A costly failure

[sihinch]

Last week, while visiting TEMAC, I attempted to fly my Dara EF1 plane. On the first flight my battery was not good and I landed dead-stick on the first circuit.

On the second flight, on about the 3rd circuit, I also started to loose power so set up for a landing. I'd forgotten how well these planes glide and unfortunately had a bounce when landing. It came down a little hard and I bent the landing gear and broke the prop.

After retrieving the plane, when I got back to the pits, the ESC let out the little white smoke of surrender! I wasn't really sure what had caused it but didn't think too much about it. I just assumed I'd need to replace the ESC.

During my repairs and tear-down this week I found it was a very costly failure.

The motor was stiff to turn and the windings show signs of burning out. The ESC is obviously toast but so was the receiver and the 2 aileron servos. All dead. No response to power and one servo seemed seized.

So what I thought was just an ESC needing replacement turned out to be new motor, new ESC, new receiver and 2 new servos. So a total retail cost of about $300!!!!

[Frank v B]

If you can make it to this Sunday's BBQ bring your re=powered EF1 racer and I will bring my Pogo.  After that, we can settle our differences with the Nooners.   

Frank

[electroflyer]

Hey Simon, I still have your EF1 Rimfire motor from the swap meet, you are welcome to have it back if needed.
 Let me know.
 Glenn

[Ededge2002]

If you can make it to this Sunday's BBQ bring your re=powered EF1 racer and I will bring my Pogo.  After that, we can settle our differences with the Nooners.   

Frank

I still want to actually race one of the stock EF1 planes...

Anyone else still have one of these?

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[Frank v B]

Ed,

Great to hear (read?) from you.  Hope you are doing well.
Simon and I pulled out both of our EF-1s and Nooners at least week's BBQ and had mock races.  Simon mock-won both of them.
At times there were gasps in the crowd as they tried to scramble to get under one of the assembly tables.

If you are still in Ottawa, last year two guys came to Orangeville from Ottawa and raced in a proper 3 pylon course.  It feels like Control line flying without the wires. You stand inside the circle and fly around the course.
You should come and join us this fall.  We can scare up a spare EF-1 for you if you don't have one (yet).
Here is a report from last year's Sept 22 race. https://temac.ca/smf/index.php?topic=9154.0

Frank