Hamish Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Our flying field is surrounded by oil seed rape which is getting taller and taller. This weekend I experienced what not to do and what to do when a model goes down. One of our young fliers got a dead stick and ended up with his model in the field of rape. Instructions were shouted to him what to do, which he ignored and he set off to collect his model which he thought he new where it was. Big mistake. I joined in the hunt but soon realised that we were covering a vast amount of area like headless chickens. The oil seed rape was about 4/5 foot high and in some bits quite impenetrable. The senior members of the club, having seen it all before, let the wasted effort continue for about 1/2 hour. We gave up and as we have a bothy gathered for lunch. Senior member then ties down flier to pinpoint where he thought he had come down and after a good positive questioning session the general area was established. We then went into the field and created a line with about 6 meters between us and walked forward to the target area. It amazed me but we found the model quickly within two minutes of searching. The lesson I learned here is to take time to establish where the model was likely to be and then to carry out a systematic search. The other lesson I learned concerned the instructions shouted to the young lad. When you land in this environment do not take your eyes off the location where the model came down. Put your receiver down on the ground with the aerial pointing directly in line at the spot where the model came down. In this instance 35Mhz is far more accurate than this 2.4GHz stuff. We are fortunate that we have two way radios the pilot can then direct a searcher virtually to the spot. Forgive me if I am trying to teach a granny how to suck eggs, but I would never have thought of the simple actions that can be taken to help recover a model and hope this will help others. I was at the field tonight, on my own, and I kept the model well high and within reach of the strip. Last time I rambled on like this it was due to Telleys Smooth Flow, however, tonight I am on a more local brew,Tennents Lager. I'm off to France July/August so goodness knows what I will post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Eric "I would suggest that putting the TRANSMITTER on the ground with the aerial pointing....." ??????? Mines is Tennents, what is yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Mullins Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 You said put the reciever down hamish . Anouther good way of finding a model in a field of tall stuff is to listen. Establish the kinda area which it went in, then get someone to waggle the sticks in the hope the the battery is still connected and the servos are still working! This is where you benefit from cheap noisy servos! I learnt that a couple of weeks ago when a club mates 16yr old thunder tiger trainer went in. Needless to say, its been rebuilt and it flies marvellously! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Ben Thanks The receiver is put down to provide a line where the model is??? and then direct a searcher hopefully to the exact point. Failure in this would result in the transmitter being used as you suggest. We took the transmitter with us but the wind noise removed its effect and apart from that I am hard of hearing(WHAT). It all ended well, but the message to me is not to panic and try and establish bearings and use a logical approach. Slightly off topic, with indulgence of moderators, I still lost numerous golf balls even although I thought I had the lie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 We fly over a field of rape seed also but we are not allowed to walk into the crop.There are a couple of lost models in there but we cant locate them from the edge or any of the gaps in the crop,we have to wait until the farmer is ready to cut the crop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Mullins Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 If a models really lost, surely you could just call in a camera plane . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Cor Reminds me of Charente Maritime .There it was Tourne sols ( sunflowers) not rape seed, about 7 feet high before they matured and gave us oil. Fell into a field full of them one day on my bicycle on the way back from the cafe by a lake where they sprayed water from underground onto the roof as well as the crops to try and keep us cool! I lay on my back and just thought -Isn't this great Sorry -Wrong thread ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Roberts Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 God i feel really silly at this moment! I was just about to post why would some grow sinflowers?!! Grrr Simon - going back to school at 30 as he feels very daft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 You been on the jungle juice Myron!Apparently the number is now 4.I have suggested this but I think vIt will probably be aLast of the summer Wine moment with my lot cat the club usually is.Ive thoght of learning to walk on stilts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Well it had to happen. Down at field on my own tonight with a couple of models, slightly blowy but good experienced. First up was my repaired Boomerang and it had improved. The previous night I had gain a lot of knowledge from an experienced member. It looked as though my incidence angle on the wing was out resulting in a tail down type attitude and it was also considered I had too much movement on the control surfaces. All adjusted today and down we went. Had a couple of good flights although a bit choppy. On third take-off, all was not well and she dived into the field. Fortunately it was just at the edge and I found her very quickly. Wing burst and some damage to the fuz. It could repair but I think it is time to call it a day as it is not able to perform my next stage up, Bronze + up here in bonney Scotland. Brought home and will salvage what I need. I had a couple of weeks ago picked up another Boomer complete with an OS 46 LA , Futaba 6EX, receiver, servos, batteries flight box, starter motor various bits and pieces including a gallon of fuel, all brand new for £100. So this will now get assembled for the weekend. The only downside to this bargain is that the kit has been left open in a house with heavy smokers. Some parts of the Fuz are impregnated with nicotine and I can find no way of removing it. It has that yellow appearance and any advice would be much appreciated. Won't matter once its up, but it would just look better Second up was my vintage Maricado which is a 15 year old low wing model that I renovated and is a good bit sporty than the Boomer. As with the Boomer I had adjusted the throws to very minimal and was trying some moves that are possible still beyond me. Down she went right in the middle of a sea of yellow. On my own, dont panic. Kep't my eye on the spot and went to edge of field. Put my tranny down with the aerial vertical and took a bead between it, the model and a building in the distance and then went a walking. After about 30 minutes and on the way back, to give up, I found her. Foam wing damaged beyond repair and some repairable damage to Fuz. Will be able to use what is left of the wing to make a replacement although not foam as it is a model worth retaining. I am delighted to have found the model and it re-enforces the advise of not to rush away and carry out a search in an area you think it is when some simple actions can make it so much easier. Everything appears to happen in two's with me, lost throttle control etc, that in future I will give up after the first event. Anyway, as I always finish with the brew of the day, I'm on Tennent's lager tonight, contemplating more sedate flights tomorrow with my Cub and Magnatilla Edited By Hamish McNab on 28/05/2009 22:40:47 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Horsfield Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Last year my brother lost one of his models in a thick evergreen wood near to where we fly. Amazingly he did eventually find the plane, 30ft up in the top of a tree with no obvious way of getting it down! Anyway it stayed there for a good couple of months until he found it on the ground one day after the wind shook it loose. No significant damage & radio gear still working (yes really!) Any way the radio and servos spent a couple of nights in the airing cupboard and went back in the plane, a quick range test and and back in the air. He's still flying that model this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Pickford Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Hamish Thanks for helpng me find my plane out of the same field today mate Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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