Post by hounddog on Jan 12, 2013 18:02:17 GMT 1
A near disaster. I count myself fortunate to get it down in one piece, at one point the wind was so strong the plane was struggling to turn into it.
The wind did not feel too strong from the ground before launch but as soon as the plane got above 10 or 12 feet it was apparent I was going to have severe problems. Anyhow I managed to get it back on terra firma without damage and in the same county.
Amazed how far away it actually got blown downwind before I got it reorientated (probably a 1/4 mile). Again altitude was my friend. Probably 300ft of altitude in this case.
On getting it back to the house I looked up the weather...wind was forecast at 9mph gusting to 21mph.
On cutting the motor over the field (dead stick landing was the only way I was getting it down fast) you can hear the rudder servos going like mad just trying to keep the wings level and facing into wind.
At the end of the vid you can see the lift disappear and the plane stall into the ground from about 6 feet as the wind speed falls away near to the ground.
No damage at all but I count myself fortunate.
So what did I do wrong?
1. In my eagerness to test my new camera I did not check the forecast wind.
2. Once airborne I should have brought it straight back down, but I thought I would "get some footage" whilst it was up.
Me knees were shaking I can tell you.
Here is the vid, completely unedited as I don't know how to do that yet.
The wind did not feel too strong from the ground before launch but as soon as the plane got above 10 or 12 feet it was apparent I was going to have severe problems. Anyhow I managed to get it back on terra firma without damage and in the same county.
Amazed how far away it actually got blown downwind before I got it reorientated (probably a 1/4 mile). Again altitude was my friend. Probably 300ft of altitude in this case.
On getting it back to the house I looked up the weather...wind was forecast at 9mph gusting to 21mph.
On cutting the motor over the field (dead stick landing was the only way I was getting it down fast) you can hear the rudder servos going like mad just trying to keep the wings level and facing into wind.
At the end of the vid you can see the lift disappear and the plane stall into the ground from about 6 feet as the wind speed falls away near to the ground.
No damage at all but I count myself fortunate.
So what did I do wrong?
1. In my eagerness to test my new camera I did not check the forecast wind.
2. Once airborne I should have brought it straight back down, but I thought I would "get some footage" whilst it was up.
Me knees were shaking I can tell you.
Here is the vid, completely unedited as I don't know how to do that yet.
