Andy's Pitts crash seen from the air

Crazyflyer · March 28, 2016, 07:23:33 AM

I had the chance to film Andy's Pitts from my drone using a Runcam HD.
Ends sadly though

Andy Hoffer · March 28, 2016, 08:12:26 AM

Thanks so much Stephan. Fantastic flight following and a very unique perspective! Who would have thought my Pitts would ever be a pace plane for an FPV drone racer!! In retrospect, we should have stood together and I should have called out my manoevures in advance to so you could anticipate where I was going.

I am so glad that you caught the final descent. It could have been much worse, and provides a good lesson on emergency dead stick landings of planes with high wing loadings. Good news: no wing damage. Repairs required: firewall, one main stringer, fuse skin at the nose behind the cowling. It's amazing how much inertia a 4S5000 battery has - in this case it was determined to exit the front of the plane through the nose, and carry with it anything in it's way!

Also, thanks to Glenn, who shot some video of an earlier successful Pitts flight. I will post that when I convert and edit the video, and figure out how to upload to YouTube.

And thanks to Rob for spotting my battery hatch descent, which lead to its successful recovery, and to Glenn for accompanying me on the "Walk of Shame"!

Thanks again guys.

Andy

octagon · March 28, 2016, 09:28:57 AM

Great flight video Stephan. Good flying to keep Andy in frame too. Andy, glad the damage is minor. Hope to see the Pitts again soon.

Crazyflyer · March 28, 2016, 12:17:22 PM

Simon, I didn't become stationary at all, because my camera was angled up, I was always moving forward. As Andy mentioned, it would have been good for him to tell me his maneuvers as there is only one time he came close when he turned around quickly and he was still about 10' away. The second airplane on the circuit was always at least 100' away.

I am really not sure how this is such an issue when I have seen many, many, many LOS fixed wing airplanes crash into each other, while doing the circuit, including a couple of your planes and others on the board and instructors who have been doing this for many years. In the one year I have been doing this every week, only once did I get hit by another aircraft and it was only because 5 quads take off together at the same time in very close formation.
Please also note that a quad is only 10" wide (not something easily hit in 100 million cubic feet). In the 2 hours I was at the field yesterday I saw at least 6 close calls between planes.

I will respectfully abide by TEMAC rules with whatever decision the board chooses, however I would suggest that if quads are not allowed on the circuit due to potential mid air collisions, you should also consider banning 3D, any aerobatics (no loops as you are going against the circuit), having more than 2 planes on the circuit at any one time and only allowing fast planes to fly with other fast planes; these rules would help with avoiding mid air collisions.

BJROB · March 28, 2016, 12:24:43 PM

Great job on the chase
sad for the pitts
glad the damage was not too bad

thehaze · March 28, 2016, 02:25:08 PM

Nice video.. Eric that quad must be fast to keep up with the Pitts like that. Were you using your FPV gear to track him in the air? I've tried to record other models with my quad without FPV and it's hard to get the model in the view of my camera.

Looks like there's a post missing here. But my opinion on this is that if the other pilots in the air are OK with the quad chasing them, then it's all good. I'm pretty sure if Andy was being distracted or concerned he would have let Eric know and he could have joined the pattern or stay a distance away from him.

Crazyflyer · March 28, 2016, 04:31:42 PM

Hi Mike, it's Stephan actually. Yes there was another post that got deleted showing some concerns about quads on the circuit at TEMAC.

To answer your question, yes I was on full FPV to follow Andy. Andy and I had discussed me filming him ahead of time but it would have been good for me to hear him tell me where he was going.
The FPV Camera and the RunCam HD were on different angles so it was a bit hard to aim properly but as long as I saw him through the goggles, it wasn't a problem to follow (although I did lose him a couple of times). I was using a 4S battery to follow him but he was definitely faster. I don't have a 6S quad...yet!!

The Runcam I believe is at 15 degrees up but my FPV was about 25 degrees up which is why the plane was towards the top of the video. I will need to setup a rig to increase the angle (the faster you go, the more angle you need).

Frank v B · March 28, 2016, 07:41:30 PM

Andy!!!!!!
Looks eerily similar to the Beaver firewall plant a few weeks ago. That is the exact spot where I planted the Chili Breeze three years ago. Keep watering it and maybe a DR 1 will grow on that spot. Three wings went in, maybe three will come out.

Get back on the horse. Too nice an airplane. The gnomes will start repairing it.

Frank

Candu · March 29, 2016, 04:59:25 PM

Nice video, Stephen. You should show up one of the mornings to video the morning crew's combat session with their foam delta wings.

Hmm, wondering if it would be easier to do combats with FPV equipped planes... Disadvantage of this of course is we would need to have twice the number of pilots for spotting purposes.

Crazyflyer · March 29, 2016, 05:38:12 PM

Sure Frank I would love to film you guys, it might be easier to catch other planes with FPV, the downside is the FPV gear on the plane would be about $100 which can get damaged easily (Antenna, video transmitter & camera). Although I am sure we could create a protective shield around the electronics!
(By the way, for FPV, there are only enough wavelengths for 5-6 pilots at one time)

Quote from: Candu on March 29, 2016, 04:59:25 PM
Nice video, Stephen. You should show up one of the mornings to video the morning crew's combat session with their foam delta wings.

Hmm, wondering if it would be easier to do combats with FPV equipped planes... Disadvantage of this of course is we would need to have twice the number of pilots for spotting purposes.

Oscar · March 29, 2016, 09:57:32 PM

Andy - sorry to see the Pitts crashed. I saw the part when it's fell to the field. As you mentioned to me, it's only the nose is broke. The Wing is still in good shape. I look forward to see the Pitts fly again.

Stephan - Great video (great skill too). It captures it very well. I would love you capture me flying too (Although it will be not be as entertain as Andy does with all kinds of aerobatics).

Crazyflyer · March 29, 2016, 10:09:30 PM

Happy to film you Oscar. Maybe you can use my footage and yours to create one of your awesome movies!!

We will have to come up with a script and figure out the shots you want. Move on over Spielberg!!

Quote from: Oscar on March 29, 2016, 09:57:32 PM
Andy - sorry to see the Pitts crashed. I saw the part when it's fell to the field. As you mentioned to me, it's only the nose is broke. The Wing is still in good shape. I look forward to see the Pitts fly again.

Stephan - Great video (great skill too). It captures it very well. I would love you capture me flying too (Although it will be not be as entertain as Andy does with all kinds of aerobatics).