I crashed. My second solo flight

My trainer is no more.

I took off, made two turns and was flying a long leg. Tried to get my sunglasses from my pocket and instantly knew this was a dumb thing to do. Decided to forget the glasses and just fly. Glasses got snagged on my finger so I quickly looked down to throw them on the ground. Looked up and looked at someone elses plane. Realised my mistake but it was too late.

Plane in a million pieces A valuable lesson learned.

I feel like crap I ruined my trainer. Engine seems ok. I washed it water and a toothbrush. Removed the carb but there is no mud in there.. cleaned it out with a cotton bud. Filled the engine full of after run oil and stored it.

Going to throw caution to the wind and buy that Flair Super Chipmunk I have had my eye on.

A review of the plane is at: [link=http://www.flyingsites.co.uk/reviews/flairchipmunk.htm]this web site[/link]

I know I was dumb. I paid for it with my plane.
photoniq

I feel for you....

You're standing at a very common crossroads. Many, many pilots have been here before you and many more will follow. Some turn away, some continue on, some were just lost to begin with.

You might not want a tail dragger for a second airplane, and if I may be so bold to make a suggestion, if you had a good hold on your trainer you're probablly ready for a World Models Super Sports 40. I've been gushing about mine for the past month. If you REALLY want a tail dragger there's a plane called the Intruder II, similar to the SS but it's a taildragger. Plus it's about $30 cheaper, and is still a well made plane. At least that's what I'm told.

Learn from your experience, and your trainer will have crashed for a good cause...

Andy

hey, i feel for you!
got pics of the damage?
i might want it!
unless it really is in a million pices, it that case forget it.
when i crashed my ripmax 40, ON THE 3RD FLIGHT, that was also in a million pices and my new irvine 40 had it!
but luckily a instructor sold me a kyosho trainer for £25 in OS 40FS, but i upgraded to Os 40LA

volkan it really was in lots of pieces mate. It's in the bin now covered in left overs from dinner

hmmmmmm.... the more I read this forum the more scared I am of getting the chipmunk and getting a super sportster instead.

P

well im getting a super air and hopefully a DJ3 at sandown.
but i guess you cant wait that long.
which club do you goto??
hard to find 1 around london

Did you say you cleaned the engine out wit wate?
I am no expert, but wouldn't that rust or corrode the bearings?
Please enlighten me,
Thanks

I'v cleaned my engines with water before, as long as you get all the water out and oil the bearings it should be fine, but i'v always run my engines after cleaning them with water to make sure it gets all the water out.

Not as long as you immediately dry it and oil it really well.

photoniq,
Glad to hear you've decided against the Chipmunk. If you only had two solo flights on your trainer, then you're not ready for one.

I'd even question whether or not the Sportster is a good idea yet. I had one as my second plane, but I also had at least 50 solo flights on my trainer before I got it. Any of the "second" planes are going to be faster and more agile than a trainer, AND they will not correct themselves if you let go of the sticks. They only go where you point them and you have to think ahead of the plane, not follow it.

I really don't know your level of skill though. I DO know that if you soloed you must have passed the "A" test, so you might be alright. Might be best to have an instructor take your second plane up for you, and stand with you while you get use to it.

Just don't want you to lose another one so soon! [&o]
Dennis-

DBCherry - I ALWAYS appreciate you taking the time to pass on advice My instructor reckons I'm ready for a low wing. However, I will definitely be getting experienced members to

a) fly the plane for me and trim it out
b) take off and land for me the first few times
c) stand with me while I fly

Volkan - I am with ERFC, Epsom Radio Flying Club. Where in London are you? We fly near Gatwick airport.

Cheers,
photoniq.

p.s. crashing your first plane is weird. First you are numb. Then you are sad in a shocked kind of way. Then you are happy thinking about your next plane. Then you feel sad again just when you thought you didn't care about that plane anyway ... oh well

i live in north london, very close to east finchley. i go to [link=http://www.watfordwayfarers.com]Watford Wayfarers[/link], it is in a farm near ST albans, the good thing is it is just £24 a year, but no services, not even a WC!

we have a WC at our club! It's called the edge of the field

I would say if you crashed on your 2nd solo flight, you need another high wing trainer...maybe a bigger one...if you get that chipmunk, it wont last 2 minutes,lol...

It is a great second plane but you may want to keep your trainer or another one for a while.

photoniq,
I'll defer to your instructor's opinion of your skill level, especially if there will be someone there for the first couple of flights.
Dennis-

Sorry to hear about your crash my friend. I hope you get back into the air soon! If we lived on the same side of the pond I'd loan you one.

photoniq
MAKE ONE OF THESE
saw 1 at my club today, (question: when i was coming back today, i saw a MAC next to the M25, i think junction 22-23, do you have any idea what is it??? i might jion its much closer than watford!)

My first trainer I totaled by flying through the trees! It kept going right. I was trying to trim it out. I kept straightening it out, then trim. The last time I tryed to trim it some more it did a circle and a half. The second circle ended when it went through the trees. (Note to self: Fly the plane, trim at altitude!) I went to pick up the pieces. Engine and electronics in good shape. The wing was in pieces starting about 3 inches on either side of the fuselage. But the rubber bands held the center section on! I had the LHS order an ARF version of my trainer and put the recovered engine and electronics on it. All the other pieces are in boxes. Maybe someday I will use them to build a new trainer for my kids. But I am glad I got another trainer. I had soloed the week before, and did not have much solo stick time on it. Now I am still flying the replacement trainer everytime I go to the field. I have an Ultra Stick 40, which one of the club instructors maidened for me. He gave me the sticks and I could not believe the speed it was going! After that flight, I realized I am not ready to try flying it solo yet.

So my advice is to buy another trainer. If your engine and electronics are good, put them in an ARF trainer. Mine only cost $150. I am still wringing it out though. I am getting good at inverted flying with it. Now I just have to master inverted turns, etc. And it was good for the nerves to be able to fly this plane nice and slow. Also, I recently bought Real Flight G2 and use that for confidence building and finger training.

As for my Ultra Stick, it is still waiting for me.

Mike

The club you saw near the M25 is probably Bickley, was it near the Brands Hatch turn-off?

Just looked on the map and Junction 23 is north of the river, so it's not Bickley. Sorry about that.

no problem
i was just wondering

GET A DISCOVERY 40
it has a bloody huge wingspan and is cheap and pi$$ easy to fly.its yellow on the base, orange or blue on the top, plus you get a bunch of crappy promotional stickers to put all over it, with this design you wont get confused
i myself hate tail dragger planes, i like trike planes, but i have never had a successful takeoff with a taledragger

I'm thinking a high-wing, semi-semmetrical airfoiled plane would be good for you......with only 2 solo flights on your trainer.....a low-winger might be a bit too much.....but your instructor definitely knows your skill level more than I do.......if it were me in your situation, I'd get something like an Avistar...

im getting a super air
easy to fly, and looks great, and its cheap