How far do you stand from your heli on take off?

[solidhelix]

Just wondering, since I'm still learning and on my first maiden I lifted off while standing only 5 feet away from it. Should I get used to flying from further away?

[comatosed]

This depends on the size of the heli for me. An mcpx I'll stand a couple of feet away from, but I do like a bit more distance when firing up my 450x.

What heli are you using?

[gitbse]

If it's 450 size or larger, give yourself at least a 20ft buffer from the bird to you. Once you hit CP heli's, they get very dangerous. Even at this size. Even if you are comfortable flying that close, a blade grip could pop, a servo link could break, anything could happen and send you straight to the ER.

Especially when you get 600-700 size. Don't think of a 20ft buffer as a rule... think of it as the law.

[WillJames]

Minimum AMA allows is 25 feet. I usually stand at least 30 or more. Why put yourself at risk, my family depends on me for many things. If I screw up with a heli and hurt myself, I would feel like a complete FOOL. When I see people hurt themselves, I always say.... WHY?

[gitbse]

Aha I didn't realize ama said 25.

[solidhelix]

I guess I'll have to work on that and maybe get my glasses redone. My eyesight isn't the sharpest.

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[SamCassidy]

Taking off I actually keep my 500 closer to me than I should, for a good (and bad) reason. Its typically 4-8 feet away, I take it up very slow at a low HS, piro it around to make sure everything looks and feels like it should, then get it as far away from me as I can stand. I just like to have a clear visual confirmation (even after pre-flight check) that everything is copasetic before I do anything more than hover it. I know, not the smartest thing to do , i've done my fair share plus some of bad ER time, the consequences of a failure are blatantly apparent to me.

[SMOKEMASTER60]

Last week I was flying and had it at a hover about 20 feet away from me testing a new servo and feathering shaft came apart on my little 450. The blades shot out fast in both directions. For sure, it that happened closer and the blades came at me, I would had got hit pretty good. I prefer to land closer to me so I can see what is going on better.

[crowe73]

I like to keep mine about 10 to 20 feet away minimum from me at all times. It's not worth risking getting hit by a heli and getting seriously hurt or killed.

[babyuh1]

Keep it at least two mistakes away from you! You don't want to be too close when things go wrong!

[Epoweredrc]

Mcpx only a foot or so my bl one a few feet my 450 10 feet or more those blades are huge and will hurt you i get nevous ppl flying large helis close to them you never know when something could stop working

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[Jem450R]

Depends... If its been flying awhile ill be 10 ft or so, off a fresh rebuild more like 100 ft...

[Sambuka]

Guy at our club takes off with his 500 size heli about 2 metres away sometimes. We cringe whenever he flys. Likes to fly circles around himself too between himself and the pits we hate it. Flying circuits past yourself within 5 metres just isn't smart.

I always try to stand at least 20+ feet if not more and even then I feel I'm too close. I've always tried to be smart with my safety and while learning I have had 2 instances of my 450 crash landing within 3 metres of me. One a loop past myself I tried to correct ended up coming right at me and once a tail gave out during a 3d move and while trying to catch the heli it ended up flying right at me. I pay extra attention to safety now. These are flying buzzsaws becareful with your machines.

[robbancs]

Thousands of people die in car accidents every year, still I get in my car every morning. It's up to you what you consider as too dangerous. Be aware of the dangers and decide for yourself, it's not a toy, it can kill!

[msallua]

I'm changing the taking off, now I do it from 20 feet and always side-in (I prefer nose right) .
I have more fear of the rear blades due to spin faster

[Grok]

When I first started out, I had a Swift 16 that developed a vibration I didn't immediately address. One day one of the tail blades broke loose and zipped past my head just 2 or 3 feet to the right of me. The heli was about 30 feet in front of me and the blade landed some 30 to 40 feet behind me. Lesson learned. Attack those pesky vibrations with gusto, don't stand close to your heli and don't point the tail at yourself.

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[msallua]

Originally Posted by Grok

don't stand close to your heli and don't point the tail at yourself.

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+1

[Sambuka]

These new stands are really taking off and becoming the new must have Heli stand for people who like to stand super close to their heli's and totally disregard how dangerous they are.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObSTBuP073Q[/ame]

[th0rg0d]

Originally Posted by Sambuka

Guy at our club takes off with his 500 size heli about 2 metres away sometimes. We cringe whenever he flys. Likes to fly circles around himself too between himself and the pits we hate it. Flying circuits past yourself within 5 metres just isn't smart.

I always try to stand at least 20+ feet if not more and even then I feel I'm too close. I've always tried to be smart with my safety and while learning I have had 2 instances of my 450 crash landing within 3 metres of me. One a loop past myself I tried to correct ended up coming right at me and once a tail gave out during a 3d move and while trying to catch the heli it ended up flying right at me. I pay extra attention to safety now. These are flying buzzsaws becareful with your machines.

Why is this not addressed? I have a feeling if someone did that in my club, and continued to do so after being informed not to, he would be dismissed. That is a serious safety concern for all pilots and bystanders.

[Sambuka]

Originally Posted by th0rg0d

Why is this not addressed? I have a feeling if someone did that in my club, and continued to do so after being informed not to, he would be dismissed. That is a serious safety concern for all pilots and bystanders.

Not everyone feels the same about safety, some people are happy to go stand in a field and fly with a 700 doing 3d above them, not everyone thinks enough about what if something goes wrong.