The flying monkeys got me...

Helis and fixed wing

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Pirate Kid Skeleton by RadDezigns.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Wing came off clean at least...

I am resisting putting a 3-axis stabilization system on the Big Stick, in part because there is really not a place for it, its a very stable flier, and I like having some planes without it. But today made me rethink that.

Took her up for a flight, and on the first landing a brisk wind, about a foot off the ground, the left wing dipped suddenly, struck softly and came right off. Clean. Off. No damage to the fuse, which humorously continued along on its way for about 30 more feet. The wing did split along the center seam on the underside, pulled the fuselage wing attachment block off cleanly, and broke off the leading edge tip that secures it to the fuse, but there is no other damage to the wing or the servos. It yanked the servo wires out of the receiver, and tossed the receiver* from the fuselage breaking off the side of the receiver next to the plugs. The wires all survived, nothing parted or pulled out from the servos, all the servos work and the receiver works. Basically, wing only. It is easily fixed, but I want to also make the seam stronger.

*I noticed the receiver was missing when I got home and was looking to plug the wires back in and it wasn't there. I drove back to the field and found it half way between where the wing had landed and where the fuse ended up.



That's the wing block attachment dangling from the back of the wing. The aileron servo wire extensions were pulled right from the receiver.



You can see the plastic end of the receiver is gone. It works fine.



Drill and battery pack is my favorite workshop weight. I gapped the crack and packed it with epoxy.



After laying down the fiberglass. Underside where the crack between the halves is. I epoxied the halves back together by opening the gap on the bottom, let that dry an hour or two with the weight on it, then laid three layers of fiberglass and epoxy thinned with alcohol out 1 inch out either side from center.



A little over 1 inch wide on the topside. I can't say how far down toward the top of the wing the split between the wing halves might have gone, so I decided to lay 2 layers of fiberglass on the top too. I have a couple of days at work, so I can let it completely dry. I will sand them down smooth and re-cote or paint them on Wednesday.

And with that I reset the Crash Clock.

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