Mack66
Posts: 933
Score: 100
Joined: 2/10/2009
Last Login: 5/2/2013
From: Cypress,
TX, USA
Status: offline
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Looks pretty quiet in here! I've been kinda busy around here doing mostly family oriented things like helping to move our kids to their new house. Still, actually got some activity and flying in, although this month the winds have been howling around here. Last couple of days, the winds died off only to be replaced with temps in the 90-100 degF range.
I know y'all have been waiting for it, so here's the latest installment of the:
Rat Club Chronicles
Well, here's the deal. Between high winds, heat, various committments, I can't say I've seen much out at Read Memorial Flying [image][/image]Field. Still, there was some action.
Let's start with a pleasant weekday with Ronnie, Greg, and I. Ronnie innocently takes his Hirobo SDX out and takes it through some routine maneuvers. I should have known better, but turned my head away to do something only to hear that telltale sound of a nitro heli in deep trouble. Turned just in time to see Ronnie's aircraft hitting the ground...no, SMACKING the ground directly on the windshield. Now, if you haven't looked, the windshield is directly above most if not all of the electronics, including servos. Long story short all servo gears stripped, receiver was toast, governor gone. Interestingly, the airframe was okay along with the tail boom. Of course the mainblades were also history. We have pictures of the SDX as it was being placed in ICU status.
Enough of that. Fast forward to the NWRC Club Fun Fly on Saturday. And what am I doing? Suddenly ended up with my six year-old grandson, Lukas. So I took him out to the Fun Fly. All the usual culprits were out there. Belinda talked Lukas and I into a breakfast taco. Lukas ate a bit of it and handed it to me to finish it off. He eyed the packages of cookies, but they weren't open yet so managed to steer him clear of that. Lukas was pretty excited about all the planks sitting around, so I was concerned. Then Sean and his dad George showed up with their helicopters and a foamie jet. Again I was concerned about Sean heading off to fixed wing aircraft. Hmmmm.
Everyone was flying and being-have. Stuart started up the BBQ, taking out a hornet's nest that had taken residence in the process. Awesome. What a brave President we have! Lukas decided he wanted a hot dog. So we gave him one, only to find out that one side was blackened. Well, Lukas didn't like that, so I chewed off the offending charred dog and handed it back to him. Ultimately, Lukas decided he didn't want it so I ate that too. The cookies were open by then, so you guessed it, the lad grabbed one and was finally happy to have a nutritious snack.
All through this excitement, a crew was driving a pickup truck around in the tall grass looking for what I thought they said was a cow. Turns out it was a cowl. No wonder they were having trouble finding it. I figured a cow should be pretty easy to spot.
By this time Lukas attention span was shot so had to leave. I understand Sean augured in his foamie jet into the dirt due to loss of battery power. Tsk tsk. Pilot error. Failure to check for adequate power. Guess he'll have to stick to helicopters. Good.
The following weekend found us out there on Sunday enjoying the cloying heat and wind. Ronnie, now down to one backup helicopter decided in his infinite wisdom to concentrate on nose-in hovering, employing the ever-popular training gear (two sticks criss-crossed with wiffle balls on the ends, for you plank fliers). All was going well until we stopped watching him. Why is it always when we're not looking? Yup, he lost it and had a tail strike and that was it. He is now without any means of RC flight until he gets things fixed. Unless of course he wants to borrow my Sceadu. But then he could end up fixing three helicopters!
Now understand that I'm getting old and forgetful, but somewhere during all these days, we were out there with Stuart and Logan. It was a pleasant weekend day. Saturday, I think. Stuart had been flying his Sebart Wind 50e pattern plane (60 inch wing span). Now that sweet plane could fly! Fast and great maneuverability, lemme tell ya. He has a long story about how he came to acquire this pricy little number, so I'll let you ask him about that. But, once again I took my eyes off the field to tend to my aircraft when I hear a heart-rendering CRUNCH. Stuart had managed to fly the thing off into the woods into a tree on the North boundary. Oh the sound it made. Emergency crew consisting of Fred, Logan and Stuart headed off into the trees, fire extinguisher in hand. But to no avail, the aircraft was totalled. Clearly pilot error. Actually, Stuart has no idea. He says he lost control/communication with the aircraft. I think this was the same excuse he used when flying Wally's C-17, if I'm not mistaken.
Other than that, everyone has been pretty much well-behaved.
And another bright spot, Matt has acquired an e-Flite Mcpx and is successfully hovering. Welcome to the dark side, Matt.[image][/image]
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All Forums >> RC Helicopters >> RC Helicopter Beginners Forum >> RE: Heli stuff and fellowship 
RE: Heli stuff and fellowship - 
First one was a Hirobo Sceadu Shuttle (.50 I think?) that our pres recently picked up on craigslist and got flying. Felt pretty tame, very settled for flying big but didn't seem to have the power for tight 3D maneuvers. Unfortunately that one ended up crashing hard a few minutes after I handed the TX back over. I suggested he come backwards down the flightline to check his tail after a gyro adjustment, coming out of it the wind got it and pushed it back overhead and it got away from him a little. He leveled out and gave it collective but the blades bogged and couldn't stop the descent. The thing hit hard about 3 feet in front of us and bounced about 2 feet straight up after impact. It was the first real heli crash I've seen in person and it was pretty intense! The damage actually was surprisingly mild as we looked over it. Since it came down on the skids the blades were fine, 
