It was literally the perfect day. Gorgeous weather, great friends, nearly zero wind, and best of all, a killer plane - my 3D Hobby Shop 60" Yak-55M. You don't get too many days like this, and so far, the day had been exceptional, with back to back flights and a whole lot of RC fun.
My Yak-55M was a seasoned veteran, with three epic seasons of flying under her belt. From Russia with love, this plane was a pure joy to fly, and was no doubt the best flying aircraft I had ever flown. Powered by a T-Motor 4120-7 550kV power house that was harnessed to a 16x7 prop, endless verticals awaited. This plane was rock solid, ultra predictable and massively fun to fly.
As with all RC aircraft, somewhere precariously hidden from sight is an expiration date, equating to the utter doom of your beloved bird. I have yet to find this foreboding date stamp on the models I fly, but it's there - lurking, waiting and ready to strike with impunity. And unless you manage to unearth the ominous date of your prized models demise, a crash is going to happen, and it's going to hurt. And man, did this one hurt bad.
Poised for takeoff and ready for flight, this was going to be my 5th flight of the day, and so far the day was drama free. And then it happened. After a full power vertical climb out, I pushed the nose hard over to level out, and during this high negative G pushover, I heard a distinct "crack" emanate from above. "No worries," I thought to myself - "I'll bring her down and check her out." However, I quickly realized control was no longer mine. Instead, Sir Isaac Newton was at the sticks, and his favorite law of motion was at play - gravity. What a jerk.
Nose diving from an altitude of 100 feet into terra firma below usually isn't good for anything or anyone - especially if you're constructed of balsa. My Yak-55M had taken it right on the nose (quite literally), and she was done for. I knew it the moment I heard that ominous and sickening sound, and I was honestly heart broken to see her go. It was one of those moments that you simply just stare blankly ahead, realizing your favorite plane of all time has just been transformed into a pile of rubbish. I simply had no words but sullen defeat.
What I hadn't realized was some internal structural damage from a forced landing a season before. Inside my Yak-55M, some balsa had taken a beating, and combined with the 3D stress over the passing seasons, the structure beneath my battery tray had weakened. This caused the battery tray to break free under the rapid onset of negative G force, which subsequently unplugged my Pulse 3000mAh LiPo from the ESC in mid flight, transforming my Yak-55M into one of the sexiest lawn darts I had ever seen.
How could this senseless tragedy been averted? With the Pulse Defender, my gorgeous Yak-55M may still be flying today. Stepping in as a battery backup when main flight power is lost, the Pulse Defender is an ultra low cost solution that will save you from heart break, frustration, and / or a violent tantrum at the field, leaving your fellow flying buddies questioning your sanity as they slowly step away from the screaming lunatic they once called a friend.
Designed as a battery back up system for helicopters and airplanes, the Pulse Defender steps in the millisecond a power dropout is detected. With a 500mAh 2S7.4V pack that is designed to power your receiver, flight controller & servos, you now have a fighting chance to save your machine via auto-rotation or a dead stick landing - a far better option than the "gravity assist" method detailed above. The Defender will even rat out your BEC if it senses any power weakness in flight by utilizing a tattle tell LED light to keep you mindful of any electronic gremlins that may be rooting about your machine.
In short, I wish I had the Defender on board to give me a few more flights with my beloved Yak-55M. But, I learned my lesson the hardest way possible, and hopefully the demise of my beautiful bird will give you the chance to spare yourself from some unnecessary pain by stepping up to the Pulse Defender.
Simplified, the Pulse Defender is cheap insurance that will no doubt save you some serious pain. And if you have a penchant for "screaming toddler fits of rage" after a crash, the Defender may even spare you from losing some friends at the field. All good things to ponder, really.
