Congrats to all you guys. I think its safe to say you guys are doing something right down there @ DLG HQ.

Good showings over the weekend.

Congrats to all the AZ crew! Way to go Dave! George, did you fly your Concept? And I fully expected to see Donnie in the flyoff.

Who's going to Visalia June 4 & 5?

Originally Posted by BavarianCharles

Who's going to Visalia June 4 & 5?

ME!!

Hey guys, here is my shameless plug. The Cal Challenge is happening again this year. It is a 2-day event in Visalia, CA. This is the site of the epic TD contest, The Fall Fest. If you havent flown here, you havent flown, period! The field is incredible and the conditions are sure to be challenging and fun.

ALL profit from the entry fee and t-shirt sales will go the F3K Team. Come on out and support the Team.

There will be camping on the field and I have a limited number of sleeping bags and tents I can bring for those that are flying in. So come over and sign up. This is going to be an awesome contest!!
Paul

Originally Posted by RCPC

ME!!

Hey guys, here is my shameless plug. The Cal Challenge is happening again this year. It is a 2-day event in Visalia, CA. This is the site of the epic TD contest, The Fall Fest. If you havent flown here, you havent flown, period! The field is incredible and the conditions are sure to be challenging and fun.

ALL profit from the entry fee and t-shirt sales will go the F3K Team. Come on out and support the Team.

There will be camping on the field and I have a limited number of sleeping bags and tents I can bring for those that are flying in. So come over and sign up. This is going to be an awesome contest!!
Paul

So ... when is dlgdude going to post the task list and pilots list?

Originally Posted by BavarianCharles

So ... when is dlgdude going to post the task list and pilots list?

Lex (dlgdude) is on the road right now but i will hassle him to post the task list and keep an updated pilots list.
paul

2011 USA F3K Team Guitar fund raising effort can be found here:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1434007

Launch Mishap:



Flew #2 plane this morning, and noticed several “funny” launches – the plane would climb, make a short reversal, almost diving, and continue to climb again. No discernable glitches in flight. Must have launched 20 times in all, and the majority were benign. On the last launch, the plane dove towards the ground immediately after release, and I just saved it. Barely. Decided to investigate at home and got the #3 plane. Transmitter malfunction? No way …

Launched #3 several times, circled, landed, repeat. On the last launch, the plane dove straight into the ground. Maybe a teenager with good reflexes could’ve saved it, but it happened so fast, and the amount of dust told me this wasn’t going to be good.

How to troubleshoot the problem- Two planes, same problem, or separate issues with the same result? TX malfunction? Both planes have (had) latent defects?

Any suggestions?

Was this at the bowl or at CASL field? Was a range check done before the flights? 2.4 or 72 MHz

Sounds like a TX problem more than an on the plane problem. Loose antenna, that may be intermittent during launch, and is stable during flight? Bad battery, or loose wire inside the case?

BTW my Dr cleared me for light exercise including non strenuous launches!

bbbp

Originally Posted by BavarianCharles

Launch Mishap:

Flew #2 plane this morning, and noticed several “funny” launches – the plane would climb, make a short reversal, almost diving, and continue to climb again. No discernable glitches in flight. Must have launched 20 times in all, and the majority were benign. On the last launch, the plane dove towards the ground immediately after release, and I just saved it. Barely. Decided to investigate at home and got the #3 plane. Transmitter malfunction? No way …

Launched #3 several times, circled, landed, repeat. On the last launch, the plane dove straight into the ground. Maybe a teenager with good reflexes could’ve saved it, but it happened so fast, and the amount of dust told me this wasn’t going to be good.

How to troubleshoot the problem- Two planes, same problem, or separate issues with the same result? TX malfunction? Both planes have (had) latent defects?

Any suggestions?

Charles, Don't know if you read RCSD, but the May issue has a great article on single points of failure. A worthy read that might provide some insight.

Sam

Hey AZ crew!
Do you guys have any binary 900 fuzes laying around? Thinking of making a mini plane!

Jun

Charles - don't rule out a mechanical reason for the unexpected elevator input. I did this once with a Vandal years ago (Futaba 10C), and again with a Stobel after switching to an EVO.

When grasping the radio, it's easy for your thumb to migrate into the control stick area and touch or rub the elevator gimbal. Grab the radio and see how close your thumb is to the elevator region. Never did touch the stick, but just by putting pressure on the top of the gimbal this translated into DOWN elevator.

Effects lefties in mode-2, and righties using mode-1.

I did that once.

On launch, my thumb accidentally pulled down the flap stick which resulted in an very powerful nose dive 15 feet in front of me!. I immediately went home & programmed the radio to disengage the throttle stick when in launch mode.

Originally Posted by jcats

Hey AZ crew!
Do you guys have any binary 900 fuzes laying around? Thinking of making a mini plane!

Jun

Oh no! Is it really that bad? If it is, you'll have to name it the "Stubble."

I don't have a fuse and pod for you. I've been sitting on a set of cut down XP wings for whenever someone decides to do a group buy.

Originally Posted by RotorCycle

Charles - don't rule out a mechanical reason for the unexpected elevator input. I did this once with a Vandal years ago (Futaba 10C), and again with a Stobel after switching to an EVO.

When grasping the radio, it's easy for your thumb to migrate into the control stick area and touch or rub the elevator gimbal. Grab the radio and see how close your thumb is to the elevator region. Never did touch the stick, but just by putting pressure on the top of the gimbal this translated into DOWN elevator.

Effects lefties in mode-2, and righties using mode-1.

Lee,

that's an interesting thought - I hold the TX in my right hand, with the thumb pressing down on the housing near the gimbal.

I'll try to duplicate the error, and it wouldn't take much down-elevator to plow the plane into the ground at launch speeds approaching Mach 1 (Not!)

Thanks! Charles