Small Heli's are dangerous too.

[JoacimJ]

I was flying my Nine Eagles Solo Pro 125 when I had a bad crash. Tail rotor split in half and the tail-boom nearly broke completely off right at the base (and split along about half it's length...).

So I pick the heli up, and I'm thinking "Wonder if the main shaft or anything got bent?" and throttle up while holding it in my hand at face height. Like an idiot I'm standing there looking at the now furiously spinning rotor head right in front of my face, checking for any vibrations.

Then it happens. One of the screws holding the blade holder to the feathering shaft comes loose.

By some stroke of miracle luck, I do not have 110mm worth of plastic rotor blade sticking out of my eye right now. They both missed and flew of into different corners of the room.

[desertstalker]

Originally Posted by JoacimJ

By some stroke of miracle luck, I do not have 110mm worth of plastic rotor blade sticking out of my eye right now. They both missed and flew of into different corners of the room.

Hardly a miracle, there is likely a less than 1/20 chance that the blade would have been pointing at your eye when it let go.

I have been hit in the face with the 120mm foam (CF core) blades WK uses... and TBH I have cut myself worse shaving. It is unlikely you would have done any permanent damage to your eye (it would have hurt like a bitch though).

Still, not the most sensible thing to do.

[trondareo]

Totally agree. I often have to remind myself of the headspeed on my MCPX.

[FlyingRadioWaves]

It always pays to be careful lest you get bitten! Fortunately, I've only had blood drawn a few times from being stupid.
Oh yes, don't fly drunk and naked. LOL

[CrashNburn420]

Is it worse to fly drunk or naked?

[giiba]

Originally Posted by CrashNburn420

Is it worse to fly drunk or naked?

I would think naked. If drunk you might hurt someone, if you're naked you will hurt all bystanders.

[rojack]

I think mCPX head spins at somewhere near 4000 rpm. I have a Genius CP and it is somewhere in that range as well. My GCP has thin, sharp plastic main blades. Once when flying it got a little too close to my face for comfort and so I swatted it away with my hand. Ended up with a nice slice in two fingers and it hurt for days. (So different than the mSR that I was used to.)

Took the heli once to fly in one of our large indoor conference rooms. A couple of times the blades hit the wall and left a nice gouge. Also have accidentally chopped the heck out of a couple of young trees in our backyard when lost control doing 3D practice. Fortunately I'm at least smart enough not to fly near any expensive equipment and haven't destroyed any flat screen TVs like some folks have reported.

Yes, small helis can be dangerous! I've learned and am much more respectful and careful now.

[Old_tech]

I vote that small helicopters CAN be dangerous.
I had my Blade 130x spun up - stunt mode 1 (full rotor speed, 0 degree pitch).
Sliced my finger - drew blood, and left a flappy piece of skin around 1/4 inch diam.

I now have respect for it's bite.
I had to learn that lesson the hard way.
I hope others can learn it the easy way - from other's mistakes.

[helifred]

I was just going to ask - at what point these micro helis can get dangerous. Your post about the 130X is good to know.

So is it reasonable to say that > 250 size is where you can seriously get hurt?

[drdrums]

My mCP-x will draw blood (has on me twice).

130X could probably require stitches.

450 will likely require a trip to the emergency room.

600 and up, they call the coroner.

[Airworks]

you can still hurt people flying naked , you make people go blind.!

[PcChip]

Originally Posted by drdrums

My mCP-x will draw blood (has on me twice).

130X could probably require stitches.

450 will likely require a trip to the emergency room.

600 and up, they call the coroner.

This is exactly right - my mcpx drew blood on my knuckle when I was a newbie.

And 450 size is getting up there in size enough to be called a "flying lawnmower blade"

Finally, the bigger size can definately kill - I read a story that happened here in Texas nearly 10 years ago, apparently a Nitro heli hit someone who was learning how to fly in the jugular vein and killed him.

[Fooferdoggie]

Hit myself in the neck and chest with my nano only got a welt on the neck with it. when my mcpx came after me I really move out of the way. I swear they have heat seeking electronics in them.

[Big Island Guy]

Tangentially, I notice that in instructions about blade tracking, I seldom ever see a mention of putting on eye protection when hovering the chopper close by at eye level. Or is it too obvious to be worth mentioning? I think for a bigger chopper I'd want maybe even a fencing mask!

[desertstalker]

Originally Posted by Big Island Guy

Tangentially, I notice that in instructions about blade tracking, I seldom ever see a mention of putting on eye protection when hovering the chopper close by at eye level. Or is it too obvious to be worth mentioning? I think for a bigger chopper I'd want maybe even a fencing mask!

I always mention it. Only time I wear them though.

Do it at a reasonable distance and the chance of a blade actually hitting you is pretty small, considering the amount of area the blades could go and not come anywhere near you. Common sense applies here, if the heli is sounding/behaving strange get it out of that area level with your head.

There really is no other way to confirm tracking than a brief moment at eye level (you can setup the heli so it should be perfect but should still check, the blades themselves can occasionally be slightly out).

[PcChip]

Checking tracking is the one activity that always makes me nervous, as I'm always envisioning having my eyeball impaled

[CrashNburn420]

Just close one eye, atleast you'll save one

[Old_tech]

Originally Posted by CrashNburn420

Just close one eye, atleast you'll save one

And I really believe that an eyelid will stop a main blade at terminal velocity. NOT!

[sosman]

I sliced a lemon off the tree in our backyard with a nano. No damage to onlookers or heli though.

[desertstalker]

Originally Posted by Old_tech

And I really believe that an eyelid will stop a main blade at terminal velocity. NOT!

If the blade is only doing terminal velocity, it would not damage your eye seriously (eyes are much tougher than they look, considerably harder to cut than skin). Terminal velocity of a blade is slow, they are not aerodynamically stable so will tumble in flight and so have a low terminal velocity.

Not really an issue though, the blades will leave the heli at a much higher velocity than they could obtain simply from gravity. This is why you dont want to be close to the bigger helis, the blades will slow down fast after they leave the heli, but if you are close and get hit, its gonna hurt.

That said, the chances of getting a blade in BOTH eyes is 0 unless you have homing blades (or the blade smashes your skull, in which case you have bigger problems).