Hey guys! Sorry I've been MIA for a bit. Bad news first... Unfortunately my Phoenix Extra 330 bit the dust due to it's pilot exceeding HIS design paramaters . Our field is just a bit odd. For about 200 yards the length of the runway, we have trees about 150 yards out directly across and to the north. From about mid field all the way out to the west, it's wide open for nearly a mile. Anyway, as this plane was finally tweaked just the way I liked it, I started experimenting and got myself too far away, and behind said trees and lost orientation. Actually lost it for a whole day (after the crunch), but did locate it and rescue all but the tail section, so, a couple of servos gone to the RC gods. In actuality we were looking much to close. I actually, "almost" saved it. It was out further and oriented in the correct attitude (not the inverted one I "lost" it in), and it was up in a tree on the next rise.

The good news is I've bought another one, and will be diving back in real soon.

Let me tell you, I lucked out and the engine went between two major trunks, so no damage there. Altough the rest of the plane was toast, I was still impressed at how well it held up over all. This was a Italian ST90 at full throttle, and even though the nose section from the cowling forward was one piece, the firewall held up well, and even the wings, though broken at impact pints, still was quite sturdy.

This bird, isn't built quite as "cheaply" as I thought.

See you "up there" soon!