A bit of damage today...

Just takes a few moments to run a "CAT Check" before EVERY flight: Controls function properly (not reversed) Transmitter Antenna fully extended, screwed in snug, and adequate power indicated Trims properly adjusted

Sorry for your incident. That list will grow quite a bit as you continue with the hobby.

3) Range check. That non-rangechecked bad receiver that crashed your Magic 3D will also, if non-rangechecked, crash your World Models Combat Series P-47. Cost: Magic 3D, balsa, epoxy, ultracote, & .32 GMS. Ouch.

Important lesson number 1: A trainer with lots of dihederal Can fly inverted, just takes an experienced pilot to do it.

RCFlyr sed that!! d:^)

THE UK Version as listed in the BMFA handbook is SMART

Switch On Meter in Green Aeriel Extended Rates Set Correctly Trims Set correctly.

SWomething else (after 2 crashed in the last few weeks in our club is to allway check you have the right model selected. Many planes won't fly on heli setting due to mixings....

I like this one, but for (M)eter in green I'll substitute (M)odel to make sure the correct model is selected.

Mine has dihedreal and will fly inverted, although it may be easier if it had a bit more power than my 40LA.

I've just run out of CA repairing todays immitation of "George of the Jungle" (anyone remember that cartoon?).

I was on landing approach and the only tree in the area (which conveniently is on the approach line to one of our runways) turned out to be in front of my plane rather than behind it. Somehow, it landed wheels up under the tree. One wing rib broken and the firewall pulled out.....not bad for a 50+ foot drop .

Oh, couldn't convince my other half that I should get a new plane and then later try to resurrect this one. She saw straight through my plan before I even dared hint at getting a replacement.....

All I need now is some more CA, some epoxy, and some red and white film to cover the wing damage. Naturally, tomorrow is a public holiday here so there is little chance of getting any of that.... Had intended to go flying if the weather was OK.

General practice for our club is a range check (antenna down) prior to first flight of the day. Check the controls are working correctly (which touches on correct model selection). Once started and carried out to the field/runway and then extend antenna (avoids nasty incidents involving props and antennas). Personally , I always stand behind the aircraft, extend antenna, and then final check each control before I take off.

There are a few in the club who don't believe it range and control checks. They argue "it flew OK last time". A friend of mine didn't learn this when he changed the RX and engine in his aircraft. Ailerons reversed, and major damage to a Cub he'd been flying for 10+ years. A week later he narrowly avoided the same with another aircraft (lucky his old radio had reversing switches on it, wouldn't have been nice trying to reprogram a computer radio in flight).

You remind me of a helo pilot who tried to take off with the radio set to his aerobatic aircraft. A very short and messy flight.

...

If you want to fly bad enough, then go to the hardware/convenience store and get some crazy glue and wide plastic tape to cover the hole (assuming you are out of covering). The colors wont match, but you did say you wanted to fly. You can always pretty up your patches another time if that is your thing.

Wasn't me (I don't do heli at all.) but that is exactly what happened for one of the two recent crashes, wrong model, the plane took off wing'ed over and crashed, as he looked don his Zero plane was on a rapter model memory.

Time to burn the fuz...

Found out the hard way that a dual servo aileron Kaos doesnt fly well on elevon settings.

actually rebuilt and flew it many flights afterwards. Ya better believe I check which plane I have the radio on now!

OUCH!

I could fix it with regular packing tape but figured I better patch the hole when I fix the rib. Long term plan is to recover the entire wing as it has several holes in that stupid adhesive film stuff.

It's a trainer so I've learnt to live with quick fixes of tape. This has worked well but given the hole near the rib I'll probably patch it.

You might also use M for preflighting the model. The only radio problem I have had in the past few years is a model that took off quickly, then climed at a steeper angle than intended, then climed straight up, then went over its back. I thought, hey its doing a loop on its own! I then chopped the throttle and it did a figure 9 into the ground with great damage to the model but not the radio or engine. Turned out the elevator servo was pulled out of the reciever and the elevator was near full up. Occured to me that if I had given it full power it may have come out of the loop and I could have chopped the throttle when nearly level, it may have stalled or even landed itself. Then again it could have hit harder damaging the engine and radio.

And even those with thousands of flying hours and $10000 airplanes don't always do it. Latest issue of Fly R/C reports on Florida Jets and the loss of a turbo prop powered big ole boy that was lost because ailerons were reversed. When it rolls right on left aileron input, the brain sometimes locks up. :o)

Charlie

BTDT. My deepest sympathy.

I try to use C.A.T.S.:

Controls: check that ailerons are NOT reversed.

Antenna: is it up?

Trims: where they belong?

Switches: proper flight mode selected? Hi/Lo rates? etc.

Marty

That is an excellent suggestion and a useful tool, Marty. Thanks.

Ed Cregger

Lots of nice posts. Thanks everybody.

I can report that I flew the supersports yesterday, (I checked the antenna four times before taking off :o) ) and everything is good. Had two nice flights before it was too dark to fly.