Hi Coolr
Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of radio modelling - in your next few years to come in this community, you will hear countless stories, some with happy endings, and some otherwise - but all good fun nonetheless. I must tell you here that I liked telling my story as much as many readers liked reading it. It took my mind off my stupid mistake - when you have been a modeller and flyer for twenty odd years, there is perhaps no reason for a demonstration of your stupidity. When the plane spiraled all the way to the top of the tree, my first reaction was a giant gigle, just before I burst into a full blown laughter - it indeed was funny - but then I got sad, and mad, - so it was about emotions - and as I travelled across the globe attending my year-end acedemic conferences, I would plop in the bed at the end of the day, laptop on my chest, going through this thread - and the laptop would bobble quite a few times.
To me getting the airplane back was hardly the point of the story - it was the learnings within the process, and I must confess, I have earned a new wisdom, and made many new friends.

I always greet newcomers to the world of flight with this barnstormer's prayer.

May the sky be always blue as you fly across it, and winds on your tail till you decide to land, and may the earth rise softly to meet you at your destination.

Sid