One aileron and a prayer

Capt_Beavis

Posted a thousand or more times
the linkage stopper on my right aileron stripped out when I took my daughter out flying my Storch for the first time. In what I thought was a feat of aviation stupidity I went ahead and launched her (she had been flying with a loose servo but it wasn't this bad.

Well the plane still flew great, I had the battery placement perfect and it flew pretty well, I just had to add some rudder for left turns. My 14 year old daughter flew a couple rounds with it and did really well. This was her first time on a four channel without SAFE. We kept the flight kind of short but both had fun.
 

nerdnic

nerdnic.com
Mentor
Twice I've done this. The first time I just forgot to hook up my second ail. Did two laps and was confused why it was flying funny. The second time was last week with my nnMiG 3. I had everything hooked up by the wrong model selected on my radio.. All the trims were wrong but surfaces moved the right way. I nearly crashed as one ail does not suite the mig well.

Pre flight check say what?
 

Capt_Beavis

Posted a thousand or more times
Yeah, a good PFC is really important. I think a thorough control surface check on home builds is also important. I had a control horn fall out after my second flight it was the elevator and fortunately it wasn't during the flight.

I didn't notice that the servo came unglued during my previous pre-flight checks but I definitely noticed it when the linkage stopper stripped. It is a testament to the Storch design that my daughter was able to fly it without a problem It definitely affected the flight but it was controllable.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Most of us have a similar story. Mine was when flying my FB Das Ugly Stick. The right aileron became unplugged but before it parted all together it must have bounced in the socket and the servo drove to maximum travel causing the right aileron to give maximum up deflection on my right aileron.

I could hold it level with the other aileron but the plane would now not bank left anymore. After completing the circuit buy completing large RH turns or circles at each corner I managed to land it albeit a little faster than usual. Changed out the 'Y" harness and now all is sweet.

Never give! Never surrender!
 
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rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
SISSYS who avoid crashes and can fly planes more than one time between repairs, but still SISSYS :p
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
Awww that's nothing... Toss one up in the air once with the ailerons reversed... Watch the chaos that ensues. (been there DONE THAT!)
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
Awww that's nothing... Toss one up in the air once with the ailerons reversed... Watch the chaos that ensues. (been there DONE THAT!)

Yup. Performed a spectacular imitation of a 30" wingspan lawn dart cause of that. :black_eyed:
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
Yup. Performed a spectacular imitation of a 30" wingspan lawn dart cause of that. :black_eyed:

I managed to put mine down nice and level. It was the tire rut in the hay field that did mine in going from mid throttle to zero and inverted in under 8 inches tends to do bad things.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Similar effects can be obtained when some of the rubber bands holding down the wing fail and the remainder are just not quite up to the job. Had a wing slide 3 inches starboard and suddenly it wanted to roll and spin. Again, I had JUST enough aileron to hold it level and decided to land immediately. No flaps, high speed, I turned to line up on the runway and the turn was a little tight and the wing moved again and this time it almost perfectly centered itself and all returned to normal.

Landed fitted NEW, stronger, rubber and a pair extra, Had a coffee and a sit down before I tempted fate once again. Pre-flights do not find every potential problem. :black_eyed:
 
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