A good friend was interested in seeing me and my Phantom fly, so I invited him over to the house. After a short walk we arrived at the launch spot, just outside a 400 acre wooded, mountainous land preserve.
Weather was good and took off without incident. Let her hover at about 30 feet when I turned to talk to my friend. In what couldn't have been more than 10 seconds, I look up...and can't find my bird. Not only have I lost site of it, I can't hear it either. Gone.
Quickly, I give it throttle to keep from crashing, wherever it may be. Still no sign. I push forward, back and side to side knowing it will show up soon. But it doesn't.
Not 2 minutes into the lost flight, an F-16 blows in out of nowhere right over my head. Didn't see or hear it until already past me at an altitude likely under 400 feet. Oh ****, that got my attention!
How high did I send the Phantom earlier in my panic? Search me. Left FPV at home for some reason. Good news is that I did not hear or see a fireball in the distance.
Still no sign of the quad, until a minute or two later when she magically appeared directly over my head.
Sigh of relief.
Then I woke up, heart pounding, slathered in a sweat.
True story. My first Phanightmare.
Weather was good and took off without incident. Let her hover at about 30 feet when I turned to talk to my friend. In what couldn't have been more than 10 seconds, I look up...and can't find my bird. Not only have I lost site of it, I can't hear it either. Gone.
Quickly, I give it throttle to keep from crashing, wherever it may be. Still no sign. I push forward, back and side to side knowing it will show up soon. But it doesn't.
Not 2 minutes into the lost flight, an F-16 blows in out of nowhere right over my head. Didn't see or hear it until already past me at an altitude likely under 400 feet. Oh ****, that got my attention!
How high did I send the Phantom earlier in my panic? Search me. Left FPV at home for some reason. Good news is that I did not hear or see a fireball in the distance.
Still no sign of the quad, until a minute or two later when she magically appeared directly over my head.
Sigh of relief.
Then I woke up, heart pounding, slathered in a sweat.
True story. My first Phanightmare.