Well, it happened.
 

My son put the Kadet LT-40 down hard! He was on final approach, which requires you to circle around a large Oak tree, he thought he was on the front side of the tree but was still behind the tree. He touched a wing tip to a branch and the rest is history. He was still on the buddy cord with an instructor but the instructor thought the plane had cleared the tree as well. The plane was a total loss, engine, 3 servos, and reciever, all trashed. Out of our $400 investment we have a JR Sport S400 tx and one servo. Worst part about it was the instructor was going to solo my son after a couple more landings. That was the worst way I have lost $300, the look on my sons face when that plane he loved dearly exploded on the ground ripped my heart out. I am not one for tearing up, but if my son had cryed, I would have lost it. This is the kid that spent an hour every night with a paper towel and toothpick cleaning his plane, talking about how he had the best looking trainer, and how well he cared for it. I am still sick for him this morning, when I woke him for school this morning he said he wished yesterday was a bad dream,...I agreed.:(

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Well.... it is a bad day...

but it is part of this hobby... rebuild.. or start with a new one and keep going...don't let it get you down...

All I will say is I solo'd on an LT-40..... and it was my 2nd one! ;)

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Thats very unfortunate but I hope your not to discouraged. IT's one of those things. I am new to this flying as well and have had my share of crashes but I hope it as a learning experience. The warm season is just starting so keep on trying and it will get better.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

If it can't be fixed, take him shopping and find another plane. This is no time to quick. All planes end up in the trash. We all lose them. A trainer is ment to trash, thats why you buy them is to learn. Even after 20 years I lose them. I know it's hard at his age, even at 60 I hate to see one go in. It's part of the hobby, that why your so happy when you go home in one piece. check with the club members and see if anyone has a used trainer. I don't think their is as much damage as you think. Send in the radio to horizon and have it checked out. Servos are $10, gears are $3. I've seen new trainers ARF as low as $80. Check the LHS for help. Keep him flying. Dennis PS where is the chain saw?

RE: Well, it happened.
 

that sucks, but it has happend to all of us, it hurts though to see our kids upset by it. just dont give up, keep going, replace that plane as fast as posible, that crash will soon be forgotten about

RE: Well, it happened.
 

One more thing too - AMA may help (Assuming you were at an AMA field with AMA memberships). I vaguely recall that they will reimburse you if an instructor was on a buddy box. I'm not 100% sure but maybe someone else knows the definitive answer.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

The first one is always hard to let go. As stated, it is part of the hobby. You have to get up and go again and always know that every flight with a plane may be the last. You will find a way to balance the fear with the fun. I can remember when the plane was loaded and I would be on the way to the field and be wondering if I would go home with that sick feeling that you have now. On a new plane I still have that in my mind when going out. Again, it's part of it. As I read from another thread a few weeks ago, say goodbye to your plane each time before you take off because it may be the last one for it.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

No, the AMA won't reimburse him if something happens while on a buddy box. You might be thinking about the deal that Tower has. They have several trainers that they will replace if crashed while training with an instructor. But the AMA doesn't have anything like this.

Ken

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Tell your son to look up, He's past his first major crash.

I'm a little surprised that a tree smack did that much damage to the engine and servos. When you say they're trashed, how much damage is there?

I ask because I've been teaching on LT40's for 12 years now and have NEVER had damage to the servos after a crash. I've even seen engines that went straight in at full throttle fly again..

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Blazer1

I've got a PILE of old servos (Futaba s303's, JR Sports, that sort of thing) laying around, some fuel tanks, more props than you can shake a stick at. PM me what you need, and I'll be happy to throw together a small package of stuff. :)

Just can't STAND the thought of a kid getting out of aviation. *heh*

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Hey Ken this is a little off topic but I just wanted to say what a joy it was to meet you and Minnflyer at the Toledo show. Hope everything went as planned for you guys.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Thats a very truthful statement. I had about 35 flights before i really crashed for the first time. I didn't realize i was as far out as I was and upon approach I gracefully landed smack dab into the top of a tree. Everyone told me that "we never fly that far out" yet as I was climbing the tree to reclaim my prize each and every one of them were flying well past my location. As I lowered the poor tattered remains with a rope i was tore up. I thought I was doing so good. Well I learned a couple things that day. First I nailed my smokes to the top of the tree while I was up their and quit, second I learned a lot about depth perception and thirds. Well thats why they call it a trainer!

RE: Well, it happened.
 

I was 24 years old when my trainer bit the dust. I was a grown man and I almost cried! It was sickening! My stomach felt empty, almost like someone died. I image the feeling is even worse for a younger guy such as your son, probably without a steady income of his own to buy a new one right away. Hopefully good o'le dad will help him out:)


But... It is that very possibility of crashing that is in the back of your mind that is what brings the adrenaline and excitement to every flight! It wouldn't be nearly as fun if you weren't concerned about crashing...

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Blazer1 - that's painful. Imagine that's rough to see your son bummed like that. Nice work though that you guys built one! Build another and it will go quicker. You'll form a little more attachment to a kit built plane than most folks do with an ARF.

DadsToysBG - "All planes end up in the trash. We all lose them. A trainer is ment to trash, thats why you buy them is to learn"
- I disagree. If you fly like you're gonna crash, well it's gonna happen. But not necessarily all planes end up in the trash... that's a gross generalization.

somegeek

RE: Well, it happened.
 

I agree, we all crash them but not all of them, many planes get retired without a scratch.
Blazer1 Post some pictures of the damage. What engine also? and lets see if we can help you get back in the air.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Just one little point here. Trainers are not made to crash, they are made to train.

Crashes happen, but normally, if training goes correctly and with focus, and attention to detail, they don't frequently crash. But, these things do happen. And they don't crash by themselves.

However, normally, crashes by trainers, with an instructor and on a buddy box, are usually not significant enough to have to replace the aircraft, they usually require some work to make them fly again. Lots of broken props and bent landing gear, but that is easily handled and repairs go quick so you are back in the air.

But, when it does happen, and if it is totally gone, then the best thing to do, and as stated several times already, is to get a replacement and get back up in the air.

By the way, I trained first with a Tower 40 trainer that I sold and "upgraded" to a Nexstar Select. Both planes are still flying and still training new pilots. Both are about, oh, 5 or 6 years old now. The Nexstar has some scars and was repaired on an occasion or two, but never to the extent where it needed to be trashed.. obvious, because it still flys.

Just stick with it and it will happen.. a solo.. then your son is on his way to bigger and better aircraft.

CGr.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Hi Blazer1
Here is something positive your son and you could do to help the situation. Look up depth perception in Google. After a little reading you will find that the average humane has a depth perception of about 17 feet. The tree you hit was much further than that. I find that most fliers believe their depth perception is in the "hundreds of feet". This is just not so. You have to come up with a more positive way of missing that tree, since your depth perception will not do it.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Get that young man back into the air ASAP!!!! Reasses the damage again all is not lost! If worse comes to worse find a good, tough foamy he can beat the crap out of. He can still be proud of it and paint it up real cool! There are some fabulous designs out there that will take a pounding. My Easy Star isn't the prettiest girl on the block after nosing it in a dozen times or more, collisions with old growth Douglas Fir stumps, rock piles and two dunks in big mudpuddles. But a little CA, a little shaving of foam and she was flying again. The cost of getting your son back in the air will be about the cost of a couple of nice dinners out with the wife. She'll be happy to give them up to see him smile again, I gaurantee it!:D

RE: Well, it happened.
 

I don't understand, why is it a "total loss"?

Couldn't you salvage the servos, engine, and electronics and put everything into a new ARF?

At worst you may have lost a servo or three, but how was the engine, receiver and battery destroyed?

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Well, you and your son can look at it this way also. "That will never happen again" and it won't. I am talking about the first crash you ever have. Now that you have it out of the way I mean.

I think I could get my hands on a two year old 46 Tower engine that has never been in the air yet for next to nothing, if not free. If money is a problem right now I will check on it so you can get your son back flying sooner and I will push the issue to get it free. I have kids also and I know what it's all about. Send me a P.M. if I can help you any.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Ok. I propose an RCU Mission! :)

Let's see if we can't gift Blazer1's son back into the air.

OP says 3 servos were destroyed. I can cover that, as well as a fuel tank and prop if needed.
Anyone have a JR Rx laying around?
Missleman's asked for pictures and type of engine. If a new engine IS needed, anyone got a .40-class engine around they can part with? As for damage, we can all help with repair if it's repairable, I'd wager. If not, I'd happily chip in $20 or so for a new $99 LT-40 Kit if Blazer1 would promise us a build thread. :)
If there's no previous build experience, perhaps we could chip in for a set of build videos from gettingairborne.com, if Blazer1 would favor us with a review of their usefulness?

Who's with me here? Anyone? Bueller?

*edit* While I was posting, looks like brooke may have an engine source for us?

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Count me in.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

I have an Evo 40 that is gathering dust at the moment.. I can certainly part with it.

CGr.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

I'm in, I have extras laying around.

RE: Well, it happened.
 

Sounds to me like your son just might end up with something better than he had! What a generous and dedicated bunch these Gentlemen are.
I am a newbie myself with planes (I fly a heli now) and have no Club close by to help me. I flew a couple of control line planes as a teenager. I'm 57 now. I am totally self taught and do most of my flying in the spot that is being prepped for a new golf course. It is rough and I've crashed lots getting my CG figured out. I know that sickening feeling when you know you're going down and there is nothing that will save you. But after a few of those, things started to click and I actualy have control of my machine now. I know my choice of plane ( Multiplex Easy*) because of it simplicity and durability was the right choice and it is a tame flier. Too tame for some and not fancy or hot looking, but I'll tell you when it is up there and it is doing a gentle bank on a thermal with no power on in amongnst the local Eagles who are always curious about this critter, well..... it is just as satisfying and thrilling to me as doing an ultra tight figure eight with my heli. I know I'm rambling on here but I guess all I'm saying is to get him flying again ASAP what ever it takes. The minute you start on the new kit the crash will be just a memory and he'll be laughing about it while he builds pride in his new ride!!!!!:D