Simon Chaddock Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Well technically it still exists but I just don't know where it is! The really annoying bit is it had my brand new altimeter on board as well. Calm this morning and by 11am reasonably clear so I put on its basic lightweight Depron wing with the intention of using the alitimeter to record just how high it got. Climbed to what must have been close to 1000' with no problem, decided to let it glide down so closed the throttle. I dont know what happened but it went into a steep dive. Did not seem to respond. About half way down by now almost vertical the wing folded with a load crack. Done this before so I made sure I followed the fuselage down and pointed the TX aerial exactly at the point where is disappeared (in/behind) a clump of trees on the edge of the field and memorised the tree line. There were atleast two impacts so I assume it hit a branch on the way down. The broken wing took a good 20 seconds to float down and was easily recovered but could I find the fuselage! There was no responce from the servos or the motor to help in location. It does not owe me much but its a pity about the good Futaba 6ch radio and that altimeter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 Just a quick update - spent most of the afternoon searching but still no luck. There is a substantial area of tall reeds behind the clump of trees which at this time of year is very soggy indeed. I fear it may have landed there. It is almost impossible to search that area thoroughly and with a fast vertical descent I fear it would only be visible if you 'waded' almost right over it. Perhaps later in the year when it has dried out a bit! Edited By Simon Chaddock on 13/01/2013 21:19:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Ground searching no luck so I thought I would try from the air. Needs a straight down view - like the photo reconnaissance boys! Of course you really need height and a 'long' lens but at the moment I will have to do with the 808 key fob cam. More out of interest than hope of any success I made a detachable 'pod' for the leading edge of the 60" Depron Big Dragon to hold the key fob vertically. Underside Top Front The installation works fine and I flew over the area today - nothing! Hard to tell exactly what you are looking at but at the resolution of the key fob video I am not sure it will be easy to see anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Darn, thats a real shame Simon..... Perhaps a search party later in the year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 4 days of searching and I found it! Well into the boggy area and by the track of flattened reeds and boot prints no more than 6' from a previous visit foray! The nose up to the wing pylon was completely submerged in water (or rather ice) so I don't hold out much hope for the radio,ESC or the altimeter but being a pusher the motor probably ok. I feel better for getting it back even if little is salvageable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 The bit I really wanted back - the altimeter - is fine The fianl flight. It reached 855 ft but came down in 8! I presume after 18 minutes the power failed. Dried out the Futaba R136F and that works too. Will it fly again? You bet! Edited By Simon Chaddock on 19/01/2013 15:45:34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 The only bit of the electronic to no longer work after the time in the bog is the ESC Out of curiosity I removed the shrink wrap to see if there was any obvious water damage. Yes there was! One of the capacitor leads had corroded away, presumably in some form of electrolytic action. With a replacement ESC the motor works fine but of course the LiPo has died as it was showing absolutely no volts. Mustn't grumble - could have been a lot worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Eggerton Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Well done Simon on recovering your model and that most o the kit still works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 The Wing Dragon is back! With its 'other' set of wings on but rather windy. Climbed to over 800 ft twice. The rapid decent was required on the first occasion because it was rapidly drifting down wind! On the second it disapeared into cloud so a quick spiral dive before it too drifted too far - only just spotted it in time! Cold, windy and the plane is rather small for high flying so I called it a day, but it all works. I'm really looking forward to the time when the temperature actually goes up during the coarse of a flight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowlea Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Hellooooo Simon! Glad you found it, and glad it wasn't me this time Reckon you can have it fixed in 3 weeks? Am free to come flying then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 Hi Willowlea It is already fixed! If the weather is suitable and you bring your DX6i tx we can bind the Orange rx to it and you can fly 'your' trainer. If you filled in your profile I could send you a PM (personnel message) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Simon, doesn't the "Message member" link under Willowlea's post let you PM him? The temperature recorded on my altimeter did go up (very slightly!) during the course of the flights I had with it last weekend. Though I think that was due to the air being warmed by the motor and battery rather than climatic conditions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowlea Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Posted by John Privett on 21/01/2013 23:07:56: "Simon, doesn't the "Message member" link under Willowlea's post let you PM him? The temperature recorded on my altimeter did go up (very slightly!) during the course of the flights I had with it last weekend. Though I think that was due to the air being warmed by the motor and battery rather than climatic conditions!" "She" . Ah sorry Simon, serves me right for writing reply at daft o'clock in the morning! Will fill in the personal bit thinge. Am assuming you had spare wings already made? Wasnt forward thinking in anticipation of me getting my hands on it again was it rofl? Will be bringing TX, been looking forward to this for months now but end of year stuff had to come first- Exams now done,all assignments complete and year finished only 3 more weeks of placement then free to fly!!! 800 ft the highest she has ever been or this the first time you have tested it using the altimeter? Edited By Willowlea on 21/01/2013 23:30:42 Edited By Willowlea on 21/01/2013 23:33:52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 John You are quite right the message member box on the post does work. I was looked at the members details which only has a message member box if it is filled in. Sarah I doubt I have taken the 40" Wing Dragon much higher as it gets hard to see. Good light conditions should help. . The bigger 60" one has been higher, probably well over 1000' but to find out is one of the reasons I bought the altimeter! The other is to work ouut the rate of climb and so work out the theoretical maximum altitude. In the above graph it climbed to 800ft in 35 seconds. It can run at full power for 6 minutes so in theory it could get to 8300 ft. I believe my best climbing plane could nearly double that. Its a bit like the maximum endurance I was trying for. I have a plane that in theory can fly for 5 hours non stop but I it is very unlikely I will ever actually try it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowlea Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 It worked John, cheers . PM recieved and replied Simon Whats the green line on the graph represent? Will have to test out Dottie- see how far up you can get her. Have you got to work out the angle of climb too to get the maximum (ceiling) the plane can reach- still struggling to get my head round VX and VY (may have to admit defeat on the thrust /drag, power available/ power required, thrust available/ thrust required equations!!! lol ) lol you do the 5 hour flying, I will bring the thermos of coffee think barney is getting used to lying around for hours now when we fly! Sarah Edited By Willowlea on 22/01/2013 04:20:29 Edited By Willowlea on 22/01/2013 04:21:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Sarah Still up at 04:20:08 ! Night shift? The green line is temperature. The scale is on the right hand side. Starts off warm from in the car and slowly cools down in the cold air when flying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowlea Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Ahhh, yes I see now (hadn't realised could click on piccy and expand it- squinting at screen couldnt see the writing clearly, so small lol!) Can see it slowly dropping consitantly as you ascended-so it dropped only about 4 degrees as it hit 840ft. Interesting that it didn't rise in temp after that final decent, or was that where it dived into that boggy stream (assuming thats the one you did Tarzan over when then tree jumped up and hit the dragon on my flight?? lol!) Body clock has been messed up past 6months, even more so this week with this "man" flu hence the very early post! Nights, unfortunately, start tonight - 3 nights, but off friday. If weather holds can pop over this weekend if you are free? If not don't worry, only 3 more weeks to go then am free for good, wooot! Which plane is the best climbing one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowlea Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 sorry couldnt edit last post, meant to say "which plane is the best climbing one- do you mean the other one we flew when you say the 60" one? (sorry forgotten name of that one!)" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Willowlea The 60" Big Dragon (the big yellow one that crashed!) is my best climbing plane as it can keep going like this for 5 minutes, The only problem is it requires a bit of 'surgery' to get at the radio to connect up the altimeter but it is on the "to do" list. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowlea Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 It didn't crash!! The trees jumped up and hit it honest!!! Just dont crash it before my 3 weeks are up lol, I liked flying this one. We didnt fly from ROG did we? Can you use the key fob cam with the altimeter in too or would that add too much weight? Would like to see that climb on vid if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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