Her second flight, my first stooge incident

[Tim Wescott]

My wife has flown my Flight Streak twice.  The first time, I set it "just a little rich" to make it easy, and it ended up being one of those blubbery barely in the air flights.  We went out today for flight #2, and I kept the needle at the regular stunt setting.  I was taking off for her, so we used a stooge -- and she got tangled up in it.  It was the first time that I've ever had a stooge-induced incident, and thanks to my first-ever attempt to change pilots in midair, we didn't crash.

She says she's up for another try (she'll take off this time), but we're wondering what's going to happen.

[FLOYD CARTER]

The issue I've experienced with handing off a handle during flight is managing the safety thong.  It's awkward enough handing off a handle, but very distracting switching safety thongs.

I suppose if you are miles from anyone else, you could fly without the thong. 

Floyd

[goozgog]

Full credit to your wife!

  

[Randy Cuberly]

I've taught many people to fly and my personal opinion is safety thong be dammed as long as you feel that you may have to quickly pass the handle from one to the other.  That's precisely why they are not used in many up racing events.  They can actually create more danger than they prevent.

I'm not anti safety thong and very much believe in using one if it is actually a help but not if using one is likely to cause a crash that could be otherwise avoided.  After all crashing an airplane does carry a certain amount of risk to others.  Parts like propellors, engines, assorted and sundry parts of the airframe can concievably fly in all directions and cause injury.  If you think not I can show you a chair with the indentation of the point of half of a 11-4 APC prop permanently gouged into the back.  No one was sitting in it fortunately.

Trying to take a safety thong off and pass a handle is a recipe for disaster especially in some kind of tangle!

Randy Cuberly

[Avaiojet]

When I learned to fly in the late 50's the thought of a safety thong never came up.

Ted, the hobby shop owner and my first mentor, always kept his hand in front of mine. His left hand was  on my left sholder, I could never crash because he was there in control.

One day he said. "You're flying without me." Still kept his hand close but I was flying.

This should still work today.

Interesting how there are some people in your life you never forget.

Then, on the other hand, there are those, well, nevermind. 

I died today. Gave an Hour and a half tennis lesson, 92 degrees.

[Andre Ming]

I view a safety thong as an evil necessity.  When flying with the family at non-club/non-organized flying... I don't use them. I also teach without the use of a safety thong. I've never personally had an incident where I lost the handle, including umpteen combat matches over the decades.

[George Hostler]

Baseball players are supposed to hang on to the bat but even the pros occasionally let go of a bat. I understand the safety requirements by the various authorities having jurisdiction and would do as they say, use as required. I haven't been using one for my sport flying as thus far not a requirement where I fly. It is just something I've learned, I hate to repair crash damage and letting go can be quite dangerous. I think it great that others are teaching responsible flying to their children and neighborhood children. Those are valuable lessons they carry through the rest of their lives. Anything has risks, but through properly managing risk they can truly have fun.

[Paul Taylor]

Just an idea.  What if you put a snap swivel on each flyer. Then just unclip from one to another.

Just me thinking out loud. 

[John Rist]

How about a 3' long safety strap attached to the student's (or instructor's) belt.  It would require the two pilots staying together.   

[mike londke]

I may be wrong here but I think he is talking about her getting wrapped up in the stooge line not the thong.

[Tim Wescott]

I may be wrong here but I think he is talking about her getting wrapped up in the stooge line not the thong.

Yes, she got wrapped up in the stooge line.  We transferred the handle after I gave up on getting her feet untangled.  Had I thought that we might have to hand off the airplane I wouldn't have had her use the thong.

[john e. holliday]

When training a new person I never use a safety thong.  In fact with my Ringmaster I had a brother and sister of a family soloed in about four tanks of fuel.   Once they could take off and land did I make them use the safety thong.  I had both students in the circle and when one got dizzy the other would fly until dizzy.  I started short tanking once they got over the dizzies. 

[Duke.Johnson]

I tried to teach my wife to fly a couple times. I kept my hand on top of her's to get it a little correction now and then.  She would always get down input and I would always give up input. She says it's my fault and she was just trying to correct the input I was giving.

[Mike Griffin]

I got my legs (at the ankles) wrapped together by the stooge line years ago.  Just stood there and did lazy eights until it ran out of fuel.  Of course if you have not gotten proficeint enough to do a lazy eight, you might be in trouble.  I did not have anyone else there to hand the plane off to while I got untied.   I concur with what Randy said above about safety thongs...

Mike

[Tim Wescott]

I tried to teach my wife to fly a couple times. I kept my hand on top of her's to get it a little correction now and then.  She would always get down input and I would always give up input. She says it's my fault and she was just trying to correct the input I was giving.

There's always plan B -- quick-build some all-sheet 1/2-A planes and just let her crash until she figures it out.

Once you get to the point where you can fly level, progress starts happening rapidly.

[Dwayne]

I tried to teach my wife to fly a couple times. I kept my hand on top of her's to get it a little correction now and then.  She would always get down input and I would always give up input. She says it's my fault and she was just trying to correct the input I was giving.

It's always our fault, don't you know that? 

[Duke.Johnson]

There's always plan B -- quick-build some all-sheet 1/2-A planes and just let her crash until she figures it out.

Once you get to the point where you can fly level, progress starts happening rapidly.

I plan to build another coroplast trainer soon, I have a few RC guys who want to give it a go too. 

[Tim Wescott]

I think that overall, all-solid balsa planes are better -- Corplast may survive a crash better, but Corplast planes are so dang heavy they don't fly well.

Getting her on the end of some lines with just about anything on the other end is a good thing, though.

[Duke.Johnson]

It's always our fault, don't you know that? 

I've been married to this wonderful women for 23 year as of this month and "yes dear, your right agian."

[Duke.Johnson]

I think that overall, all-solid balsa planes are better -- Corplast may survive a crash better, but Corplast planes are so dang heavy they don't fly well.

Getting her on the end of some lines with just about anything on the other end is a good thing, though.

I have built a couple coroplast plane that take off, fly, and land by themselves if the handle is kept neutral.  I think it's a huge boost if they don't see a broken plane after each flight.  My opinion of course.  Like you said though, anything is a good thing.  I need to get the wife and daughter back out there.  My daughter started building an Akromaster a long time ago, I've sold the fox engine now so it will be electric now.  I have a great set up for it now, just needs a bigger battery for a full pattern. I can get three minutes out of it now, which is great for short training flights.

[Tim Wescott]

I have built a couple coroplast plane that take off, fly, and land by themselves if the handle is kept neutral.

That's the way to go, then.  I've got a Reniger's ET-1 and an ET-2: they both more or less fly themselves, but they get boring really fast.

[john e. holliday]

When a person is learning to fly they are not worried about the weight of the plane.  They want it to be strong to with stand some rough un planned landings.   Once they learn to take off fly level and land do you put them on the lighter planes.