Redback

Yesterday (Weds) was a public holiday here in Oz, so a visit to the flying field was in order.
Weather was not bad, warm but not to hot and the wind, though quite strong, was straight down the strip

Had a couple of good flights with my old Ultra Sport, then decided it was time to give the SE some airtime. This one is new, having replaced my earlier one which collided with a planet, and is on about it’s 3rd outing.

As I taxi out I’m the only one flying, everyone else is on coffee break sitting around watching. I line up on the strip, nice straight run, clear the ground with wings level and a nice angle of climb. This is where things go wrong[]

Couple of feet off the ground the SE does the fastest roll I have ever seen, and piles into the ground. I walk over to the wreckage thinking things like ailerons reversed (hard to do on the SE) or interference. Couple of other guys walk over and one says that he thought he saw the wing come off before the crash.

Can’t be I think, I put a new elastic band on didn’t I? Well no, I didn’t!! I put a couple in the fuse before going to the field, though about it as I connected the aileron servos, but did not actually do it! I feel so dumb about this that I tell the other guys not to waste their time winding me up, I can’t feel any more stupid than I already do[:@]

The good news is that despite the crash looking pretty spectacular the damage is not too bad. Firewall ripped out (already fixed), some damage around the wing seating that will need some strengthening, and minor damage to the wing that stuck around to participate in the crash. The SE will live again!

twistr

My Feedback: (4)

how bout some pix? I'm about to put together a SE this weekend new out of the box. Any tips?

CP140

I saw a wing come off a SE once about 200 feet up...nice easy takeoff, couple of gentle turns then the wing let go... the other wing turned 90 degrees to the fuse, which was now pointed straight down. The remaining wing started whirling the fuse around like a giant sycamore seed... it took forever for it to fall...the pilot had enough time to go through the process of moving every control in each direction to see if had any effect, throttle up, throttle down...nothing changed the whirling. He then shut the engine down and we watched it fall into the brush...the wing which had fallen off and was now flying solo landed on the road well before the rest hit. The only damage(apart from the ego) was an inch long tear in the covering near the tail. It was without a doubt the coolest crash I'd ever seen!

He too had neglected the rubber band!

Edit:Correct spelling mistrake.

Redback

Sorry, no pix, I’m working away from home and don’t have the camera with me (planes yes, camera no). Even if I did the damage isn’t enough to win any rekitting prizes. Catching the roll on video would have been something though!

As far as tips are concerned, definitely, definitely do not forget the rubber band! Apart from this there are heaps of posts with stuff about the SE. Bottom line is that it builds easy and flies well. Be warned however that you run the risk of becoming another serial SE builder. It’s not a plane you just fly circuits with, and if you break it you just have to have another!


Terry

aerobatixkid

This is why I used 4 hour epoxy and glued mine to the fuse.

Redback

Took the repaired SE out on Saturday.

I can now confirm that this model definitely flies better with a wing on each side of the fuselage.

Just for luck I took out my Magic Extra which also had been in for repairs, for reasons I am not prepared to discuss (especially after the blunder with the SE).

Two successful semi-maiden flights, and another perfect flying day, light winds & sunshine & not too hot.


Terry

twistr

My Feedback: (4)

Got my SE finished yesterday. Decided that I'm going to use zip ties to hold my wing together. I actually thought of it and when meeting a new pilot in a nearby town last weekend, he had one and uses zip ties too, so I know it's a successfull way to hold the wings on. Cut them loose when you're done and it's ready to pack up.

BadAtti2de

I have had the same zips on mine for over a year and they are still holding on. But now that I have said this out lud, they are getting changed next flight.

conradj87

My Feedback: (1)

Sorry about the crash, glad to hear its back up again.
I just maidened my SE yesterday, it was awesome. Definetly a keeper.
The throws were a bit high, but still flyable, good luck with the build.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

I don't know how many times mine has been crashed. A friend gave it to me after he was tired of crashing it. I repaired it and had a midair with another repaired SE. I had watched that one take a nose dive at full throttle from about 100'. There was no nose left, but the guy repaired it only to midair with me. Both planes were repaired and flew a lot. I stalled mine turning to final as the light was getting really dim one evening. I hit the main gear so hard that it twisted and didn't break the nylon bolts. The gear was twisted so bad that it wouldn't roll without nosing over. I tried to twist it back out, but has anyone tried to twist an aluminum main gear? Can't really be done. The rudder crunched. Repaired that. My friends SE is now probably history. He may have gotten it down from the tree that he hit at full speed with an OS 50 on Sunday, but it was still in the tree when he called me Sun night. He said the engine and gas tank flew about 300' from the tree, and one wing landed in a pond. Mine is still flying great and I believe that it has around 20 lives, or something like that.