Power + Plane = Disaster
 

So....
http://z.about.com/d/forestry/1/0/N/H/tree_dont4.jpg

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http://h1073477.hobbyshopnow.com/Pro...AN2600-250.jpg

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[link=http://www.break.com/index/rcplanecrash.html]don't do this!![/link]

So today, starts out to be a good day. Planes flying, but still having problems landing. Keep coming in a little fast. 3rd flight, decide to extend out my glideslope, and my poor Alpha 60 decides to fly right in to a power line. Big bright flash, and my mouth drops to the ground. I look over at the other 3 people at the field, and Bob says "I ain't seen that in thirty years". Well, I'm looking at the ground below where it hit, as parts start to burn off the plane hanging on the power line. Looking for a sign of a brush fire...and sure enough, smoke starts flumeing. I grab the fire extinguisher, and somebody else grabs a shovel - essential tools I learned today - every field should have them. We start walking towards it, and you can hear the crackling brush. Fire dept called, and we head in to the brush. Got the fire out before the fire dept got there, but town of Newport is reporting their first ever plane crash!

So much for the Alpha 60, was getting bored with it anyways. Oh, and before I start getting lectured - it was overcast, I should have known the lines were their, but they were just below the tree line, so not able to see them. If nothing else, I gave the power company a reason to put bright orange balls on them. No real damage, other than a little brush, my .91 4-stroke and the Alpha 60 it was in, and a little pride. No parts able to be salvaged...everything melted or burned.

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

haha.. ok I'm sorry but that was awesome! haha you made me laugh hard! sorry about you're plane though.. very sad :(

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

Is that a picture of where near where you fly? You're flying in someone's neighborhood with houses close by?

If that's the reality of it, then I'll just have to keep any further comments to myself. If that's just an example of wires near a tree, well, then sorry for your loss. Just rebuild, well, perhaps build another plane.. and go for it.

CGr

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

I am sure that was quite a sight. Glad no one got hurt.

Luckly we dont have power lines anywhere near our feild. Trees on both ends that have gobbled up a few planes. Nearly put my trainer into the trees when I was trying a longer aproach. I dont try that anymore.

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

Whats wrong with this picture? That link to a vidio is not a trainer but some sort of delta wing airplane hitting some wires?

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

Well, there wasn't a camera at the field to take pics, so I chose some off of google. No, the clip isn't of my plane hitting wires.

As for the area where we fly - it's far from houses, and nowhere near any neighborhoods, unlesss you count the trailer park that seems to get buzzed by planes ever so often.

As for rebuilding - I'm working on my TF GE Corsair, and I guess I'll pick up a P-51 to fly while I build that one. If I was to be sad, or upset, well- I'd say I'm in the wrong hobby.

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

That alpha 60 is some smart model being able to "decide" to fly into the lines.:D:D:D

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

Hmmmmmm things that make you say, Hmmmmmmmmmm

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

I'm a bit surprised that your flying field is so close to power lines?

How was a field sanctioned in that area?

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

I was out flying over an alfalfa field 2-3 years ago and buddy of mine had his Nexstar in the air. I dared him to fly it under some telephone lines along a dirt road behind us. He did it a few times but on his "last" attempt it hit the cables at full speed. The cables stretched like a bow and arrow then tossed the plane backward about 50 feet. The poles and cables were were moving but nothing got damaged. I felt bad for him but it was pretty funny to watch. Luckily they weren't power lines. We should have been flying at the local club anyhow.

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

Power lines near a flying field is not so uncommon. One thing to remember is that if your plane ends up visually behind the power lines the radio signal can be blanked out.[X(]

we used to fly our gliders between the double strand phone lines behind our feild. Playing follow the leader once we flew 4 out of five gliders in a row through the lines, the fifth one hit the pole so slow and dead on it just slid its nose down the pole to the ground only scuffed the covering on the nose! it was a good laugh.:)

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

It's possible that my plane continued in to the power line, vice me flying in to it. Who really knows. I fly on Channel 4 - 50.880 MHz, and it doesn't follow the same rules as a 72MHz radio. 6 Meters will actually 'bounce', and doesn't require 'line of sight' like the UHF/VHF freq's, like 2.4 GHz. 50MHz lies somewhere in between HF and UHF, where line of sight isn't nearly as important. True, my broadcast power is low, <5 watts as required by the FCC for Amateur Radio Operators, but the truth about power lines is that the RF Interference caused by them creates more of a 'Faraday Cage" and will not allow signals to pass through them. This interference is actually a 'radius' around the wires, and not just 'visually' behind them. Also- understand - 1 single wire is less of an interference that 4 or more. The power line I flew in to was 4 wires, and fairly close together.

Lesson learned - stay away from power lines.

RE: Power + Plane = Disaster
 

OH man that was classic!!! I gotta tell ya, if you need some loot for a new plane i will be the first to donate to ya...........holy crap that was funny.