My last 48" Laser EXP was completed in early December of 2014, and I recently killed it in a grinding crash. Ten months may not seem like a long time for a plane, but when you consider this plane flew Extreme Aerobatics on the ragged edge almost every day, it's amazing it did not explode from the stress alone. It was a truly great airplane that I got a lot of joy from. She suffered a few ignominious bumps and ground slaps, and even out outright crash that should have destroyed her but didn't even break the landing gear! After a plane survives that kind of abuse, when it finally does not everything comes apart pretty quickly and absolutely violently. I knew it was coming, so my first comment when it hit the ground was "That's OK. They are in stock"
Of course, they weren't, but that gave me time to tighten up a few other projects and get ready to build the replacement Laser. About the only saving grace there ever is to a crash is that you can scavenge the hardware and maybe some of the airframe parts. I managed to save the rudder, but the cowling and canopy got smashed because I crashed inverted. Thankfully the landing gear was ok and now I keep that under the seat in my car for a spare. It is drilled to fit either an Extreme Flight or 3DHS plane, so I can use it on an EXP or and SHP, or my friends can borrow it if they need it.
Everything went really well, though that's what I've come to expect from an EXP. That certainly doesn't mean I take it for granted, but everything is so well engineered and constructed on these plane you just about can't get anything wrong. I mean, I suppose you could, but I've build so many not that I know them inside and out. I can almost build one on auto pilot.
I didn't even bother the check the trims. I just flew the plane. It will be great to head into the superb Florida autumn flying season with such a nice new plane.
We shot so much footage from 3DHS planes last month that I made a few musicals out of it. The SHP video is 20 minutes long, but the soundtrack is so cool you might just make it all the way through.
Here I combined two 44" Slick flights to fit a 10 minute song. I've flown the Slick a lot, but now that I have the pack jammed all the way back it's really come alive. This is another plane that's going to take a good hammering this autumn!
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