Giles 202 K 77 bit the dust

[Walter Hicks]

Today while practicing in dead air, the airplane was sucked to the ground while inverted on black top. My flying partners and I checked
the airplane out well after crash no control issues or broken lines. I happened very quickly on bottom of outside square loop it
suddenly went down to the asphalt. Unfortunately it did damage my new K 77 engine that was running very, very well. I am hoping
that Kaz will take a look at it and can get a replacement crank shaft or whatever it needs , case still intact. unfortunatley I had a
carbon fiber spinner which did not absorb andy of the impact

[Russell Shaffer]

That's the Pitts, Walter.  You say the engine is damaged but the case is OK?   Did it ding the prop driver or bend the crank?

[Gerald Arana]

Hi Walter,

What a shame, I feel your pain. I crashed my "Trivial Legacy" the same way only I was on turf. It only suffered a broken rudder and CF prop. Rudder was easy to fix. CF prop cost $50 and that is what hurt the most!

Are you going to GS? If so, I'll see you there.

Jerry

PS: That was my second crash in dead air. The first was a Strega ARF and it didn't survive the crash. (Straight in)

PPS: So now I refuse to fly in dead air.......Period!

[Walter Hicks]

Russ, It bent the crank most likely. 

[Tim Wescott]

Today while practicing in dead air, the airplane was sucked to the ground while inverted on black top.

"Dead air" and "sucked into the ground" doesn't go well together in my head.  Did it fall out of the bottom of a loop or something?  Or did it just suddenly go down in level flight?

The only bad thing (and it can be a Bad thing) I've had happen in dead air is hitting my own turbulence -- you should learn how to step back by about one wingspan per loop (while, of course, still putting in a perfect maneuver).  That avoids the turbulence nicely.  Remember to walk back to, or past, the center of the circle in your next two laps 'cause you'll need to walk backwards again for the next one.

[Steve Helmick]

Sounds like Walter just learned about "wake turbulence". It's really scary and very sudden. The key is to shuffle back as you do your tricks, to get the plane into undisturbed air to fly in. I have also been faked out by thermal activity, where I backed away from the plane, but was actually keeping the plane in the disturbed air...I should have shuffled forward, not back. This was a contest flight in Advanced in Eugene NW CL Regionals in 2011. If you stand still, you will eventually lose a plane. Don't do dat!  Steve

[Walter Hicks]

Thank you for the advice I was stepping back ( lots)on the maneuvers, this was the first outside square loop at the bottom while inverted.
We have a center circle marked off so I can get back into it after the maneuver
The good news is that Kaz says that Oleg in the Ukraine will repair it, so off it goes today to the Ukraine.

[Russell Shaffer]

Walter, is your forum profile email address good? I sent you one.

[Mark Scarborough]

well its always a bummer to loose one, especially with that promising slimer motor ,, 

it was good talking to you in Salem, hope we get the chance again next yer

[Fred Underwood]

Walter, sorry about the Giles.  Nice combination with the motor.  Guess you will have to proceed with electrics while waiting

[John Leidle]

   Walter , sorry this happened I liked the plane & it appeared the engine , plane was a good combo. Good thing you can have it rebuilt.  Practiceing in Roseburg one morning a while back my first Junar did the same I have no idea why other than the engine may have been loafing but in your case I doubt that was the case.
       Good luck on the new plane I just picked up some stuff to roll on my next one.
                               John

[Charles Carter]

Sorry to hear about that Walter.  I have learned the most usually at the cost of my airplanes and engines.  I feel your pain! I hope to see you GSSC.

Charles Carter

[Walter Hicks]

Russ my email pkcoach@hotmail.com

[FLOYD CARTER]

That's a darn shame.  Your Giles made a big hit (sic!) at the Fall Follies!  I watched one of your flights start to end.  It was an inspiration!

Floyd

[Tim Wescott]

Floyd, Randy Powell's plane made the biggest hit.

[FLOYD CARTER]

Not long ago, my electric twin (DeHavilland) made a pretty big splash on that same circle, during the last Fun Fly (aka: Lucky Hand).  Both spinners were plastic, so no permanent damage to the asphalt.

Floyd

[Mike Alimov]

I built this exact kit in 2007 (? I think) to test a Saito 56.  Both the airplane and the engine showed a lot of promise and even got me a trophy in the ARF category, until the engine shook the entire nose section (from the wing leading edge forward) loose from the rest of the airplane while heading head first into the ground during the last part of the wingover.  Engine survived (ground was wet and soft), prop and plane totaled.
I have a new kit in the box, but hesitant to build it.  The fuselage has a giant cutout for the wing and thus creates a weak point, which is poor engineering IMHO.

[Walter Hicks]

Hi Mike, I did modifications to the fuse and nose of the Giles 202 carbon fiber sandwitched with wood on the fuse, ply on top of the wing attached to both sides of wing mount front and back, plywood lined engine /tank compartment/triangles epoxy in the tank area.
I have not had any problems with the engine due to that. This was due to "Bad Air"