Video: Safe landing after wing falls off

jbourke · Sep 30, 2008, 01:03 PM

On Saturday we had a Chili Feed and Fun Fly at the local club. I showed up and was hoping to fly my 1/3rd scale Cap 580 model. Unfortunately, I had a problem during the flight and was forced to abort after only a few moments in the air.

A friend, Keith Ellis, felt a little bad for my situation and offered to let me fly his Yak-54. That seemed fitting, since I fly Russian Thunder, so I jumped at the chance.

I've flown Keith's model previously and it is a nice flying airplane. He broke the wing somehow and recently fixed it. We went over the repair and everything seemed solid. Unfortunately, it didn't hold together as well as we had hoped.

I started out flying in a careful way but as the flight went on I became more comfortable with the airplane. I started doing knife edge passes and spins. I did a few tumbles. Everything felt good so I did a knife edge spin. I made some high speed circuits across the field. The plane was really grooving and I was enjoying myself.

But then I did a snap roll at full throttle at mid-field and the left wing abruptly departed the aircraft. There was no warning, and I don't remember hearing anything. It just came off and started fluttering down.

The aircraft bobbled a bit as I held in what seemed like the proper correction. After a few seconds I found the new centering position needed to keep the plane trimmed in stable knife edge flight. I coaxed it around the field, lined it up, and prepared to ditch it on its side off the runway, but instinct took over, I guess, and I put it on the runway right side up instead.

I think this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I've practiced the scenario on the RealFlight simulator many times, and I credit that experience with my ability to bring it in wheels down. I never thought I'd get a shot to do this in real life. Secretly, I've always hoped for it.

After the event we all sat and talked about it for quite awhile. We all agreed that it was pretty cool. Luckily, one of the club members, Mark Wilson, had a video camera running. Eric Olsen was there to take pictures.

Jim

Jim Bourke One Wing Landing (1 min 38 sec)

Trisquire · Sep 30, 2008, 02:03 PM

Kewl. I find that if you practice things enough on the sim, it's almost anti-climatic when you try them in real life. I haven't practiced much knife edge flying, however.

Tom

ADB2 · Sep 30, 2008, 03:37 PM

Hats off to you for keeping calm and managing to fly the model with one half wing down to a perfect landing!

JustinMoore12 · Sep 30, 2008, 08:21 PM

Horay for Jim

pda4you · Sep 30, 2008, 08:24 PM

Too cool Jim - you are in a small club there.....

steve wenban · Sep 30, 2008, 08:34 PM

That will buff out

nice landing Jim , no load spearders in that wing ? no wonder it parted company.
SteveW

BoneDoc · Sep 30, 2008, 09:47 PM

Freakin cool Jim! It looks like there's not enough wing tube length there

.

redjem13 · Sep 30, 2008, 09:50 PM

Yeah Jim!!!!!! Awesome flying!!!!

B Rocka · Sep 30, 2008, 10:23 PM

Dude! That was great Jim!

paintball_kidz · Oct 01, 2008, 12:29 AM

i always thought you were and old man with a long beard and hair, guess i was wrong.

Habanero · Oct 01, 2008, 01:41 AM

Look he chipped the prop.

Loser

(jk)

Sensiblenick · Oct 01, 2008, 06:11 AM

Hahahaha sweeet.

800mZero · Oct 01, 2008, 08:02 AM

well done Jim, well done! You are truly becoming a yak master!

David22 · Oct 01, 2008, 09:10 AM

very cool very cool

Usta Bee · Oct 01, 2008, 10:26 AM

Apparently styroafoam has no structural strength on it's own......who knew ?.

Congratulations on your self-congratulatory thread.....I liked the arms raised in the air after the landing, it reminded me of Nixon, only without the "V" for victory.

Sep 30, 2008, 02:03 PM	#2
Trisquire Intermediate Multi Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 2,220	Kewl. I find that if you practice things enough on the sim, it's almost anti-climatic when you try them in real life. I haven't practiced much knife edge flying, however. Tom Last edited by Trisquire; Oct 01, 2008 at 10:59 AM.

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Sep 30, 2008, 03:37 PM	#3
ADB2 Build, fly, learn! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Versailles, France Posts: 495	Hats off to you for keeping calm and managing to fly the model with one half wing down to a perfect landing!

Sep 30, 2008, 08:21 PM	#4
JustinMoore12 Brr.. Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: M.E Posts: 4,035	Horay for Jim

Sep 30, 2008, 08:24 PM	#5
pda4you Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Trophy Club TX (DFW) Posts: 9,708	Too cool Jim - you are in a small club there.....

Sep 30, 2008, 08:34 PM	#6
steve wenban builder , flyer,repairer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Mt Annan Sydney Australia Posts: 11,920	That will buff out nice landing Jim , no load spearders in that wing ? no wonder it parted company. SteveW

Sep 30, 2008, 09:47 PM	#7
BoneDoc ILoveInn Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 12,544	Freakin cool Jim! It looks like there's not enough wing tube length there .

Sep 30, 2008, 09:50 PM	#8
redjem13 I <3 Flying Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Traverse City ,MI Posts: 686	Yeah Jim!!!!!! Awesome flying!!!!

Sep 30, 2008, 10:23 PM	#9
B Rocka What the Pfotenhauer? Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 127	Dude! That was great Jim!

Oct 01, 2008, 12:29 AM	#10
paintball_kidz Epic Huckin' Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Surrey, BC Posts: 1,744	i always thought you were and old man with a long beard and hair, guess i was wrong.

Oct 01, 2008, 01:41 AM	#11
Habanero Ghost of a Chance Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 357	Look he chipped the prop. Loser (jk)

Oct 01, 2008, 06:11 AM	#12
Sensiblenick Tearing the Skies a new one... Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Sweden: Ystad Posts: 3,556	Hahahaha sweeet.

Oct 01, 2008, 08:02 AM	#13
800mZero 3DHS Junkie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 5,053	well done Jim, well done! You are truly becoming a yak master!

Oct 01, 2008, 09:10 AM	#14
David22 BEOWULF Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North vancouver, B.C. Canada Posts: 7,154	very cool very cool

Oct 01, 2008, 10:26 AM	#15
Usta Bee Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 3,862	Apparently styroafoam has no structural strength on it's own......who knew ?. Congratulations on your self-congratulatory thread.....I liked the arms raised in the air after the landing, it reminded me of Nixon, only without the "V" for victory.