Well here’s a little tale for you all to ponder before you next take your precious models out on a windy day.
There was I, on the north slope of Big L. today, wind speed 50 -60 Km/h at the ridge. Everything was lovely,
with clear skies,
no spectators,
and a blue’ish sky.
The Phase 6 was ballasted up to 150% of normal flying weight. I was going through my normal little repartee of aerobatics and put the model into a steep dive, pulled out sharply and rolled the plane hard right.
The model started the roll and then went almost completely out of control. Fighting the sticks I just managed to get her the right way up, back to the ridge, and over the landing area. Had great difficulty trying to keep the wings level for a landing. (Not helped by the gusty winds) As soon as I started to apply the crow brake she ballooned up, stalled, and corkscrewed nose first into Mt. Lienster.
(The funeral mass will be held at Bree church tomorrow at 4.30pm. All are welcome) :cry:
But what caused the demise of my (second) Phase 6? :?:
Well, it turned out to be something that I would never have imagined.
The following picture shows the underside of the wing and the left aileron servo. The servo arm has snapped off of the servo arm flange. i.e. the part of the arm that located onto the servo splined shaft is still in place, but the actual ‘arm’ that connects to the control rod (and should be pointing up towards the camera) has snapped off! and was left dangling from the aileron horn.
I’m amazed, I would never have thought there would have been enough force during flight to snap it off. :shock: I’ve had servos pulled out from their sockets before on windy days but this problem would never have entered my head!
Well,……………you learn something new every day.
