RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

You need an instructer bro! :) And a larger kennel. ;)

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

ROFL!!!LMAO!!!!

You are a great writer, Ican Feindem. LMAO!!

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

from the look of that pic, i would epoxy the wings together and put the firewall back on (of course) as long as the leading edge isnt to bad i would just use just use clear packing tape to smoothen it out until you finish learning how to fly.

if you want a more damage resistant plane buy this http://spadflyer.com/ (one of the 48-52in planes) they are not as stable as a balsa trainer however they are much more damage resistant and could go through a tree and survive. and in the event of total inilitation they cost 50 bucks w/ shipping. total iniliation would be hard to achive, the wing will almost always survive, or be easily repairable, the fuse you can buy at some hardware stores or for 10 bucks on the site

edit
also buy the 50 pack of nylon bolts (same site) as you will be breaking the landing gear off. (much cheaper than ace hardware)

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Piece - O' - Cake

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Glad you found your airplane....I have enjoyed your write ups of the incident.......remember in post 14 you said yourself that we could say "I told you so".....with that I'd like to say I told you so.....You have been lucky so far that the damage hasn't been worse.....a testomony to your flying skills.......
Will you try and get with a local club and find an instructor? after all what's the worse thing that could happen...Crash perhaps......Good luck

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Loving this thread... although I'm totally baffled why you wouldn't want an instructor to help you learn the basics, rather than throwing away money. You had an instructor when you learned full scale, right? (I know my first full scale solo was "interesting" enough, if it had also been my first flight I wouldn't be typing this lolol).

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

This gentleman "likes doing it himself". Don't get in his way. Lots of money, lots of time, superior knowledge. God I wish I had a LHS near by!

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Well Kennelmaster is at his first "moment of truth" in his RC career, will he quit and disappear into blog oblivion, will he repair/replace and keep trying on his own, or will he repair/replace and find an instructor? I hope he keeps with it and given his circumstances I would give him a good chance of succeding even on his own. Were all pulling for you Kennelmanster.

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Thanks for the kind words guys....   I'm here to stay!  
The most important part of this whole deal, I'm having fun!  Win, lose, or draw, we do things 'cause it's FUN.
I have faced many 'challenges' before.  The challenges that I choose to accept, I do so because of a desire to succeed.  That said, whichever route I go, I will succeed.

To appease the masses.  Should I get stuck and not be able to progress, I'll do what I have always done.  Seek help, assistance, and guidance from knowledgable sources.  Then I will continue on from there.

Let's not make this about, "you have to do it this way" or "you can't do it that way", let's make this about having fun in a chosen endeavor or avocation.....

The next few days will be busy with other things, then I can go on to flying, repairing, flying, crashing, swearing, repairing, flying.</p>

At each comma in the above sentance, add LEARNING.</p>

Thanks,</p>

</p>

Paul:D</p>

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

congratulations, well done man.

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

this thread is truely epic!!!!
I'm glad you found it, now repair it and get back out there. and keep this thread alive:D

just think years from now you'll be able to go back and revisit this and smile.:D

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Kennel, you've been a good sport about this thread and have been very entertaining. The equivalent of a good mini-series with everyone tuning in to your adventure. Good job!

If you have contact with former US Border Patrol Mr. Ican Feindem (I can find 'em - hilarious!!) Anyway, give Mr. Feindem a hint on tracking receivers and transmitters. http://www.bmjrmodels.com/catalog.cf...20Kits&ID2=NMK

You may need that rig. Or, you could join a club and do it the "easy" way, but as you've discovered it's not easy, and it won't be easy even with an instructor.

You mentioned early on where you'd like to go with flying RC and the planes you'd like to build. It's sort of imperative to get the flying thing down to compliment the airplane. There are guys that build great and don't fly well. My heart goes out to those guys.

Personally, as the self-proclaimed least talented RC flying person to have ever been born on this planet, I can say it may take a lot of effort, determination and years to be where you want to be. Your full scale experience has nothing to do with it, as you've already learned. I took to flying full scale so easy, I think nearly all people do, RC is a hundred times more difficult, at least it was for me.

So there you go. That airplane of yours could be put together in one nights work, so get to it. :D Good luck, and thanks for sharing.

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

WestCoast Flyer;

Thanks for your post and the info about the commercially available ELT.  As a "Ham" it would be no problem to build one in my workshop.  Might just be a good idea.

As for Ican Feindem, USBP (Ret.),  I wish I had contact with him.  I would like to thank him for his efforts.

As to building and flying.   Yep, flying skills are probably paramont before investing hundreds of hours building.  However, when it is 30 below zero here in "da nortland" I can't think of a better way to spend some time than gluing together some sticks....   Nice, relaxing, fulfilling...    Then, after skills of flying are acquired, I can take the model out and reduce it to sticks once again.  Sort of a sustainable hobby. :D</p>

</p>

Thanks for the kind words and great info.</p>

</p>

Paul</p>

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Glad to see your plane appeared on your deck Paul. I admire your determination. I think one advatage you have in this endeavor is patience, and I think that comes with age (not an old joke). I started flying when I was 13 back in the mid 90's and there is no way I would have had the patience to go it alone with no instructor. Youth does not bring patience and great problem solving skills, age does. Many people crash once and give up. Whether that has to do with age, personality, government conspiracy to hold the modeler down, I have no idea. This has been a thouroughly enjoyable thread to follow. Hopefully you can get the plane back together and get it back up in the air. If not I second the vote for the SPADFlyer trainer. I have flown one of those models and it is a great flying plane. Plus coro is so hard to destroy. Good luck Paul!!

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

gov't conspiracy....    Geeze, I hadn't thought of that.  I hope I can use that for all my excuses for my incompetence.  Ican Feindem WAS from the Gov't.  Come to think of it,  there were some black helicopters around the day I lost the trainer...

How 'bout those chem-trails.

I think I have it all lined up now!   NOTHING will be my fault.  I'll just wait for my next bailout check and I'll be back in the air!
(do ya think this thread will take a political spin now.......):D</p>

</p>

Paul</p>

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

I do not know if it will take a Gov spin but I would check the plane for bullet holes, just maybe it was shot down ! Maybe just maybe your neighbors are growing something they are not suppose to be back in where it went down! I know that is what has always caused my planes to crash and nothing grows in Wyoming! Just a thought!



Want to keep from crashing? Take off and land higher!

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

LOL LOL LOL!!!! that is some of the most entertaining writing i have read in a while!! Kennelmaster- love the great attitude i believe you will succeed with this endeavour!! Put that Alpha back together and away you go. My dad has the same Alpha trainer and i can tell you from experience that even with the leading edge a little mushy it still flies fine. Get a small syringe and fill it with thin CA and inject it into the leading edge where mushy. Most of all get back out there and fly some more!!!

take care

geoff

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Thanks for the comments guys....   I have taken the covering off the wing and discovered that the LE on each wing has about a three inch piece that has been dislodged.  Something a bit beyond soft.  I have bought materieal to make a splice.  My intention is to cut the remaing leading edge at and angle on both sides and then make a patch of leading edge cut to the same angles.
Probably will apply some glue here too!
Some of the ribs are damaged and I will repair those also.

The inspection of the fuse reveals a cracked area that I believe I can force back into place using a 16# mall with care.  Glue would probably work here too!  A little weight and some time to cure and things should be good there.  May apply a small sheeting patch over that area for a bit of insurance.  All this to be done from the inside of the fuse.

Firewall and motor base destroyed.  I have the materials to rebuild those too.  Maybe a good place for some more glue.  The nose landing gear is gone.  Sooooo...  I will either have to make a replacement  or balance it real carefully on the mains...:D.</p>

OK, make a replacement.</p>

Time constraints have just allowed me to assemble most of the needed parts.  Rebuild to begin soon.  I will be happy to keep you guys posted.</p>

If any of you want a hot tip, invest now in a glue company!</p>

</p>

Paul</p>

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

:D

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

Thanks for the tip.
I hope that you'll send some pictures of the reconstruction. I'm looking forward your next flight.
Good luck.

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

[:o]:D[8D] Dont lat them razz you I taught myself to fly with a super cub. this I did trying to fly through a soccer goal .

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

How's the rebuild going, no news for several weeks now?

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

He's probably enjoying the experience too much to comment:eek:

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

or glued his fingers together and can't type:D

RE: Beginner??? Probably!
 

His neighbor from across the hollow - Can E. Mendem - is probably helping him cobble the pieces together.

He's using the traditional methods of learning to fly "before buddy boxes". Unfortunately, he didn't have the instructor to shovel pass the transmitter to, either. Did anyone bother to tell him full-scale piloting is of no help when you're flying AT yourself to land? 677 American pilots died on WWI. Of those 263 died in the U.S. while training. Something like 10% of all German pilots killed died in training; and towards the end of the war that wasn't very long of a course.

You can teach yourself R/C . . . but the statistics will catch up with some sooner or later. Tuition in the School of Hard Knocks is sometimes higher than a good state college. ;)

I taught myself on a Sig Kadet (long before ARFs) with similar results. Hopefully he'll reply before the year 2024 . . . 'cause when I did it I gave up when the pieces no longer fit together and the engine was toast and spent 15 years pursuing other activities. :D

Keep at it! At least you don't have to worry about the first scratches in the covering.


The Poor Avaitor Lay Dying (c. 1918)
(To the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean")

1. A poor aviator lay dying,
At the end of a bright summer's day.
His comrades had gathered about him.
To carry his fragments away.

2. The airplane was piled on his wishbone,
His Hotchkiss was wrapped round his head;
He wore a spark-plug on each elbow,
'Twas plain he would shortly be dead.

3. He spit out a valve and a gasket,
And stirred in the sump where he lay,
And then to his wondering comrades,
These brave parting words he did say:

4. "Take the magneto out of my stomach,
And the butterfly valve off my neck,
Extract from my liver the crankshaft,
There are lots of good parts in this wreck.

5. "Take the manifold out of my larynx,
And the cylinders out of my brain,
Take the piston rods out of my kidneys,
And assemble the engine again."


A toast to the self-taught!