Jimbo,

You were not there when Danny Wheeler crashed his heli,  so this is what he told me that happened.   He was hovering it and noticed the throttle had hung.   He set it back on the ground,  but it tipped over and broke the blades off. When this happened and with the throttle being hung wide open (ultimate R.P.M'S) his engine threw a rod.   You know about Jeff Milam's Pitts,  I did not see Jeff McCarter's crash (I was flying),  and I left before Jeff Layman's crash.

This was a bad weekend for planes (four plane crashes and two helicopters).   I really felt bad for Chris Lay,  but he (and Donnie) took it pretty well.   I was thinking on the way home today,  I am due for a crash,  I have really been lucky.   I hope when it happens it's the Magic.   I have been flying that Ultra Stik since May of last year,  no telling how many flights (fly it every weekend) but I have developed a somewhat sentimental attachment to this plane.  I have been getting cocky enough the last three or four weekends I can see the big one coming.

By the way I pulled the covering off the landing gear on the Magic and most of the damage (minor) is splintered wood (fuel soaked).   The result of a earlier screw up (you remember).   I will repair this week and be back next weekend.   I did not show you my rig on the Ultra Stik muffler,  crude but It works.

Later,

Jimmy