Yesterday am it's flight #2 for my 4*60 (also flight #2 for me on a glow model). Beautiful day, light wind, a little squirelly on takeoff, but all was well. On 2nd go-round, I notice a tiny black object dropping from the plane. Yup, it was a wheel. Crap [:@]! A little disconcerting to have to dump it in the grass on your 2nd flight! I flew out most of the tank, which was great as the plane just flys beautifully. Even did a few knife edges. Wasn't able to hold altitude tho - may need increased rudder throw or maybe I didn't have enough of a nose-up attitude before rolling (or maybe I need a bigger rudder).

Time to pay the piper. Brought it around nice and slow along the side of the paved runway and was able to gently drop it into the 6" grass. It flipped up and then settled back. Phew ! No damage, but no more flights as I didn't have a spare wheel.

Moral of the story - check the tightness of everything preflight! I had checked all the usuals, servos, linkages, etc, but not the wheels.

You might want to try a drop of the removeable lock-tite on the screw that secures the collar. Just don't get it on the axle. Don't bother asking how I know about that......

In addition to the loctite, file a flat spot on the wire and make sure the set screw is engaged in that area. This way, even if the set screw backs out a little, it will still be stuck in the flat spot area.

As far as the knife edge goes. I fly a 40 size and a 56 Satio. With that engine swinging a 12x6 prop on high rates (all the throw it's got) I can stay level in a knife edge until the next state at full power and rolling into the KE at a slightly upward angle. Anything less and it will slowly lose altitude.

When my OS46AX was in there and turning an APC 11x7, If I built enough speed and be on high rates I could start the KE level and stay that way for a little while until it starting losing altitude. If I started at an upward angle the KE would go longer but still fall out.

I have seen and heard other people add 1" to the top of the rudder on both the 40 and 60 and then it would KE all day long.

Nice job on landing with only one wheel. Tough planes these 4 star's (4*). The worst I ever did was plant mine in the high grass next to the runway because it was getting too dark and I lost my deapth perception. All that happened is I tore the main gear out as clean as could be. 30 minute epoxy and overnight drying and I was flying it the next day.

More rudder throw (& a large dia. prop)!

Next time you lose a wheel, land it on the paved runway -- it will skid but not likely flip. In landing on grass you were lucky not to have torn it up, or cartwheeled it. Nice job though!

Thanks - I was wondering about whether I should have tried the pavement, but the thought of the harder surface scared me - I wasn't sure if it was going to slide, so I decided flipping it in the grass was the better choice. I figured that I could slow the plane down so much that I might avoid a flip. It was close, but happily worked out in the end. Funny thing is I am pretty sure I loctited the retaining collar. I will definitely file a flat spot as suggested.

If you'd landed on the paved runway, you wouldn't have to file one now, the asphalt would have done it for you.
Dennis-

What's a paved runway?
Glen

Glen, good one!!!!
Just came back from LHS to grab a smaller diameter rubber insert for my starter (figures, out of stock...).
I did spy a 4 * 60 kit......This is being added as a x-mas item along with a hog bipe....One can't get too greedy!!!!
Spoke with the 2 guys working there and both have the * 60....one has his with a Saito 90 and the other guy,
an OS 72. And each guy says that their * 60's are the best flyers that they have and fly the most.

Dave...

I put a piece of fuel tubing on the axle outside of the collar to hold it on