Have you ever flown your RC plane right into a tree? Or onto a roof? Well... we have. And in this episode, we will show you the many different ways of retrieving your planes... as "safely" as possible.
You should do a retrieval episode using a multi rotor. You could rig a line up with a hook to snag it with. Then in the event the line got stuck you could flip the switch for a tow release mechanism to prevent getting the multi rotor stuck or crashed. Log In to reply
I used 3/4 inch schedule 40 pvc electrical conduit from my local hardware store to get my plane out of the top of a 40 foot tree. It's less than $2.50 a 10ft length and the lengths just slot together. They have a bell on one end. I used 4 lengths. This was hard work but it succeeded.
Schedule 40 is too bendy to self support once you have more than two 10 ft sections but you can snake it through the branches and use the bendiness to steer it to some degree. Not easy but I developed a feel for it after some struggling. I could get the end to whip about a bit to move the branches. Also being bendy you can join the 10ft lengths as you snake it up the tree. In my case I was on a hillside which helped with that, though not with much else. On flat ground you may need a step ladder to get enough height to join the 10ft sections or you can cut them shorter and use more sections. Cutting had been my plan but it proved unnecessary for me.
The bell at the end of the pipe that makes the joint is only on one end. If you cut off the non bell end to shorten the pipe you will have to buy more lengths to get the same height. I couldn't find a suitable joining piece to buy but the pipe is cheap enough that's not really necessary. I also planned to tape the joints but I found they held well enough that wasn't necessary either. Was quite warm out when I did this so it may be necessary to use tape if its cold. I positioned the bell a the top end of the pipes which may not matter but it worked.
Schedule 80 pvc conduit might be less bendy but its more expensive and heavier and wasn't available for me to try. I also considered PVC water pipe since it is less bendy but it's much more expensive, heavier and difficult to join as you raise it up the tree. I tried using tent poles from a family dome tent slotting a thinner one into a thick one and taping each joint as I snaked it up the tree to get a 35ft pole. This came close to working but really was much too bendy and you risk breaking you tent poles. Might work ok for shorter trees so worth considering since you probably already have it.
Another idea was to put a foam board battering ram on the end to help with pushing. I did this on the tent poles but didn't bother with the conduit but it may help things go faster. I also thought of running a thin rope up the conduit and adding a spring wire loop closable with the rope to the top section so I could lasso the plane. I came close enough to the plane that this might have worked but whipping the pole about to shake the branches worked first and is a simpler if more brute force approach that is probably easier on the plane.
Today I got my FT Spitfire stuck in a tree about 4 feet up and 20 back in the woods. It was close enough adn on private property, so my Uncle got the shotgun (with full choke) with #6 shot and shot the Limb off teh tree and the plane came down... Yes some shot hit the plane, but no major damage. Now the Plane has been in a real "Fire" Fight!!! :-)
fire station:)
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Schedule 40 is too bendy to self support once you have more than two 10 ft sections but you can snake it through the branches and use the bendiness to steer it to some degree. Not easy but I developed a feel for it after some struggling. I could get the end to whip about a bit to move the branches. Also being bendy you can join the 10ft lengths as you snake it up the tree. In my case I was on a hillside which helped with that, though not with much else. On flat ground you may need a step ladder to get enough height to join the 10ft sections or you can cut them shorter and use more sections. Cutting had been my plan but it proved unnecessary for me.
The bell at the end of the pipe that makes the joint is only on one end. If you cut off the non bell end to shorten the pipe you will have to buy more lengths to get the same height. I couldn't find a suitable joining piece to buy but the pipe is cheap enough that's not really necessary. I also planned to tape the joints but I found they held well enough that wasn't necessary either. Was quite warm out when I did this so it may be necessary to use tape if its cold. I positioned the bell a the top end of the pipes which may not matter but it worked.
Schedule 80 pvc conduit might be less bendy but its more expensive and heavier and wasn't available for me to try. I also considered PVC water pipe since it is less bendy but it's much more expensive, heavier and difficult to join as you raise it up the tree. I tried using tent poles from a family dome tent slotting a thinner one into a thick one and taping each joint as I snaked it up the tree to get a 35ft pole. This came close to working but really was much too bendy and you risk breaking you tent poles. Might work ok for shorter trees so worth considering since you probably already have it.
Another idea was to put a foam board battering ram on the end to help with pushing. I did this on the tent poles but didn't bother with the conduit but it may help things go faster. I also thought of running a thin rope up the conduit and adding a spring wire loop closable with the rope to the top section so I could lasso the plane. I came close enough to the plane that this might have worked but whipping the pole about to shake the branches worked first and is a simpler if more brute force approach that is probably easier on the plane.
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