too close to the ground.

[basic]

OK, so after all the work i've done on my pt40 trying to get it up in the air, i think i've got it all set, so i take it out yesterday evening for it's maiden flight. range check ok, engine was a little rough, but it's a new engine so i haven't gotten it tuned just prefect yet. having just flown many many hours in Realflight, i figure, that's ok. so i go ahead and go for it. well, it didn't go for me. after getting the plane in the air about 10 feet, it stalled out and came back down to earth in a slight roll. i tried to correct but couldn't. so i crashed before it even flew. i didn't get any pictures of post crash to post, but it tore out the firewall, the 2nd and 3rd cross braces in the fuse, the bolt holder for the wing, the windshield. pretty much the front of the plane. also need a new spinner. after all this i was trying to figure out why it didn't correct on the roll. well turns out, i had the airelrons reversed the whole time. so when i tried to correct for the right hand roll it only made it worse. *sigh* it's pretty much all glued and epoxy'ed back together now. have to re-cover what monokote i cut off and try it out again next week (this time with more speed on take off and the ailerons the correct way)



And i thought airplanes were supposed to be easier. the runway wasn't the greatest though, i need to find a better area. the mowed field i was in had too many bumps and stuff. maybe the golf course or the football field....


when my fiance asked what happened, i told her that there was a measurement wrong after takeoff. she asked what measurement was off, i told her the distance between the ground and the airplane.

[G-MRM]

That's a shame !!! never mind glue and wood can soon make a plane better....

Maybe try not a steep takeoff angle, if the engine cuts you have some speed to bring her back down and you can't stall it if it is going faster.

Keep us informed ! Same you don't have someone to test fly for you or take you on a buddy lead. (I could fly over !! ) lol

Martin

[basic]

well she's all back together and better than ever (almost - lost the airelron servo extension in crash) haven't had a chance to try again because it's been sooo windy. i'm going to play with tuning the engine more to get it just right. I also found an air leak in the tank after the crash. i'm 99% sure it was there before as well, and that may have been the source of all my engine issues. Also going to solder up a 5s nicd pack to use, the 4s NIMH that was in the plane is now in the JR.

I still haven't found a place for a better runway. there is a flight club about 10 miles from me, but no AMA license for the field and can't really afford one (going to Vegas next week) so private fields it is.

[G-MRM]

Air leak won't help you for sure !!

If you have not fitted one, do try a new plug. On full power tune for max power/speed/sound then a dab richer. While of full hold model nose up for 10 sec and make sure the engine don't slow up, the lean test.

Martin

[G-MRM]

Come on, what the fix wing news ??

Have you tested it again ?:roll:

Martin

[basic]

no testing yet, since getting back from vegas have been really busy, and now things are getting cooler. After getting it all back together and recovered and stuff i haven't even started it. it's a shame i know. I didn't even see the prev post you had put here until just now, thanks for the advice on the nose up. it's just wierd putting an engine at full throttle while it's sitting in the model and you are holding the model from going anywhere. Seems like it would be really stressful and i know how much air that prop moves. maybe i'll try and fly saturday if the weather permits. I haven't had a chance to get out and fly anything since i got back, and the Jr gasser heli is really itching to get out and spool up. Need to work on the tail servo linkages and tune the gyro a bit on the ground.