Our field has a sort of marsh on the opposite side of the flight line, full of desert scrub brush. It is very thick and matted. Well, on the first flight of the day, my teacher took the plane off (I,m using the box) made a gentle left hand turn, and let me have the plane. So I start to do the circut, but the plane is begining to desend. I add a little up elevator, the plane starts to climb, and I think everything is ok. Turns out the motor was dead, and the plane was way to far out to make it all the way back to the runway. We couldn't hear the engine, as a helicopter was flying next to us.
About a month ago, there was a brush fire out in the marsh, and in some spots, all that is left are the small trunks of the trees. (look like black spikes coming out of the ground). Anyways, my teacher takes the plane, and lands it (very softly) in one of the few scrub trees that didn't get burned. Only damage was one tear in the covering, a couple of pin holes, and a dent in the leading edge. My first thought was what it would have looked like on the spikes But Rick did a most excellent job of saving my plane. My hat is off to Rick, and all the instructors, who take the time, and have the skill to let me learn from my mistakes. Loren

That's why having an instructor is so important! Glad to hear damage was kept to a minimum. (Although those first nicks and dents really hurt!)

I think my patches give my GP Big Stik character.

I think the only way you can learn to fly is with an instructor. They teach you much more than any sim can.

I use a copy of Real Flight, and all my kids computer sims too, and they do help. But, as the saying goes, there is no substitute for experience. I'm just glad things turned out the way they did. I didn't even think about flairing the plane into a bush, I was trying to get to the runway. ( which would have meant the spikes for sure) Loren

Marsh in Nevada? I've always thought of Nevada as a desert-type place(not much surrounding water). From where I'm from, a marsh is moist. Mabey I'm missin' something!

Lake Mead outside of Vega, Lake Tahoe out side of Reno. And Various other natural, and man mad ( reservoirs or dams ) lakes, rivers, streams, and yes, marshes.

The wetlands are part of the Las Vegas Wash, a natural drain from the Las Vegas Valley to the Colorado River (now Lake Mead) The marsh is mostly dry except for run off from sprinkler systems these days, but one little rain storm, and it's a flash flood. Some times just 15 minutes of rain will flood the lower end of the valley. (where the marsh is) A friend of mine lost his Tiger 2 in the marsh, and they had to dig 18 inches to get the motor out!! That nasty black mud too!!

I guess you shouldn't write about things that you don't know. Sorry about that

Lucky you, I am going to have to learn without an instructor.
well, looks like a lot of rebuilding for me.
Good flying
cheers Ledz

Ya my buddy has an instructor(he's the V.P. of the club)and he crashed my buddy's plane like 3 times before totalling it!And now he's gonna be my instructor?!!????