Johnblog

I drove to the model flying field this Saturday keen for a fly – only to find the long grass surrounding our mowed runways was on fire! The fire had started just moments before I arrived. The fliers there said there had been a trail bike (illegally) riding through the area just before the fire started. Very suspicious.

The blaze spread rapidly. The bushfire brigade turned up about 30 minutes after someone called 000 and they put out the fire near where the cars were parked. Elsewhere, they encouraged the fire to spread to burn off the long grasses.

The start of the grass fire

I went home and left them to it. I went back on Sunday and flew my models. The landing strips were untouched but the rest of the field was black ash.

It was a windy day but I managed to avoid getting covered in ash! My Extra 300 model now has had 272 flights.

Oops! Big moment with my big model plane. I’m showing off by flying very low inverted and I get disorientated and hit the ground in a vertical dive. Pilot error! Luckily the long grass at the field takes some of the sting out of the impact.

I carry the remains back to the pits and get some consolation from my fellow flyers.

The wings and tail survive, but alas, the fuselage is broken in two and the cowl and canopy have multiple contusions. But 10 days later (today) she flies again! It took a lot of work to piece together and strengthen the fuselage, then re-cover it with film.

I bought a new cowl and canopy. The old ones were repairable but they would have shown the scars.  I also needed a new propeller and spinner. Worth the effort as this is a lovely plane to fly.

I was very careful to make sure the fuselage was straight when I glued it back together. It certainly flies straight and true.