Lesson Learned
 

It was a gorgeous Saturday in Wisconsin and I finally had a day off without any projects, so I was able to enjoy my first flying of the year. In the morning I ran my engine, tuned it up and checked all of the control rods, servos, engine mount, etc. to make sure I would not have a problem. I was flying my Twist, nothing fancy, just some easy loops, rolls, and a little inverted flight. Well on my third flight I did a low fly by and noticed something did not look quite right. My landing gear was no longer perpendicular to the fuselage, but rather in line with it. Oh @#$&, now what am I going to do? I chopped the throttle and tried a harrier type landing, the wind was picking up when I took off, but of course died down as I tried to land. I got lucky, only damage was to the landing gear. (Didn't even break the prop) Apparently the screws were loose and one vibrated completely off, the other one was 1/2 way out. I did not use locktite (I will now) and I never bothered to check the landing gear in my checkout. It will certainly be on my check list from now on.

Rob

RE: Lesson Learned
 

At least its easy to fix.
You must have done a better job at the landing than you let on, if it had been me it would have ripped the plate out of the fuselage. Big thumbs up to you.

RE: Lesson Learned
 

Yep, landing gears and wheels are often neglected in pre-flight checks. Wheel collars WILL come off!! It`s kind of disconcerting to watch your plane lift off as a wheel bounds down the runway ( been there, done that )!

RE: Lesson Learned
 

Cut a small piece of fuel tubing and slip it on the wheel axle on the outside of the wheel collar. This will keep the wheel collor (and your wheel) on the plane in the event that the collar does come loose.

Ken

RE: Lesson Learned
 

Thanks Ken! Now see?? That`s the reason everybody who flys RC should join RCU.

RE: Lesson Learned
 

You could even drill a small hole near the of the axle and put a tiny cotter pin in it. It will never come off.