DISTRICT 7California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah
| On Friday there were two plane problems which reduced the actual pilot count to 27. Chris Fitzsimmons lost his 'old standby' Zen when he took off an had no control seconds after this. We all watched his plane, about 100' high, do a large left hand circle and head into the desert, finally going over a distant mountain and crashing. Chris and Vic Anderson, who drive together, left the next morning. In the other Friday incident, Scott Covey watched his AXI motor detatch itself from his POETIC at about 100'! The plane slowed to a crawl and as many watched the tail heavy glider head to the ground. Scott was able to control the plane enough to do a controlled crash. The complete firewall was gone, and the gear had been ripped out. Tom Messer, the AXI Rep in the area (and the CD), loaned Scott another motor, and the plane was fixed Friday evening, and Scott was able to fly in the contest (thanks to Al Messers neat-as-a-pin workshop!). Other Mishaps, Roy Speights, deadstick downwind, damage to plane, Bob Hixon, deadstick on landing, damage to plane, Chris Belden, Damage to plane on landing, did not fly any rounds. Mike Miller, transmitter issues charging, had to use another transmitter which did not have throttle mix, engine would not run correctly. |
