Aircraft takes off with no pilot...because of wind.

There was the wind event at Mojave in CA last year that had a 747 giving flight another go. Only enough wind to get the nosewheel off the ground thanks to the engines not being on the airframe any longer. I guess tying down that heavy of a ship doesn't seem necessary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHhZwvdRR5c

Nah, this looks like the real thing to me. Most every model will not have the protrusions like pitot and antenna you see here underneath unless they are the very top end scale ($$$) jobs which are rare. ARF manufacturers wont supply these details since they'll break off right away when you remove the wings for transport.

On Sunday, 17 March 2013 18:17:17 UTC, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 3/16/2013 11:42 PM, Chris Rollings wrote:

At 02:25 17 March 2013, Jeremy Keeling wrote:





I don't think the aircraft is a model haha, look at the relative size of

everything around it.

It seems to me that the CCTV camera would be looking towards an aircraft

parking area maybe? Or perhaps the other aircraft that were there had

already been tossed over and the person fetched his camera to catch the

last one...I dunno.



Up elevator only matters on a nose-wheel aircraft. Most empty gliders sit

with the tail-wheel or skid on the ground so elevator position is almost

irrelevant.



The comparable glider errors I see are leaving the tail dolly attached

to an unattended, unsecured glider; not putting the flaps into full

negative; and not turning the glider perpendicular to the wind.



--

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to

email me)

Re parking with the flaps in full negative - the ASH 26 manual tells you to put the flaps in neutral if leaving for a while. I wonder what the reason is - protecting the seals? I always do what I am told!

Mark Burton

On 3/19/2013 4:22 AM, waremark wrote:
On Sunday, 17 March 2013 18:17:17 UTC, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 3/16/2013 11:42 PM, Chris Rollings wrote:


Up elevator only matters on a nose-wheel aircraft. Most empty
gliders sit

with the tail-wheel or skid on the ground so elevator position is
almost

irrelevant.



The comparable glider errors I see are leaving the tail dolly
attached

to an unattended, unsecured glider; not putting the flaps into
full

negative; and not turning the glider perpendicular to the wind.


Re parking with the flaps in full negative - the ASH 26 manual tells
you to put the flaps in neutral if leaving for a while. I wonder what
the reason is - protecting the seals? I always do what I am told!

Mark Burton

If wind isn't a factor, then flap 3 (neutral) is a good choice to
preserve the camber of the Mylar fairings. Still, I keep my glider in
it's trailer most of the time, using a bungey to hold the flaps and
ailerons in full negative so they don't flop around when towing the
trailer. The top Mylar lasted about 10 years before it needed replacement.

I don't think leaving it in negative (flap 1 or 2) during the occasions
it's sitting outside will significantly affect the lifespan of the
Mylar. If you put covers on it while it's outside, flap position
probably doesn't make any difference in the wind, so flap 3 could be
safely used.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

On Sunday, March 17, 2013 1:42:43 AM UTC-5, Chris Rollings wrote:
Up elevator only matters on a nose-wheel aircraft. Most empty gliders sit
with the tail-wheel or skid on the ground so elevator position is almost
irrelevant.

Oh, how not true, Chris! Elevator position ALWAYS matters. And in fact, nose down is where the elevator should be when the glider is unattended. Why? Wind comes up from the nose, the elevator will raise the tail if the wind is high enough, reducing the angle of attack and making it less likely that the plane will blow away. Wind comes up from behind, it will keep the tail pinned to the ground. Same applies to both nose dragger and tail dragger planes. How many have seen single engine Cessnas blown over by a wind from behind because the tail was not secured and the control wheel was held back? I have seen quite a number.

And depending on the tail wheel, nose up elevator can help compress a tailwheel leaf spring increasing the angle of attack and make the plane more likely to blow away. Think 2-33s and the long, slender single leaf springs.

Steve Leonard

Oh, how not true, Chris! Elevator position ALWAYS matters. And in fact, nose down is where the elevator should be when the glider is unattended. Why? Wind comes up from the nose, the elevator will raise the tail if the wind is high enough, reducing the angle of attack and making it less likely that the plane will blow away. Wind comes up from behind, it will keep the tail pinned to the ground. Same applies to both nose dragger and tail dragger planes. How many have seen single engine Cessnas blown over by a wind from behind because the tail was not secured and the control wheel was held back? I have seen quite a number.

And depending on the tail wheel, nose up elevator can help compress a tailwheel leaf spring increasing the angle of attack and make the plane more likely to blow away. Think 2-33s and the long, slender single leaf springs.


Ah, but on a 2-33 the elevator drain holes are near the hinge. Tie the
stick "nose up", and any water that collects won't drain.

Tony V.

On 3/19/2013 9:34 PM, Tony V wrote:

Oh, how not true, Chris! Elevator position ALWAYS matters. And in
fact, nose down is where the elevator should be when the glider is
unattended. Why? Wind comes up from the nose, the elevator will
raise the tail if the wind is high enough, reducing the angle of
attack and making it less likely that the plane will blow away. Wind
comes up from behind, it will keep the tail pinned to the ground.
Same applies to both nose dragger and tail dragger planes. How many
have seen single engine Cessnas blown over by a wind from behind
because the tail was not secured and the control wheel was held back?
I have seen quite a number.

And depending on the tail wheel, nose up elevator can help compress a
tailwheel leaf spring increasing the angle of attack and make the
plane more likely to blow away. Think 2-33s and the long, slender
single leaf springs.


Ah, but on a 2-33 the elevator drain holes are near the hinge. Tie the
stick "nose up", and any water that collects won't drain.

I meant "nose down" elevator.

Tony V.