Concentration-consecrated

Mon Apr 21 12:42:28 AKDT 2003

Well,
       Gravity finally won. The rest of the fuselage fell down today, just as I was driving to the sporting goods store to get a bow and arrow set.

I cut open the carcass and the battery was gone. The lead was still there and attached to the switch connector. So that did not fail as I first surmised. What happened was. ... The battery came out of the foam tube in the rear of the fuselage and the leads tore away from the pack itself. Normally I have them taped to the pack, but not this time - a midnight battery swap for  a new and fresher pack.

Now I can sleep easier and stop dreaming about devices to rescue the "body-parts"

Regards,

Eric.

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
[mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Dean Pappas
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 11:50 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: RE: Concentration-consecrated

Mid range behavior?

-----Original Message-----
From: Henderson,Eric [mailto:Eric.Henderson at gartner.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 11:48 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: RE: Concentration-consecrated

Wrong plane. The Temptation is alive and well. The Focus died. The good news is that it allowed me to run the FX 1.60 extensively. With a Cline pump, OS"F" plug, ES big 1.40 pipe that was direct coupled to a Mueller header, it was very good. 17 x 13 APC 8K on ground. (Powermaster 15/16 fuel).

The Cline was very easy to set up. It configures like a YS pressure system. Set high end needle and adjust low end for smooth transition.  New out-of-box FX's require one or two flights a few clicks fat and then go compete.

The clue about power is that when you do an avalanche and your snap is way too fast so you learn to throttle back on the top, or, the 45 degree up 1-1/2 snap is very snappy and you only go to full throttle after the snap....

Never had a dead stick (Until I ran out of fuel), even when too rich. Not peaky at all. Could easily hold its own with the DZ's...

E.

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
[mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Dean Pappas
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 11:26 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: RE: Concentration-consecrated

Ouch Compadre!
So what did we learn about the 160? Were the running characteristics completely satisfactory? After all, we're doing a post-mortem. Shame though, it looked pretty at the WRAM show.
Dean

-----Original Message-----
From: Henderson,Eric [mailto:Eric.Henderson at gartner.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 11:11 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: RE: Concentration-consecrated

Thanks for the thoughts.

The wind was fierce last night and is still strong today. The fuselage minus nose and one stab is till up there. Latest plan is bow-and-arrow-line... Now where did I leave that bow?...

E.

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
[mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Tony Stillman
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 10:00 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: Re: Concentration-consecrated

Eric:

Sorry to hear about your loss.  I lost one about this same time last year
(PL Excellence) due to a manufacturing defect.  It's hard to replace one
that is flying well.

I almost had the same thing happen in a helicopter about 8 years ago.  When
I landed, I noticed through the clear canopy that my battery pack had slid
out of the foam sleeve and was hanging by the connector!   Thank goodness I
was using the Parson's Product clip (the one that Bryan was talking about)!

Anyway, after that, I started taping the foam on to the battery pack using
tape both directions to ensure that the pack would not slip out of the foam.

Good luck getting the fuse down from the tree!!

----- Original Message -----
From: "Henderson,Eric" <Eric.Henderson at gartner.com>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 6:38 AM
Subject: RE: Concentration-consecrated

The battery was way back in the fuselage and required two long hemostats to
secure/strap it to a cross member. The Velcro cable tie was double sided and
should have done the job. I can't tell yet but I suspect the battery slid
out of the foam wrapping. Will know when I get the fuselage down. The other
theory is that foam "dust" interfered with the Velcro hook action. (It was
not just butted up to a Velcro plate.

Regards,

Eric.

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
[mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of RC Steve Sterling
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 8:37 PM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: RE: Concentration-consecrated

Velcro??? I've been using velcro!  Set up as straps (not just a stick-on
patch). Eric, if you had velcro straps also that came loose, let us know-- I
will change to wiretie also. I have been using the velcro strap method as I
figured it transmitted less vibration into the battery compared to a
wire-tie. But if it could come loose ---! Rethink time.

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
[mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Henderson,Eric
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 8:05 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: RE: Concentration-consecrated

Be in no doubt - There Will be a different system employed in the next one.
I think a knot will be in there somewhere. Also
I think I'll use cable ties instead of Velcro to hold the pack???

One reason I "shared" is the data about what a lot of snaps can do might
help someone else avoid my experience..

Thanks for all the ideas and condolences. Heading out to the field to get
back in the saddle.... so to speak!

E.

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
[mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of jim ivey
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 10:57 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: Re: Concentration-consecrated

Eric
I know I'm a day late and you are dollars short,but I use heat shrink tubing
on my connectors especially the battery.I have never had one separate.
Sorry 'bout the plane.

Jim Ivey

jivey61 at msn.com

>From: Bill Glaze <billglaze at triad.rr.com>
>Reply-To: discussion at nsrca.org
>To: discussion at nsrca.org
>Subject: Re: Concentration-consecrated
>Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 09:51:12 -0500
>
>Eric:
>Sure am sorry to hear about your loss.  I've had the same helpless feeling
>when I had just finished a split S with a Laser and nothing would work.
>However, the agony wasn't nearly as protracted as that suffered by you.
>Plus, I had no excuse.  My battery leads weren't secured in any way--this
>was *after* I had noted John Ferrell actually tie his plugs together with
>string.  So again, after the horse was out of the barn..........
>Certainly listening to someone else's problems doesn't minimize yours, but
>at least you know that everyone on the list knows what it feels like to
>lose one............
>
>Bill Glaze
>
>"Henderson,Eric" wrote:
>
> >   I said farewell to my CONCENTRATE a.k.a. FOCUS yesterday. I dodged a
>bullet yesterday when the elevator-stick-spring snapped during the 1-1/2
>horizontal snap. An after market spring that I had shortened and must have
>weakened. The week before my buddy Earl stopped me taking off without the
>Jesus screw in the wing. I had the engine running and he spotted the wing
>gap. But every plane has an expiration date on it and mine came due.
> >
> > The P-03 schedule has 3 1-1/2 snaps in it. I was trying to master them
>when I, and the guy next to me, heard a "clunk!" coming from the plane. I
>rolled level, throttled back - but wait nothing! The plane was still at 3/4
>throttle. It flew very straight for a while. Then started a slow turn over
>the DMV a mile down the road. then I could not see it anymore. THEN it came
>back into view performing a VERY slowly diving left turn. It almost made it
>into the open are behind the field. Them it went below the tree line.
> >
> > The OS 1.60 was running strong and then was gone. I searched for an hour
>and came back and load up the van to drive around and further back. Just
>about then the police arrived with a few pieces and a report of an upset
>home owner. To cut a long story short they had called the police when it
>tore through five tree tops behind their house. There was debris in the
>tops of five trees.
> >
> > The fuselage, or 3/4 of it, is still up there. Later in the day,
>Michelle and I visited the home owner and gave them a fruit basket for any
>concerns we may have caused them. They seemed OK, especially the wife, and
>they understood that this was a very rare occurrence. I'm going back there
>today to use a line and weight to try and dislodge it if the wind has not
>done so already.
> >
> > The police were amused and very helpful in picking up the hundreds of
>pieces. I only hope the home owner does not get militant.
> >
> > It was clear that the battery had come loose. There was no fail-safe
>action telling me that there no power was reaching the on board radio
>system. The pack was in the rear of the fuselage about 10 inches behind the
>wing. I had taped the connectors together but the moment of the continuous
>snapping must have eventually disconnected the pack. I must say this was
>the most helpless feeling I can remember.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Eric.
> > ====================================# To be removed from this list, send
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> > #
>
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