IndyFlyer

My Feedback: (-1)

It never crossed my mind - coming home WITHOUT my slow stick. Right now my SS is about 60 feet in the top of a maple tree. I have a digital camera with a 2 Gig SD card that is probably still recording the darkness as I type. That brushless motor, 15 A ESC and the brand new 3 cell lipo are all there too!

It has taken a couple of wild rides and it has some scars to prove it, but I never imagined losing it to a tree! I called a 24 hr. tree service and they wanted $400. I told them that the plane was worth about 1/2 of that. I am very anxious right now because we are getting ready to receive a storm that is not common for this season. We are looking at a potential 1 - 3" of rain/sleet/snow. I am very new to these electronic planes, but I know it won't fly the same after that.

I am so bummed out right now. It is a feeling of helplessness. I know it will be destroyed by the precipitation within hours. I am trying to numb myself with the Bud Lights right now, but it is almost giving me more of a sick feeling than helping me. Hopefully, I can get over this and move on to my next plane. My wife and I are expecting, so spending money on fun stuff like this is going to be tuff to do.

I'll let everyone know how this turns out...

Sessholvlaru

Sorry for your loss. Could always try the fishing rod/tennis ball trick or some deviation thereof. Good luck!

gadgetophile

Been there buddy. Not as bad, but I lost a slope soarer with a PCM receiver and two nice metal gear servos.

I went to a gardening store and got a bunch of bamboo poles, strapped 3 or four together with duct tape, and just kept strapping more on as I pushed each 8-ish foot pole further up the tree. I managed to get up to the plane and poke it around a fair bit, but it eventually got dark and I left it there for the night. The next afternoon it had gone (probably some kid used my poles to dislodge it and went home with my plane :/ )

But yeah, try bamboo poles or some other long, light pole and strap a bunch together =)

meaden

I've been there too. I had to "fish" a plane out of a Georgia pine tree.

IndyFlyer

My Feedback: (-1)

Well, no snow, but LOTS of rain. Is there any componet that could possibly survive the wetness? Maybe the battery? Maybe the motor? Probably not the ESC, servos and/or camera, huh? Man, I am still really upset...

Mr67Stang

A lipo battery is toast after it's drawn down past a certain point. You would be surprised at how well the other stuff can fair though. I lost a lil lecky to a tree then had to go out of town for a week... I came back after the week and my plane was at the base of the same tree after the wind had dislodged it for me. I charged the Nickle metal hydride battery and it flew again. This was a cheep Parkzone J3 Cub.

2slow2matter

My Feedback: (1)

The ESC should shut the whole thing down once the lip gets to a certain voltage, so it won't drain itself completely. Try a fishin rod, or shotgun, or something. How high is it? Got any brave friends? I'd say the camera is toast in the rain, but the SD card should be OK--unless it gets shorted somehow. The ESC may or may not survive. Everything else should be ok. IF you get them back, let them competely dry out before trying to power them back up. My dad had a glow plane take a bath in the gulf of mexico. We soaked everything electrical in isopropol alcohol to get all of the salt out--to keep from eating away at the mainboards. After that, we let it sat for several days to completely dry. It all still works today. RX and all.
So there is hope, but you HAVE to get the plane out of the tree somehow. I'd go out there when the storm hits. maybe the wind will blow it out before it gets too wet.