Hi ,
I've been using a Futaba 6EXAP TX and matching RX for quite a while now and fly most weekends without a single problem. I have purchased another plane for my collection and installed matching electronics the same as I have installed in my regular plane. I set that up on another model number without problems. After work the next day my wife informed me that my controller 'thing' had been bleeping so she put it in the cupboard as she never knew how to turn it off (bless) . the battery was completey dead ( I must of left it on ) so I recharged and disharged it through 3 cycles. I went out on the evening to fly my regular plane with a buddy who was flying one of his plane.
I was flying for around 2 minutes when my plane became erratic and lose control. I managed to bring her round and land safely.
Checked the plane out and did a range check , walked to the otherside of the field ,while my buddy watched for any jittering and it was fine, tried again and within 50mtrs or so the plane was going crazy and crashed, no damage , could not work it out. it was as if somebody else was controlling it, My buddys on a different channel so it wasnt him and there were no other flyers. 3 more flights all ending with unresponsive controls and crashes. I've repaired the plane and checked all the electronics everythings fine.
I read on the Futaba website that leaving a TX on without the aerial extended for more than 5 minutes can cause damage , if so is it repairable, I am going out flying tomorrow and gonna test the TX out in case it was just a gliche,
If any body has any idea before I decide to fly what it could be I would be most grateful
Ian

Leaving a transmitter on until the battery pack is completely discharged will usually have the potential of only damaging the battery pack. However, if you're operating on a 27, 35, 40, 50, or 72 MHz channel with the transmitter antenna retracted, you could have damaged the output section of the transmitter. Your transmitter may need a trip to the service center.

If your transmitter is on the 2.4 GHz FASST system, no damage should have occurred, with the tranmitter quietly ceasing to operate once the battery pack became sufficiently-low. The battery may or may not become damaged.

Thanks Bax ,
I took one of my planes ( only a foamy ) out for a test run yesterday to test the TX again which is a 35MHz , flew ok for five minute with one gliche, second flight just coming in to land about fifty feet altitude then she dropped from The sky like a brick, I had no control what so ever, I figured that the TX had been at fault.. quite a bit of damage to the plane, broken fuselage,bent prop, smashed landing gear cage , etc...I'm a bit gutted as I've had that foamy for a while and was the plane I learnt to fly with..... battery voltage was at 10.5v which seems normal. is it expensive to get repaired as I am fond of the TX and why isnt there any warning in the manual about leaving the Tx on without the antenna up. Theres a few of us who fly around and neither of us knew that this problem could arise.
Ian