Ever lose a plane to lines hooked up bass-ackwards?

[Paul Taylor]

I just read an article in SN about people crashing planes due to lines being hooked up backwards. A lot of folks color code the ends to try and prevent the cross over.
I will never say it will not happen to me. But I started a habit when I started flying. Right before I signal for the launch I move the flaps and elevators to make sure that up is up and down is down. Real pilots also check to ensure the controls are working.
I know at a contest the pulse is up, and you might rush a bit. Stuff happens.

Your thoughts?

[Bob Reeves]

Believe it or not I have never done it, not sure why other than dumb luck.. Before safety thongs it was easy to do now I always leave one clip on the airplane and the thong is always on the down end of the handle. Pretty hard to go wrong..

Oh and I do always wiggle the handle before I signal a release... One reason I don't care for airplanes designed like the Olympic, I want to be able to see the elevator from the handle.

[Keith Spriggs]

It is always good to do a visual check before you take off. Generally the worst thing that will happen is that the plane will never get off the ground, nose over and maybe break a prop. I once saw a very close call when a hot combat wing was hooked up back wards. I paint about a 3 inch band of florescent red paint on the down line and the down lead out. I know most people mark the up line, but I figure the killer is the down line.

[john e. holliday]

As Bob Reeves states, it is mucho easier to leave one clip on the leadout and the other clip on the line.  If you ever see my planes, there is usually a clip on the up line.  I was buying them by the bulk at one time.  Check with MBS Model Supply to see if you can still do it.  Have fun,  DOC Holliday

[Marvin Denny]

  Yep!

  Bigiron

[steve pagano]

Not really the lines more like untied shoe laces during an over head eight! LOL

[Shultzie]

Even saw one of our most celebrated  world cup winners in 68 pick up his handle backwards and on take off noticed what he had done...and was EVER SO FORTUNATE and successful at "FLIPPIN' HIS HANDLE OVER..before the take off run was airborne.

Talk about quick thimpkin' n' fast reflexes!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Randy Powell]

I'm a careful sort of guy and it hasn't happened to me yet (where's some wood when you need it). I use heat shrink on the plane, lines and handle. I bought about 15 feet of blue and white. So hook up blue to blue, etc.

So far it's worked, even in the heat of competition; so far.

[Bill Little]

My oldest, Aaron, wore out the Werwage video on building I-beamers wile building his Ares.  This was his first "real" Classic plane , and the first flight was on the morning of the East Coast Oldie Goldies contest in Huntersville.  He had doen a really good job, and everything was set.  New lines, new handle, new everything.  He hooked everything up, got that OS 32 running and I was ready to launch for him.  He wiggled the handle and signaled launch!  So I did......... the plane tarted a roller coaster ride, and I immediately realised he had the lines on backwards.  Thoughts of the very worst hit me, the plane was going to be a goner.......  SOMEHOW, he flew it for about 5 laps and moved to the edge of the circle where he could put the plane into some soft bushes!  Broken cowl, prop, one wheel pant, and some torn silkspan on the bottom!  "PaPa" Dave Hemstraught told Aaron to go somewhere else, and the two of us fixed it all back up in about 10 minutes.  After Aaron clamed down, he got in two trim flights and won his class!  The plane still lives.  I have NO IDEA how he did it, he had not been flying that long when it all happened.

[Greg L Bahrman]

I would always proudly say it never happened to me. I have my lines color coded and if it hasn't happen by my age it never will, cause I'm just a careful guy........WRONG......I got everything setup, changed to new lines and thought I'd try a different handle. Held the handle level and the elevators were level everything is great. I gave the signal and the little red Nobler rolled out to the tune of ding, ding, ding, ding on the prop at about 10,000 RPM. I knew immediately what I had done. Sh......T......I fed down in and it climbed out and up to about 50 to 60 degrees. At this point I had to use both hands so I could turn the handle 180 degrees and not remove the wrist cord.  A quick flip and we were back in business again. The prop didn't break, it only trimmed about 1/8 in. off the ends so it really didn't affect the performance. I went on to complete the pattern with my heart trying to jump outa my chest. I was still shaking when I landed. Got a round of applause on that flight. It wasn't worth it.....GRINS

[minnesotamodeler]

I have done that once or twice through the years...always to great self-disgust.  But worse than that, once (recently) I ALMOST launched a plane from the stooge with the lines still hooked to the previous airplane.  Only reason I didn't is when I wiggled the handle to check "up/down" the wrong elevator moved! I had already begun the "release" pull; stopped barely in the nick.

--Ray

[Allen Brickhaus]

Will be a part of my September Flying Models Stunt Column.

Know the "sign".

Allen Brickhaus

[minnesotamodeler]

You're welcome.

[Bill Little]

I usually get a visual from my launcher as to "UP".  (just another reason I hate stooge flying)

[Jim Kraft]

Been there done that. It was at VSC a few years ago on my Yates Dragon.  I had wiggled the handle and the elevator moved, and I signaled for Marvin to launch. #1 Never just wiggle the handle. Give it neutral and then up and back to neutral. The minute the plane started accelerating I new it was wrong, and at that point I gave it down to kill it. Well!! That did not work very well, as the plane took off and did about 15 very fast inside loops while I was trying to think, and at this point, this was not working very well either. I started to open up the loops hoping to kind of pancake it gently and I did do pretty well. It destoyed the wing but very little damage to the rest of the plane. As this was the spirit of 52 winner at VSC in 2003, I built a new wing and it fly's very well again. I learned the up neutral thing from Joe Gilbert, and so far have not done that again. Where is that wood?

[captcurt]

Its why:

1. Always color code your line ends--same for every model.

2,  Always the last thing you do prior to giving the launch signal is to test the controls and watch to see that they move properly.  surviving full-scale pilot habit!

Curt

[steven yampolsky]

Next time you see Bob Hunt, ask him about his practice flight at 2004WC in Muncie.

[Jim Pollock]

Well,

I must be the luckiest modeler ever to pick up a handle.  Or maybe not.  There is one last test I give my setup after hooking up the lines unwinding them and cleaning them.  I always, and I do mean always, make sure the lines are hooked up correctly and the handle is installed where Up is Up and Down is Down.  Interestingly enough, I have never had to fly an airplane as having a reversed handle..........My luck could run out someday, but it hasn't just yet!

Jim Pollock   

[Jim Pollock]

Well now that's interesting......

I suddenly become a Captain at 400 post and not 500 like Randy said.  Well, I'll take that....Admiral here I come!

Jim P

[Stan Tyler]

I always leave one clip on the plane and on clip on the lines, and I label the handle for each plane. Never hooked lines up backwards at a contest. But, I did grab the wrong handle and lines set, hooked them up, did a pull test and flew my second official at a contest without realizing it was the wrong set. Spacing at the handle was 3" when it should have been 4". I wondered why it took a whole lot of control input for square corners! 

Stan

[L0U CRANE]

Been flying CL since the early-mid 1950's...

Sure, I've done that once or twice - usually many years between.

The interval between just means an extra few milliseconds before the fact - and the model - sinks in...

Almost as much fun is dropping a pushrod out of its horn by whanging the entry turn to a wingover.

Did that once.

Straightest wingover I've ever done.

We were over soft, muddy grass. Went in to the leading edge. Could have saved the prop if I'd thought to "unscrew" it out of the ground...

But, I was SURE I'd checked that the pushrods and horns were securely, properly attached...

[Richard Entwhistle 823412]

I have my lines and leadouts color coded.  White is always up.  White to white, how hard can that be to get correct?  Well, in my case hard.  Several times when talking to others while making the connections I have somehow gotten them backwards.  When walking my lines out to the handle I have alway spotted the mistake, except for once.  I must have been talking to someone.  I did the up down test at the handle and sure enough when I gave it up the flaps when up.  Up is up, right?   Good to go.  The Banshee rolled out nicking the prop every few feet until I realised "The Controls Were Backwards!"  I'm a quick thinker and gave her some down at the handle.  She jumped into the air.  Hey, this is just like flying upside down except in the wrong direction.  No problem I'll just put it on it's back to get the direction correct and fly out the tank.  I did a half loop.  Oh no, the controls are still backwards.....  I was able to save the wing and the engine.  The idea of one connector on the lines and one connector on the leadouts is a great  one!  I am a convert.

Richard

[Greg L Bahrman]

Been flying CL since the early-mid 1950's...

Sure, I've done that once or twice - usually many years between.

The interval between just means an extra few milliseconds before the fact - and the model - sinks in...

Almost as much fun is dropping a pushrod out of its horn by whanging the entry turn to a wingover.

Did that once.

Straightest wingover I've ever done.

We were over soft, muddy grass. Went in to the leading edge. Could have saved the prop if I'd thought to "unscrew" it out of the ground...
But, I was SURE I'd checked that the pushrods and horns were securely, properly attached...

OK Lou,
I'm going to have to remember to put my seatbelt on before I read your posts. I almost fell out of my chair laughing so hard. Thanks, I think.

[minnesotamodeler]

Been flying CL since the early-mid 1950's...

Sure, I've done that once or twice - usually many years between.

The interval between just means an extra few milliseconds before the fact - and the model - sinks in...

Almost as much fun is dropping a pushrod out of its horn by whanging the entry turn to a wingover.

Did that once.

Straightest wingover I've ever done.

We were over soft, muddy grass. Went in to the leading edge. Could have saved the prop if I'd thought to "unscrew" it out of the ground...

But, I was SURE I'd checked that the pushrods and horns were securely, properly attached...

That's how I shmooshed the wing on my LIttleAxe, only it was the back side of a stretched-out lazy eight--banged the "down" and got exactly 90 d. of turn before it decided to go neutral.  It does make for a really straight over-the-top, even gives you time to contemplate the potential carnage as it comes down the other side.  Mine was over hard-packed baseball diamond. Don't think I even left a divot.

--Ray