Bend my Control Arm

...why aren't you all in the same position?

I'd finished the constructing the Walrus - pretty much straight forward with a robust glued tail section and screwed-in wings. 

Having previously had issues with servo centring, I left off connecting the control rods until I got it powered up so I would know where middle is. I consistently find this to be a problematic stage despite its innocuous appearance.

The Walrus servo arm positions aren't quite lined up, more of a problem on flaps which don't have side-to side-trim. For these, I adjusted the control arm length to suit, not ideal though because different crank positions have different travel distances (that whole sin/cos story...). It's less troublesome on ailerons fortunately as these have trim adjustment available.

So far I've done the flaps and ailerons, now for the elevator and rudder. I'm sure they'll be simple. Please...?

Future Flyer

...another plane, another project

I haven't powered up the Floater Jet since the crash, so the extent of damage to servos receiver and controls is, as yet, undetermined. One of the tail servos had its control arm sheared off and the push-rod of the other is a bit bent. The wings look OK but the nose is in several pieces, held together only by the tape...

I’m thinking if that it might be salvageable, perhaps kitted it out as a night-flyer. However I'd like an immediate replacement so I at least have a backup if something goes wrong (hopefully not), leaving the reconstruction of the Floater as a longer-term project. I reckon I could piece the nose together with thin ply reinforcements and/or bamboo skewers as dowel pins. And superglue, of course, lots of superglue.

I’m thinking of getting another smaller plane  - possibly a Walrus which I think looks good. Its not unlike the Floater, but with a front-mounted prop. Actually, having just watched video clips I think I definitely want one! It comes with flaps ready-to-go and seems to hang in the air so beautifully with them deployed.

Another thing I want is a video camera. I've been taking some photos, as you may've seen, although not without risk. However I think video footage while flying would be entertaining to watch, and might also let me get some closer footage of the kangaroos who are very shy of people but don’t seem at all bothered by the plane flying past!

So I think I'll be doing some shopping and looking forward to a parcel on my doorstep in a week or two...

Same Again, Unfortunately

...not really having learned from the first time

Having repaired the glider (which had a wing mount cracked) and given some consideration to the events of the previous morning, I headed out again with the Phoenix 2000. Following the less-than-successful second flight, expectations for an early crash were high amongst the observers.

The field this time was larger - three fields end-to-end although shared with walkers and kids at one end and an informal soccer at the other. A little nervous. No, make that very nervous. And uncertain. Here goes.

The launch this time is fine, gliding across the field and a making a turn to the right. Coming back the glider dips in the turn so I push up the throttle, but too much. The  Phoenix turns its spinner to the heavens in a now-familiar manner, and I panic, cutting the throttle I wait for the nose to come down...

Now, having learned from the previous morning's exercise, I know not to leave the glider to drop on its own as I know it won't have time to recover. So now, as the nose dips, I add power with the expectation that the airspeed will increase rapidly and the big propellor will whisk the Phoenix into a climb; all will be well.

Except unfortunately not. It's a repeat of the previous day's crash, except faster and much more destructive. The spinner was smashed, the front of the nylon moulded fuselage reduced to a crumple zone. Both wings were also broken at the mountings, and incredibly the ailerons had snapped their moulded hinges, hanging limply from the control arms.

Looking around I saw that the canopy, jettisoned by the battery as it ejected from the cockpit, lying on the grass a few metres away. To complete the scenario the battery had been concertined in and was now about a third shorter than its original state.

Making light of the event, I picked up the Phoenix, collected the debris and headed back to the car...