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By ObviousTroll (Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 08:45:42 AM EST) (all tags)

Did you know you can buy a "real" RC plane for 60 bucks?

So, I just bought one of these because my 9 year old asked me to.

Every plane I've ever tried to fly died a sudden death; so sure enough, when I took it out by myself this morning to try it, within 90 seconds I had nailed a tree - even though I was 150' from the tree line in Valley Forge park.

So, at lunch time I ran back to the store and they sold me a new wing, and I went back to VF and got directions to the "real" RC flying field. Not much bigger than the other field, really, but it has an extra feature: A bunch of retired guys with mammoth RC planes sitting around playing with their toys. One of them actually launched the plane and flew it a bit then handed it to me. I took control, got stuck in a thermal and, no kidding, I must have gotten it 300 feet up, straight over my head. We got it back down and he landed it, smoove as silk.

Then he told me about liability insurance, park regulations and the right kinds of radios for compatibility with the park.

Heh. In other words, I'm really not welcome back unless I upgrade to a "real" plane and pay some club dues.

One of the few times I wish I lived someplace like Kansas. Nice, flat, open ground. Not much of that in Pennsylvania.

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This won't end well. | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

Evil Idea by wiredog

(2.00 / 0) #1 Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 08:55:33 AM EST

Concoct a shoulder launcher for model rockets, carry it to the RC field, and launch while they are flying.

Do it while dressed as a clown.

Earth First!
_{(We can strip mine the rest later.)}

That RC needs to be done up by cam (2.00 / 0) #2 Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 11:20:57 AM EST

like a P26.

cam
Freedom, liberty, equity and an Australian Republic

In the 13 years I lived in Kansas, I visited the by greyrat (4.00 / 1) #3 Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 11:34:19 AM EST

RC landing strip at Shawnee Mission Park (this link is not quite where I remember it being) many times. I also got to see the many varied ways guy would auger in their precious aircraft. Trust me, being in Kansas won't help.

Go for one of the mini RC helicopters by georgeha (2.00 / 0) #4 Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 12:06:05 PM EST

they show on TV instead. You can fly in your living room.

: I got one. by ObviousTroll (2.00 / 0) #5 Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 12:27:41 PM EST

She - and I - wanted to upgrade. Besides, the living room chopper has flights of less than 30 seconds - after that it either sticks to the ceiling or drifts to close to a wall.

--
Cur etiam hic es?
[ Parent ]

You need your plane by wumpus (2.00 / 0) #6 Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 01:14:45 PM EST

made out of kevlar.

Once upon a time I worked at a company that makes drone aircraft (sadly aligned with French military contractors, no bids now). One of the prototypes was made out of kevlar. It was lightly scratched, and the claims were that it hit a tree head on. I'm not sure the guy doing the construction was ever willing to make annother.

Wumpus

A while ago by Vulch (2.00 / 0) #7 Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 12:07:14 AM EST

The TV company I worked for invested in a small company that built RC helicopters capable of carrying proper (mid 1980s) broadcast quality film and video cameras. Handy for all sorts of things. They were out one day making a promotional video with the RC helicopter being controlled from a proper helicopter that was also carrying the film crew. Lovely bit of film of it flying down a valley, showing nicely how it could get to places the real one couldn't, and wham, bits of RC helicopter fluttering down from the pier of a viaduct it should have gone under. The RC pilot had been watching it over the shoulder of the film crew rather than looking at the video feed from the onboard camera, and he was about 10 feet away from where he thought he was.

[ Parent ]

: Ouch. by ObviousTroll (2.00 / 0) #8 Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 09:11:11 AM EST

And those suckers were (still are) very expensive.

--
Cur etiam hic es?
[ Parent ]

This won't end well. | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback