The I'm going out flying thread 2016

[HRRC Flyer]

Hey @ChickenBalls,

I too am glad you or nobody else got hurt. A similar thing happened to the guy who taught me to fly over 15 years ago, although it was a much smaller plane and it went crazy in the pits. Without hesitating, my Buddy actually threw the only thing he had handy at the plane to stop it from going into a group of people. Yes, it was his transmitter and yes, it did the job.

 

[emtp275]

Well myself and @mulehead1969 went out this morning, it didn't go well. Really not sure what happened(lock out), flight went well, he was taxing back to safety fence, it went full throttle, took out one post of fence, HARD HIT, it knocked 2x4 post 10' into the pits. Good news, set of wings, wing tube, and cowl, he back in business. I was out there taking pics, scared the dodo outta me. First pic is the taxi back, then all hell broke loose.

Man that jug took a lick, just an idea but I wonder if blazing star mount with solid bolts will work on the EME, It should be the same bolt pattern and not sure what size they are drilled for but the swb mounts are 1/4" and that's a lot better bolt than the EME or the DLE's use in there stand offs.

 

[flycanic]

After reading all this. I can see a problem with Preventive Maintenance, or lack of. There is no problem with the bolts used by the manufacturer. Once the engine Mounting bolts started coming loose Metal fatigue started, caused by Our largest Enemy, VIBRATION, and took it's revenge on this plane. Glad to see no one was hurt, Thank God.

 

[emtp275]

After reading all this. I can see a problem with Preventive Maintenance, or lack of. There is no problem with the bolts used by the manufacturer. Once the engine Mounting bolts started coming loose Metal fatigue started, caused by Our largest Enemy, VIBRATION, and took it's revenge on this plane. Gad to see no one was hurt Thank God.

True there may not be any thing wrong with the factory bolts but 4 larger bolts with lock nuts as apposed to 8 smaller with lock tite, I have never had the larger 4 come loose but have had factory back out more than once.

 

[stangflyer]

Hey Rob,

I appreciate your wishes to get me flying, but it is not in my crystal ball for the foreseeable future. I'll be lucky I see the light of day for the next month at least. Please believe me, I am not complaining. I have been without a job for 11 months in my not-too-distant past and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

I'm glad you and your son had a great day of flying. It's times like that with him that you will cherish for the rest of your life. Have you had a chance to see what happened with your baby? That was just too weird. I promise not to give you any grief about not flying her until you are darn sure what caused your problem. . . . . . .

Good to hear you are back to working David. Just remember to make time for "YOU". To cleanse yourself of all the everyday stress and crap that builds up. Even if you only get to fly an hour a week, "Make" time for something you enjoy.

We did have a really good time today. It is pretty awesome to have my kids all so close even though they are all grown and leading lives of their own. My son and I have been in this hobby together from day one. He was 9 at the time when we embarked upon this journey. And we have no plans of backing out of it. In fact, we look for ways to keep it exciting and constantly bringing new information to each other back and forth. I wish I had a connection with my dad the way my son and I have.

I have not completely ironed out the details of my 260 yet. But I do know I have had ongoing issues with her ever since I put her in the air a year and a half ago. It seemed that little gremlin would come and go but could never pin point it. Each time it did something weird, I would change something..... rx., harnesses, location of antennas, heck...I even ordered up a complete new set of Multi-plex harnesses from TDRC. Changed out servos, "Smart-Fly" board, entirely new radio system three times, change battery end on ignition battery, replaced Opto-Kill switch,...you name it, I did it. Each time, the problem would seem to disappear, only to resurface at a later time. This time, I changed out the Aileron servos, "ONLY". Double checked my spark plug boots and found a very small amount of residue in one boot. Telling me perhaps, "that" boot was not making perfect contact. After talking with Gerhard and @Bunky.F.Knuckle I had come to the conclusion there may be some corrosion on one of the boots where it attaches to the wire. Heck, it was even suggested that perhaps too much heat was building up and my module was getting too hot. I couldn't see that as a possibility as I have it behind an air dam I built when I mounted that 157. That being said, I blocked off any last remaining air that could get to the ignition module. The only thing that remains on the plane today that it was originally built with is the 157 itself and the Hitec 7980's (2) on the rudder. "EVERYTHING" else has been changed out with brand new components. Even wiring. I can't see it being a setup problem, as every one of my other planes are set up basically the same way. In fact, the 260 has the same setup as my PAU Extra and my 37% Pilot Edge. Other than servos, everything is identical. 7954's on the PAU and the Pilot Edge, 7950's and 7980's on the 260. Those two planes as well as my Sukhoi and even my little 30% Pilot Edge are absolutely crystal clear. I put four flights on the 37% today and she didn't even wiggle.

So my plan of attack is: I ordered a new RCExl ignition module and pick up to put on the 157, I will store the 3w ignition module for now. I will replace the rx., again....and I will probably put some Iridium plugs in the motor. I highly doubt the issue is a spark plug, but since I have them, I want to give them a try. Personally, I have a gut feeling that my problem all along has been the ignition module. Since 3w went to their newest modules, I have not heard of too many failing. The one on my 170 seems to be perfect and it is not as protected against heat near as well as my 260. But that is not to say there "can't" be something wrong with a 3w ignition right? At this point, if this does not eliminate the issue, I will strip the 260 and hang her up. Maybe the airplane gods are trying to tell me her number is coming and its time to park her.....I don't know. Just very frustrating.

As a sidenote question: Has any of you....ever...replaced a servo and had a glitch problem arise? Is it possible my out of now where "Weird Glitch" is a result of a bad servo? I personally have never seen it, but..... I suppose anything is possible???!!!!

If anyone else has a suggestion...PLEASE, by all means...chime in. I am at the end of my wits with this one.

 

[ChickenBalls]

Hey @ChickenBalls,

I too am glad you or nobody else got hurt. A similar thing happened to the guy who taught me to fly over 15 years ago, although it was a much smaller plane and it went crazy in the pits. Without hesitating, my Buddy actually threw the only thing he had handy at the plane to stop it from going into a group of people. Yes, it was his transmitter and yes, it did the job.

I've heard some stories, bout runaway planes in pits. THe fella ( MR, Herb 88 years young ) that I help now, would turn his transmitter off, while his plane was still running, and plane would go crazy. It happened more than once, and finally couple of the fellas, set his fail safe for him.

Man that jug took a lick, just an idea but I wonder if blazing star mount with solid bolts will work on the EME, It should be the same bolt pattern and not sure what size they are drilled for but the swb mounts are 1/4" and that's a lot better bolt than the EME or the DLE's use in there stand offs.

Yeah, left wing hit the 4x4, jug took direct hit from the 2x4 post, it knocked into the pits, right wing found the center 4x4 post. I think one of the bolts had broken some time ago, and then the vibration took out the other 2, and engine shifted, went Full throttle. He also had some plastic extensions on end of standoffs, to lengthen them, and I bet it crushed that plastic a bit, and bolts became loose. Strangely enough I didn't notice engine loose at all. He had the usual issue of it, poppin/ploppin, took 30 or more flips to finally get it to start. I was second to flip, and I grabbed prop, nothing moved that I noticed, no strange or new vibration, drumming noise, after it fired, and ran up, no nothing, NO WARNING, until it happened. Good thing is, no one hurt, other than pride, and tore up aircraft. I'm gonna have to ask you fellas to start helping me police some stuff/people (new guys) out there. I cringe thinking if this would have happened Sat., while John's brother was out there with the young child setting on safety fence. I don't want to become Steve, but if that's what it takes to keep people from getting hurt, then I'll put my butthole/prick badge on. Gotta remember Murphy's Law. Donnie don't wanna see no one hurt an bleeding.

 

[Jetpainter]

I saw a similar motor mount bolt issue with a friend's Pilot 35% 330SC and a DA85. He noticed no looseness at all on start up. About half way through the flight everything was fine, then we started to hear an odd noise in high G maneuvers. I was standing right next to him spotting and we both thought it broke another header. Then it starting getting worse and I told him he better land right now. He lands, and taxies back, everything seemed normal until he killed it and we saw the spinner move violently up and down. We pulled the top of the cowl and two mount bolts were gone, one was in by about a thread and the last one was half way out. A few seconds more and it would have done the same thing as the one posted here. Or if he wouldn't have landed right away he would have lost it in flight.

It had bolts going though the motor and firewall with Loctite into blind nuts. Now it has lock nuts on the back of that. If it comes off this time it's taking the firewall with it.

 

[flycanic]

True there may not be any thing wrong with the factory bolts but 4 larger bolts with lock nuts as apposed to 8 smaller with lock tite, I have never had the larger 4 come loose but have had factory back out more than once.

I can make the same statement about the eight smaller factory bolts, "I have NEVER had the eight smaller bolts come loose", and I do not use lock tight or lock washers, and at the end of a great flying day the planes go through a complete inspection, Besides I like the eight smaller bolts, that way you can inspect or do engine repairs by just removing the engine from the front, if needed. FWIW

 

[thurmma]

Went flying yesterday and noticed after takeoff with the Extra that things were a little louder than normal so I land the plane and checked the spinner, because it sounded like the spinner had come loose. Well, the spinner was tight so I took it off and checked prop bolts, 4 BROKEN bolts!! I have NEVER had a prop bolt break until yesterday. The bolts were about 5 tightening sequences since new, which was about 45 days ago. It damaged the new Falcon prop where the spinner dug into it pretty good, so I will be getting another prop, but just trying to figure out why the prop bolts broke I did nothing different from what I have been doing for years, so this is a stumper to me.

 

[thurmma]

Well I got out today and only got one flight on the 260. Apparently something really weird with my radio. I set up on my approach, brought her in lined up, but was a little too hot, so I did a smooth and gentle pull out to make another stab at the runway. Next time in, lined up and let her bleed altitude off and she settled in for a perfectly smooth as silky honey three pointer landing. Flipped my rate switch up to high for roll out and "NOTHING" from my radio. Almost like someone reached over and turned it off. Elevators went limp and rudder kicked hard left and stayed there, then relaxed and the motor died. Now when has my 157 just up and died? Whew, so very glad I didn't have to do another go around. One flight was enough for me. I packed her up and brought her home...unscathed.

Pretty sure I am going to be looking at that plane really closely. Of all the planes I would hate to lose, losing my 260 would pretty much crush me.

Glad she decided to act up AFTER she was on the ground Sounds like a switch may have died in the tx.