Driver + Texting =
Pilot + Disregard for Checklists =
CRASH
Yep, crashed at the field today--twice! First one I was not showing off and had no intention of recycling my Blue Angels RCP F-22v3. She won't get recycled but she'll need a rhinoplasty. Somehow at launch, I bumped and killed the throttle. Down she went nose first. Still flew great. The F-22 is a lot fun, as long as you are flying at half to full throttle. At slow speeds she can get squirrelly as there is no air flow over the vertical stabilizers.
Second crash was reminiscent of the F-16 Thunderbird crash at Mtn Home AFB in 2004. I was doing crazy giant loops with souped up NTM Prop Drive 2700 Mig-29v3M3 and came in a little short and hit the ground. Embarrassingly not the first time I've done this. How low can you go? I really do enjoy mowing the grass with these planes.
Just before I went I flying my wife commented that I had too many planes. Yep, there were a couple of gawkers and I was pushing the limits. No need to shed tears, building is therapy for me. Honestly, I get as much satisfaction reading about aerodynamics, designing modifications, and building as I do flying.
Lessons learned today
1. Hide your airplanes from your wife
2. Don't fly in front of a crowd, your inner teenage boy will come out and you'll do something stupid
Sounds like an interesting day at the field, Stephan, lots of fun!
ReplyDeleteIf I am going to "recycle" a plane, it might as well be doing something spectacular! Probably the best was just clipping the prop on a Boxermad84 F35 600, it was just enough to pull off the motor mount and the motor kept running at full throttle as it chopped through the back deck of the plane and kept going until the ESC connections came unplugged...missed a kick A$$ low pass by that much...and the plane kept flying the whole time until motor and then back portion of the plane ceased to be connected :)
Did the V3M3e3 survive, or was it "recycled"?
Cheers,
Scott
That sounds way more impressive than my "thud" into the ground.
ReplyDeleteThe plane was my M3 with the NTM. It had the symmetrical airfoil and was due for recycling.
As I was flying the M3 I noticed how exaggerated the TVAW was as compared to the M3e3 and the v4. Next time I go out, I am going to really dial down the elevon throws to see if if I can turn the tweaking into a waltz.
Going to Staples tomorrow to print the v4 plans. I'm going full NAMC M3e3 on this one. Ailerons, elevons, your new vertical stabs and KFs, and the new tail plate I posted including v3 narrowing. Like you, I the stock build wing plate is too flimsy and as on my last build, I'll add carbon to the leading edges. I will also glass the leading edges. I will add some carbon tube to the engine mount so I can swap from FP to NTM motors. Been a while since I've built, looking forward to it
Tomorrow if the weather cooperates I'll take out the M3e3 and the almost stock v4.
To the blue skies above,
Stephan
Sounds like an awesome build plan, Stephan, looking forward to seeing it as it goes along and then ripping up the skies. Sounds like a good way to go to give you the flexibility of swapping motors, I will do the same thing when I build my next NAMC Mig.
DeleteYes, it really brings home how exaggerated some of the bad habits are of certain planes after you have flown a much more stable and precise modified version of it... :)
Cheers,
Scott
Darn auto correct, should be twerking not tweaking!
ReplyDelete