Lost my night flying Slow Stick last night!

[Gary Morris]

Last night it was fairly warm 48 degrees, so I decided to take my night equipped Slow Stick out. All went well for the first few minutes then I became disoriented and couldn't tell which way it was going. As soon as I lost orientation I should have immediately ran towards it. It slowly disappeared off in the distance making gentle circles. I did everything I could to try and recover it but there was no way. As a last resort I cut the throttle and prayed for the best.
I immediately got in my car and headed towards the last point I could see it. I searched for nearly 2 hours with out seeing it. The lights are about 40 green and red LED's. It's very bright when flying overhead but when it's at eye level it's hard to see it.
This morning I went out early at sunrise and searched again going even much farther than I thought it might possibly go. I came home and printed up several fliers and placed them strategically around the area I thought it might have gone. Now it's just a waiting game hoping someone found it and sees my fliers.
My recommendation to anyone flying at night would be to put your name address and phone number on your plane. I have this on several other planes and even on my daytime Slow Stick wing but I didn't have it on the one I lost, shame on me! I lost the plane, and AXI motor, brushless Jeti Advanced controller, a BEC for the lights, two HS-55 servos, a Thunder Power 2100 Pro Lite 3-cell battery, and AR6000 receiver, two Dimension Engineering sets of landing lights plus all the mods I made to the wing and tail. I guess the total loss is around $300.00 give or take. I'm really bummed out now just thinking how foolish I was to let it get so far away.

Gary Morris

[Diggs]

Gary,

I lost my first Night stick also! I only had like 4 lights on mine, but your story brings back some bad memories :( I did the exact same thing as you and watched it too long. I realized after that, once you are in trouble it is best just to let it come down. Breaking something and making repairs is far better/cheaper than letting it fly away and losing everything!! I lost a $50.00 RX, and a $80.00 battery as well as the LED kit I had on it, a How High altimeter and some straps and such for a camera mount. Also had a nice motor and ESC on it along with servos. I feel your pain dude. I saw mine last at maybe 8ft high. Heard the noise when it hit the ground, but no sir, never found it. GL, I never put out any fliers but did ask around that neighborhood. I think someone probably still has it to this day. And they probably have no clue how to use it. :confused:

GL,
Diggs

[marcfern]

where do you guys fly, in dense underbrush? I fly my slow stick at night over a grassy feild next to a dense forested vale, with 1-2 LED lights on it only, and just make sure I keep my eye on it, never flying more than 100-150 feet away. I'm trying to comprehend how you can lose it at 8 feet of the ground? (no disrespect intended, and sorry to hear about your losses - I've probably lost even more on stupid RC trades :o , but just wondering how this happens, so I can avoid a similar mishap)

[yarsmythejr]

I haven't lost my LED plane...yet. :)

Your story brought back a memory of mine when I briefly lost my Slow Stick. I was flying out in the front yard with my son. As I was flying, he sat too close to an ant pile and got bit. I turned my head away from my plane for just a moment to move my son and when I turned back...no Slow Stick.

I kinda knew where it was headed so I took a stroll down the street. I was shocked that I couldn't find it right away. About a minute later, I heard a BEEP. It took a few more beeps to finally pin-point it but it had landed in my neighbors bushes. The Thunderbird 18 controller sounds a 'beep' every 30-odd seconds when there is power but no throttle command. That little feature saved me!

Oh well...I hope you find your plane. Ya gotta remember to put your name and phone number on everything. :)

-Lee

[Darth_Elevator]

Sorry to hear about your fly-away. I hope someone sees a flier and gives you a call.

[Diggs]

where do you guys fly, in dense underbrush? I fly my slow stick at night over a grassy feild next to a dense forested vale, with 1-2 LED lights on it only, and just make sure I keep my eye on it, never flying more than 100-150 feet away. I'm trying to comprehend how you can lose it at 8 feet of the ground? (no disrespect intended, and sorry to hear about your losses - I've probably lost even more on stupid RC trades :o , but just wondering how this happens, so I can avoid a similar mishap)

It was windy, I lost orientation and I tried to get it back from downwind and couldn't get orientation right. I thought I had it and gained altitude while flying it full throttle away from me. All of a sudden it was just too small to tell which way it was pointed from the 4 LEDs on it. There was brush between me and the plane, but that was because it flew into an area I didn't intend on it flying into.

Diggs

[Gary Morris]

I was flying at approximately 500 feet up and 1,000 feet away, when I lost sight of it it was still probably 10-200 feet up but since it was at least 1/4 mile away it was just above the tree line, not 8 feet up. It's my own fault for getting so far out, however I have flown it much higher than that before and farther away.

Gary