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Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

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Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

Old 05-26-2002, 07:44 AM
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mrbonk
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

Greetings,
This is one of those crashes that could so easily have been avoided

My student doesn't have his own frequency key yet, so we've been using mine. I would put the key in the board for my flight, then we'd change it over to his frequency on the board for his flight. Been working fine, until today I put the key in the board for my flight with my new Ultimate Bipe, went out and flew and came back to the pits. My student approached me and asked if we were going up and I said 'Yep, get her ready.' When I got done with my plane, I went over to his area and saw he had his radio on and was about to start the plane. I looked at the frequency board (from where I was standing) and there was a key in the board in my student's frequency, so I thought 'Right, he's swapped it over so off we go.' What I didn't realise is that someone *else* had put their *own* key in the board at that frequency and was messing about in the pits with their radio. I took off and lost control after about 5 seconds. The plane (a standard trike U/C, high wing trainer) went in almost vertically at full noise from maybe 50 feet. Buried the engine up to the muffler and smashed pretty much the whole front off the plane back to the leading edge of the wing As soon as it happened, I looked over to the pits and yelled out 'Is anyone on 050?', to which the other fellow yelled 'Yeah'. I asked my student if he checked the key in the board before we started, to which he replied 'No'.

DOH! My fault really, for not having walked the short distance to the frequency board and 'double checked' the key (or even asked my student if *he* checked it!!). The plane is repairable, but I still feel bad I honestly have no idea why I just assumed that the key in the board was ours! It's not something that I would normally do in a million years!

I should have stayed in bed this morning.......

MrBonk (who's about to start the repairs on his student's plane....)
Old 05-26-2002, 08:24 AM
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Cactus.
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

this is the part of training where the student learns to repair his plane lol
Old 05-26-2002, 08:55 AM
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mrbonk
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

Originally posted by phillybaby
this is the part of training where the student learns to repair his plane lol
If I didn't feel guilty about checking the frequency key, that's what I'd be saying to him too I *had* told him that he should check the frequency board *before* he turns his tranny on, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I didn't check it either.....after all, I'm supposed to be teaching the guy! One thing he did say though, is that after this, he'll never forget to check the board again At least some good may come from it.
Old 05-26-2002, 10:59 AM
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3DMike
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

Go the crusaders....I read this happening bout 6 months ago, and also It was another aussie. All I can say that at least its not the other away around, If the student turned his tranny on and shot down another flyer that would have given his confidence a big hit, at least he knows its not really his own doing. Guess we can all learn from this
Old 05-26-2002, 04:13 PM
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majortom-RCU
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

Reminding us once again that any of a thousand little errors can bring disaster. Along with Bill Clinton, I feel your pain.

"When you assume, you make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'." --quoth my sales manager many years ago
Old 05-26-2002, 06:36 PM
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

I have done the same thing but what happened to me is that we were doing a range check and it failed. Come to find out that someone else was preparing to take off.!

Hopefully your student is not blaming you.
Old 05-27-2002, 02:15 AM
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mrbonk
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

Originally posted by Geistware
I have done the same thing but what happened to me is that we were doing a range check and it failed. Come to find out that someone else was preparing to take off.!

Hopefully your student is not blaming you.
No....not at all....it's more like *me* blaming myself. Such a silly thing....I just hope it doesn't discourage him from wanting to continue.
Old 05-27-2002, 05:54 AM
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Raghfrost
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

u don have to feel bad man my fr oso crashed my plane 4 times in the process of teaching me
Old 05-27-2002, 06:01 AM
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mrbonk
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

Originally posted by Raghfrost
u don have to feel bad man my fr oso crashed my plane 4 times in the process of teaching me
Well, there you go......there's hope for me yet
Old 05-27-2002, 06:25 AM
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Raghfrost
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Default Bugger.....crashed my student's trainer today :(

well i they crash due to construction failure
Old 05-27-2002, 10:14 AM
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Default Pattern guy shot down by Pres!

Here's one for the books:
Years back, one of our clubs 'pattern' flyers got to the field
early on a sat morn to spin her up on the maiden.
No one but him and his cell phone for the possible emer.
While airborne on the flight, the club's president show'd up
with his son. The two of them fueled and got the trainer
on line - upon which immediately the Pattern cat's nice bird
bit the dust. (To the tune of 2 g's!)
When he turned to see who's there, he asked, "Are you
on channel 48?" The pres replied, 'yes'.
It turned out the pattern guy didn't pull up his freak key.
(Gads it was ALL his fault!)
But in reality this is a hobby, and a delightful one at that!
We are Americans! The most freedom blessed and fortunate
kings who ever drew a breath on this earth! It is my personal
consideration of the matter that when the pres attended the
freak board, seeing there was NO PIN up at all, the proper,
moral, considerate thing to do would have been to stroll
the 50 FEET over to the Pat cat and simply ask, "What
freq ya on buddy?" He did not do that nor say a single word
to the other flyer at the field that morning until the event.
He refused to replace the plane because the pin was missing
from the freak board, and in effect, rightly so.
(Rest assured the pat cat do pin all the time now....)
While my fingers are warmed up - Here's one that hap'd
to me in Jan last.
We had a nice afternoon on a warm January saturday.
I had my little new Pizzaz on the flight line and had one
flight in already. I was sitting with the guys chewing cud
for a while and a guy from the south came up and asked me
if I was a heli guy. (Someone directed him over to me.)
He told me he had a LMH with a Norvel .074 in her.
He couldn't get the engine started. I asked him of his experience
level after we shook hands. He had a Rappy 60 and a nexus 30
and flew in 'bama. He assured me he could fly the bird if
he could start the motor. I click the switch on my 12/24 start
batt and spooled him up! Engine on line...15 second warm up...
remove the glow batt...he spools the head right there in the pits!
I yelled, "hold it - Jon!" (Names changed to respect the innocent)
"We don't fly out of the pits dude." I said. "Go over to the heli
take off pad, 50 feet to the south please."
He complied and I waited on the bench for the impending crash.
(The guy seemed rather 'dumbo' to me - ya know?)
Now he's on the pad south and the head has her light on the
skids. At lift she spins wildly to the left. The Arlton Mech gyro
has NEVER been set and he 'don't got the book with...."
Back and forth for a hour from the pad to my starter he goes
and with absolutely no success. I got bored waiting and our clubs
expert in the LMH isn't available. (Without the instructions I
dropped out of even beginning to assist him with the Mech gyro!)
He's on the pad now for the tenth time. I decide the sun is setting
in an hour I'd like to get in a coupla flights. So I fuel up the
Pizzaz and at Radio on, notice the ele bouncing. I slapped on
the tuned rubber duck tx ant and the bouncing stopped.
I took the ant off and the bouncing continued. I off'd the gear
and returned to the bench to 'think'...
He was returning from the pad grumbling. Then it hit me!
"Hey Jon, what freq ya on bud?" I asked. He told me he didn't
know! There are 15 guys flying that afternoon with the warm
winter weather! I asked to see his TX. He was on my freq!
It turns out he never flew at an rc club, but on the dirt
behind his house in alabama. He never heard of the AMA,
and had never been told we have fifty frequencies and the
thing is we 'SHARE'....
He was in town as a swamp fitter on a job since apparently
'bama is out of work. (Sprinkler fitter to those not in the know)
I decided to send him home.
Now I the teacher, in effect, was wrong for not checking his
AMA certification and pinning him up in the first place! Right?
Well in summation, these two simple incidents have taught
me a lesson. I walk up to everyone I don't know now and
introduce myself. I ask for the certifications and ask of flight
experience and a few other important questions.
Hey we're out here at the field to have fun not to get bummed
out with crashes and the like.
I am sure with all these freq incidents that there will be more
wild things that occur. But I am doing all I can think of to
prevent them! Best of luck to all of you and have a great season!
Byron L. Head, Omaha, HP: http://www.members.cox.net/helihawks

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