meaden

I think some of us have done...something like this.

I had some time this afternoon so I went out to the field. I figured it was a good chance to get my 4* engine tuned to the summer heat. So I fiddled with that for 1/2 hour or so thinking someone else would show up. Finally I decided I was flying. We all do it but we shouldn't...fly alone. When I do, I'm extremely careful starting up and getting in the air but you can't help but hotdog a bit with the sky all to yourself.

So I was flying lower than I should. Closer to the pits than I should. Low passes over the runway. Low loops, low slow rolls. Stall turns lower than I would have normally. Having a great time on my own! Such a great time, I wasn't paying attention and ran out of fuel.

Dead stick...no problem...I have the altitude. Nice flat turn back into the wind toward the runway, looking good...WIND GUST...It stalled 8ft off the ground and pancaked on the wheels. I thought it was fine till I got close.

This is the first one I'd call a crash in a long time. The wing is fine. It just cracked the fuse almost in half and took out the tail wheel.

NLAT

that sucks about the stall, but is an easy fix. check out my crashed pic on a new look for patty i had it back together in an hour good luck

flyX

The infamouse 4* crack

Yes , i love to have the sky all to myself
Did that on my contender. I looped so low, I invented the touch and go loop. I got away with it.
I was having so much fun..I got away with 3 flights.
On the last flight I was inverted a couple of feet of the deck. I thought I just rolled, I got away with that.
But I ran out of sky. By adding the roll it got too close to the trees.lol I pulled ..but I was still inverted.lol
It got barried so hard , the carb collasped and broke off of the engine.

On sunday everyone know i crashed thou...There was still little pieces of my contender spewed everywhere.
I tried to clean up and burned the evidence

dhal22

the 1st time i've ever seen our field empty i attempted to fly anyway. i knew better. my 22" prop sliced my arm up pretty good, starting a big glow engine singlehandedly isn't a good idea.

david

rcavi8or

i always leave the blanks in by the cockpit on a four star puts a lot of strength in the fuse...

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Long time ago, (16 years) I went to the field to fly durring the weekday, skipped school just to go fly,( I had a few to lose), was all alone for 3 flights and on my 4th flight I started the teedee .09, tuned the needle for max rpm, picked it up, looked at the streamer on the pole, just about to hand launch and the oil made the fuse slippery, the nose started to slide down, so I instantly go to grab the nose to catch it and caught the tip of a apc prop with my index finger,I'm guessing 20,00 rpm, my index finger looked like ground sausage, the worst part was the damn motor was still running and the only way I knew to stop it in a hurry was to stuff the nose in the ground. I was pissed and told myself that flying alone is just plain stupid and lonely. 10 stiches in the tip of my finger and the scars are still there to this day as a reminder to be safer and try not to fly alone.

Deadeye

If I had to wait for somebody to fly with, I would get about 2 hours of flight time a year.

jetfixr

My Feedback: (13)

I hear that. I fly alone probably 90% of the time. I prefer it most of the time.

ply2win

My Feedback: (3)

I couldn't agree more, I prefer flying by myself also.

I know when the field will usually be empty and those are the times I will go. However, I usually bring a family member along to hold the plane and to be there....just in case.

Ryan I.

My Feedback: (4)

Right or wrong, I flew alone pretty often when I was in college. I flew at a field that was open to any and all AMA members which made it pretty crowded some days. To get the most flying time in that I could I went early in the morning when nobody else was out. Luckily I never had any problems.