tsmart

Well after years of poking holes in the sky and doin what we all do all the time, we wanted to do something different. I have a field in front of my house, I fly there all the time, and my buddy has a field exactly 5.2 miles away, so after timing the route (only 7 minutes at 40MPH) we timed the old Fazer with an LA 40 till deadstick on a 6 ounce tank. Took 12 minutes, we figured thats ample insurance. So we fired it up, one driver, pilot in the bed of the truck, and I spotted for my buddy sitting next to him in the bed of the truck. Central florida is pretty flat, but still there were some trees overgrowing our route. Had to keep the plane directly overhead. After taking off, my buddy kept the plane at like 3 mistakes high...there was a good breeze going south to north, with us. When we turned the truck north, the plane had a good 60MPH ground speed, but that was faster than the truck (a car in front of us) So we had to loop a few times to get the plane back closer to the truck.

Soon we were past halfway and out of the threat of trees above. We pulled the truck into my property in 8 minutes, a minute longer than it took when I timed it. Soon as we jumped out of the truck, the Fazer went deadstick, and my buddy Dennis landed it directly on my runway.

Gotta tell you, this was more fun than I have had in a long time. Now next week its my turn, but my little Edge has a .50 on it so I wont get the mileage. So I will drop a 10 oz tank on the side and go for it. (after setting the rates to way low)

The job would most likely be easier in a trainer, but we dont do trainers, yknow....

I was thinking maybe I would do this with the spad3d, figuring I would only lose a few bucks if I lost it. BUt I cant wimp out. My buddy did it so, you know, I GOTTA do it. But guys, I laughed my ass off it was so waaaay cool doin that. its possible to laugh so hard you lose control, what with the wind blowing in your face and all.....Try it sometime!

akahoverit

My Feedback: (2)

Ok now tape glow sticks on your wingtips and rudder and go down the highway at midnight in a jeep keeping you plane right out in front of you, now thats a good time.

tsmart

Akahoverit, Now you got me thinkin......

tailspnr

My Feedback: (1)

Shhhhhhh........dont want the AMA police to start following you

basmntdweller

My Feedback: (9)

I did that a couple years ago with my Hawk Sport heli. There were a few of us involved with different aircraft. We made an approximate 20 mile trip from one AMA field to another. I had to stop once for fuel. I might have made it but I didn't want to risk the heli that bad. Of four that started the trip, only two finished. One pilot lost sight of his plane as he didn't see the treeline besde the road. It was found late last fall by a farmer about a mile from it's last known location. The other crashed shortly after takeoff before he even got in his chase vehicle. It was the guy who lost his planes idea to do this. He has done it several times and he had a Kadet setup just for cross country with 32 oz tank and video cam onboard. Too bad it didn't have a live feed. I'd like to do it again but with a plane. Helis are too easy as you can stop and hover waiting on traffic and such.
I also did a similar experiment with my Magic. We were on vacation at Lake Cumberland. I hand launched from our boat and followed it around the lake for a while. I didn't have floats on it. I was planning to land it on a boat ramp but just before landing, someone started backing a boat in. I went deadstick before they got out of the way and I had to ditch it. No harm done though. I flew it again later in the week at a local RC field.
With a bigger tank, my Extreme Flight 540 might make a decent cross country ship, hmmmm!
basmntdweller