Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

[No1FBfan]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

glad to hear he got out ok. That back up control statement has me confused to. Hope to see him back on the airshow circuit soon. Thanks for the links.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

I think in Sean's case, the "backup" controls were probably those between his ears and legs...

I'm hoping to be able to speak with him (via phone) or one of his "people" tomorrow and get some more information...

I'm still pinching myself with glee though... HOW different this evening COULD have been!!!!!!

Thank god!

Wayne

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

Yipes! Praise the angels that watch over pilots for holding the bird's controls together long enough for him to reach a safe bail-out altitude. We've lost enough top-notch pilots this decade already.

That first full picture is just sweet Victor. You should email a large copy of it to Mr. Tucker along with condolences for losing his trusty steed.

I'm sure he'd love to have a copy of of one of it's very last photos (and one of the best shots of the Oracle biplane I've ever seen too!) Just a thought...

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

I was just going to call you to tell you!

Marilyn... are you at SnF??

W.

[Jason S.]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

One thing that’s interesting about Victor’s pictures is that it looks like they had added some inboard control surfaces to both wings. Maybe they were added to help with his high Alfa harrier type maneuvers.
Jason

[DPK2]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

Jason,

I noticed the same thing about the inboard controls. I had never notices this before seeing Victor's pictures.

They don's seem to be directly linked to the ailerons. Are they some type of flap?

Anybody have any details?

thanks,
David

[Propellerhead]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

<Rant> Do any of you cringe when you hear these "professionals" in the media refer to "stunt planes" and "stunt pilots"?

Flying a plane through a flaming wall is a stunt. Crashing intentionally is a stunt. Landing on top of a moving vehicle is a stunt.

Last time I checked, Sean was an aerobatic pilot.

</rant>

Rob

[Mluvara]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

Jason,

I noticed the same thing about the inboard controls. I had never notices this before seeing Victor's pictures.

They don's seem to be directly linked to the ailerons. Are they some type of flap?

Anybody have any details?

thanks,
David

At first glance, it may not be noticeable, but Sean does change the plane a lot from year to year. Still looks orange, but there are a lot of subtle changes if you look at each year's photos.

I believe possibly what he has (had) on the wings were camber changing devices linked to the elevators or something of that nature. It's pretty common on models to link them to the elevator in order to change the camber of a wing for certain aspects of flight. Obviously, one can't have an airfoil that's good at everything, so being able to change that in flight is obviously the next best step.

Michael

[DPK2]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

Michael,

Thanks for the reply. That is what I was thinking. As you say, they have been common on models for years. I guess it started with control-line stunt ships. Now with computer radios it is common to use some type of elevator to flap mixing.

David

[wolfee]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

Sorry to hear about the Orical Special. what a bute she was.

But at the same time Im glad Sean is safe, sound and in one piece.

Im sure he has ideas for a new, better Orical plane, and along with it, a new show!

[Aeronut7]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

<Rant> Do any of you cringe when you hear these "professionals" in the media refer to "stunt planes" and "stunt pilots"?

Flying a plane through a flaming wall is a stunt. Crashing intentionally is a stunt. Landing on top of a moving vehicle is a stunt.

Last time I checked, Sean was an aerobatic pilot.

</rant>

Rob

Yes. It makes these dedicated professionals look like a bunch of irresponsible pilots who succumb to the "Hold ma beer and watch this!"-mentality and recklessly endanger themselves and others, when in fact they train for hours upon hours upon hours to create the safest, most entertaining show possible. I think it's somewhat demeaning to call any aerobatic pilot a "stunt" pilot (the Pietsch brothers and the RV landing, well, they've got both ends covered ) because nothing they do is a "stunt" . . . it's merely usage of the the laws of physics.

But hey, it all turned out well this time. I thought I heard somewhere that Sean and his team were developing an airplane specifically designed to do 3D maneuvers . . . perhaps we'll see it soon . . .

[Tin Man]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

Coffee shop "gossip" here at KSQL has it that an elevator torque tube broke. Apparently this is not the first time.

[speeddemon]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

Coffee shop "gossip" here at KSQL has it that an elevator torque tube broke. Apparently this is not the first time.

Well, THAT is certainly more logical than 'the stick broke off'.

[Jay]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

I thought I heard somewhere that Sean and his team were developing an airplane specifically designed to do 3D maneuvers . . . perhaps we'll see it soon . . .

How about turbine power (Turbo Raven) and all moving tail surfaces like the Shark (in the EAA museum), that Leo Loudenslager was having built by Edge.

[ignomini]

Re: Tucker Bails - Plane Gone, Sean OK

Boy am I glad to hear Sean D. is alive and well.

Those extra controls on the upper wing were added some time after Reno '04. Not exactly a Victor shot, but you can see they weren't there when he was at Reno.