stevekott

We do this Hobby for fun right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnRB...G48CKqKa4t_CMQ

And I know this happens to everybody at one time or another.

And very few sane people would put $8500 worth of jet at risk like we do. So are we insane?

I guess we all know the answer . I went through the 5 stages of grief already and I'm into acceptance.

I'm looking at it like I cleared out space in the workshop so I can build another one.

... and any landing you walk away from is a good one ... right?

melvin

My Feedback: (3)

Hate To see this !! What happened?

stevekott

The plane was flying so good. I had vectored thrust and was doing flat spins to the right and then to the left. I went into it after my first circuit after I was still full of fuel and very heavy. I broke the spin put the nose straight down with full power to pick up speed but when I pulled back It was still too slow to fly out of it so I had to stick the nose down again to pick up more speed. I was flying again and pulling out of it but I was too low at that point.

It was just a dumb mistake. I pushed it too far and paid the price. I ran out of skill.

GSR

My Feedback: (145)

Every one on this board knows unless they are delusional Scott

Stevojet

My Feedback: (1)

My 7500.00 dollar crash, no fire but a total loss, was the result of a loose servo arm screw. I had replaced a faulty aileron servo on a brand new sport jet and forgotten to finish securing the screw. On the third lap all hell breaks loose with flutter and the jet goes straight in at full throttle. A spectacular crash. It was a beautiful Ultimatun by Jets Models Factory in Spain. Already building another. What can you do? I don't think I will miss a loose servo screw again



.

PaulD

My Feedback: (39)

I will NEVER forget that smell.

Same for me, stalled, recovered with the nose pointed straight down - throttled up and tried to fly out of it. Total loss of a Skymaster Viperjet with 10 flights.

Moved on but did not replace the Viperjet.

sorry dude.

PaulD

DiscoWings

My Feedback: (76)

Balls... you have them.

90% of the people would have made some BS story about ohh radio went out, or some other sob story. Rarely people say it as it is.

I say pick yourself up, take a small break, and get back in. Yes it sucks when jets go in, bummer that looked like a twin too!

olnico

Sorry for the loss Steve.
I've lost a couple of jet models in 3D maneuvers due to engine problems. Same result in the end. I know the feeling...

bri6672

My Feedback: (6)

Man Steve, bummer to hear about this, I'm sure the next one will be even better and now you know the limits!

Brian

dubd

Well, we know my story. Lol $20,000 in debris. The SM Mig-29 is an awesome plane, but really needs a 200n engine to be flown with any type of authority and that's without thrust vectoring. Which engine did you have in it? Sorry for the loss. It sucks. Steve, you have a good attitude and I'm sure you'll bounce back soon.

madmodelman

Sorry to hear this Steve but it happens to all of us as you say at some stage. In 2013 I lost two jets in two weeks, genuine Tx failure.
My phylosophy is that it could have been full size and I could have been in it, but I'm still walking around healthy.
It hurts but worse things happen in life!
The good thing is that you know the cause, there is nothing worse than not knowing what actually caused a shunt, my Tx never got near a jet again but has been working fine after an rf board replacement, I now fly Jeti.
Gary.

lookilook

Well yes, once in this hobby you are destined to have a loss at some point either to pilot error or radio or whatever reason.
When i returned back home with a really sad face cause my F18 crashed during a landing procedure my wife told me ...'' Don't be sad darling, you can get another one with 600euros can't you? Unless you were lying to me about the price!! I said..'' yes,yes , but i may get the newest model maybe around 1000euros in a couple of months.....later on i pressed the enter!!

Ceeray

Sounds like me quoting the plane prices "forgetting" to include the engine etc.. makes life easier to bear..

extra 300

My Feedback: (3)

December 31st, 2005... First turbine plane (SM F-15), first flight.... 2 minutes in the air, plane caught fire and went down, total loss (looked exactly as yours... Sorry for your loss).
Lack of experience despite being in the RC hobby for the past 24 years (which counts for almost nothing when it comes to turbines....)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQVRpZAGxWk

I've learned a lot since... but still this does not prevent the inevitable!!!!
Expensive hobby indeed but unique....

essyou35

My Feedback: (11)

Got one ready to go if interested.
No flights yet.

Len Todd

I put two giant scale gassers in before it dawned on me that there is a reason to stay at least two mistakes high. Consequently, three mistakes high is my rule of thumb for turbines. One of my fatal crashes was a blender that ended inches from the ground only to find a huge tree branch on the exit. The other was a knife edge with a roll back to the knife edge on the end. As I was admiring how nicely it all went, I forgot to put the rudder back in. That would have been O.K. except the whole maneuver was only about 10' above ground on the asphalt runway. First time I ever had one cartwheel on me.

On the good side for you: At least you didn't have to spend a lot of time looking for the parts, except maybe the LiPo which probably burned itself into the bottom of the ashes. Last year we spent a good 30 minutes looking for a turbine that went hundreds of feet beyond the crash site. Oh, ... My condolences to the pilot's family and his close friends. We did an Angel Flight for one of our jet pilots last year. His Turbinator disintegrated mid-air and the pilot was a few hundred feet away from the turbine's point of impact. The plane itself was scattered over a half-mile downwind as it took a couple minutes for all the debris to float to the ground.

Why do we do it? We are all risk-takers, and we love to defy the potential consequences! Unfortunately, ... The odds sometimes work against us!

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

Just part of the hobby, been there done that.

Jack Diaz

My Feedback: (1)

Steve, sometimes "idle" instead of "full power" helps spin recovery.

Hate to see those pictures !!!!

Jack

f16man

I totally respect the guts and glory you guys earn from flying jet aircraft like a extra 300,,,,, talk about balls, holy moly!!!!!

AndyAndrews

Sorry for your loss man. I've been there. Very nice bird too. Someone mentioned you had vid of the spin? Mind sharing since we all know the story anyway? Thanks, Andy

stevekott

Thanks guys for all the condolences. It does soften the blow a lot to know most of you have been through something as bad or much worse!


One of the things that draws me to this jet hobby is hanging with all you great guys with great attitudes not just about the hobby but about life.


A few years back I had a buddy at the field who lost his 30% Beauty into a tree. Probably $5000 but it was $5000 he couldn't afford to lose. He got so angry when it happened he threw his transmitter into the asphalt turned bright red, started swearing nonstop for a good 10 minutes. I had rarely seen anyone so upset. I swore to myself that day that I would never be that guy!


This was my first fireball but not my first crash by any means.


The most painful for me was a Byron F-16 I built in my 20's back in the days of hours and hours of building, sanding and painting. I was making $180/week and I had close to a month's income wrapped into it plus probably 80 hours of build time. That one hurt.


Lookilook, I love the story about your wife thinking it was a 600 Euro crash!


In a world where we have all grown up and spent small fortunes on Houses, Re-Models, Cars, Wife's Cars, Kid's Cars, College Educations what we have spent on our hobbies is in comparison pocket change.


So I think I will just lie to myself!! I will just take the real cost of Modeling and divide by 10! $850 crash .. not so bad .. I feel better already!

f16man

Ah yes the Byron f16 a very good flying bird, not super fast but not bad for ducted fan , it was a little scary watching a 1000.00 flying around..

stevekott

PaulD: Yes the smell is unforgetable, put this one in the trash ASAP not a single item was salvaged.


Disco: Thanks for that. I'm dusted off, New one on order. It was a single but it had become my favorite jet in just 8 flights.


Thanks Oli, Brian, Gary, Dantly


Ceeray: Good Advice!


extra 300: Sorry for you loss but GREAT Video!! Rarely does it happen IN the air.


essyou35: I'd buy it if I hadn't already ordered one. You sould keep it and fly it! Should fly great on a K-180 Great flying airplane!


dubD: It had a P-200 on board. The plane had plenty of authority ... the pilot did not!


Thanks, Flycatch, Jack, Len and f16man


Andy, I wish I had the spin on video. What you saw was all I had.

stevegauth30

Man, sorry to see. Im not a jet flier, but lost a few high dollar planes, ( High dollar for me anyway) . You seemed to take it like a champ, which is better than most can say. Sorry again.

dubd

Steve, mine had a P-200 as well. Very nice combo.