What woodies can do ....an accident ...

[sparky]

Sorry for that statement, but I can usually only accsess this site, and not the links inside the site. We have a strict firewall as I am offshore and the company is scared of viruses! Thanks for the description of the events! I am extreamly safety oreintated and want to know what to look out for in helis as I am new to them!

John

[Rick Rotorhead]

Crikey!
I've been wacked by my Twister twice and its like no more than a flick of a wooden ruler. I imagine a Trex would give a nasty wack and leave bruises. That Rappy 50 looks like it would easily brake fingers and maybe crack your skull. Moving upto a Vibe or Sylphide 90 or a big Gasser and I reckon you could literally lose your head. Time for a reality check - these things can be lethal.

[WayneBrown]

Crikey!
I've been wacked by my Twister twice and its like no more than a flick of a wooden ruler. I imagine a Trex would give a nasty wack and leave bruises. That Rappy 50 looks like it would easily brake fingers and maybe crack your skull. Moving upto a Vibe or Sylphide 90 or a big Gasser and I reckon you could literally lose your head. Time for a reality check - these things can be lethal.
lethal, literally!
Keep the cuisinart out a couple fo feet extra.
There's a news story around of a guy getting hit with a model chopper, straight to the jugular. Dead before EMS arrived.
anything that can kill is or should not be considered a toy.

[Tonystott]

And the scariest thing about that fatal accident is the chilling comment that the helicopter flew on a bit AFTER the accident before crashing! I really believe that any of the big helis have so much energy in their heavy blades that they would act like a guillotine (sp) on just about any part of the human body.....

I tend to think of even a small heli like a Trex as a chain-saw without a handle...

[WillJames]

I have seen the after-effects of a T-REX with woodies hitting two different people. One of them was in the back, the other him himself in the head. Both of them were pretty bad and left some major gashes.

[spork]

I tend to think of even a small heli like a Trex as a chain-saw without a handle...

I used to describe our 60 nitro birds as an upside down flying lawnmower without a shroud - just keeps it in perspective. :mrgreen:

[Filby]

Yeah Ive been whacked my by twister and that bloody hurt (so much for a smack from a ruler) and now with my Trex Im very paranoid of it getting to within a few meters of me. Those carbon blades at 2600rpm would certaily do some damage.



Fil

[mdavister]

I can say that I myself have had a near close call. I haven't even flown my heli yet, just unpacking an RTF honeybee king (nice heli so far). I had hooked up the battery and the bloody blades started going full speed (inside on the family room table). Luckily no damage, no one hurt, but it is _DEFINITELY_ a lesson learned.

This was _just_ a micro, but it has my full respect now. Happy ending, but be careful out there.

Mitch Davister

[LaserLee]

I am new to the site here and relatively new to helicopters in general. I have just started flying them last June. First radio controlled model of any type ive ever owned. I bought a blade CX first.. loved it. learned to fly it. Then bought a mx400 pro. I can tell you from experience what THAT helicopter will do when it hits you. I was still learning a nice stable hover at the time. So, I go outside into the back yard. Plenty of room there. :) I sat the helicopter down.. took about 6 steps backwards away from it, then click off the throttle hold switch...at which point I take a couple more steps backwards while the thing is spooling up. At this point I step on a softball that the kids left in the back yard, fall down and just JAMMED the throttle/collective lever all the way open. Of all the directions the thing could have gone, it goes up about 30 feet spinning madly.. hehe It then decides to pitch over toward me and accelerate right toward my face inverted while im on my back on the ground. It was REALLY moving too! No time to do MUCH but I just took my left hand and put it forward of my face. The Helicopter HIT my left hand. It broke my ring finger on my left hand and the rotor also hit the insdie of my right leg. It cut through my blue jeans and cut into my leg about 3/8 of an inch for a line that is over 5 inches long. That cut bled for three days. Take a guess what I did then... I looked around to see if any of the neighbors saw me looking stupid, Ha ha.. I think that was the proper response.. I now have three helicopters.
I have the previously mentioned ones, and I just finished building and test flying an Align Trex 450 SA yesterday. What a difference. Its twice the heli that the mx400 pro is. Guys, when yer building, use a micrometer. I didnt even have to TRIM this heli.. NADA No subtrims and no trims. It hovered almost motionless the FIRST TIME! Amazing. :) I am a HAPPY CAMPER.. I will be retiring jan 31. What a great hobby this is. Wish I had taken the plunge YEARS ago..

Laser Lee





Crikey!
I've been wacked by my Twister twice and its like no more than a flick of a wooden ruler. I imagine a Trex would give a nasty wack and leave bruises. That Rappy 50 looks like it would easily brake fingers and maybe crack your skull. Moving upto a Vibe or Sylphide 90 or a big Gasser and I reckon you could literally lose your head. Time for a reality check - these things can be lethal.

[captain doogal]

Best experience I've had for appreciating helicopter safety, is hotloading a real one, 430 to be exact. Even though the head's 13 feet up you tend to crouch, and you can feel the wind off the tail rotor though it's prolly 15 feet back there.

BTW, I love that 430, it's my baby, hope someday to go up in her. Hell I've loaded her enough. Before the load I'd contemplated getting a micro to learn on (while I'm getting my fuse ready) in the comfort of me own home. We have cats. I'm thinking a 24" rotor spinning at 1000+ RPM would just about amputate Dougal's (yeah I'm named after me cat) paw, or whatever else came in contact with it. I'm sticking with a sim.

[tman1961]

I sympathise with these guys, I had a bad one just the other day. I have 31 stiches in a one square inch area of my left hand between my thumb and index finger as well as a cast over that for the broken bone in my hand from a woody coming apart in mid air abou 20 feet away from me. (Raptor 50) Ihave new found respect for distance. I will never put another set of woodys on this bird!! :?

[WayneBrown]

I sympathise with these guys, I had a bad one just the other day. I have 31 stiches in a one square inch area of my left hand between my thumb and index finger as well as a cast over that for the broken bone in my hand from a woody coming apart in mid air abou 20 feet away from me. (Raptor 50) Ihave new found respect for distance. I will never put another set of woodys on this bird!! :?
as morbid as it may seem, please post a pic or two if you can.
Nothing reinforces the danger better than blood and gore.

[tman1961]

Here is a pic. of what happens when a woody comes appart on aRaptor 50. I have 31stiches in this small area, and the bone behind my index finger is broken. Guess I was lucky compared to some. I have a new respect for distance. :?