Joe B.

My Feedback: (1)

You know him. The guy that goes to the field and crashes every time he tries to fly! This makes 3 times now that I have gone to the field, tried to fly my Sig Cap 231EX and came home early with 'minor repairs' to make.

A little history here. Bought the plane and immediately it became my favorite. Had some issues at the start with getting it dialed in (never did finish!) and so the process began. First those cheap FMA servos weren't cutting it so I put in some others (non-HD, oops). Well stripped the rudder servo and rough landing on that one. Put new digital in and went out. Then my transmitter died on me so I decided to switch from Airtronics to Futaba. So now I have one transmitter and receiver that work and I put it in my Cap. Then I go back out and after a couple flights (and rough landings) I notice my elevators are drooping. I dont like that so I raise the one on the left and it just flops back down. DOH! Stripped gears. Meanwhile all these repairs that are taking forever are starting to eat into my flying time and what happens is I go to the field get one or two bad flights in and dont fly for a couple weeks while I'm 'repairing' my only working combo. Well yesterday I put new elevator servos in and was ready. Went to the field and on first flight noticed the elevator is WAY touchy Shouldn't have put low rates so high! Well on landing all sorts of interesting stuff happened and basically cracked a front former. No major damage as the covering didn't even get messed up so easy fix but I'm done for the day. Well, loading it in the truck I drop the rear and crack part of the rear fuselage. More work.

Well I fixed everything yesterday but I'm damn scared to fly now. I'm getting out of practice and I've been the club fool for too long now. I used to be fairly reliable at flying these things you know. My old (smaller) Cap never gave me much trouble, of course my high-wings I could grease them in beautiflully and my zagi, well, it doesn't matter Anyways, just wanted to share that now I'm that guy that I used to look at and think "what a joke". Been flying for a few years now and have had more incidents in the last few months than I've had previously combined.

Please tell me this is a phase and not some sort of brain degeneration or inherint inability of myself to control this darn thing.

- Joe

CaptKAOS

My Feedback: (7)

Maybe it's.............................................. ..........................................
POSSESSED......................................... ............................................
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Grumpy Monkey

My Feedback: (7)

I think I might be "that guy" at our field. It has been a bad year for me. I bought a Super Chipmunk earlier in the summer and had some issues with them. Yes, I said them. Actually there was 2 of them total. The first one made it to the field in all its beautiful splendor. Me, wanting to get out of the house, decided to go to the field and take my new chipmunk with me. Even though it wasnt totally finished, I decided I would finish setting it up at the field. I also had to break in the engine for it. It was a quiet day at the field and only a few of us were there(Thankfully) so I proceeded to break in the engine while I chit chatted and accepted all compliments on my new beauty graciously. After the engine had a few tanks through it, I decided to set my throws and check all my linkages and do a general walkaround. All this being done whilst my fellower modelers looked on adding input and asking ?'s. Finally, after checking and double checking, I thought she was ready for her maiden. Fired up the engine and dialed her in. Rolled her off the flightline to the end of the runway. So far so good. Advanced the throttle slowly, added some rudder, the tail came up, then the mains and off she was. She climbed graciously to about 15 feet, then she started rolling a bit to the left. Instinctively, I added a touch of right airlon and she rolled more to the left, so some more right and thats when it happened. SNAP! Tower, this SC1, I think we have a problem. After retrieving the wreckage, I realized I had the airlons backwards. Duh! The winf had about 1/2" of the leading edge tore up, no prob to fix, the fuse was fiberglass with gelcoat and the gelcoat shattered back to the wings. No prob, I will order another and have some "spare parts" The first one was a Jamara from Germany and the second I got from a Dist in the states. The US version was bigger then the German version.Go Figure! So much for spare parts. So after assembling (ARF's) the second one I was back to the field. Triple checked everything this time and quad checked my airlons Get it out to the runway, roll out and off she goes. A beautiful climbout. A club member was beside me trimming her out over my shoulder as I flew the circuit. What a nice flying plane. After a couple more circuits, I was getting ready to line up for final when someone yelled deadstick, so I aborted and went around. After he cleared the runway, I was making my turn into final when it happened. I lost all radio input. Down she went into the thick. After Search and rescue of the crashsite only the fuse was recovered. During my at field postmortem it was confirmed that a solder joint at the switch had broken and down she went. It was my solder joint, and my fault. This was at the beginning of July(4th of July weekend and the following) and I havent been to the field since. I havent even touched another plane until this week. My current project which was started in May is A GP Mustang and I finally pulled it out to work on it this week. But as it is almost done, I am scared to death to fly it. It has tons of detail and there has been a considerable devotion of time and effort into it. .

Sorry, long winded but I had to get it off my chest. Its like therapy, if you talk about it you'll feel better.
Hell, I might even head to the field Sunday to see what everyone has been up to for the last few months.

WF

$ircra$halot

Chins up guys: I went thru a phase where I was crashing everything I built the first day I took it out, frequently on the maiden voyage. Now I, like most everyone, put a lot of time and effort into the planes I build. I always thought if they did not look good they would not fly. Weeeeeeeell, the wallet was running on emty, so I bought a UGLY, UGLY, UGLY, used up, Tiger 60 and promptly crashed it. Bad battery pack! Well, 2 very good freinds took the wreckage after I proclaimed I would never look at another rc plane, and drove off leaving the plane where it HIT. They rebuilt it and the darn thing makes me look good to the 3 year old children on the block, hey I'm happy. Got 6 or 7 Gallons of fuel thru it now. Now Im fixen to buy a pretty Goldberg Super Chippy. Believe me I'm shakin in my boots. But I'm gonna ride that horse again, and again, Since someone else will rebuild it for me. Can't wait to get that first crash out the way, so the *&@#$ thing will fly right. Did I mention the Tiger is still UGLY? Good luck to ya both, soon I hope. Happy flying. Garry

Steve Guinn

Get rid of that aircraft NOW...Tis cursed and only more pain and suffering will follow. Hurry...before it's to late !

Tattoo

Doctor Tattoo says take two Spads and call me in the morning

Build em cheap, bash em around, do things you'd never dare with a pride and joy airplane. Hone your skills to perfection and build confidence. My flying has improved significantly over the last 5 years (more so than the whole first 20) from beating these things around. If you crash hard enough to destroy one you can't cry over a few bucks lost in the airframe. One of these days I'll get back to building my dream Spitfire and have the confidance to fly it

And you want ugly? Ha! Just what the doctor ordered...the ugliest Spad yet...the Hell On Rails or H.O.R. took all of an hour and a half to build it on a 1" aluminum "L" channel and she flies awesome...just dying to hear Jim's opinion on this beauty

GrnBrt

My Feedback: (5)

Now that is dog butt ugly!!!!!!!!

AJF--2

My Feedback: (119)

The way I conquered exactly what you are going----like was said above--I never fly anything I can't afford to crach. I have crashed at so many fly-ins (with everybody watching) it ain't even funny anymore--TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!!!!!!It is all in the mind. You start not wanting to fly because you don't want to crash. I found that when I moved to big models, it was like starting all over again. (Sounds like you got the same desiese). We all know bigger planes fly better--so it should be easier---Right? Believe me--It is a stupid mind game. As was stated earlier-get a fun fly cheapo ARF --wring it out. get some confidence! That is all that is lacking. Seems you have already proved you know how to fly.

ben flyn

Why is it? The uglier they are, the longer they last?

Texan

My Feedback: (10)

That has to do with the scientific principle of SGR ... "selective gravitational response". Simply stated, the Earth's gravitational field strength acting on your airplane is directly proportional to the amount of attraction that you have for your plane. So, if you hate your plane, it will float!

TX

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

We have a guy here similar to yourself. He never mastered a trainer and has taken shortcuts for the last 3 years. he is now flying one of those Texas Tornados. He has owned 23 120 size planes in the last 3 years plus countless 40 size in between. The man is impatient and does not take advice and purchases second hand or second rate crap. If this is you then your LHS should at least give you a free tee shirt. If you work on your plane more at the field then at home, you are a person people should stay way from. :stupid:

Joe B.

My Feedback: (1)

No, I bring my plane home to work on it. I would use the word "mastered" very lightly but I definately outgrew my trainer and a few other planes inbetween. Although this is my second 'hot dog' plane, it's also my second Cap. My first one was a dream to fly, this one scares the heck outta me. Ohh well, I'm going to go tomorrow and see if I can break it again. As far as having a 'beater' plane, my Zagi is definately that. I've been flying that for a year now. It's a great fly anywhere type plane. I fly it in my neighborhood because it's basically a fast nerf ball. I dont worry about crashing it (and have quite a bit!). I also agree with your theory. I would take the Zagi to the field for the first flight of the day to warm my fingers up and get me in the right frame of mind for flying. I'm going to ask for a R114 for christmas.

Speaking of the "SGR" theory, I would say that has some truth. After my instructor told me that my Cessna 182 I built was not the best to learn on I bought a second hand LT-40. The color scheme sucked, it was yellow, white, silver and orange in no meaningfull patter and was a real eyesore. I remember telling my instructor I hope I crashed it because then I could at least recover the thing (I hate to cover but that would force me to). He chuckled but you know what? It's still in my garage and it's still yellow, white, orange and silver. Maybe I should put my one and only Futaba receiver in it and start all over again

- Joe

trailingedge

My Feedback: (1)

You wouldln't be quick to stereo type someone would you cyclic? It's likely you've never met him. I know I haven't. How about a little benifit of the doubt here. Joe here's the best advice I can give you. Put the Cap in the hangar. Don't sell it. Just let it stay for a few. Buy yourself a good cheap funfly plane and fly the crap out of it. If you crash it, get another one. If you crash that one, then start looking at the pilot/mechanic for answers. I bought a super sportster from a friend for a "throw it in the truck and fly" plane. I don't care if I crash it and that's why I've had so dogone much fun with this plane. Insane amounts of wind, really really hot landings...you know the stuff. Then next summer, get it out and make it flight worthy and walk away from it for a day. Come back to it the next day and check it over from the ground up. Then fly the next day. That should get rid of your gremlins. If you crash it after all that, then make sure it is at full throttle and is totaled because it was not meant to be yours. Hope this helps if not hope it's fun trying.

bear750

My Feedback: (30)

Four words - Tower Hobbies Uproar .40

Like TE said, you should probably hangar that rascal for the time being. I still have my LT40 from years back, and still fly it on occasion. Yeah, it's slow and boring, but it's predictable and a good way to get your CONFIDENCE back.

Don't give up, just change gears for a while.

D

Joe B.

My Feedback: (1)

Good news fellas. Took her out today and let one of the club instructors who flys these type of planes take her out. He didn't see any band habbits but recomended removing much throw from the elevator, which I did and removing some upthrust, which I also did. A little while later I was off to three beautiful (but not pucker free) flights. I have no problems with it in the air, well, let me rephrase that. I fly high and have probably 5 mistakes before I hit the ground and that's generally enough to keep my planes safe. The first two landings were so graceful I almost couldn't beleive it (yes, I knew they were luck but dont think I didn't take credit for them!) and the third landing although smooth took about 200 feet of the runway to get it down (balooned a little).

Hopefully next weekend will be just as good.

ben flyn

Great job Joe! Doesn't it feel good??? Just keep at it.

AJF--2

My Feedback: (119)

Like I said--"It's all in the mind" Five more good flights and you will be doing inverted passes only 2 mistakes high. :>)

Billy Hell

My Feedback: (2)

FMS or Reaflight might help you take out some of the pucker factor.

DLT

My Feedback: (48)

There's an old Chinese proverb that goes like this...."Never trust a man with an attic full of crashed planes"

bear750

My Feedback: (30)

Yeah, and if I flew Chinese planes, I'd have an attic full of crashed planes, too!!

Low Wing

My Feedback: (1)

Joe B...that's great news...Hey man' don't forget, your not flying a baby plane like Hardover...A cap 231 is a hand full...They snap pretty bad...Sounds to me like your dialing it in...

Billy Hell

My Feedback: (2)

Low WIng= did you get that Irvine back? If so how is it doing?
Billy Hell!

tinman

My Feedback: (13)

and here we have Joe B. wonderin bout his current streak....sry to hear bout it Joe but yes it must be ...THEM




-> Joe B.

Low Wing

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah Billy' I flew it today...I try-ed to get the ultra thrust in the program only to find out (after buying a spacer and cutting my cowl) that they never drilled out the *** for back pressure...Anyway' I threw the stock pipe back on and flew it that way...Brice got a flight in as well...I'll call the boys a precision to clear up this matter Monday...How's the bi-plane world...

rockmon

You gotta take a cheap ugly funfly with and fly the heck out of that then switch to your 1/4 scale. I always take two or three planes with to fly,sometimes it's the fear of only getting one flight in that will ruin you for the day. I'm not sure why that is but sure enough if your nervouse anyway and only have one plane you WILL smuck it on the first flight of the day it must be some kind of law or something. It could be your not ready to fly the cap yet, I'm not trying to diss you but it happens and it doesn't matter how much you have flown or for how long you have been flying maybe you should fly your small cap for a while longer and then get the big boy out. Just a thought.