Just off a well-stretched highstart and with the wing tipped the wrong way
to a fairly stiff crosswind my Highlander zipped sideways into the top 2/3
of a tree. I thought, "Oh *********; guess I'll have to climb a tree." No,
there it is, ripping and tearing through the branches and then zipping up
the highstart. Wow! A close one. Oh, oh, not home yet. Once off the line
it's all over the sky, a *real* bear to get it (sort of) under control and
back on the ground. Finally ended in a landing totally lacking in any
grace; just awful...and just after a beginner had literally bounced it up
and down on the ground during his landing (first try at RC sailplanes).
Enough for one day; lots of repairs to make.
Making a long story short, in the shop I found one of the aileron servos
disconnected, the rudder servo clevis bent and hanging loose, a dinged TE,
and the wing askew from a ripped-out wing dowel; guess that explains the
wild flying. However, all I needed to do was connect the aileron, replace
the servo clevis (glad I used Kimbrough servo savers), and patch the dinged
TE and ripped-out wing dowel (a couple of hours work, including retaping and
recovering). Went flying the next day.
On a similar note, my shortest flight ever was less than one second. Not a
popoff but, again, just off a standard-class highstart (also
well-stretched), the Highlander flipped over and dove nose down under full
power into the ground. Damage: two small cuts in the EPP.
What a sailplane!!! In either case my Sagitta (or any balsa built-up) would
have been in a cigar box.
Thanks MAD and Kimbrough...and usual disclaimers.
Dave
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