictures, they will follow shortly. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Certainly a bad day, it happens to us all - chin up Tim! Get up that slope and have a good blast with a simple set up and you'll soon remember why we do this! And remember they do come in 3's, so at least your score card is cleared again quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Webster Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I think we've all been there and can feel for you. Must admit I've never had a 3 in 1 day though. Usually don't have more than 2 in the car. That must be the advantage(?) of having one big model on board! Usually only load more when the caravan is attached and I'm off for a weekend at a fly-in. The flight I hate most is the one immediately after a crash - you've checked everything (probably 3 times over) but there is always that nagging feeling. Get the next flight in! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flytilbroke Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Less time worrying about sticky buns and more finger crossing needed. Been there done that. Not with the so reliable e*ec*ric thingies though. Not an enjoyable day you had Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iawnski Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 what can i say mate ,we all been there but not as bad as that ,get some combat in itll make u feel better cu soon hopefully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James40 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Can someone please edit Pete's pointless 10,000 full stops, it's made the thread unreadable with the adverts covering the text again. From what I can read, I'm really sorry to read about your damage, are they repairable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Whoops, sorry, James - I was overcome with grief at Timbo's loss... No problem with my screen - are you on one of those I-wotsits? Pete ps I think 10000 is a bit of an exaggeration - I only count 47..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mal brewer Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Posted by Pete B on 19/03/2011 15:26:47: ps I think 10000 is a bit of an exaggeration - I only count 47..... No,there's 87 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 It is very brave of you to make known your trials and tribulations (what ever the phrase actually means). It is reassuring to know that others have troubles. I have had a number of damaged models, sometimes I am surprised how stupid I can be. I recently damaged one model recently, possibly because I thought the friction it into polystyrene was sufficient, after i crashed/damaged the model I thought perhaps I should have hot glued or screwed the elevator and rudder servo, as on inspection they were no longer in place putting back in place seemed fine, that is until a few wiggles of the stick wher upon they had moved again. But I am not sure. One damaged model I can be pretty sure of, was where I had a separate Nicad battery for the Rx and Lipo for the motor. I would give the Nicad a couple of hours charge before use. Except on week end where I had not flown the model after charging from the previous week end. It did not need charging did it. After crashing, one of those pocket battery checkers some carry showed a flat battery. It is good to know that others have their problems, a bit of Schadenfreude perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyS Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Comiserations Tim,Been there too often to recall. In fact I just totalled my Twister before reading the thread - all my own fault. I said to my better half that the sunshine was beautiful and I should go fly something but then pointed out that the bright sun might be an issue.I then went and launched, had to be semi into sun to get into wind, lost it in the glare and piled it into a wall.Hmmmmmm.Oh well, look on the bright side...there's now room to buy / build something else. T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Clarkson Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Wow, that is bad news indeed Timbo. Did you ever think that you might not be doing the right thing, when you decided to maiden the PC9 on the third flight of the day, after what had already happened?????? I really hope the soaring is going well and giving you something to consolidate yourself with.Great that you are honest and shared this with us though.Chin up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Wow I am liking these confessions? I thought I was the only one who could find the position of the sun, a nuisance relative to my prefered flight pattern. It was partly the sun which I think put the model in a position that I should have planned to avoid. Or was it loose elevator servos? I sometimes think this where some of the avionics coming on the market may contribute a bit more understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Crumbs Tim, you got any left? Well, it happens to us all mate, that's all I can say, looks like you've got through this year's accidents early on so it'll be blue skies going forward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericrw Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 My thoughts are with you Tim. Such a beautiful day today as well, weatherwise, at least here in Leics. There is a saying "If in doubt, don't". But I ignored the saying today and my electric Funcub, survived. The situation was that after one flight and preparing for the second the arming tune was absent. The moving parts moved but the motor was inactive. I tried, after being advised by my fellow fliers. by disconnecting and reconnecting the motor wires from the ESC. Nothing happened it made no difference. Until I did the unthinkable and switched off the transmitter, DX6i, before I disconnected the battery. When I switch it back on again, the melodious tune started. Why this happened I don't know but I flew the model. And on this occasion I was lucky !! I realised I've just high-jacked your posting Tim, Sorry but I had to get this off my chest !!! Eric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Cheers for the commiserations guys - after 30+ years of this game, I know only too well that every single time we fly, we are at risk of any many things that can, and sometimes do, go horribly wrong. As to thinking twice before flying the PC9 after the previous incidents - well I am completely non superstitious. of course, had I my self been feeling less than 100%, the weather had not been perfect, etc etc, then I wouldn't have flown. However conditions were great, and I could see no logical reason not to fly - as backed up I guess by the perfect first flight. These things happen, and as my original instructor told me many years ago - somedays will be good, somedays will be bad, crashing is part of the hobby, and after all...its only a bit of wood ( foamies didnt exist then )kev ( Iawnski ) I have been at the big rock all day, just got in 5 minutes ago after a superb session, perfect conditions up there, all 4 models taken flew exceptionally well, and we finished a great days flying with some fun combat. All models came home in the exact same state they were taken . You missed a cracking day.Before JB posts his pictures...heres mine.Tiggy And here they all are this morning.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Harris Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Timbo Triple ouch eh! Top marks for getting back in saddle! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Ooo Ouch! they say trouble comes in threes - in your case Tim its certianly true! Well, maybe that's "your share" as it were for a while. But it is part and parcel of what we do. As a friend of mine once remarked "If you don't want to break them, then go back to making Airfix models". Its true - but it would be nice if its wasn't so painful sometimes. They're all a loss of course. But the PC9 particularly so. If a model has many flights under its wings its sad when it goes - but well you had a good time and all that. But when a new one goes in, when all the memories of the trials of building it are still fresh and its only had enough time to briefly show you its potential - that's doubly painful. Still, as you say, back in that saddle. I hope the rest of the season goes much better for you Tim BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.