Repaired and ready to try again!

[Bill Heher]

Well I was having a great time with Leo and Bill flying at Delta Park yesterday. Richard sold me a profile Oriental so I had a plane, and the OS .35 FP I brought from home was starting to run pretty good. I had been doing some loops and lazy 8's, a few laps of high inverted, and even made it through 3 outside loops without panic / crashing.

It was getting late and Bill and Leo were pretty much done, but I put up a last flight. Trying to work on those outside loops and bring the inverted laps down a bit closer than 30 feet from the ground. I was feeling pretty good and really enjoying myself when " Oh Shucky darns!!" ( or words to that effect) - the engine quit high and inverted. Ran backwards held full down and tried to get the lines tight before impact, and I almost made it to the grass. Managed to hit less than vertical, and watched the pieces go flying. On post mortem we determined the wing was fine and we had all the pieces of the tail feathers and fuselage bigger than a splinter.

Back at the hotel, bust out the Super glue, 30 min epoxy, and tools. Used powdered coffee creamer for micro-balloon subsitute, and pieced the tail feathers back together. Rudder was 3 pieces- all clean breaks- no problem. Stab / elevator were a bit more work, had to rebuild the elevator joiner pocket on 1 half, and the stab broke in half at the fuselage mating line. I cut a slot in the stab after zapping everything back in place and glued a balsa stub spar across the break to beef it up.

Fuse to wing joint was busted loose, and the lower fuselage had broken at the end of the doublers, the front end could be wiggled all over. I cut the smashed balsa out between the nose doublers on the bottom and made a slot in the rear side of the break. Fabricated a ply joiner for the fuse that incorporated a 2 inch cross brace to tie everything to the wing after I removed the covering. squared it all up and epoxied everything together. Finished up the tail feather / aft fuse repair and am ready to try again.

I am headed for Delta Park now, hopefully won't have to spend 5 hrs fixing it again tonight! The Magic finished off the Cavs and King James last night while I worked, so I would end up watching Discovery re-runs if I have to fix it again!

All in all about 1 hr repair time for each of the 5 flights I made, I hope to change that ratio or I will never get through learning the pattern!

[john e. holliday]

Repair is looking good.  SOunds like you stalled it out.  If it is inverted try not to panic.  You say you gave full up. a no no.  Try keeping neutral elevator until you get close to the ground/pavement/grass.  Then just ease in a little down.   Scratches are easier to repair than broken airplanes.  Better luck next time and remember, "Never say just one more flight, say a couple more flights".  After that next flight, roll up the lines, clean the plane and go home.  Ask me how I know about that one more flight.  DOC Holliday

[Randy Powell]

Bill, I know your new so I'm going to pass on a bit of sage wisdom. Never speak the words, "I'm going to put in one more flight". It's a death sentence. Say instead, "I'm going to fly again".

Trust me, you'll be happier for it.

[Mark Scarborough]

Bill, I know your new so I'm going to pass on a bit of sage wisdom. Never speak the words, "I'm going to put in one more flight". It's a death sentence. Say instead, "I'm going to fly again".

Trust me, you'll be happier for it.

AMEN BROTHER RANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what he said

[Russell Shaffer]

When I think I am getting over confident I try to roll it up.   One more flight when I'm on a roll too often ends up with a repair job.  It's nice to go home with nothing broken. 

[Bill Heher]

Well I got right back on the horse, went to Delta Park on Sunday and Leo, Bill and Scott provided moral support and adice for a quick re-plumb on the tank, i had the muffler pressur goingto the vent and the uni-flow plugged.

Swapped the lines and was rewarded with a nice steady run that pulled well and didn't speed up-way cool! 2 flights with multiple horizontal 8s and inverted flight, only a few Whoooaaa'S  to keep the fans entertained - and put it in the truck in the same condition I brung it - yee-haww that felt good.

If my company only knew how much fun I was having here in Portland they would probably cut my pay- and it still be worth it.

Thanks to everyone here on the web and especially my "friends hanging out down at the Delta!"  Sound like the title to a blues song, a good one!

[Scott B. Riese]

Glad the "THREE AMEGOS" could help.
We have so much fun flying together. 

[Bill Heher]

It's all about the Fun my brother!! 
I just got confirmation that I will be back in late July / August after a side trip to Phoenix and a vacation for the 4th.  My plan is to try and finish off this gallon of Powermaster and start on another before I leave this trip.

[Richard Entwhistle 823412]

Bill will have a news flash about todays flying!!  Maybe pictures at 6:00 "O"Clock.  Sad, so sad.

Richard

[Richard Grogan]

Bill will have a news flash about todays flying!!  Maybe pictures at 6:00 "O"Clock.  Sad, so sad.

Richard

Bummer. Did he have to use "Fix-A-Dent"

[Bill Heher]

No Fix-a-Dent required, the pavement at Delta stands up to OS .35 prop shafts pretty well.  Did a classic panic move- flying level inverted and the engine stumbled. Went to flip it upright and get ready to land, gave it up and drove it straight into the pavement. This time I got to check out the bell crank mount and all the details inside the wing- because it was busted Wide Open in the middle. Don't think it's rebuildable with the resources available in my hotel room. Engine seems fine except for a busted muffler.

I asked Richard if he had a suitable replacement available, he asked me how long I was gonna be in town. I said 2 weeks and he replied- "I don't think I have enough planes to last you that long!"  The way I see it - I can help all the fliers around here clear out their inventory of retired .30-.40 size planes. that should make the wives happy!

I just need to call my wife and tell her not to buy me anything for my 50th birthday next month - I'll just spend the money at Delta Park, doing cash deals for stuff from people's trunks. "Keep an eye out for the cops!"

[Bill Adair]

Bill,

Sorry to hear about your Twister.

I couldn't get out to the field Wed, so I was spared the sad event. Hate it when models do that. 

Hope to see you Friday.

Bill

[john e. holliday]

How many times do you have to be told?  When in doubt, land inverted.  Sure the plane gets a few scratches, but, it is still flyable.    DOC Holliday

[Bill Heher]

Easier said than done Doc!  I can tell someone from Florida how to handle driving on ice and snow, and they may be all right- until something unexpected occurs, and then the inevitable happens.

In the split second between control input and impact I knew I did the wrong thing- but it was too late, sigh...

Live and learn and try again. Most important thing is - I'm still having fun!

[GEOFFREY]

At least one  Good thing has come from Bill's trip to delta park.. Richard has been able to clean out his  wall hangers.  Bill keeps on smileing  And richard says  you almost got it Bill  . 

[Will Hinton]

According to the FAA's teaching for instructors, we teach knowledge, then train the student in the use of it until it becomes instinct, then we have them practice until it becomes reaction.  Bill, you're past the "knowledge" learning thing, now you just have to work on it becoming instinct and before you know it, it will be reaction!  How many planes does that take?  Shucks, I dunno, but in the meantime, think of all the fun you're having!
Blessings,
Will