Heli-Log 12:2:11

Put in two flights on my Protos after work yesterday. Could have done one more, but decided to call it quits due to an almost goof. I'm flying in a much smaller field, big enough for 450's, but a bit small for the Protos. There are several trees outlining the area, so maneuvers need to be in close...and I almost flew into myself.

I had talked about teaching a new pilot (co-worker/friend) in the other blog. Greg has bought my Trex 600N to learn on. We installed all Savox servos, Solid-G gyro, 2 cell LiPo w/Sahara reg.,JR 9503 w/921 receiver, O.S. 55 Hyper w/Outrage pipe, Align 600mm mains, & stock tail blades. I set everything up as a 3D machine, test flown the setup, then dialed it down for him.

Greg has watched me fly many times and I show him the steps he will be taking using my heli as a demo. I had him buy a flight sim to practice on, but that turned into a game sim... The Friday after Thanksgiving was his first time on the sticks! What a big difference he noticed. Greg had the lights in a deer’s eye look. Big white saucers starring at his new heli hovering! Well now…look at Greg now… I practically had to hit him (lightly) in the arm to get his attention. Once his heli left the ground, it was pure tunnel vision. So I laugh at him and continued with his training.

Greg managed to get 2 flights in for his first time out. No crashes or miss-haps. However, his training gear started falling apart, so that was when we called it a day. I took his training gear home and fixed it, and (re-engineered) modified it for the next time out.

Also, there are 2 other pilots I’m working with as well. Bill, making a comeback, was given a Raptor Titan with motor and blades for free! It will be awhile before he has it ready to fly. So that will be a spring project. Then there’s Jason, who has an indoor heli, not sure which one he has, but need to connect up with him and help him with his hovering skills. Jason has been learning on his own.

I had to order a new clutch for my Compass 3D+. The one-way doesn't one-way anymore, it is now a both ways bearing. Not sure what happened, but put up one flight last Saturday in 40'ish degree weather, then the next flight...no start. The start shaft spins, but won't engauge the clutch. Once home and warmed up, I turned the start shaft by hand and can feel the one way bearing trying to grab the shaft.

I had this happen with my Trex 700N in colder weather. Once warmed up, it works fine, so I replaced it...works great!


Official count;

Rave = 73
Trex 700 = 305
Compass 3D+ = 17
Protos 500 = 28