I lost one of my Extra's today and I don't really know what happened...took off fine...went straight into a knife edge...did a series of rolls and then nothing ...watching your bird come in with no control is just terrible! The damage was pretty nasty...worse...my favorite Turngy motor is done ...bent pretty good...I am using a AR6100 v1.6 and have not had a problem at all until now! Once she smacked the ground and I did the walk of shame...all of the sudden I had control again...strange...I decided to do a range check and about 40 paces with the bind button pushed it froze...I moved the antenna from the left to the top and then it was working perfect...even at 60 paces! I don't get it...any of you guys using a DX7 have any tips? I put the same battery on my Bipe and she flew PERFECT! This for sure was not a fumble finger...just stinks!

I have felt that sting...

At least I have two left that fly!

Originally Posted by bighead93

I lost one of my Extra's today and I don't really know what happened...took off fine...went straight into a knife edge...did a series of rolls and then nothing ...watching your bird come in with no control is just terrible! The damage was pretty nasty...worse...my favorite Turngy motor is done ...bent pretty good...I am using a AR6100 v1.6 and have not had a problem at all until now! Once she smacked the ground and I did the walk of shame...all of the sudden I had control again...strange...I decided to do a range check and about 40 paces with the bind button pushed it froze...I moved the antenna from the left to the top and then it was working perfect...even at 60 paces! I don't get it...any of you guys using a DX7 have any tips? I put the same battery on my Bipe and she flew PERFECT! This for sure was not a fumble finger...just stinks!

If you have time, read this thread (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=604621 ). I have not had any issues with my 6100's but I did have one incident with my 7000 in my 3D Hobby Shop Yak. I took off, started a bank to come back around and the plane looked like it needed more power and I give it more throttle and the plane was un-responsive and nosed in. Lucky for me it landed in a large bush and the only damage was a broken prop. I could have not been luckier. When I got to the plane, the RX light was on but nothing was working. I unplugged the battery and plugged it back in and everything was working again. It has never happened again.

If you read thru the thread above, you will see people with the same problem you have had. Most seem like the brown out issue where the power goes low and you lose control for long enough to crash. But from what I read, v1.6 was supposed to correct this by allowing the receiver to reconnect almost immediately in a brown out or where the signal gets shielded by some hardware. Some were thinking that a battery blocked the signal long enough to have enough caused this. Some were thinking that the users had the antenna pointing straight instead of having it at a 90 degree angle. Then there are some that think a marginal deans plug or something like that can cause a power outage (friend had this happen with Chinese deans plugs). But it sounds like most are really not sure. I am glad that it has not happed to me again and I hope my luck continues.

What position did you have your antenna in? What position are you control surfaces in when you first plug in your battery (called the fail safe)? Did you say you moved your antenna and it started working? I think I read where there were some bad antenna's too.

Sorry for your loss. It sucks.

Originally Posted by msprygada

If you have time, read this thread (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=604621 ). I have not had any issues with my 6100's but I did have one incident with my 7000 in my 3D Hobby Shop Yak. I took off, started a bank to come back around and the plane looked like it needed more power and I give it more throttle and the plane was un-responsive and nosed in. Lucky for me it landed in a large bush and the only damage was a broken prop. I could have not been luckier. When I got to the plane, the RX light was on but nothing was working. I unplugged the battery and plugged it back in and everything was working again. It has never happened again.

If you read thru the thread above, you will see people with the same problem you have had. Most seem like the brown out issue where the power goes low and you lose control for long enough to crash. But from what I read, v1.6 was supposed to correct this by allowing the receiver to reconnect almost immediately in a brown out or where the signal gets shielded by some hardware. Some were thinking that a battery blocked the signal long enough to have enough caused this. Some were thinking that the users had the antenna pointing straight instead of having it at a 90 degree angle. Then there are some that think a marginal deans plug or something like that can cause a power outage (friend had this happen with Chinese deans plugs). But it sounds like most are really not sure. I am glad that it has not happed to me again and I hope my luck continues.

What position did you have your antenna in? What position are you control surfaces in when you first plug in your battery (called the fail safe)?

Sorry for your loss. It sucks.

I started up everything like I normally do...plugged in the battery...checked that everything was moving correctly...good to go and took off...now I was only in the air for a few seconds and is was if the controls froze...and down I went! I have the RX sitting the same way in all of my planes...Antenna's running with the length of the fuse if that makes sense! I have 10 different planes with AR6100's and haven't had an issue until today. Could an ESC or anything else cause this? I am nervous right now...don't want to loose another plane! For the record I have flown this Extra as high as 500-700' without a problem! I could hardly make it out when it was up that high Does it matter the direction of the antenna on the TX?

Thanks, and yeah it does I don't know if this one will be worth fixing...I guess I could more some of the electronics into another "FOILZ" The nose is crushed almost to the wing...just had to hit the black top!

Originally Posted by bighead93

Does it matter the direction of the antenna on the TX?

yes, the lowest signal strength comes from the top of the antenna (DX7 manual page 100 near the bottom. "Do not point your antenna at the model" real obvious I know... ). They call it the cone of silence or something like that. That is why it is suggested to bend the antenna at a 90 angle. Supposedly you are always facing your plane and you would never have your antenna pointing at the plane (so why don't they have it point down? The plane is never at your feet unless you are plugging in the batteries.)

Try pressing your bind plug and then pointing your antenna at your plane and walk away until you loose control. Then when you loose control, move the antenna sideways and see how much farther you can go with it perpendicular to the plane. In the thread I mentioned, I heard of guys getting significantly farther before loosing signal.

Originally Posted by bighead93

Could an ESC or anything else cause this?

Yes, if your servos are requiring more power than your ESC can provide, it could over heat and shut down for moment and that is all it takes to crash the plane. Then when you get to the plane, everythings working because the ESC has had time to cool down and reset.

The test for that is to remove the prop and put the plane on the bench and move the sticks all over the place and feel the ESC. Is it getting warm? I have read that someone had a bum servo that was nearly shorting out and the amp draw was really high and it was making the BEC over heat and shut down. He replaced the servo and all is well.

Some of these thread are starting to talk like these problems were always around but people were blaming them on FM radio glitches where with 2.4 you are told it is bullet proof and now people are doing more investigative work to really find out what the problem is.

Good luck in your search for the truth Moulder.....

Sorry to hear, bighead93. You're right - at least you have others to fly, but it still sucks.

Well, at least a failure has less impact on your confidence than a dumb thumb! It isn't any less frustrating... but when i crash a plane due to failure it doesn't make me douby my skills on the next flights like a dumb thumb can.

I am still recovering from my first 260 crash; heart races a bit more from flight check to landing, especially since my last few times out have been very challenging.

Hi! All,
I FINALLY got to maiden my 260 last Sun. It was a bit windy...but no worries. I only got to to fly it once, since I had to do 2 maidens and 2 re-maidens...but, me likey. On the other hand...has anyone had incedence issues? It seems to fly better with a little up trim, even inverted with the up trim it's almost hands off. I have checked the alerons, they seem to be where they should be...CG's good at 3 7/8" to 4"...I suppose that one flight in the wind is not ideal conditions. But I was still wondering if I'm the only one with a possible incedence issue.

Thanks ahead for any input, Bill

Check your trust angle, you elevator should be completely neutral.

To do that, pull an upline at full throttle and see which way it pulls, towards the canopy or the belly? If its the canopy, you ll need some downthrust and vice versa.

LB

or u could go inside your house and turn in on and act like u are going to put it in a hover. and see which way the plane wants to go.

DOOH!!! I hadn't thought about the thrust line. I did put about 2 degrees of right to off-set torqe. I'll check it.

Thanks, Bill

you shouldn't have to modify thrust angles if the box is straight.

Is a TP 11.1V 1320mah lipo battery going to be enough on this plane with the Turnigy 2217 motor. Any guesses on how long flight times will be? I am wondering if I need to get a higher capacity battery.