View Full Version : OMG you guys serious?????
Rick Rotorhead
09-14-2007, 08:38 PM
Just read some of the night flying stuff - you do it in PITCH DARK!!!!!!!!! Like 'Can't barely see a hand in front of your face' dark. Jeeeeez, are you Maaaad! It must be like driving at 90 with the lights out.......
How on earth do you know which way its facing (I guess if the boom disappears then you know its nose-in right.
It all sounds like absolute lunacy (a word which has is origins in the myth that some folks went mad by moonlight).
So, er, how much will it cost me then?
kama1
09-14-2007, 09:12 PM
yepper the darker the better
can prolly do a pretty good night set up for about $100 US
the biggest expense for the first time out is the blades .
have to get the kit that has the charger.
other then that the stuff is pretty cheap
fogger
09-14-2007, 09:12 PM
(Assuming Align stuff for your 450: )
Align white carbon night blades w/ charger : ~$53
2 light cords, preferrably different colors, ~$26
1 light cord driver: ~10
about 20 small zip ties to attach one light cord to the tail boom / fins: $1
more zip ties or clear packing tape to attach one light cord to the canopy: $1
Several new pair of under shorts: $12 :)
Really if you get the light cords on right with the tail fins nicely outlined, and the canopy corded up, you can fly with no orientation problems at all. I did flips, loops, rolls, and stall turns (these look awesome) at night, no issues. The problem is you need to keep it pretty high since you can't see the ground until you're pretty close to it :)
Go for it, it's totally fun.
-Fog
I finally got my 450 wired up and did my first night flight tonight. There was no moon tonight so it was dark, dark!
I made clear fins out of a sheet of lexan from Lowes for about 50 cents and they light up nicely. I found a small 180 mAh battery w/charger at my LHS. The battery is about the same size as the light driver (minus the wiring). The two banded together fit nicely in the nose and perfectly offset the small amount of added weight on the tail from the 1.5 meter string and fins. I stitched a plastic canopy with a 1 meter string. Lime green in front, and going against what I heard about blue, I put blue on the tail. It lit up very nicely and was quite bright.
I flew in my back yard and since we have a ton of trees, most of which are hanging pretty low, I couldn't do much (like I'd be bringing it anyway :p), but it was cool!!!
It was about 55* outside and my kids were in their PJs so they watched from a window. They loved it. Of course they are my best audience, impressed with just about everything new. :wink:
T-rexwrekr
09-18-2007, 10:05 AM
jc from noblesville eh? i live in broadripple and am rapidly becoming an avid trexer. is there a local scene of other flyers? so far i have sucessfully done everything myself but exposure toothers is always good
jc from noblesville eh? i live in broadripple and am rapidly becoming an avid trexer. is there a local scene of other flyers? so far i have sucessfully done everything myself but exposure toothers is always good
Great! Just sent you a PM.
Justin911
09-18-2007, 10:31 PM
I think I would be too afraid to fly at dark. I need to at least be able to see the ground! I guess the higher, the better. haha
well maybe not! :) ;)
Oh if you try it... you will like it. :wink:
kama1
09-19-2007, 07:19 PM
flying at night is actually pretty easy.
no worries there.
just throw some glow sticks on the ground and you'll be all set.
Bayou Talker
09-19-2007, 10:09 PM
Just read some of the night flying stuff - you do it in PITCH DARK!!!!!!!!! Like 'Can't barely see a hand in front of your face' dark. Jeeeeez, are you Maaaad! It must be like driving at 90 with the lights out.......
How on earth do you know which way its facing (I guess if the boom disappears then you know its nose-in right.
It all sounds like absolute lunacy (a word which has is origins in the myth that some folks went mad by moonlight).
So, er, how much will it cost me then?
Here is a video I found in the HeliFreak Video Forum for an example. There are more but this is the first one I came to.
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=17424
WillJames
09-20-2007, 02:06 AM
Here is Andy Rummer's night fly from the IRCHA night fly contest. Check this out!!
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=45912
Bayou Talker
09-20-2007, 07:29 PM
Will,
That is more what I was looking for. Thanks for posting the link.
Anubis328
10-03-2007, 12:42 PM
Finding the ground is pretty easy with the addition of this little LED spotlight from Dimension Engineering.
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/EasyLights.htm
I have mine wired up to Ch7 in my AR7000, and it works extremely well. It works on the switch, so you can turn it on and off while flying. Very cool add on for the money.