WHUMP!

[OzarkCopterBum]

Heli's make a distinctive sound when they hit the ground don't they?

I was on my 5th tank yesterday, heli was flying GREAT and I was moving around, feeling comfortable and hovering nose in when I got spooked, ripped around to my bailout position and somehow it was all of a sudden upside down and headed for the dirt from about 30'. I didn't know what to do at this point so I think I just stood there and watched it come down WHUMP about 20' in front of me.

So far damage total is the woodies, flybar, boom and some links. Oh yeah, also put a nice crack in the NEW canopy I was flying for the first time yesterday. I was a little disapointed, but for a first real crash after burning 3 cases of fuel I've got nothing to complain about, as a matter of fact, I think I'm getting off easy.

Funniest part of it for me is, at the time it happened, I was thinking I might get some carbon blades and a pipe. I still may get a pipe but am sticking with woodies for awhile yet....

[DebianDog]

I slowed my WHUMP! down on video if you want to hear it again (http://danslagle.com/data/movies/RaptorWreak2.wmv) :(

[ThBrtmn]

Dan what caused it? Ozark...make sure you check the spindle and main shaft too.

[Hotshot Charlie]

Hey Ozark,

What happened? How did you get inverted? Rethink everything that happened and try to figure out the cause. Sometimes, S*%# Happens.

Sorry about the loss.

[DebianDog]

Dan what caused it? Ozark...make sure you check the spindle and main shaft too.

We think a bolt backed out (body post into the tray) as we could do everything but put the nose down. It was flying around fine for like 10 minutes before that.

It has been rebuilt but... has this little glitch now (http://danslagle.com/data/movies/RaptorGlitch.wmv) I can't figure out. I am guessing I have something lose and it is rattling but I can't find anything.

[OzarkCopterBum]

Bart: Spindle apears to be straight. I put a driver on it and spun it from both sides and it feels the same as the other one. I had to cut the flybar several times to get it out. I got the new one installed and everything still spins. I guess I'll know more when I spool it up.

Dog: No thanks man, one WHUMP a week is PLENTY. Preciate the offer tho.....

Charlie: I dont think I was totally inverted but was way over on its side and way too close to me at this point. I was nose in 40' or so away , it started moving forward, I started to back it up, got scared, hit right rudder to spin it and it ended up on its side. I do remember thinking "hold on, see which way its moving." By that time it was too late and I was just greatful it wasnt any closer than it was. My main goal at that point was to make sure it wasnt heading for me.

[DebianDog]

I was always amazed how fast things can go to shite when flying helis? :mrgreen:

Crash - Group hug :hug:

[Hotshot Charlie]

My main goal at that point was to make sure it wasnt heading for me.

This was a very worthwhile goal ! Sorry for the crash, but it happens. Part of this wonderful hobby.

I will go with Dan's group hug ! :hug:

[ThBrtmn]

Ozark..
What are you flying. You have to practicly do surgery on my hawk to change the flybar out too.

[learjetcb]

If all else fail's and the heli is headed toward you throw the transmitter at it, just don't miss.

[WillJames]

Sorry to hear you dumped it but glad to hear you kept it safe. Fix it and burn more fuel!! :)

[OzarkCopterBum]

Bart:
Its a gohbee Stinger .30. Its got a one piece flybar that was everything but straight. I took the bent boom off and all that appears to be still functioning. I can't belive it but looks like damage total is going to be less than $25 or $30.

[Hotshot Charlie]

The Gohbee is probably one of the least expensive heli's there is to repair. Good news, on the $$$. Get 'er back in the air !

[OzarkCopterBum]

Darned if I didnt go and do it again.... And this time no WHUMP!

Was practicing pirouttes, I had done 10 or 15, 30 or so feet up and was just ripping around as fast as I could. I figured that was easy enough, now, do it as SLOW as it would go. Thats a bit harder, but that high up I had no problem recovering. Landed and refueled and went up again and for some reason thought it would be a good idea to try it 5' off the deck. Well it wasnt that good of an idea after all. Cost me the woodies, spindle, short links boom and landing gear and a few more dings in my canopy. Again, I was thinking I should get some carbones..... I should either buy some or just quit thinking about them....

Funny thing was, it didnt bother me near as much as the first crash. I just picked up the pieces and headed to the house. Had it all tore down and mostly repaired minus the skids before 10 oclock. If I'd had skids in stock I'd fly this afternoon. I'll probably take a day or two off "over 100 degrees here" and work on finishing the 50 I've been puttering on all week.

[DebianDog]

I have come to the same conclusion. Closer to the deck just "feels" safer :mrgreen:

Sadly, I smile and shake my head now when I plant one of the birds.

[Hotshot Charlie]

Closer to the deck just "feels" safer

You can do almost as much damage crashing from a hover at 3 feet, than you can in fast forward flight and something go wrong. Hey folks, I said almost. :shock:

[OzarkCopterBum]

Was not a good heli week for me.

Saturday Aft. finished wrenching on the 50 and took it outside and it fired right up ran for less than 30 seconds and quit. Fiddled with the throttle awhile and opened that up and got it fired back up and it would run "rich" but not idle. Finally leaned it back some and got it to idle then it just quit. Reapplied the starter and the rotor wanted to spin..... Back inside again, pulled the muffler, pulled the engine and got the entire clutch bell with it. Sooooo, I reloctited all that let it sit awhile while I went to get something to eat. When I went to restart, nothing, spin, spin, spin, turns out my hotshot was dead so charged that booger and sunday aft. got it to start again and all was right with the world. Didnt really have room to fly in the shade so I was just getting light on the skids and then idling to break in the new hyper and ran a tank through. Filled another tank and moved to an open area and as soon as it came off the ground, instant piro, and got it back down without damage. Looked all that over and cannot tell whats causing that, so I went for another test run and about the time I got it spooled up, its LOCK OUT CITY!!!! I guess I let the RX battery go dead. So I had to wait for it to blow that half tank I had in it, at least it was on the ground. Talk about nerve wracking though....

I just grabbed it up, went inside set the AC on friggin freezin and rented the Aviator on PPV.

So, that was my weekend... How was yours?

[DebianDog]

My weekend was pretty good, abet a bit frustrating. I had snapped the top Jesus bolt and took everything BUT that apart and for the life of me could not figure out what was wrong. Also during the crash that broke the bolt I snapped the skids off the Rex too. I fabricated some new skids that I promptly broke at the field trying to pull the twisted Jesus bolt out of the head assembly. I decided to fly the T-Rex in the wind anyway after I got it put back together. Flew it around had a good time, even landed on the broken skid a few times. Did a little FF some pryos and turns then the wind caught it just right. I RECOVERED BEAUTIFULLY! Landed it and it fell over on the bad gear causing a boom strike :arggg:

Then I flew my Raptor 60 for a bit. First time in a long time. Flew like butter in the wind. (does butter fly? well you know smooth) still has a bit of a glitch somewhere but she stayed skids down ;)

I was happy.

[OzarkCopterBum]

If you'd have stopped by my place during the lockout I'd have traded you a 30 AND a 50 with all the trimmings for that TRex busted gear and all...

[DebianDog]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:

[Hotshot Charlie]

Talk about nerve wracking though....

Hey Ozark,
Welcome to R/C heli's. hehehehee :wink: It takes days like you had to appreciate the days you go out, hit the starter, instant start, all looks great and all the flights are perfect for the day.

Just be glad you didn't leave the ground when you locked out. :shock:

[OzarkCopterBum]

No doubt, that was my worst day yet, and I didnt even bend or break anything.

I'm dreading going home today because I still have that tail rotor problem to deal with.

[Hotshot Charlie]

Check for any bindings in the TR movement. Snap your ball link off the TR arm and make sure it feels good, then proceed to the next spot. Just make sure you have everything glassy smooth.

[bono1]

Hey Robert,
Is the 50 going inverted yet? If it is still spinning when you get it light on the skids look to see if the gyro is in the correct position ( nor, rev). I finally got a chance to put some time on the Fury expert, it flys ok but the 70 just is not the same as the 90's. It makes you work the collective instead of being able to jam in my normal fashion.
Are you going to IRCHA? Keith is going and taking his raptor for another try at the drag racing thing. I haven't decided if I will go or not. Being a newlywed I'm not sure if it would be better to ask permission to go or forgiveness after the trip.
See ya
Sam

[OzarkCopterBum]

Good to see ya Sam, and no I'm not inverted, at least not on purpose. I'm still doing sloppy 8's and trying nose in orientation. I was doing really good with nose in till I dumped it and now I can't do it at all. I've developed a mental block about it I can't seem to get past. Maybe I need to practice it on your Fury huh?

I've been kicking around going to IRCHA but its 11 hrs drive for me and I can only get thursday and friday off so its pretty much a 24hr drive for 48 hrs of heli fun. I should have planned better and flown up there instead. I dunno, I don't have anything else to do that weekend anyway.