RC Model Is Toast, But Biplane Takes Significant Damage and Flies Away

ANN is looking into the details surrounding a truly bizarre incident that took place on August 14th during a small public event at the Brighton (CO) Van Aire Airpark (CO12) in which a full-scale biplane collided with a giant scale radio-controlled aircraft "hovering" over the active runway.

YouTube ScreenGrab of RC Aircraft
hovering over CO12 before MidAir

FAA's Denver FSDO has confirmed that the events first revealed in a video posted to YouTube actually took place (correcting initial reports that this yet another Net-Hoax) and that an investigation is now under way. There is no information as to who initiated the investigation and whether the proper/timely reports were made in accordance with FAA/NTSB Guidelines.

YouTube ScreenGrab Of Biplane
seconds before impact

The video shows a very large fixed-wing RC model 'hovering' over the runway in some manner of public display with a person supposedly clearing the airspace via a hand-held aviation transceiver. The over-powered aircraft is demonstrating exceptional power to weight characteristics through a fair part of the video, literally hanging on the prop, until the attention of the video shooter (and the 'Air-Boss') is attracted to the left by an oncoming biplane, smoke on, making a stable, high-speed, low pass over the same runway. While there is some significant confusion about the communications between the person with the hand-held (later seen to be wearing a hand-lettered tag labeling him as the "Air-Boss'), the biplane continues along the runway until it collides with the vertically oriented, predominantly blue, model to the far right side of the video image.

YouTube ScreenGrab of MidAir
(FAR right side of frame)

Following impact, the biplane is seen to continue flying, apparently under control and still somewhat flyable, while the model tumbled to pieces off to the side of the runway. There were no reported injuries to anyone on the ground though throughout the video, this small public event is seen to have some issues with crowd control (people very close to/or on the active runway) and significant confusion as to what the biplane was doing or should have been doing, though the current regs dictate that the manned aircraft always has the right of way.

The video continues for some time after the collision with the pilot of the RC model, 'Chris' expressing some concern for the plight of the pilot, even admitting that the bipe pilot could have been killed before spending the rest of the video bemoaning (warning, said video discussion contains significant usage of profanity) the "$8000" cost and loss of the very large scale RC aircraft.

Picture posted by 'Hoverlover2' (Pilot of RC aircraft in
collision) showing resultant damage from MidAir with Biplane

Online discussion (on www.flyinggiant.com and elsewhere) of the incident has taken some interesting turns, with input suggesting that the biplane landed at the Brighton airport where it was put into a hangar for the remainder of the event, and various accusations of guilt and responsibility by the alleged RC pilot, who posted at various times, an intention to engage in legal action as well as a desire that he be compensated for the loss of the aircraft.

On the 'Flying Giants' RC Forum, 'Hoverlover2' who claims to be the 'Chris' seen piloting the vehicle involved in the MidAir, posted the following initial announcement of the accident... "Ok Slick bro's ya ready for this (expletive deleted). Bad news. The Slick is dead!! She was hit by a full size Pitts Special, Iv got pics & video I will be uploading real soon, Cory, and me went to do a demo for a childrens charity event at a real airport, and I was hovering on the deck and down comes a full size Pitts , dude and his wife were flying in it, and he procedes to do a high speed on the deck pass without clearing with the flight boss and wham !! He made an emergency landing, leadingedge of his bottom wing has a 1'X1' foot dent, and is not flyable. Dumbass could have killed himself and his wife pulling crap like that, No clearance with control whatso ever, and all I got was im sorry. Now im out $8000.00, but I got an apology which is worth nothing, ya wont believe the video !! Coming soon !!! Damm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The forum, like most of their ilk, ultimately degenerated into a series of accusations, insults and threats, as well as some truly amazing displays of aero-ignorance... though that particular discussion has since been closed by the forum moderators.

The field in question was private/uncontrolled, and according to the FAA, not operating under any waivers or NOTAMs. The 'Air Boss' was using only a hand-held radio and appeared to offer minimal traffic information (based solely on what is revealed in the video) to those on the ground or in the air. The FAA has confirmed that there is damage to the biplane seen in the video collision, that it was not a Pitts, and that the damage appears to be confined to an area of the leading edge measuring about 12 inches by 4 inches... though an official inspection has yet to take place. More important, there was no injury to occupants of the bipe... though the video provides adequate evidence that the matter could have gone far worse had the impact occurred any differently.

Attempts to get more information on his story have been difficult... the Academy of Model Aeronautics has twice failed to return promised calls, the airport in question has not returned calls and there seems to be a subtle attempt/wish to see this incident 'go away' on the part of a number of people involved. However; with a YouTube video already pushing 9000 views and hundreds more views on RC discussion boards about the matter, that seems like a faint, if misguided, hope.

ANN is still researching the story and will update the matter as appropriate.

FMI: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3GHqMObjcM, www.flyinggiants.com