LAST week I made fun of the MAGs (the Model Airplane Gods), taunting them about my apparent victory over their efforts to destroy my Eagle 2. And then, today…
The WING CAME OFF!
I was out at the field, determined to get in a few more flights… even though everyone else had already headed-out. I DID get in another good flight. … and then I took a seat in the shade of the orange sails and enjoyed the quiet, beautiful Arizona morning… the gentle breeze alternately kicking up and throttling-back. I noticed that the stance of my model was a bit nose-high, standing on its tricycle gear… and I remembered that I had wanted to replace that spinner that I destroyed, last week (I had purchased a new spinner at High Desert Hobbies, yesterday, and had it with me). … So I readjusted the length of that nose-gear leg, installed my new spinner… and headed out for another flight.
I did not heed the warning…
In fact, I played with it!
LESSON #1 – DON’T PLAY WITH IT.
During my flight… the takeoff had been smooth… the flight seemed to be going fine… but I was having an issue: as I dove down at a good speed, and gently pulled-back on the elevator, the model would abruptly nose-up… I DID want the nose up, yes… but not so abruptly that 
I was again climbing straight up. “Was that me or the model? … or the wind?” … and that action was repeatable… I was able to recreate that scenario… and I made several re-enactments to see IF I could control it by being even more gentle on the stick-action.
It was during one of these abrupt climb-outs that the wing came off!
The wing popped-off the fuselage and spin-drifted to the ground. I watched the main bulk of the model plow into the dirt… and still had time look-up and count-out about 14-seconds before the wing touched-down… “doinking” on one end in the dirt… Upon inspection, no damage to the wing except one of the vacuum-formed wingtips was shoved-on super-tight!
Had I landed to examine the model after it first surprised me with that abrupt climbing action, I might have been able to spot something that contributed to that action. NEXT TIME I am flying a model and it 
surprises me with “something new”, I will bring it back ASAP.
LESSON 2 – MORE RUBBER-BANDS
I built this model like a “trainer” and attached the wing to the fuse using #64 rubber-bands. I think the Eagle’s instructions had said never to fly without fourteen rubber-bands. I have only ever used EIGHT of them… two each way as an X over the wing (that’s four, so far) and then two more on each side, left and right (for a total of eight). … It seemed like a tight set-up… but… in retrospect… I guess it wasn’t adequate… should have four on each left and right and three each-way over the X.
LESSON 3 – USE NEW RUBBER-BANDS
I have been reusing my rubber-bands… kind of thumbing my nose at the MAGs… I KNEW that I should use new rubber-bands on each flying day… but a fellow flyer says he and his dad would take the used bands and keep them in a baggie with a heavy-dusting of talcum powder. the powder will soak the oils out of the rubber-bands leaving them “fresh” for the next flying day. … “Fresh”, maybe… but not as taut as a new band. From now on, if i EVER use rubber-bands, again, I will use a new set each day … will be far cheaper than replacing airplanes every couple of months.
A side note: THAT PILOT!
That guy survived AGAIN!
That much-maligned pilot was thrown-clear of the wreckage and so survives yet ANOTHER crash! This crash marks the end of his FIFTH (and possibly FINAL) assignment!
Yeah, I know… “the wing coming off in flight” was not his fault… but he sure as heck didn’t save the day, this time, either! … like I said… I just don’t TRUST that guy.
If you still have any planes left…
Come out and FLY
with the Kingman Golden Eagles RC Club!
Sorry to see you crashed that sweet airplane mode sybe you can fix it I hope so… Hang in there Erick…
Thank you, man… don’t think I will be “fixing” it. 😉
Hi Eric,
I realize this is in hindsight, (sorry about your plane), but my understanding of rubber-bands and dowels is that crossing is only used to help to keep the last rubber-bands from coming off the dowels. If you care to test my recommendation you can criss-cross 2 rubber bands and see how easy is is to lift the wing away from the fuselage by grabbing the landing gear and the tip of the wing and lifting. Now put those same two, one on the left and one on the right (no criss-cross) and you will see strength increase for that same test. A rule of thumb I find successful is one rubber-band on each side for every pound of weight. Finally the last two more criss-crossed to ensure holding those others from letting go.
Thanks, Bruno… good advice… I am learning all the time. … and I was putting my criss-cross X on first so as to keep the wing steady as I added the lengthwise bands… so that put my X underneath the lengthwise bands. … Hmph. Now I know.
Sorry Eric to hear of the crash of such a bueatifull, plane, it hurts me any time some one crashes their plane, especially , one that’s hand built, and so pretty, not many people, have the patience , anymore to hand build a plane,
This must have happened after I left, after I hit the fence with my Gentle Lady, she is ok! But I did break the motor mount, have to replace that and re mount the motor!
Im still trying to figure out, why I lost control, in
Fairly high winds, right after I turned to come in for landing on final? After reading your artical, and Bruno,s response, I’m thinking, it was the same rubber bands I’ve been using for 5 months,
Their all mixed up at this point, in my flight box,
I borrowed 4# from John that day, but got them
Mixed up too! Anyway I checked out everything,
On my glider that day, when I got home, and could not find the cause, someone said it was a down draft? But I’m not buying that,
I think when I made the hard turn to final, into the wind, the wing did not come off, but separated from the plane in the turn! Which is ware I lost control! .?
It’s time for me to spend, $2.50 and get a new bag
Of bands, PS, John, told me. When I got those 4#
from him that he uses new bands every time he flys,
Thank you, Worth… yeah… KaBOOM! … I learned a lot…a little late! Now I can clear the decks and build a new model. My plan is to buy a short-kit of the Goldberg Skylark 56 Mk II… buy the plans from the AMA Plans Service… and fly that new Skylark as a replacement for my OLD one.
That Gentle Lady crash looked strange… like the model just dropped out of the sky. COULD have been a stall in that turn… but the way the wind was gusting, I believe there could have been a whorl or a down-gust that knocked it out, there. Good to examine the model to see if it WAS the model’s fault… but it looked like a wind fluke.
Mabey, you are right, I don’t know for sure, but I’ve flown it so many times, and when things go wrong, believe me I think about it, why, did this happen! Sometimes I mabey dwell, on this stuff to much! But after sleeping on it, I remember twice, before, I had the same problem, low to the ground, almost lost it then too! Could have been
A dust devil, forming befour it got the dust??
Don’t know, but that is what makes it so fun!
I was flying with a hawk! For 15 min befour, that happened , of course at 400ft. And I will trade that any day, for what happened, to the Lady
,
Carl goldberg! As old as the are, wing designs,
Rule, Pally, bought me a glider trophy! So we
Could have competitions , and pass it around!
And I would love for someone, to take it away from me! We also bought a crash, trophy, to pass around, and of course, after we bought it, I took out two plastic, chairs, with my gentle lady, Totoled , my bueatifull gentle lady wing! So guess who got the trophy, me! It hurts, but in this
Sport/hobby, you got to have a since of humor to
Keep moving forward! And I love it! Out!