Second, third, fourth this. A little hot glue, or even better, Shoe Goo, and you'll be back in the air. It is really hard to break foam so bad it can't be repaired.
Beware of Horizon Hobby's SAFE system!
- Thread starter Horty
- Start date
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- delta ray horizon hobby panic safe
Second, third, fourth this. A little hot glue, or even better, Shoe Goo, and you'll be back in the air. It is really hard to break foam so bad it can't be repaired.
At least you still have the plane. Mine simply lost signal and just flew away. It was my fault though: a GSM antenna was just besides me and the plane was near another one (One I did not know of). It crashed somewhere in a sugar cane field, One which cannot be penetrated. Anyway, before you fix the plane, if you haven't yet, get some FPV gear, put it in the fuselage, and then glue it.
Take a look at Rain1dog's post: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1963305&page=296
Take a look at Rain1dog's post: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1963305&page=296
DharanFlyer
Active member
I am with them on the repair job. That doesn't look bad at all. Just a little glue and you'd be up again. I've done far worse to my trainers 
Motors and props look completely intact which is the nice part.
Can't speak to the failure though, so far my SAFE has always worked. Getting back into the hobby I started knowing that I would crash and either have repair time or a new plane in my future.
Motors and props look completely intact which is the nice part.Can't speak to the failure though, so far my SAFE has always worked. Getting back into the hobby I started knowing that I would crash and either have repair time or a new plane in my future.
Stradawhovious
"That guy"
300 yards out and 100 yards in the air? You're lucky to have been able to see it at all.
DO NOT PUT 100% FAITH IN ANY SAFETY MECHANISM. This goes for rc planes, cars, firearms, toaster ovens and everything else ever made.
If you are at the point in your abilities to be using the SAFE system as a crutch, there is no reason for you to spec out your planes at that distance to begin with.
Planes crash. Period. Part of the hobby. I've always said that work done at the bench is half the fun of the hobby. I stand by that.
And lastly, sorry to say, this isn't Horizon's fault. Nor is it the fault of the SAFE system. Suck it up, slap it back together, replace the broken bits and put it back up in the air. I've reassembled foamies that I literally removed from the field with a rake, and they are still flying today.
DO NOT PUT 100% FAITH IN ANY SAFETY MECHANISM. This goes for rc planes, cars, firearms, toaster ovens and everything else ever made.
If you are at the point in your abilities to be using the SAFE system as a crutch, there is no reason for you to spec out your planes at that distance to begin with.
Planes crash. Period. Part of the hobby. I've always said that work done at the bench is half the fun of the hobby. I stand by that.
And lastly, sorry to say, this isn't Horizon's fault. Nor is it the fault of the SAFE system. Suck it up, slap it back together, replace the broken bits and put it back up in the air. I've reassembled foamies that I literally removed from the field with a rake, and they are still flying today.
I love the story of the AS3X(?) Radian in one of the later FTAH podcasts. The owner crash landed the plane on his roof, climbed up there and tossed it down, with the battery still connected - and the transmitter laying on the ground.
He then had to see his plane fly perfectly with the wind for a while because when he realized what he had done, he tried to get down fast and pushed the ladder off, so he had to get his wife to get him down again :-D
He then had to see his plane fly perfectly with the wind for a while because when he realized what he had done, he tried to get down fast and pushed the ladder off, so he had to get his wife to get him down again :-D
Troop 17 Aviation Group
Member
That plane is very much fixable. I've had mine for almost a year and a half now and man you should see the nose! I actually hear that was on purpose on Horizon's part so they could sell more noses, but better the nose break than the wing. Just add some hot glue and then wrap with packing tape. Not once has it broken in the same spot twice (except when I used CA). As far as your issue with the Panic Button:
Did you allow it to initialize on a level surface? I'd assume so, you sound like a competent pilot. To check your board I would plug the plane in, but it in beginner, and move the plane around on its different axis (roll/pitch) and see if the surfaces move. If they do then I would double check your programming. I just got my DX6 my the maiden with that radio the aircraft behaved very weird. The Panic Button should be on channel 6 and the modes should be on the Gear channel. I know you say you've been having success but you never know when you hit a switch or something and then the whole thing gets messed up! Also during pre-flight toggle ALL switches/gimbles to make sure nothing strange happens. As always check your CRAP (Control Surfaces, Rips and Tears, Angles, and Power system). I hope this helps. If you continue to have issues let me know and I will try my best.
Troop 17 Aviation Group
Did you allow it to initialize on a level surface? I'd assume so, you sound like a competent pilot. To check your board I would plug the plane in, but it in beginner, and move the plane around on its different axis (roll/pitch) and see if the surfaces move. If they do then I would double check your programming. I just got my DX6 my the maiden with that radio the aircraft behaved very weird. The Panic Button should be on channel 6 and the modes should be on the Gear channel. I know you say you've been having success but you never know when you hit a switch or something and then the whole thing gets messed up! Also during pre-flight toggle ALL switches/gimbles to make sure nothing strange happens. As always check your CRAP (Control Surfaces, Rips and Tears, Angles, and Power system). I hope this helps. If you continue to have issues let me know and I will try my best.
Troop 17 Aviation Group
Agent CAL
Junior Member
It looks like just the nose came mostly broken off, that's easily fixable. Just go to your hobby shop and get glue, I think there's this CA type stuff that's really strong and takes a few hours to dry, I've used that and it's superior for breaks like that. Heck though, you could even use ordinary CA, but that's not as strong. That looks like the easiest repair, as it's two clean chunks of foam off the front. On my Super Cub (ACT technology, believe me, your SAFE system is WAY better ) I got crazy one day, (long story) and ended in pulling up out of inverted only to smash straight into the ground at around 30 MPH. If I remember right, I smashed the motor mount, broke my fuselage in three pieces, and might have even broken the wing! These planes break in a way you can put them back together again like a puzzle, and then use glue. I don't know if the stuff is broken, but it doesn't like too bad of a break.
I hate to tell you this but this is the first of your crashes. As this is foam, glue it together, replace any unrepairable parts, and fly! Lucky for you this is a pusher, so your motor was safe. (I assume) With these foam things, I don't think there is ever a point when the plane is beyond repair, you'd have to get into those giant gas planes to do that. (Unless you're using a Champ sized plane, that plane may be "durable", but then it met my younger brother) OK, I Challenge you to see the plane fixed, I'm just itching to put those clean cut foam pieces back together.
Oh, here's a similar break (if not worse), and repair, if you haven't seen it:
) I got crazy one day, (long story) and ended in pulling up out of inverted only to smash straight into the ground at around 30 MPH. If I remember right, I smashed the motor mount, broke my fuselage in three pieces, and might have even broken the wing! These planes break in a way you can put them back together again like a puzzle, and then use glue. I don't know if the stuff is broken, but it doesn't like too bad of a break.I hate to tell you this
but this is the first of your crashes. As this is foam, glue it together, replace any unrepairable parts, and fly! Lucky for you this is a pusher, so your motor was safe. (I assume) With these foam things, I don't think there is ever a point when the plane is beyond repair, you'd have to get into those giant gas planes to do that. (Unless you're using a Champ sized plane, that plane may be "durable", but then it met my younger brother) OK, I Challenge you to see the plane fixed, I'm just itching to put those clean cut foam pieces back together.Oh, here's a similar break (if not worse), and repair, if you haven't seen it:
Thanks for the support! I don't know what happened, most likely a momentary loss of connection due to signal traffic or obstruction as I have used the panic button many times to save the plane in similar situations and it responded quickly and perfectly every time. I realize that SAFE is not 100% and that is a valuable lesson to remember. Anyway, I am happy to report that the ol' D-Ray is back. After extensive hot-glue, tape and some foam grafting from one of my foam cadavers (RIP Bix 3), she is about 3/4 of an inch shorter and has a tendency to roll right but she is flying!
After the crash it was bad. While the engines and props looked fine in the picture they were not. The crash was so forceful and perfectly perpendicular to the ground that the props were driven all the way back into the motor cowlings. The screws holding the motors in were embedded in the back of the props. I had to take it all apart, straighten the motor shafts a bit, cut some of the cowling off, and surgically remove the props. The battery was found about 20 yards from the rest of the debris and it was slightly bent. It appears to be alright and will take a charge but now lives in a lipo bag when not in use. Anyway, she is back in business and good to go. I am absolutely amazed that the plane went back together and flies, unreal how tough these foamies are. Thanks again for the advice and support!
After the crash it was bad. While the engines and props looked fine in the picture they were not. The crash was so forceful and perfectly perpendicular to the ground that the props were driven all the way back into the motor cowlings. The screws holding the motors in were embedded in the back of the props. I had to take it all apart, straighten the motor shafts a bit, cut some of the cowling off, and surgically remove the props. The battery was found about 20 yards from the rest of the debris and it was slightly bent. It appears to be alright and will take a charge but now lives in a lipo bag when not in use. Anyway, she is back in business and good to go. I am absolutely amazed that the plane went back together and flies, unreal how tough these foamies are. Thanks again for the advice and support!
Capt_Beavis
Posted a thousand or more times
Wow, crazy battery ejection. I ruined both of my motors on my crash so you got off easily. Did you visually check the elevator trim?
Do it powered up in expert mode and make sure they are equally centered. My second was out of trim.
Do it powered up in expert mode and make sure they are equally centered. My second was out of trim.
LooseBruce
Senior Member
GREAT JOB repairing. We are all glad that you are back in the air. This is what separates PILOTs from other folk. We get back up and throw ourselves at the earth again.
Kudos to you,
LooseBruce
Late to conversation...
I realize this is a bit late after reading the myriad of posts, but I had a couple of things to add that might be of value to those of you with planes and SAFE technology...
I've got an Apprentice S15e with the technology, and I took it up last weekend only to NOT be able to get it into Expert mode (I suppose if a mode doesn't work, I'd rather it be that one...). The plane was still completely flyable...but I was unable to do anything outside the envelope afforded me by Intermediate mode.
Once I got back home, I decided to re-check my transmitter (a DX-9). Turns out, some of the settings had been blown away on the program for that plane! The "normal" stuff worked fine -- that is, the critical 4 channels -- its just the switches to control the flight modes were not working correctly.
Why, I wonder? The only thing I can chalk it up to is I set up my transmitter as a master on a wireless to one of our club's instructors DX-9 so my son could fly with the added protection (and he's trying to get his wings at our club). So...I've decided to start from scratch and re-do the program in the transmitter from ground up (then save it to the memory card once I'm done) -- then, of course, go through the normal pre-flight this weekend when I'm back a the field-- but with the added check of testing the flight surface movements once SAFE has been enabled upon startup.
One last comment -- I'd echo the comment made about just switching to Beginner mode versus using the Panic button. Basically, they do the same exact thing, but it is a LOT more reliable (and frankly, I find easier to find, at least on my transmitter)...
Glad you took everyone's advice and fixed your plane...the silver tape makes it unique as well!
Happy flying...
I realize this is a bit late after reading the myriad of posts, but I had a couple of things to add that might be of value to those of you with planes and SAFE technology...
I've got an Apprentice S15e with the technology, and I took it up last weekend only to NOT be able to get it into Expert mode (I suppose if a mode doesn't work, I'd rather it be that one...). The plane was still completely flyable...but I was unable to do anything outside the envelope afforded me by Intermediate mode.
Once I got back home, I decided to re-check my transmitter (a DX-9). Turns out, some of the settings had been blown away on the program for that plane! The "normal" stuff worked fine -- that is, the critical 4 channels -- its just the switches to control the flight modes were not working correctly.
Why, I wonder? The only thing I can chalk it up to is I set up my transmitter as a master on a wireless to one of our club's instructors DX-9 so my son could fly with the added protection (and he's trying to get his wings at our club). So...I've decided to start from scratch and re-do the program in the transmitter from ground up (then save it to the memory card once I'm done) -- then, of course, go through the normal pre-flight this weekend when I'm back a the field-- but with the added check of testing the flight surface movements once SAFE has been enabled upon startup.
One last comment -- I'd echo the comment made about just switching to Beginner mode versus using the Panic button. Basically, they do the same exact thing, but it is a LOT more reliable (and frankly, I find easier to find, at least on my transmitter)...
Glad you took everyone's advice and fixed your plane...the silver tape makes it unique as well!
Happy flying...
Capt_Beavis
Posted a thousand or more times
good post.
mike.chuanshi
Member
The panic button never worked with my Delta Ray, nor did the beginner setting.
Combined with winds that blow 15-20 mph almost every day, my DR took several thorough beatings.
Fortunately, some medium viscosity, foam safe CA glue can fix pretty much everything on the DR.
I did have to order a new fuselage at one point, but that was after many glue repairs.
The upside to all of this was that I quickly learned how to fly.
I never did figure out what was going on with that funky SAFE board.
SAFE is OK for learning how to fly, but that's about it - you can't really modify anything because of it.
Then again, I believe that's the whole point since HH wants you to keep spending money on new planes.
Since you have the DR and it can be fixed easily, just fly the poo out of it and learn as much as you can.
After you do that, avoid Horizon Hobby.
You can have higher quality products (that you can mod) at a fraction of what HH charges.
Just my $0.02...
Combined with winds that blow 15-20 mph almost every day, my DR took several thorough beatings.
Fortunately, some medium viscosity, foam safe CA glue can fix pretty much everything on the DR.
I did have to order a new fuselage at one point, but that was after many glue repairs.
The upside to all of this was that I quickly learned how to fly.
I never did figure out what was going on with that funky SAFE board.
SAFE is OK for learning how to fly, but that's about it - you can't really modify anything because of it.
Then again, I believe that's the whole point since HH wants you to keep spending money on new planes.
Since you have the DR and it can be fixed easily, just fly the poo out of it and learn as much as you can.
After you do that, avoid Horizon Hobby.
You can have higher quality products (that you can mod) at a fraction of what HH charges.
Just my $0.02...
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I was gonna say thats easily fixable, but you fixed it already .
Regarding the flight controller; my brother got some cessna look alike trainer with "safe technology" (sorry, forgot the name) and one thing he was told by the shop was to give a little throttle burst when on the ground, then cut the throttle again before taking off. I assume that arms and/or calibrates the flight controller. Failing to do so, means the flight controller wont know whats up and down and it wont work. Ive not read the manual, but I assume its in there.
.Regarding the flight controller; my brother got some cessna look alike trainer with "safe technology" (sorry, forgot the name) and one thing he was told by the shop was to give a little throttle burst when on the ground, then cut the throttle again before taking off. I assume that arms and/or calibrates the flight controller. Failing to do so, means the flight controller wont know whats up and down and it wont work. Ive not read the manual, but I assume its in there.
Capt_Beavis
Posted a thousand or more times
If it is a SAFE plane then that info is bogus. Running up the motor will activate AS3X (not SAFE) but you don't need to do that before take off. It isn't needed for calibration, it is just that it won't try to correct until the throttle has been set above 25% or so. The plane calibrates while sitting still with no control input, it won't accept any input until it is calibrated.
I had a friend buddy boxed on my Delta Ray today. I keep my controller in beginner mode and let him fly in intermediate. If he gets into trouble as soon as I take command the plane self rights. After we were done I did some loops, inverted and Cubans. I love SAFE.
I had a friend buddy boxed on my Delta Ray today. I keep my controller in beginner mode and let him fly in intermediate. If he gets into trouble as soon as I take command the plane self rights. After we were done I did some loops, inverted and Cubans. I love SAFE.
ok, you made me look it up. Its this one:
http://www.horizonhobby.com/product...per-cub-s-bnf-with-safe-technology-p-hbz8180b
so, its with "safe". I checked the manual:
http://www.horizonhobby.com/pdf/HBZ8100-Manual_EN.pdf
And it doesnt say anything about throtteling up, either to activate the flight controller or to calibrate, so the shop owner was probably confused. It does say to keep the plane immobile for 5 seconds, but Ill take your word that it doesnt take any input until its calibrated.
This does make me wonder how the calibration works; keeping it still for 5 seconds at any angle would allow the gyro's to calibrate, but if its not level, how does it calibrate the accelerometer? Perhaps this is done in the factory and never needs to be done again, but kinda weird.
http://www.horizonhobby.com/product...per-cub-s-bnf-with-safe-technology-p-hbz8180b
so, its with "safe". I checked the manual:
http://www.horizonhobby.com/pdf/HBZ8100-Manual_EN.pdf
And it doesnt say anything about throtteling up, either to activate the flight controller or to calibrate, so the shop owner was probably confused. It does say to keep the plane immobile for 5 seconds, but Ill take your word that it doesnt take any input until its calibrated.
This does make me wonder how the calibration works; keeping it still for 5 seconds at any angle would allow the gyro's to calibrate, but if its not level, how does it calibrate the accelerometer? Perhaps this is done in the factory and never needs to be done again, but kinda weird.
Capt_Beavis
Posted a thousand or more times
I have had flight problems with SAFE when the plane wasn't oriented correctly during calibration. (I should have taken it out of beginner mode to see how it responded but I just brought it down and re-initialized.
