Life’s hard lessons…. I believe I directly took accountability for poor judgment that caused the loss of an old friend (33% H9-Cap). Not engine response, Not servo failure, not someone else radio interfering with mine, not some strange set of confluences that focused the power of the universe unexplainably on my plane’s destruction, just me and a moment of poor judgment. An approach I have made several hundred times successfully in the past from the same direction and under the same low lighting conditions.
I thought I would take the high road and walk away with a (somewhat expensive) hard lesson from all this regarding my flight planning and thinking through my actions more carefully in the future. However as this string has not taken on a life of it’s own I see something else in all this good fun.
First I would invite you to go back and read the entire string. What had started as one individuals desire to self promote them self’s by eulogizing this mishap as an opportunity to post his latest torque rolling picture showing his prowess at 3D. This string now has become a vehicle to further elevate others self-image by pointing out what I have already painfully admitted, I made a mistake a moment of poor judgment (as stated in my posting to the string).
This is not the first time and I don’t think it will be my last mistake. How many other ways can it be said? Let’s see, may be I could post a photo showing how far the trees are from the end of the runway and try to even further humiliate my self? No, Michael Mluvara has already done that for me. I wonder what his point was? Lets see, did I say the trees were close to the runway, no? Did I say the lay out of the field was so poorly contrived that this caused me to crash into the trees, No. But does Michael feel better showing everyone how stupid I was for being out so far, (as you can now clearly see in the picture) I suppose he does or he wouldn’t have gone through such trouble (I know your are very busy Michael thanks for taking the time). You know what they say; a picture is worth a thousand words. Having read Michaels editorials in our newsletter over the past year, we should all be thankful that Michael chose instead to use a picture to make his point. Maybe if I shared with you the other events of this day and other unrelated mishaps that might show further my poor judgment? No, Joe Hunt has already pointed that out to you for me. But what would be the point in doing that, didn’t I already make it clear that I used poor judgment and decision-making process. As you can see, the task of reporting these clearly idiotic and somewhat embarrassing events to you have been taken on by my friends (or more accurately, my fellow field rats). What would we do with out friends to help show us the way? Now does this surprise you that my friends and fellow field rates would attempt to further humiliate me? No, I know they are just trying to help me by applying their superior deductive reasoning in order that I might see the error of my ways (from all possible angles). It is not what you think? They are not just trying to elevate them self’s by implying they posses superior skill sets? I know personally that nether of these Ace’s have ever crashed a plane. Some would imply that it might be their frail nature or poor character that would have them ditch others as some sort of twisted hummer or self-help therapy. But then this would be an elementary and unjust generalization.
What I am surprised by are the apparently very secure individuals that chose to share their sympathy to the circumstances by telling me (and you) their own recent laps of judgment and or loss of a favorite plane, Thanks for making the effort, (JMBoss, Robert, Timbersnake, Gordon Mc, FilipM) to me you are men among boys, you showed me and others real class, thank you. To my fellow field rates, get a life

Chris -

There was no attempt at me to discredit anyone's aiblities, etc. There is a longstanding joke at our field about the "nasty" trees (I have been a member since 1986 and seen a LOT of planes hit them). I meant no harm to you or anyone else. I had come across that picture last week and thought it was a neat perspective of the field and sometimes people don't realize how far their planes are actually flying out at any field. I like to show the R/C community that planes are farther out than you think.

Chris, I'd like to chat with you. I called and received your answeing machine. Please call me if you feel there is something I am doing to put others down or comment on their lack of abilities. That is not my intent in any way and I am sorry that you feel I am commenting on you specifically.

Michael
408-292-1212

Hey Chris,

Sorry to see that you're feeling picked on. My impression was that the comments were intended as good natured banter... but there again maybe there's some history here that I'm missing, and I'm way off bat.

Anyway, regarding your openness about the cause of the crash being pilot error - I salute you for that, for I know how easy it would have been for you to claim some mysterious mechanical or radio problem etc.

Speaking of which .... huge kudos to SCCMAS member Filip. Dunno if you heard, but he sold his nice little Avistar, radio & engine complete to some young kid for $100. Then, when he went to help the kid fly the Avistar, he experienced a moment of brain asphyxiation (he'd been sitting on it shortly beforehand! ;-), and stuffed the aircraft.

Not only did he immediately fess up to his mistake (rather than claiming some made-up external cause as I've seen so many folk do), but he promptly bought the kid a brand new plane - which cost way more than the $100 he'd sold the whole package for earlier ! (It would have been way cheaper refund the $100 to the kid and take back the radio etc. back.). The combination of being honest & being nice to that kid put Filip in the hole financially, but buys him enormous credit amongst his clubmembers (not that I'd admit that to his face tho - he might get big-headed, and we can't have these young whippersnappers thinking that us old farts actually admire them!).

Anyway, now that I've finished boring you with that story... I hope you get your replacement Cap airborne pretty soon.

Regs,
Gordon

And you think we admire you all!! Just messing, you're all great......really, you are.
Robert.

Gordon,
Yea, I think your right, it was the picture. that made me think it was going to go on for ever. I know Joe means well.... You are right about Filip. I heard about that last week. The Kid lives next to door to Joe (forgot his name). Filip learned and taught us a few good lessons on that one. The really cool thing was that the kid was not upset at all because of how well Filip handled the hole thing. thanks, Chris