Re: [RCSE] F3J is not for me...or my Pikes :-(

[Joe Rodriguez]

Learning to play with the big boys priceless!!     ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Soaring@airage.com Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 10:32 AM Subject: [RCSE] F3J is not for me...or my Pikes :-( Well flew my first F3J event and it was in Denver with Skip Miller. We had school kids paid to tow, and they were weak, giving me launches 30m less altitude....   I had wing connector problem on one launch disconnecting the aileron and that caused a double pop off....zero.   On another flight I was skied out another pilot came over and we mid aired hard, I got it down but it hit a fence pole and destroyed the wing.   Today I did a test launch to get the new kids towing some experience.  When I dove to get off the line they stopped towing and I over rotated some, the line wrapped around my vertical and sawed it off right at the stab pivot, and both popped off, and destroyed the entire plane.   Tower cost $200 for the weekend, motel and rental car expense approx $800, two Pikes approx $1,100 and the flight out $450. F3J in the Rockies cost me pretty close to $4,000.  Figure I got 4 actual flights in counting the practice flight...you do the math, I'm gonna be a little sick :-) Star Wars was great the other day though! Gordy