bikerbc

I put my Great Planes Fabric Covered Cub in on take off today .. The standard lifing it off to early and stalling and cartwheeling down the runway.. Boy did I ever feel like a goof . I am thinking it might be time to hang up the wings .. I know better than doing that . Its not destroyed but my pride took a hit . . I had swaped radios and was a bit worried about my trim settings and I should have had a bit of down elevator trimmed in. I remember now this plane needed a bit of down or it tended to lift off to quick . The fuse needs a bit of work but the wing is still in pretty good shape . I had just put a new cowl on and cleaned the plane all up for a summers flying too . I need a new set of right side windows . I Will buy a new set from Tower unless somebody has a set they want to sell .

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Sorry to hear of your incident Ken I can remember discussing or reading of your cub in several thread and good heavens no its not time to hang up your wings. But just chalk it up as more learning curve. All of us if we are honest have and are climbing that curve.

So just buckle up and get on with the repairs. On my monocoat covered airplanes that have cabin side windowsI am a big fan of using clear monocoat windows This may not be a viable option though with the fabric cover as the opaque window cutout overlay may be a problem.


John

bikerbc

Thanks for the kind words John.. you always help me feel better.. and I remembered I already had a set of windows stashed away . I bought a windshield years ago and it came with a set so I am okay .. The repairs are well on the way .Boy this is a well built little plane, nice to work on. I like the clear mono coat idea.. I will file that one away for future use ..

Calvinman

We all have those moments Ken, Don't worry be happy, keep flying. It may be another month for us Winterpeggers to get flying, those first few flights after a long winter are always a little dicey if you ask me>

Calvi

bikerbc

Thanks Calvin , What I think is worrying me is the fact I am getting older and recuperating from a stroke and I can feel my flying skills diminishing .. I do not want to be unsafe for my flying buddies .I love this hobby so much but its not all flying , a lot of it is the social interaction and friends you share the interest with . There is always something new to learn . New stuff being developed ,so much history ,so much to explore . I hope your snow melts quickly and your field dries up . Happy flying

Calvinman

I understand your concerns Ken, but the accident you had happens to everyone. If you take a plane you are familiar with and change something your muscle memory will win out over reflexes. I would hope one of your flying buddies will lend a hand in the flying if you are feeling unsure of a flight situation. That is one of the best things about this hobby is that everyone is willing to lend a hand when needed. Keep fighting to recuperate from your stroke, I hope your recovery will be full and you will have many years of enjoyment to come. When your flying buddies start holding their lawn chairs in their hands to fend off your plane should it get away from you when you are flying, then, maybe, maybe you should think about hanging up the radio. Like you say, there are many aspects of this hobby, I enjoy building as much(maybe more) than the flying and enjoy early mornings at the field with the other early birds and watching others fly too.Calvi

Villa

Hi bikerbc
I did the same thing once, with my Coroplast J3Cub. It snapped rolled on take off. Since it was coroplast, there was little damage. That happened about 10 years ago, and I am 78 now. I mainly fly small electric planes now, but I will be taking my Coroplast J3Cub, 71" WS with an OS46FX, cub up very soon. It cannot be horsed off the ground; it has to be carefully flown off the ground. I certainly hope I remember that.

rt3232

My Feedback: (6)

Ken

I hear you about getting older, no stroke for me just meniee'rs disease So I no longer fly by my self, and my flying buddies and club are like a second family, As you say I love this hobby and you are right it is not all flying, the social action with all of the little remarks (in good fun) seam to get every one going. With all of the new things it make me feel like I still in the stone age, but as long as it is fun Iam in, and with luck our weather will come around flying will get under way.

So stay with it and just keep moving.

cheers Bob T

jetmech05

Hey I know a very good IMAC pilot flys unlimited and usually places. Real nice guy. Goes to the nall changes aileron servos and destroys his airplane. Yep forgot to check his throws and he did a snap right after T/O. It happens to us all

Plane Addicted

My Feedback: (49)

Biker,
When you get your Cub back together maybe have an experienced pilot in your club look it over and put a test trim flight on it. Seeing it take off and fly can be a huge confidence boost for you. I have done this several times. If you are still feeling a little a little gun shy have somebody take off then had over the controls to you.

Good luck!

Plane

bikerbc

Thanks to all ..That's what I love most about this hobby is the encouragement and understanding . I probably will get somebody to do a maiden for me . Although I have a lot of Cub experience ( I have 9 flying now ) I am Quite nervous about flying this one , its one of my favorites. I am not to proud to turn the sticks over to a buddy . I have given that same advise myself many times and I have been asked to do the honors a few times too .. Its that nervous feeling that can make us unsafe . We overreact unless we can calm down ..

Calvinman

Yes, I have always gotten someone else to do the maiden on a new aircraft, a fresh set of eyes on the preflight inspection pays off too. Now having said that, I may just do the maiden on my Ultra Sport coming up soon(have not joined a club yet).

Calvi

jester_s1

I did the exact same thing last week. .40 size Cub after a year of dolling it up off and on. The wind was gusty, and the tail was a little slow about coming up on its own due to the increased weight of the fabric covering, and a gust picked it up and then it nosed in. I got off easy though, only broke the hinge points on the rudder.

bikerbc

I am sorry to hear of your mishap Jester , I am glad you got off easy though . Thanks for posting because hearing of other experienced pilot's misshaps actually helps me to realize I am not alone .. You are a great bunch of guys .. I am going out this afternoon to see if my repair job will hold up and if I can fly .. I hopefully will find somebody to take it up for me the first time .. I will post the results later..

jester_s1

I think it's one of most common struggles in the hobby to get proficient at taking off a Cub reliably in wind. My foul up was in flying my Kaos too much lately. That's, of course, it's assuming that it's even possible to fly a Kaos too much. I had gotten used to the easy takeoff routine by that long coupled nose wheel plane, and pretty much forgot my tail dragger skills.

bikerbc

Well I am home from the field and I am happy to report complete success.. My buddy maidened my Cub.. I am really glad he did because it needed quite a bit of up trim put back in .. I had put a bit too much down in but anyway she flys beautifuly just like its old self ..Thanks for all your input and encouragement ..This weekend I will try one of my 1/4 scale Cubs .. I find them a lot easier for some reason .

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Congratulations bikerbc, just like all of us a little positive reinforcement every once in a while is all that is needed

John

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

Biker, Sorry to hear about your Cub crash and even sorrier to hear you had a stroke. I haven't been on RCU for a while and just now read your post. Sounds like both you and your Cub are recovering well. April must be a bad month for Cubs as I too had a mishap with one last weekend. Last Saturday at a float fly in Alabama I was bring my Hanger-9 25e J-3 Cub in for the final landing of the day. I was a little late turning on final, and the plane got too close to shore and went out of sight behind a large tree next to me on the shore. That brief second of not seeing the plane was all it took to lose it. In the drink it went! I know better than to fly behind a tree but had gotten away with the same thing earlier in the day, but this time it "bit me". PILOT ERROR all the way. Glad to see you got yours repaired and back in the air, and got over your brief gun shy moment. As has been said many times before, "it happen to all of us from time to time". I'll repair mine down the road as I have have other Irons in the fire right now, and plenty of other Cubs to fly. Hope you continue to do well with your health.

Calvinman

Glad to hear it Ken, One of these days I am going to build a Cub, you say the 1/4 scale is the way to go?

Calvi

raptureboy

If you ain't crashin you ain't flyin enough I once hooked up the ailerons backwards on a plane that I just finished recovering. Some how my brain over came the urge to keep pushing the stick in the wrong direction an I managed to come back around for an emergency landing. The guys were quite impressed, I needed a change of shorts Glad to see you got back in the saddle, and now your crashed proofed fro the rest of the season.

bikerbc

Sorry to hear you had a mishap with yours Larry . How bad is it? . Do you have the Hanger 9 floats on it ? If so I have several spares if you are in need of one . Calvi I do like the 1/4 scale size best .. Its not too big and it seems much easier to fly than the 1/5 scale .. If you do decide to build I like the Sig . I like how the wing attaches from the outside.. BUSA attaches from the inside of the cabin and I just find for myself it is a bit difficult at times although the plane flys beautifuly . Probably the nicest flyer of the bunch . Raptureboy I hope you are right about being crash proofed.. That was some pretty nice flying bringing it in with ailerons reversed . Thankyou all for your encouragement and interest ..

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

Biker, Yes I have the Hanger 9 floats on it and I did split one down a lower seam. Thanks for the offer on a replacement float but I am sure I can fix this one. The plane is fixable and I will repair/rebuild it, but just not now. I am gathering the needed parts (Cowl, windshield, wing struts) while parts are still available. It is the discontinued 60" wingspan Hanger 9 25 size electric J-3 that I did the ultimate electric airplane upgrade to.........I PUT A GLOW ENGINE IN IT!!! The O.S. 25 LA flew it quite well and it did survived the crash, less a broken plastic rear cover/needle valve housing which I also have on order. I put together 3 small, 54"-60" wingspan, planes this past winter and I am tired of working on stuff this small. I'll get one or two large planes built before I come back to this J-3. Glad you got your's back in the air quickly, I know that sometimes helps getting over beating yourself up over a mishap, at least for me. The best to ya!