If You See Someone Going In
08-06-2007, 06:20 PM
#27
RE: If You See Someone Going In
Our field has trees and thick vegetation including lots of briar patches and finding a model can be tough. A search party is soon out of sight of any possible spotter on the field so another method is needed. One that I've used with success is a gps. If requires noting the point where the plane went down as well as making a waypoint for the position at the flying field for which the observation was taken. After walking a hundred yards toward the point the plane went down, read the course before stopping. Now press goto the stored waypoint for the starting position and search a path of the reciprocal of the course.
For example, if a course of 30 degrees is noted while walking towards the downed plane, the plane will be found somewhere near 210 degrees displayed on the gps when it is set to goto the flying field waypoint. This helps the search party out of sight of the field stay near the line of the downed plane. The gps also tells the distance the search party is from the flying field.
I've used this technique to literally walk directly to a downed plane in thick woods a mile and half from the field.
Another help is to take the transmitter... move the sticks and listen. This has helped many times in locating a plane.
For example, if a course of 30 degrees is noted while walking towards the downed plane, the plane will be found somewhere near 210 degrees displayed on the gps when it is set to goto the flying field waypoint. This helps the search party out of sight of the field stay near the line of the downed plane. The gps also tells the distance the search party is from the flying field.
I've used this technique to literally walk directly to a downed plane in thick woods a mile and half from the field.
Another help is to take the transmitter... move the sticks and listen. This has helped many times in locating a plane.
08-11-2007, 05:22 AM
#28
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BraintreeEssex, UNITED KINGDOM
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RE: If You See Someone Going In
An alternative for a lost plane is to find is a RC pilot who flies full size.
Tell him the field you lost the plane in and when he is in the air he can spot it for you. A little money towards his fuel or a beer is normally appreciated.
Of course an RC aircraft with video capabillity could alos be used, just do not loose it!
Tell him the field you lost the plane in and when he is in the air he can spot it for you. A little money towards his fuel or a beer is normally appreciated.
Of course an RC aircraft with video capabillity could alos be used, just do not loose it!
10-16-2007, 06:57 PM
#29
Senior Member
RE: If You See Someone Going In
It has been a long stand rule in our club that when a member's plane is going in, or a part ot it, a yell alerts the others in the Pits, and all eyes train on the plane or part if it is visible. It is followed down to the point of losing visibility. Then the two farthest witnessed become our Guidons, keeping us lined up to the last spot seen between the two points of view. It most always results in a find.
On the subject of finding planes and parts in the crops I have another story on that subject. An old friend of mine owned a Crop Dusting business and I used to fly some of my RCs off his strip occasionally, with his blessing of course. One day I was flying out there while they were out were out spraying. I was getting hungry and I was fixing to land and go eat, plus I wanted to get put of their way when they returned to the strip for and reloading. I was making my turn onto final when my model's wing departed from the fuselage. The fuse headed down onto the Strip's grass overrun, and total destruction!. The wing fluttered down gently settling into chest high beans behind the Hangar. I attempted to walk out where I last saw it but sunk over my ankles in the muddy mess between the rows. So I sloshed out and went home. By the time I got home, I figured the planes were down and reloading, so I
called to ask my friend if on his first flight after lunch, he'd swing around and check the beans behind the hangar for the yellow wing of my model. He said he'd be glad to.
I just wanted him to spot it, and drop a Marker to show me where to go into the beans to get to it. Before I finished eating, he called back to tell me my wing was propped in the hangar. Another pilot had landed to visit just after I left. He was fixing to take off and had a radio in his plane, so my friend asked him to circle the hangar and call if he spotted the wing. My friend was on the Runway with his Handheld, as the pilot swung around after take off and spotted my wing right away. He told my friend to walk down the runway, and about 20 yards out he said "Stop! Now turn left and go into the rows in front of you and you'll see the wing." He waded into all that mud and brought my wing out for me. He said I'd find it propped in the hangar, but they had to get back to work. I went out and got my wing, built a new fuselage for it and am still flying the result. That was ten years ago. Duster Pilots! The best of the best in my opinion.
On the subject of finding planes and parts in the crops I have another story on that subject. An old friend of mine owned a Crop Dusting business and I used to fly some of my RCs off his strip occasionally, with his blessing of course. One day I was flying out there while they were out were out spraying. I was getting hungry and I was fixing to land and go eat, plus I wanted to get put of their way when they returned to the strip for and reloading. I was making my turn onto final when my model's wing departed from the fuselage. The fuse headed down onto the Strip's grass overrun, and total destruction!. The wing fluttered down gently settling into chest high beans behind the Hangar. I attempted to walk out where I last saw it but sunk over my ankles in the muddy mess between the rows. So I sloshed out and went home. By the time I got home, I figured the planes were down and reloading, so I
called to ask my friend if on his first flight after lunch, he'd swing around and check the beans behind the hangar for the yellow wing of my model. He said he'd be glad to.
I just wanted him to spot it, and drop a Marker to show me where to go into the beans to get to it. Before I finished eating, he called back to tell me my wing was propped in the hangar. Another pilot had landed to visit just after I left. He was fixing to take off and had a radio in his plane, so my friend asked him to circle the hangar and call if he spotted the wing. My friend was on the Runway with his Handheld, as the pilot swung around after take off and spotted my wing right away. He told my friend to walk down the runway, and about 20 yards out he said "Stop! Now turn left and go into the rows in front of you and you'll see the wing." He waded into all that mud and brought my wing out for me. He said I'd find it propped in the hangar, but they had to get back to work. I went out and got my wing, built a new fuselage for it and am still flying the result. That was ten years ago. Duster Pilots! The best of the best in my opinion.
