Structural Failure

[bigtone]

This is a vid of me flying the grasshopper on a windy day. If you notice on take off the tail is leaning to the left a little. The tail was reinforced before I painted it and the tape will hide any stress cracks.

vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2017322959

So, every once in a while check your SC because, that tail bent when I was pulling up on another vid. The out come was the hardest SC crash I have ever seen in my life. The dust from the SC hitting the ground rose almost 4ft in the air. I was amazed that the only damage was the gear, cowling and battery box was ripped out in the front. The prop was not even broken and the tail of the fuse was ripped on the right side only. (cause of the crash) Once I got home to do the look over, the sand/dust was enough to make me sneeze 4 times. I took out the hot glue and foam glue and it was back together.

Crash Vid
vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2017352575

[bigtone]

I was thinking of alot of 4 letter words when the tail snapped. I think I could have saved it, but the recoil sent me into a spin. I was able to stop the spin but, when I tried to pull up the tail gave me the bird half way in. The crash would have been alot worse if, there was no elevator responce at all. G-force with a weak tail and high winds that a stock SC would not tread in. The key is to not let you SC fly you, you fly it. Don't let the habit to fly it, make you over look the warning signs. Many SC's think that area is the weakest point on the SC's Fuse. When I built all three, I made shore they where reinforced on every weak spot posible. Even if you tape the SC up, you will still have wear and tear under it. The key is to make it tight as you can without deforming the foam with packing tape not masking. The masking tape will give way after normal wear and tear, case in general. The masking tape hid the damage but, I seen the warning signs. Look at the first vid, the tail was leaning to the left on take off. I noticed and said to my self, I'll fix it when I get home after I kill two more packs.

[SCC]

Good to hear the Grasshopper will fly again.