Bill,

Don't feel bad. I spent days putting a brand new Mustang together, my second one, and did the same thing. Checked everything except which way the ailerons were going when I moved the stick. Maiden fight took off right down the middle of the runway and started a little left. Put a little right aileron and went even more left. Went full right aileron and went on over inverted. Hit the runway and slid upside down into the tall grass. Reglued canopy and rudder.

Live and learn, I still laugh at myself but won't make that mistake again! I have seen that a few times since and not one pilot has been able to recover from it.

Semper Fi

Brad

BTW, a trick I learned a few years ago has been very helpful. just remember, "Thumbs Up"

Stand behind the plane (as you would when you're ready to taxi out). Push the aileron stick with your thumb to one side (even if you normally use two fingers on the stick). Whichever side you push the stick to, that aileron should go UP.

Thumb to the right, right aileron UP

Thumb=UP

Thanks all, Will apply all that has been suggested and advised. Will improvise, adapt and overcome!!

Ya see... you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!!!

Ha!! I wondered how long it would take for the Coast Guard to chime in! If I have actually been taught anything remains to be seen!! Been using a computer for 20 years and still haven't learned how to type properly.

Sorry to hear about that!

It could have been worse! I know of one pilot who had his model so perfectly trimmed that he did not use aileron on takeoff. When he did, 20 meters up, it rolled over and crashed. Later, the accident investigation found he had plugged  the Y harness for the dual aileron servo backwards, and did not do any checks after.

Remember to check the model over before, AND after the wings  go on!

Graeme

Roger that! I try to have it trimmed out perfectly before flying, even this time, the trim looked great. Just didn't notice the ailerons were reversed. I was having trouble with setting up the flaperons, one aileron would drop lower than the other. So we added a Y cable. Even after going through all of that, no one notced that the ailerons were reversed. We had a tad bit of cross wind that day. Anyway, will be sure to check all the control surfaces, in the pits, and again just before takeoff, and oh yeah definitely condict a range check.

Hey Bill,


What is it now 5 against 1 Marine ?

Sounds about right , holler if you
need assistance brother.

Semper Fi

Bob

lol

ill cut ya marines a little slack since you are a department of the NAVY!!!!!!!

That's right!! the "Mens Department"

Hey Bill, I'm an independent, so I will take your side.

Works for me, that means you're a mercenary! That's cool. Need to mention here, that flying is the greatest!! have to keep on track with the fourm in which we're speaking!

Yea hey bill can you post a pic of your nova

Weird, I literally just did the exact same thing about 5 minutes ago with a foamy i threw together in about an hour just to have something to fly real quick off my porch, smashed it into my house, picked up the peices, then came inside straight to rcu and this is the first thread I clicked on.

These were taken the night I finished putting it togther, there is a cowl that still needs to go on.

Wow wierd, guess next time read RCU before you fly! . I have a yak foamy that I shoulg have ready to maiden this weekend. Still need a ESC and battery for it.

very nice looking plane

Hey Billd76, may not help now, but I finally took the wing of my 'Nova and took some pics of the servo and elevator set ups. Also a couple closer pics of the cowl which you will notice has had some minor repair (from a deadstick landing due to running out of fuel and not quite clearing a fence!) So don't feel too bad, reversing ailerons no worse than running out of fuel in my book, I should have known how long I had been up or at least stayed up higher and be prepared for a deadstick! Oh well , heres the pics anyway.

Good pics. Same setup as mine except I have the Aileron servo where you have your rudder servo. Rudder wires are crossed and run down each side of the servo arm. Here's a pic of my setup. I know you told me once before, but what engine and prop are you running?

An old and dirty .46 fx that came on the plane as is with an 11x6 Master Air Screw. I have used a 12x4, 11x7, and a 10x6, so far I like the 11x6 best with this engine and my style of flying.

I've got a new 0s46la, spinning an 11 X 6 APC prop. I think that'll work for me too. That is if I can ever get her in the air to find out

Yeah I think you'll be fine with that set up too. It may not have all the vertical you could want, mine doesn't, but I have other planes for that.

One more ??? where to you have your CG set. manual calls for 4.5 inches from the leading edge. Had to add seven 1/4 ounce blocks to get it balanced!

Semper Paradus, Bill!!

Hey, with my electronics background, I would think that electric flight would be a piece of cake... NOT!!! Those things become a mystery at times, trying to coordinate motor/esc/battery with weight and so on.. strange stuff. With glow, well, just put an engine on and fly the thing!!! Well, for the most part.

I was totally shattered when I broke my Venus 40, but realized that it was part of learning. And muscle memory is part of that, and was definitely the cause of my crash. Me, my fault, not the plane.

There have been several suggestions, Minnflyer has a good one. I like my approach because it works for me. (stand behind, right aileron stick movement, right aileron goes up, left goes down) but whatever floats yer boat works just fine as long as the end result is a safe plane and one that is truly ready to fly and do what you want it to do.

Oh.. one thing here, that I found out with using computer radio's including the DX7. It's completely possible to have the ailerons work differently than they are supposed to (both up, or one side up the other side not moving, all sorts of strange things). It all comes in the setup. So, pay attention to that, do the proper mix, and even after binding the settings in, check and re-check, and check again before each flight. It comes automatic to me, and should to everyone.

One thing to remember, and you probably already know this, is to bind with the throttle at minimum and all sticks neutral. This sets up "fail safe" to where you want it to be. ESPECIALLY important with electrics because loss of signal could cause the electrics to go to full throttle on you on the bench and could cost a finger or two (don't ask how I know this.. no fingers lost, but 5 stiches on my right index finger tells the tale). With glow, this only is a factor if the engine is runing. But, make sure you bind with the pre-sets where you want them.

Ok.. more than you probably wanted to read, or you probably already knew this, but it never hurts to re-state it for those that don't know.

Semper Fi, Semper Paradus!

CGr.