I recently received a SAPAC foam Electric Ducted Fan scale jet model for Christmas, and I documented the entire process of putting it together so I could share it on this blog. However, near the end of my documentation process I decided to show-off to some friends on the second flight, and I rolled the plane straight into the pavement at the flying field. The crash was nothing short of spectacular, with my sister, her friend, and the “jet-guys” all watching as I made such a silly amateur mistake. I decided there was nothing to do but buy a replacement and do it all over again.
There is a big lesson learned in the above crash, and I will share that here as well as add it to the “Thing’s we’ve learned” page, which you can always access by clicking the top menu of this page. I use that section to document everything important that I learn in the process of writing this blog and enjoying the hobby.
When replacing the T-45 I contacted SAPAC America, and it appeared that they sold an ARF version for much less than the PNP version which is commonly sold. I ordered the ARF, (which is supposed to require a motor, battery, servos, and all that junk which was recoverable from my crashed PNP version), but to my surprise when it showed up at the door it was exactly the same as the ARF! So the re-build was much easier, and I now have a completely extra set of equipment as well as another battery!
Now, on to the lesson learned…
I did not crash the first T-45 simply because I am a bad pilot, although at the moment that certainly crossed everyone mind 
. I crashed because I failed to set up the plane properly. I had thought I understood the importance of plane setup before, but what we had here was a real moment of understanding. See, upon the maiden flight I found that the ailerons were not centered, and my radio required full left trim in order for the plane to track straight. In fact, it still tended towards the right even with full trim. This maiden flight information should have resulted in me taking off the wing, removing the servo control horn, and adjusting so that the ailerons were centered properly when the radio was at neutral. But because I was capable of flying with full trim I decided I was in no rush to make that change.
Now, to the fateful moment when I decided to roll the plane in front of my friends at low altitude…
If I had rolled to the left, the plane would have followed its natural tendency and rolled quickly. This is how I had been testing the plane’s roll. We are all used to our planes acting similarly in each direction – we have a symmetrical expectation. But because the plane was not setup correctly, a roll to the right would behave much slower than a roll to the left. Without thinking, I rolled to the right, and the result was not the quick roll I had noticed, but instead a slow, gradual, flop into the ground, followed by pieces of foam showering the ground and the audience lowering their opinion of my flying skills.
So on this second version of my T-45 I decided to dedicate an entire evening to the plane’s setup, prior to the first flight. I checked every surface, and ensured that every servo at neutral (with the radio turned on and centered) was connected to a neutral control surface. I also checked all throw angles, and ensured the symmetry of both elevators and ailerons.
Yesterday I did the maiden flight, and I am happy to report that the T-45 was the best maiden-flying airplane I have ever flown. It tracked perfectly straight (nearly) with absolutely no trim. I was truly impressed with the performance, and it was an easy and fun experience to fly around the park. It attracted a lot of attention for its scale appearance and quick rolls (from both left and right this time!)
I have tons of pictures, but I don’t have access to them here in Seattle. I will add to this post next week with the full report. Thanks for reading!
