X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Hi Friends,

I'm posting what happened with this jet, this is the story:

I bought the Dragon from RC Jet International, the plane was in stock at LA, talk to Jeff Tolomeo and the deal was made, the plane was shipped to Nogalez, AZ, and I brought it to Mexico, when I review all the plane I realized that missing fuel tank, the tube wing and tail pipe, then I contact Jeff and informed him, He replied that Skymaster will send me the things missing, I told me, this is a good service.

When the missing parts arrived I finish the plane and it was equipped with JR 8711 servos on ailerons, elevators and flaps, and servos Hitec 5645mg in nose wheel and 225 mg in brake valves, gear and gear doors, batteries li-ion from fromeco for Receiver and turbine of 5200 mah each, regulator fromeco to 6 volts and 750 FTE turbine.

On Sunday August 1 debuts the plane at my club, the first flight was very well, the plane flew very straight, without trends and very easy to land, I do not full fill the tanks in this first flight because I feared it was to much weight, I filled with only 110 oz, the tanks had a capacity of 150 oz, the first flight was a success, when the plane landed I made an inspection to be sure everything was fine and in place.

The second and third flights were a success to, with each flight I got felt more comfort with the airplane, was in the fourth flight when the things gone wrong.

In the fourth flight, I put a video camera in the pilot seat to record the flight, in this flight i did loops, rolls, etc, when I was flying the plane and made a Knife edge flight the cockpit pull of from the plane and made a spi[youtube][/youtube]n and crashed, the plane was burned, I lost everything only just one part of the wing and elevator and turbine burned was left.

I just lose everything by a structural failure of the plane, on Wednesday August 4 l send an email to Jeff Tolomeo and informed him what happened, and attach the video link and photos of the plane, and I told him that Skymaster was the responsible for my loss due the structural failure. He answer me on Thursday, August 5 and tell me he was sorry to see what happened and would send photos and video to Skymaster and inform me what they say.

On Wednesday August 11 I send another email to Jeff to see what news he had, and I had not answered.

That is why I decided to upload this to the forum, to see what I can do, or what are your opinions an if you can help and advise me.

Thank you very much everybody.

Luis Fernando Perez
Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico.
[youtube][/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgGQXkORqoM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgGQXkORqoM

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

This are some pictures

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri" size="3">Luis.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">

<font face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></p><font face="Calibri" size="3">We are currently reviewing the situation and will be getting back to you soon.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri"><font face="Calibri" size="3">I did receive your Email yesterday evening. I was out of the office today and will return in the morning.

Talk to you soon.</font></span></p>

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Jeff

I'm glad to hear from you, waiting for news.

Luis Perez

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Wow, very dramatic.. the canopy blew off and caused the crash eh? No fin? I see you shut down the turbine b/f it hit.

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Nice video. Sorry for your loss. Hope you are able to work something out with Skymaster.

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Andy,

I´m not sure if the fin fail to, but the canopy blew of from the plane, when I see that there is nothing more to do I shout down the turbine to try to avoid a fire in the crash, but you see the results.

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

what actually failed? there is a reflection of the hud in the canopy which is still there after the spin take place leaving me to believe the canopy was intact until impact. major bummer though.


Kevin

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Ouch! Sorry to see this. At 6:12 you can see the shadow of the vert fin on the ground, so it appears the vertical fin was still attached.

Chad

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Wow, that is amazing footage Luis. Terribly sorry for your loss. I have dealt with Jeff before and he seems a very straightforward and honest guy. Hopefully all goes well for you. That is a one of a kind video...[X(]
Shaz

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Sorry for your loss, seemed exactly the same as a friend's, his stock rudder horn failed on knife edge, I strongly believe your canopy was still on...

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

agreed, canopy and fin still on, looks like some other type of failure, interesting that it went nose up rather than nose down like you would expect from a rudder horn failure in that attitude

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Hi,

Sorry for loss. Couple of things i do not get. Maybe somebody can help me.

1. I also see reflection of canopy in hud - that make me beleive canopy still on.
2. Reflection shadow on ground show that cockpit and camer did not depart from jet.
3. Reflection shadow show most parts of jet intacted. (but can not see for shure)

Now: how is it possible that pilot could not see what happened? Surely the parts that came off in flight would not have burned???
Secondly how was the video recovered? Was it a wireless link? It clearly show that the fire slowly started and then destroy everything including camera....or was that part edited....

just my 2c

Morne

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Yeah, I dont think the canopy departed. If it did then you would not have heard the turbine shutdown. Something caused a massive yaw to get the nose up like that, could have been some type of rudder failure. not sure it is structural though. A video of the flight from the pilots station would probably be more telling.

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

it does seem like the canopy was shaking before all went south, doesnt it ?
But, after the severe pitching, the canopy is definitely on the model - you can see the reflections - it might have shifted though.

I hada similar occurance once with my T-45, i was flying knife edge and due to low pressure on the LG the gear fail safe activated and pulled out my gear. strangely enough, this caused the model (while on its side) to pitch up violently. luckily it didnt go into a spin. i still dont know why the gear opening caused the pitch up while knife edging - but it did.

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Luis said the canopy came off the jet. Quote:- In the fourth flight, I put a video camera in the pilot seat to record the flight, in this flight i did loops, rolls, etc, when I was flying the plane and made a Knife edge flight the cockpit pull of from the plane. unquote. Just after all hell broke loose, you can see broken canopy edges in the video.

All during the video, you can see a lot of movement in the canopy, yet the Hud is rock steady. If the canopy departed the jet, or shattered, then the sudden inrush of air, may have caused a loss of control.

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

>>>>>>

Guys the canopy is two parts :

The rear that comes out and the frond that is one piece with planes nose.
Thats why there is a reflection all the time in the video.its the frond part


The canopy did left the plane and made the airframe unstable to remain on knife edge
causing the pilot to loose control (or temper if it was me on the sticks:D)


The fact the canopy was on the plane for 4 flights tells me that is NOTHING WRONG with the airframe.(until the first attempt for knife!?)

What i think hapent is:

when we talk about canopy failure we look at first for PIN FAILURE(part that locks the canopy down)

THE OWNER DIDNT MADE SURE CANOPIES PIN IS ALL THE WAY IN AND LOCKED TO THE AIRFRAME.

and thats why canopy came out on the knife.


-why it failed on the knife edge:

the aerobatic that stress most the canopy is the knife edge or flat turn(its the same and requires the same mix out)

cause the canopy helps big time the rudder to fly the airframe on knife edge .
(like any other fin sufrace that is placed infrond the C.G. thats why in bipes the struts hold
the wings together do help loads for knife)

If it wasn't the knife edge as tester...the canopy can stay in place with a small tape.



at the end of the day...we are all exited with a new jet.
but this excitement can make us overlook things.

Sorry for your loss BUT

It is not SkyMasters fault when the owner doesn't secure the canopy well in place




<<<<<<<<<<<

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Very well sed George!! (DelGatoGrande)

but even if the pin was locked well
the rudder input for knife is so much that the canopy
leads the plane in to a knife edge loop!!
stressing the canopy way too much (notice 6:05 -6:07)
jets in that speed dont need that input for knife!


p.s.in my skymaster small hawk and l39 if i dont press well hard the canopy pin
it wont fall in place on its own.check it always twice

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Did anyone notice that the front of the fuselage was bouncing around up and down but the camera and the cockpit tub were mounted rigidly? and were not bouncing?

Bob

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

It could be the loose canopy frame moving around until it finally let go.
Also, if the camera was secured to the cockpit & the cockpit was moving around, this would also give the same visual effect.

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

in reality its the other way around!..usual ilusion.

camera its straped on the frond cocpit but cocpit its not well secured in the airframe .cocpit moves in the fuse but you cant see it cause cam moves with it and you think

cocpit its stable;)

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Good point! I hadn't looked at it that way.

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

First off, I am very sorry for your loss.

Last weekend I lost my Dragon canopy but luckily I didn't even realize it until Ianded in convertible configuration. No change in handling.

Upon inspection I noticed the the top of the windshield had a leak between it and the upper brace. My guess is that air pressure built up and off came the canopy. The hole in the back where the latch goes in is very thin and may have failed. Hopefully that's all it was.

I also added the extra former in the back as well as installed another former between it and the motor since I had seen pictures of the belly sucked in.

Again, sorry for your loss. I hole that Skymaster will make it right since there is no evidence of wrong doing that I could see.

Jim

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Hey Jim,

Looking forward to October 7-10!

Bob

RE: X-treme Jets Dragon Crash
 

Hi Bob,

I'm looking forward to seeing you to!

Hopefully the Dragon will have not yet disintegrated!

Take care. hi to Brian and Dom. Don't forget the popcorn balls!

Jim