My first attempt at an ARF

[LocoRC]

My first plane was a micro sized bind and fly so everything went pretty smoothly.

However, my first attempt at an ARF went horribly wrong. I had practiced many times on the computer trainer and I felt confident and a little cocky. ....lol.... I think that's where I went wrong as the cockiness made me not perform my preflight inspection.

It was an Airfield P51.... beautiful bird and I connected it to my DX7. Went up to the field, plugged in the battery and took a couple runway passes.

Pointed the plane to the wind, throttled up and no more than 5 seconds later, the bird was smashed.

Long story short, I forgot to reverse the aileron servos and when I tried to turn the plane, it went the wrong way. Thank goodness nobody was at the field.... at least it saved me some embarrassment.

It was funny when I heard Bixler say, "All of us have forgotten to reverse servos at one time or another".... made me think of my mistake.

This mistake definitely taught me a very important lesson!

- Kris

 

[jetpackninja]

Sorry- Another reason to remeber to video every maiden.
Points out another reason to do a GOOD preflight check. This is a lesson I continue to learn.
I just flew a plane that I had recently bought from a friend for the first time. I was fighting to get it trimmed and maxed the trim all the way left. On a flyby I saw something hanging from the left wing... yes, the aileron servo horn broken and was dangling from the aileron. Got to contantly remind myself not only check for movement. Check for CORRECT movement. I got lucky and got it down ok. Sorry to hear about your crash. Those FMS Mustangs look great in the air!

 

[bicyclemonkey]

I had the ailerons going the wrong way on my first aileron plane...It survived but was mostly held together with clear packing tape by the time i retired it.

 

[jetpackninja]

Yeah- and I've gotta admit somehow I unmixed my delta mix and tried to take off... PRE-FLIGHT lesson learned again

 

[JohnnyV]

Down is up,up is down... Yeah, did that with a heli once... Same difference only caught it before it went completely wrong.... Chicken dance and a busted set of rotor blades to show for it...