Failed Success - Wreck Point, Yeppoon

[jase]

Well. the winds have finally picked up again, but the report wasn't very exciting with a recorded 10kts blowing at Yeppoon, but i thought i'd go out and see what the new plane would do in relatively light winds. Having looked on the radar i had about 1/2hr before some showers came through and i got wet.

The whole time driving to Wreck Point i was saying to myself "these winds aren't going to be strong enough". well didn't i get a shock when i got to the point. it must have been blowing 25kts with 30kt gusts.... You know... those kind of conditions that you just love to maiden a plane and trim it too.

First throw, almost lost it over my head from too much elevator.. Ok. so i lowered it and through it out again only to have it almost go over the back of my head again and nearly took out the 4x4 parked next to mine. Ok... trim it down some more and through it out for it to fly perfectly.... add a couple more clicks of downtrim and the plane is flying nicely.. A little wobbly due to wind gusts and possible sloppy elevons, but it's flyable.

After doing a few figure 8's, some flybys and getting a feel for the plane i thought i'd be smart and fly inverted.. well. it did not like that at all, it came crashing down, hit the bollard and cracked the EPP where the nose meets the wings.. no worry. golf club shafts are still holding up and there is no flex...

through it back out only to find it completely impossible to fly so i bring it back down to land only to cartwheel off the side of the cliff and onto the road "Phew, no cars were coming". forutnately i was able to readjust the tape on the elevon and had it back up in the air soon after... It was flying nicely once again.

Ok.... so this rain is getting closer now and i'm sure this wind has picked up another 5 - 10kts probably ahead of the rain so i thought it wise to bring it in to land and call it a day... No worries. i fly a few figure 8's to drop some altitude and bring it into land infront of me where "there should be dead air".. Hmm. nope. no dead air on the front slope so once again the plane hits wingtip first on the slope and gets cartwheeled right across the other side of the road..... thank god no cars were coming... again...

i picked up the plane and it felt like a rag doll. This time i killed it for the day. The wings were almost flying separated and 1/2 of the coloured tape had ripped. I laughed it off as i walked away without causing any property damage or damage to vehicles or people. so a good days flying.

to say the conditions were extreme would be an understatement, but it's good to know the plane handled the abuse i could throw at it even though i'm going to have to spend some time putting it back together.

[thevon]

Aw Bummer Jase! I know that feeling well. Good on you for trying it anyway. I'm trying to learn to be able to say "these conditions aren't great - give it a miss". Very hard thing to do sometimes! I do so much damage when I try flying in bad conditions.

[Pij]

I had a hard time knowing to call it quits today too. Jase, when I flew at Wreck Point, the only thing I didn't like was the difficulty of coaxing the glider to come down. That place just has great lift. Good to see you're getting some fly time.

[bundyglida]

Hi Jase, Wreck point is where I grew up flying. even in strong conditions it can be very easy to land there. I f the wind is blowing from the SE, you should fly a long way down wind over the NE slope to lose height, and then use the head on wind to slow you down for your approach. this is the same as if the wing was from the NE, fly downwind, lose height, land.
Wreck point is a great spot to fly at, but there are other sites that produce much more, smooth lift. only 10mins away.
The National park hill at the southern end of KEMP beach is by far the best spot for huge lift in a SE breeze.
Double heads is also great in an easterly breeze, but if it's blowing and there are large swells on the water , be careful of the blow hole, at wave push inside they push air up and out...all good, but when that water then leaves, it sucks air and planes in, don't ask how I know this.
If you or anyone else are heading up that way again, let me know I'd love to go home for a fly again.

[jase]

after checking the plane out tonight i think the left servo has packed it in. when i move the left elevon the whole servo clicks and moves a heap like the gears are stuck of stuffed... oh well... cheap servos.

either way. does anyone have a good way to secure the elevons so there is no slack. i checked the connections on the linkages but the slop appears to be in the join.