Flight Chronicles - Wounded Child and a Pile Driver

My bird has been very unruly lately. I have been through two tail motors and much frustration trying to fly it. Turns out, what I really needed was patience. I talked to the mentor today, and got a few pointers. After that, I was determined to tame the bird. I took more care tweaking the gain and proportional, and I'll be dogonned, patience and minor tweaks are better than drastic changes. O.K, so I new that. But sometimes my impatience gets the best of me, and it takes a little talking off the cliff to bring me back to my senses. Thanks Oracle, I needed that.

This evening was perfect for flying. I can not remember a gust of wind during my flight, other than the wash of the blades as it hovered near me. If I had more time, I would attempt that other beast. The yellow one that taunts me every time I near it. Lets me know, it is still in control. I would take it out for another round and show it, I have not given up. For, my goal is to tame the plane before the summer ends. Well, secondary goal that is. First is the heli. I do think the heli flying will help with my plane. It has shown me patience, and how little to correct the stick. So I think the next time out with the plane may be promising. In the mean time, back to the heli.

I learned a couple of valuable lessons today. They are:

• Don't fly over women and children
• How the bird acts 20 feet above ground when the battery is dying out
  

Yeah, unfortunately I learned them at the same time. The wife and youngest were out watching me fly in the back yard, sitting in their patio chairs enjoying the show. All of a sudden, I was about 20 feet in the air and it starts wigging out on me. The tail starts off left, then right, it seems everything I do is either overcompensating, or under compensating. Unfortunately, I am directly above my wife and youngest. My only thought is, don't land on them, and avoid the fence. Mostly, don't land on them. Well, any bets? O.K. so I kind of gave it away already. Yep, right on top of the youngest. The main blade smacked her right in the cheek. All is well, those plastic blades scare more than hurt. I have certainly taken my share of smacks. But then again, I am not 11, and things tend to hurt more at 11 than old age. She is doing much better now.

So that was the wounded child. Now lets talk about the pile driver. Yeah, you thought that was it. Nope. I had a second battery waiting to be discharged, and I so hate to disappoint an eager battery. So I slapped her in and away I went. I am determined to get the left side in and right side in hover. I was working left side in when in a fraction of a second I went nose in. No problem right? I will just turn tail in quick and get control. Sure thing, in the midst of that attempt, the heli went ballistic on me, turned course straight for the garage and stopped. That is when it reached the garage. Garage 1, heli 0. I thought for sure it was going to be down for the count. It was a very similar crash to when I hit the house. Except, when I hit the house it was at more of a downward angle, this was a direct hit, then fall straight to the ground, where soft dirt was awaiting. That little helicopter is a trooper though. I checked her out and sent her off flying once again. Not to be deterred, I went right back to left side in hovers. I think I am slowly getting it. I can just tell, it is going to be a while before my fingers get wired directly to the controls and automatically correct movement. In time, it will come.

Till the next still day,

-JbJ