Last Flight of the Phoenix

There comes a point where you just have to decide enough is enough, and to let a plane go... Cubby #1 was my first plank, and she taught me how to fly, that we can survive crashes, and how to fix foamies from nearly every ill. But, I just couldn't get her to fly right in the end.

Several of my past posts have been about her deteriorating stability, and that she was becoming progressively underpowered as her weight increased from the repairs. My flying skills are still novice, but I can fly her. I've flown her over a dozen times just fine. She looked marvelous after this last repair... she had beautiful lines, a perfect CG, and more power than ever. But something was wrong, she wasn't the same. I don't think it was the gusts, because even in the calm she wouldn't settle down. She gyrated like a bucking bronco, high rates, low rates, full throttle, idle... it didn't matter. Sometimes she just didn't respond well to inputs, mostly continuing to glide downwards despite full up elevator and full power, sometimes over-reacting, sometimes delaying her reaction. She was unhappy, and so was I. And so, we crashed... A steady dive, not a stalling collapse. Hard into the ground. I had a feeling this would be the last flight of the Phoenix, so I tried my keychain hatcam again. But, as with all things Cubby, it just wasn't quite right, and Cubby was out of frame for almost the entire video.

Bad hatcam video, but the timeline is interesting to watch unfold. 

Her last flight, couldn't just toss out the video...

Brand New Exceed 4ch J3 Cub 1080mm from Nitroplanes

Build completed February 5, 2011

Rest in peace, Phoenixcubby...

May 21, 2011

Needless to say, I LOVE Cubbies, ground handling issues aside. I have Cubby #2, and someday I am sure there will be another. I have a fondness for these 1080mm foamie Cubs. It was hard not piecing Phoenixcubby back together again, so hard. But she just isn't the same. I had to force the canopy in, pushing the nose down, so I know she is deformed so much her true lines are all wacked. So, I am cannibalizing her parts, and her wing is above my bench forever, a reminder of my first plank love...

To round out the day, I took the Alpha Sport 450 up. It was a WILD ride, and after a couple circuits, and her being just carried away by the wind, I landed her in one piece (she harriered almost straight down like a heli... the wind had gotten so brisk). A little too much for my skill level. That was enough for me, so I called it a day. Another pilot lost a plane in a crash, others flying heavier nitro's took advantage of the 8-9 mph winds and 12-15 mph gusts, flying only a few times more themselves. Tough day.

I am looking forward to the arrival of my Nano P-51 Mustang, and hope, oh I so hope, she is stable and fun to fly! Tomorrow, if the winds allow, I plan to fly the Cornell and the MX2. Big day planned. And, I may even have the ERazor ready!