First Solo flight - Muffler falls off

[raptorrobbie]

Well almost!

After connecting in the Co-pilot for much needed assistance and proceeding to the field I had an excellent morinings flying.

I had forgotten the elastic bands for the training gear, and was too lazy to go back home and get them. I Calibrated the co-pilot and fired up the engine. Very tentativly increased the throttle and see lifted into the air, not quite as steady as a rock, but an amazing feeling to be able to hold a reasonable hover, and actually get the thing to go where I wanted it too - more or less!

I don't want to be controversial here, but I think the co-pilot is amazing. I am a total newbie to models, and the assistance given to me by Raptorite to check the build and carry out the initial trim was fantastic. However I don't want to be hassling Pete every time I want to fly to come down and hold my hand. The co-piot gave me the confidence I needed, and allowed me to have some fun, before turning it off and getting down to the business of learning to fly without it.

Anyway, got through 3 tanks and everything was rosey. Knew the last flight was coming up, as batteries were going to need a charge, and I don't yet have a field charger.

I was in a 2m hover when the engine note changed dramaticaly, 8O I powered down and landed and immediately tried to cut the engine. It would not stop on zero stick and with the trim right down! It was only ticking over, so I slowed the blades with my hand and pulled off the fuel pipe.

The lower bolt holding the muffler on had worked loose and the muffler had rotated about the top bolt. Luckily the bolt was still in place.

Would this have done any damage to the engine? :?

I am thinking Petes advice about a Zimmerman will be taken up soon!

Happy landings,

Rob.

[Mack]

I wasn't going to say anything about it(thought it was my bad building),but that happened to me too. I lost the nut from the bottom bolt but the top one was still there. The engine mounting bolts also came loose. I now know what pre-flight check is. ops:

[Stuart]

I use spring washers to keep the bolt tight, never let me down yet

But I did have a stock TT muffler come apart in a flight once and very high, got it down in one piece eventually.

[Raptorite]

Hi Rob,

It sounds like you did really well with your first flights, so well done for that

The muffler coming loose like that is a bit disconcerting to say the least, but it wont have caused any damage to the engine.

Stu's idea of the lock washers is a good one and should stop the little blighter's coming loose again.


Cheers,

Pete.

[G-DAVE]

Loose Mufflers

I often wondered if this was a product of overheating engines.
It used to happen to me in the early days when we were known to use any old fuel we could get our hands on . These days with Magmum and Cool Power plus I'm much more careful not to lean motors out to far in fact probably running them a little rich infact , It don't happen any more.
Dave 8)