First crash with the 500

[CrashCanuck]

Put the 500 in the other night. My fault, just dumb thumbed it. I wasn't very high which was part of my problem. Compared to what alot of guys say they damage mine seems pretty bad and somewhat different. Of course the canopy and landing gear were smoked as well as the boom and TT. I didn't expect to break both side frames though, that surprised me. Not one gear or servo was damaged, look and feel like new. Front alum. frame block was tweaked a bit but that is fixable. 3 of the 4 canopy mounts were gone as well. At my LHS ordering the parts they didn't have today. Everything but the old trusty MCPX is in need of repair, ugh.

[JohnCrashes]

I'm sorry about your crash. Please try to learn what you can from it and move on. I have some old 500 parts laying around. PM me what you need and I'll mail you what I may have.

[BigJay]

I'm with you brother... I have one crash on my 500. I was learning to fly inverted circuits, and after flying inverted for one entire battery pack I did a fast pass right-side-up. In the middle of the runway I wanted to "pull up" but muscle memory from my mostly inverted flight caused me to push the elevator into the ground.

I broke the main blades, 1 DFC arm, swash plate, main shaft, main gear, torque tube, tail boom, 2 stripped servos, 1 electronically failed servo (so only 1 good servo left), swash links all bent, 2 canopy mounts gone, landing gear broken, canopy smashed, and about 2lbs of dirt jammed into the frame below the battery. I did not break the main frames though. I also think my feather shaft is straight, but I replaced it anyway.

I'm going to be MUCH more careful when I practice inverted circuits.

Sometimes it's just bad luck I think.

-J

[HeliAxe]

Unfortunately part of the hobby we all go through Get back on that horse and go again !

[CrashCanuck]

It was one of those nights where I'm not feeling 100% comfortable. You ever get that when you are flying somewhere different or new. I crashed at the flying field which is not where I normally fly. They have a flight line and also another area just for helis. Flight line was busy so I went over to the heli area. The problem with that area is at night it looks into the sun when it's setting, not very ideal. I spooled up and took off and was in the air less then a minute and almost crashed, realized I wasn't feeling it so brought it back in and landed. My buddies showed up so I went to another area where we run our nitro trucks and we burned off a couple of tanks. I wanted to get at least one battery through the 500 and the light was fading so I went back to the flight line. In hindsight I probably should have packed it in for the night but it was one of those things, you just never know.

[Gladius]

You know, that's its own category right? Crashes caused by:
1) dumb thumbs
2) mechanical failure
3) loss of orientation
4) "just one more pack before the sun sets!"

On a more serious note, I'm sorry to hear about your crash. That's a hell of a crash to break both frame halves.

[adrian]

I've found that after my 1st crash with a new heli I just fly like I stole it after that. 99% of my crashes have been pilot error (daft dumb thumb on my 550 cost me £80 last week) but "Onwards and upwards" Just bought a 500efl as a beater & it will be abused!
If you ain't crashing-your not trying hard enough.

[CrashCanuck]

Haven't even flown it yet, just test hovered in front of the house. I'll probably get out tomorrow night. Bought myself a 1700mm (67") wingspan P51 Mustang foamy for my B'Day. I can use the packs from my 500 in it otherwise I would have gone a little smaller. I'm getting into the planks this summer.

[CrashNburn420]

Originally Posted by Gladius

You know, that's its own category right? Crashes caused by:
1) dumb thumbs
2) mechanical failure
3) loss of orientation
4) "just one more pack before the sun sets!"

On a more serious note, I'm sorry to hear about your crash. That's a hell of a crash to break both frame halves.

#4 has caused most of my crashes

[Kap'n Krunch]

I use c.a. on my canopies after a crash it works awesome my canopies take on the appearance of a cracked egg glued back together

[SumOFparts]

I usually take an old beater 450 with me - warm-up with couple/3 flights - shake out those first flight willies - or save those 'tired' older lipos to warm-up on......always,,,,,


I find if I dont crash those first 3 flights - I find I'm good for the day - at least dumbthumbs..


-

[CrashCanuck]

Now that I have my 300X back together and flying well I have been starting out with it for at least 1 batt before flying the 500. Being smaller I have to fly it closer or I tend to lose orientation easier. I have got out to the flying field 3 out of the last 5 nights which is alot for me. Weather has been great with almost no wind.

On a side note, I had cracked the fiberglass around the front canopy holes. Tried a fix I learned from my buddy for fixing our little foamy parkflyers. You can't CA glue a crack on it's own so you put down the CA over your crack then lay down a small piece of folded paper towel. Work it into the CA, add more if needed, let it setup and crack is repaired. Did that on my new canopy to help keep it from cracking. Works great on fixing foamys to add some strength.

[sixOHfour]

Originally Posted by CrashNburn420

#4 has caused most of my crashes

+1!!!!! Happened to me on Sunday, "one more pack before I go home"

[stevolution]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who still gets those first flight willies. Everyone always makes it look so effortless.. Like "eh brande new trex 800 maiden, let see how she flips 3 ft off the deck". Like geeze get a feel for her first...

[JohnCrashes]

Originally Posted by stevolution

I'm glad I'm not the only one who still gets those first flight willies. Everyone always makes it look so effortless.. Like "eh brande new trex 800 maiden, let see how she flips 3 ft off the deck". Like geeze get a feel for her first...

I've always suspected that those aggressive "maiden flights" were really maiden after a couple of test and tune flights. After putting so much money and time carefully building a new heli, it seems reckless to pounce on it so quickly. For me, I love to marvel at the first spool up and simple hover from all angles. It's like it came to life - I take great joy in that. The abuse comes later...

[cedron]

Feel for you! My last crash on my 500 cost me about $300

[reich2004]

I crashed my new 700 pro this weekend. Tune of about 500$. Just like you did. Flying hard and low and dumb thumbed it. Lesson: I'm not a pro at a competition. I probably should've been flying one mistake high and it would've been avoided.