Don't do what I did...

Arcfyre

Elite member
So I scratch built a shiny new FT goblin with a hot little 2206-2600kv motor and a brand new 40A ESC (overkill, I know). Dialed in expo, reflex, elevon mix, etc etc. All the CRAP checked out. Prop and motor spinning the right way.

Took it out for the maiden, got a good launch and headed out over the lake (my practice area) to wring it out. During the climbout, the plane entered a steep left bank, and despite adding power and giving right elevon control input, the bank steepened, the nose dropped, and the goblin hit the water at a 90° angle at almost full power.

The prevailing winds eventually blew the wreckage to shore, revealing my ROOKIE MISTAKE: I forgot to glue the control horns in. The friction of the foam holding the horns in was apparently enough for setup and CRAP checks, but as soon as they were exposed to flight loads, they popped right out of the foam and I had no control. So yeah. Don't do what I did.

The airframe is a total loss. The foam that wasn't crunched on impact was warped by the water. The impact was so severe that it forced the battery through the foam nose (the nose was still attached, but had a battery-shaped hole in it) so that's gone. The servos, RX, and ESC were all treated with corrosionX and were salvaged. All in all not terrible, but completely unnecessary. Aaaaand here I go cutting out goblin parts again.
 

Tench745

Master member
I almost made the same mistake when I went to maiden my Cafe Racer MK 2.1. I set up for a quick taxi test, went over a small bump, and both rudder and elevator horns popped loose; I never glued them in. As soon as I got home they got glue, but the poor thing still hasn't seen the air since...
 

Vimana89

Legendary member
I've lost at least one plane recently from forgetting to screw servo arms on(in fact I probably lost a couple early prototypes like this because starting out, I never really bothered, just popped 'em on). I've had to do nose work on a brand new plane because I had elevator reversed.
 

sundown57

Legendary member
One time a while back I was at a playground setting my plane up to fly and some kids came over and started chatting. So being the nice guy I am I told them all about how I made it and how it works and all the time not watching what I was doing. got it all set to go. all checked out , hit the Throttle and that power pod sailed about 40 feet, plane never moved an inch. forgot to put the skewers back in. I also never told anyone.
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
My biggest mistake is forgetting things! I've gone to field without a battery box, with the wrong battery box, without a transmitter, without spare props, without the proper nose weight. I once came back to the house because I realized I'd forgotten my gopro and then left my keys in the house and locked the door behind me.

Shoot, just forgetting to glue something would be a GOOD day for me! :LOL:
 

The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
One time a while back I was at a playground setting my plane up to fly and some kids came over and started chatting. So being the nice guy I am I told them all about how I made it and how it works and all the time not watching what I was doing. got it all set to go. all checked out , hit the Throttle and that power pod sailed about 40 feet, plane never moved an inch. forgot to put the skewers back in. I also never told anyone.
😆 I hate it when people are watching me and I do some stupid mistake or crash...
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Whilst I have experienced or been responsible for all of the memory lapses mentioned so far in this thread the most embarrassing for me was to build and setup a number of planes for club members including trainees/students and then travelling a hour to a remote flying field only to find that my transmitter had flat batteries and the nearest place to buy replacements was 45 minutes away, (each way).

I had been using my transmitter to do all of the setups and had not bothered to charge or replace the transmitter batteries. I had taken the dry cells out of my field box when I bought rechargeable batteries for my Tx. The poor students had a day with effectively no flying and they could not test their planes until I returned to the field at the end of the mornings flying!

I still get asked if I have charged my transmitter batteries!

Have fun!
 

mayan

Legendary member
I totally agree with you all flying when company is around can sometimes be nerve wrecking and not fun, unless things go smooth and then you are king.

My biggest mistake is forgetting things! I've gone to field without a battery box, with the wrong battery box, without a transmitter, without spare props, without the proper nose weight. I once came back to the house because I realized I'd forgotten my gopro and then left my keys in the house and locked the door behind me.

Shoot, just forgetting to glue something would be a GOOD day for me! :LOL:
Happened to me too.
 

Jackson T

Elite member
I've had to do nose work on a brand new plane because I had elevator reversed.
My first FT plane was a Mini Sportster, and it turns out I had the elevator reversed. On the first attempt I broke the motor somehow, and the second attempt (weeks later) was still with the reversed elevator as I hadn't figured it out yet, and I totalled the airframe. Anyway, the next plane I built, an FT Arrow, was a complete success.