thailazer

I got back into RC flying back in 2008 after a decade hiatus by buying a Tower Hobbies Trainer 40. Except for a ten month break when we were building our house, the plane has flown every week for those five years. Today, I was flying for the last time before heading back to the USA to work and had a rudder clevis pin break off. I was wondering why the hammer heads weren't happening with the 82 inch wing I have built for the plane, and noticed the rudder surface fluttering hard as I did a low pass. We replaced the clevis and kept flying. Later in the flight when my stepson was flying, he ended up in a spiral that I had to grab the transmitter for, and barely recovered. Back on the ground, we find that my two year old Futaba 6EX aileron stick pot is not working with right stick from 0-60% of travel. You move the stick and nothing happens until the aileron moves suddenly to the correct position. My last 6EX transmitter had the same problem on the elevator stick after three years of flying so that must be a common wear out mechanism for that lower end transmitter.

I didn't like the look of the ARF clevises when I put the trainer together and put in Dubro clevis hardware on the ailerons, elevator, and throttle. Used the original hardware for the rudder only. Glad I did that as a rudder failure is easily recoverable.

Here are a couple of photos. The tire rim burst about three years ago when I used to do a lot of touch and goes on a paved runway. All in all, I can't complain about the return on the investment. Not a lot of money but a lot of flying in those five years. The OS 25AX is stronger today than when it was new. It does look like I'm due for a radio upgrade however!

karolh

Sure sounds like you have been getting your money's worth of enjoyment out of both the model your and radios

foodstick

hahahahah, Man you are literally wearing that thing out !

You probably have worn props down from a 13-8 to a 8-4 a few times !!

Keep having fun

turbo.gst

My Feedback: (8)

I have a few planes that are upwards of 25 years old. I learned that you have to add to your inspection list to keep them airworthy. Consider yourself lucky to have one last long enough to wear out.

karolh

I too have a couple in the 20 year old bracket and upon a recent inspection I found that the nylon snap links on both the elevator and rudder push rods had gotten so brittle that they just snapped in my hand. That prompted me to do a complete replacement exercise and fitted all push rods with Du Bro safe-lock kwik links.

skylark-flier

Yeah, it happens to all of them eventually. My own Sr. Falcon got a complete make-over in 2003 - all new radio, control rods and fittings, reglue of several wing ribs, new engine, tank, covering. Can't complain though, it was built in 1974 and has been flying ever since. Finally replaced the original wheels 3 weeks ago - the Dubros were originally rounded with a treaded surface but the mains had worn down to a totally flat and smooth surface. For some crazy reason, back in 1974 I'd bought 2 complete sets of wheels for her - she now sports #2.

Pic of her as she is now (green &white) and as she was in 1974 (red/white/blue).

Hey!Whatever it takes! Gotta keep 'em in the air one way or another.

Dave

JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

Everything wears out. I have had metal pushrods fatigue and break at the threads.

jaka

Hi!
I most of the time use Du-Bro black plastic snap-keepers.

maukaonyx

Congrats on wearing planes out like that! It's a GOOD thing! I like doing that to every plane if possible. One thing I try to do is keep close watch on the linkages and servos. I have a 20 year old Ultimate that I replaced servos on a few years back just for the sake of doing it. Nothing was failing, but I love the old plane and want to keep it flying. I've had wheel hubs break like yours did, just flying off grass. Sometimes the hinges break and I replace all in that surface during the repair. Tail wheels seem to fatigue out after years too, so they get replaced when they break. Of course batteries get replaced...that reminds me I should replace mine before something bad happens! Jon

Charlie P.

That's why you do pre-flights.  Gear wear out.

thailazer

Blew out another hub tonight on a "bump-and-go" as my daughter used to call my full scale touch-and-go's. As I was watching the tire itself slide around on the gear leg, I managed to run out of fuel! I was very surprised how that little bit of hub rolled out on the gravel runway. No issues at all but it wouldn't taxi!