Ghost in the Machine

Dumb question: Why was the battery connected in the first place?

In retrospect, not a dumb question. I got an interesting email saying perhaps the static generated by sanding EPP was enough to make it go. That thought did not cross my mind. Being a saturday the R/C airport was in full gear with multple planes in the air. I can see giant scale from my house, and hear just about everything else so I know when sombody's flying. But still, the static issue is an interesting one. Really glad I was holding on to the sucker and in such a way as not to be cut up. Dan Cutter

Regardless of what activated the system, why was the system live in the first place? That is my question. Good flying plane, by the way. My father has one.

| Dumb question: Why was the battery connected in the first place?

Dumb answer -- it's often convenient to see if things work before they're fully assembled, and R/C planes are no exception.

Granted, there's a safety issue here, and that's obviously what you're getting at -- it's not wise to give an electric plane power unless it's secured, and it's not wise to turn on any R/C plane, electric, glider or glow without the transmitter on as the servos can go too far and damage your linkages.

If you want to give your electric plane power while you're working on it, remove the prop. That way, if it does throttle up, nothing happens. Even the small park fliers can cut you nicely.

I plugged in the battery, put on the wing, checked controls and center of gravity. Then I noticed some flashing on the wings and grabbed some sandpaper. In retrospect I should have removed the wing and unplugged the battery first like you do, the oh so careful and concerned one, the one and only, Fubar the Hillbilly. Dan Cutter

Hey, with that explaination what happened makes sense. I am not above things like that happening, believe me! I am guilty of plugging the battery in while the throttle stick was up. Got a nice set of hash marks running down the inside of my arm from that. The way you described it, you were still building the plane and had the battery connected. That is how I read it, anyway. I aint so careful, I was just curious as hell. I am also not a hillbilly. My MOM 'n 'ems are hillbillys. I am a California born and raised member of The HillPeople. Different kinda animal. ;-)

A BeverlyHillBilly.....har, har,har,har

David

Sorry for being snippy. Your website rocks! Dan Cutter

Yeah, I WISH I lived in Beverly Hills...