Bad Mojo: my buddy crashed 3 planes in two days
 

Saturday I got to fly a glider that I share with my flying buddy. He had just finished putting it back together since his last crash. Although it was flyable, I complained that the elevator was not set up right since it moved twice as far down then it did up. He protested saying that it still loops and will now do upside down loops very well. I tried a looping it but being that there were no thermals could not get enough speed/altitude. To prove a point my buddy took it up and actually looped it twice just to show me and then right off the deck he attempted a 3rd loop which resulted in a very hard crash. I am still waiting for him to repair the sailplane so I can fly it some more.

Later that day he was explaining that it was much better to land our glow planes on the empty road instead of the adjacent field where we normally land. The bugs had been biting my legs really bad in the field so I gave it a try (landing in the closed road) and nearly hit a telephone pole on my first attempt, and then on my second landing I was not aligned well and bumped the curb at slow speed scratching the nose of my plane. Giving up on that idea as being too risky, I went back to landing in the unobstructed field, but to prove a point my buddy landed his trainer glow plane in the road a couple times, but in about 5 minutes he hit the telephone cable, knocking the wing loose and crashing his trainer. Except for a few scars he had the trainer repaired and flying the next day.

On Sunday he was flying his new Pulse and all was looking very well, but just after he lined up for a high-speed pass his beautiful Pulse went straight into the ground at full speed! He had laughed off the other crashes, but this one really got to him because it was so new and a very cool flying airplane. We later found that his battery was either defective or not charged and believe the battery had just enough power to fly a little bit but soon died causing the plane to crash. Thank goodness it happened to be pointing down when the battery died, because who knows what county it would have ended up in if it had not been pointed down when the battery died.

RE: Bad Mojo: my buddy crashed 3 planes in two days
 

I crashed 3 planes in a few days of flying, maybe 5 or 6 days? The first two I essentially was showing off, the third I was so tired from staying up all night assembling my new plane I missed the runway.

Anyway, I learned a real lesson; my whole flying style has TOTALLY changed, much for the better. I am more aware, more in control, and less risky, though still challenge myself regularly.

I unfortunately learn by mistakes, rather than others' mistakes. Hopefully your buddy will do the same.

RE: Bad Mojo: my buddy crashed 3 planes in two days
 

Flying buddies like that are always entertaining to watch so long as you have sufficient cover to hide behind.

RE: Bad Mojo: my buddy crashed 3 planes in two days
 

I have watched highly skilled aerobatic pilots perform seemingly impossible maneuvers with skill and ease. I have watched unskilled pilots crash and burn trying the exact same thing. The difference is one is flying "ahead" of the plane, the other is just trying not to crash.

I would encourage your buddy to start trying to fly "ahead" of the plane. In otherwords, don't just say to yourself "I'm going to do an outside loop now" but get him to start knowing what's ahead of the plane. Where is it really going? What do I think its going to do? Is it actually doing it? How do I get set up for the next maneuver?

This will come with time and experience. Perhaps toning down his flying style now will save airplanes and allow him to better perform the glamorous moves he apparently wants to do.

Brad

RE: Bad Mojo: my buddy crashed 3 planes in two days
 

I am not sure what he will do, we have normally been flying daily but he did not go flying yesterday. We usually fly in a 100 acre field behind his house, so feeling the bad vibes I also kept my plane in he hangar. I felt like if he heard me out having a good time flying it might make him feel bad. One day of mourning is probably long enough, so I will hopefully find time to go flying today.

His battery failure issue does kind of have me a bit spooked, because I am not really sure how I can avoid that. The charger had indicated he had a full charge on that battery before he went flying, but after the crash it was clearly dead.

RE: Bad Mojo: my buddy crashed 3 planes in two days
 

AstroDad
I think I would be getting a new charger and a load tester. The charger may be cutting of to soon and you need to see what the battery is doing under load before you fly. I found out about my chargers the har way .[:@]

PS Put your batteries on a cycler and see how long they last ofter full charge;)

RE: Bad Mojo: my buddy crashed 3 planes in two days
 

Astrodad: Here is a very obvious endorcement for Voltwatch. With a Voltwatch, you KNOW what your battery condition is under load before you fly and after you land. They work. I have one one each and every one of my planes except the electric powered ones.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHDJ2&P=ML

CGr.

RE: Bad Mojo: my buddy crashed 3 planes in two days
 

Wear thick socks and tape (duct tape) the bottom of your pant legs closed and sealed to the socks. That SHOULD keep most of the bugs out of your pants. Heavy rubber bands might do it too but tape is better. NO SHORTS!!!