Hey everyone. I normally don't post much in the beginner forum due to the wealth of info already available, but I decided to share an experience with some of the new guys. About a year ago I got a Tower Hobbies Trainer .40 Size. My son is getting older and I wanted to have something to fly with him and for my friends that are non flyers to use on a buddy box. After getting it I realized that flying a trainer can be fun! It is almost always with me when i go to the field along with my GP Reactor. I have modified it quite a bit from stock adding heavier gear, quick discoonect bomb-bay system and larger throws for all surfaces. It has been a very reliable addition to my hangar and is a very tough airframe.

My experience today though was very good reminder why I am always so careful checking my planes over before and after flying. I took the Trainer and reactor out to the field today for me and my son to fly. Now to be fair I fly my trainer far harder than it was ever designed for so some of the wear and tear I get is fairly extreme. We put 4-5 flight on both planes then decided to pack it up and head home. While pulling the wing rubber bands off I was holding the plane by the nose and i noticed the firewall moving in my hand. The glue had worked loose and the engine was able to move about 1/8" forward and back. Ok, no big deal. i loaded up and headed home. When i get home I like to clean and give my planes a once over. When I picked up the fues of my trainer I heard something rattle around in the tail. I tipped it up and gave it a shake and out dropped one of the quick link connector that hold my pushrods onto the servos. Check out the pic. That would have been easy to miss and could have been a major disaster next time out. Once I started cleaning I found a broken glue joint on the vertical stab as well. Add it to the list.

The moral of the story? It is very easy to forget that the planes we enjoy so much are far from cheap toys. Most gas and glow powered planes are large and powerful. They can be dangerous to spectaters and nearby homes. Make sure to take the time to always give your plane a good once over before and after each day of flying to find the small things that could cause the loss of your aircraft. Or worse hurt someone.

As always remember to have fun!