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Shaker · 01-01-2006, 04:19 AM

What was 'almost' caught on video a couple years ago was quite possible the most spectacular crash I've ever had. I'm sure it woke up Showtime too since he was in the debris field..

We were at an IMAC contest in Camarillo, CA and competition flying had just finished up for Saturday. So we figured.. Time to bust out the huckin! Showtime and I blast off and are goofing around for a good 10 minutes when I get this great idea in my head to drive around him in a high alpha knife edge while he's hovering..

So here's the scene:
Showtime and I are standing at the far side of the runway (for safety.. to keep the flightline further away from the spectators). He's hovering in place about 10' up and 20' out. I setup into a SLOW knife edge from right to left at about 10' up. Ten Feet? That's WAY too high. So I pull the throttle back slightly to let the big bipe settle.. and down she comes.. it's about 100' out still.. and I start to add power to catch the descent. Except nothing happens. The engine responds.. and I'm making more power.. but the bipe is still coming down. More power.. more rudder. Nothing.. FULL power. Full rudder and the big bipe has finally had enough and snaps out hard left on me in a 3/4 outside snap.. and WHAM!! It hits the ground about 20' to my right.

Now this whole time.. Showtime has been standing next to me hovering.. but hearing this.. (not seeing.. he's still flying), he starts to run to his left.. still trying to hold a hover. The biplane has hit the ground.. is shedding pieces and coming apart as misc. stuff goes flying by me.. including the gas tank which has ripped from the airframe and is spraying gas.. you guessed it.. all over Showtime. When it all finally comes to rest.. there is equal debris to my right and left.. with me standing in the middle.. and all of us laughing our ass off.

Now the funniest part of all this is Showtime decides he's going to dance on the rubble of my now destroyed Ultimate Bipe by hovering his black and airbrushed flames ZN Line Extra right over the wreckage.. where he nearly adds to it by giving wrong rudder at 2' up and nearly dumping his airplane right on top of what's left of mine.

It sucked.. because I really liked flying that Ultimate.. but it was really funny from our perpsective..

~Shaker

01-01-2006, 04:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
Shaker Old School Hucker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Age: 41 Posts: 78	The death of the Ultimate Bipe What was 'almost' caught on video a couple years ago was quite possible the most spectacular crash I've ever had. I'm sure it woke up Showtime too since he was in the debris field.. We were at an IMAC contest in Camarillo, CA and competition flying had just finished up for Saturday. So we figured.. Time to bust out the huckin! Showtime and I blast off and are goofing around for a good 10 minutes when I get this great idea in my head to drive around him in a high alpha knife edge while he's hovering.. So here's the scene: Showtime and I are standing at the far side of the runway (for safety.. to keep the flightline further away from the spectators). He's hovering in place about 10' up and 20' out. I setup into a SLOW knife edge from right to left at about 10' up. Ten Feet? That's WAY too high. So I pull the throttle back slightly to let the big bipe settle.. and down she comes.. it's about 100' out still.. and I start to add power to catch the descent. Except nothing happens. The engine responds.. and I'm making more power.. but the bipe is still coming down. More power.. more rudder. Nothing.. FULL power. Full rudder and the big bipe has finally had enough and snaps out hard left on me in a 3/4 outside snap.. and WHAM!! It hits the ground about 20' to my right. Now this whole time.. Showtime has been standing next to me hovering.. but hearing this.. (not seeing.. he's still flying), he starts to run to his left.. still trying to hold a hover. The biplane has hit the ground.. is shedding pieces and coming apart as misc. stuff goes flying by me.. including the gas tank which has ripped from the airframe and is spraying gas.. you guessed it.. all over Showtime. When it all finally comes to rest.. there is equal debris to my right and left.. with me standing in the middle.. and all of us laughing our ass off. Now the funniest part of all this is Showtime decides he's going to dance on the rubble of my now destroyed Ultimate Bipe by hovering his black and airbrushed flames ZN Line Extra right over the wreckage.. where he nearly adds to it by giving wrong rudder at 2' up and nearly dumping his airplane right on top of what's left of mine. It sucked.. because I really liked flying that Ultimate.. but it was really funny from our perpsective.. ~Shaker