Owatonna Rotary Ring Out Recap

-Gamah · 08-23-2009, 09:11 PM

THIS WEEKEND COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PERFECT!!!

I should start buy thanking all the sponsors like king kong and sky hobbies, the Owatonna RC club (mostly plankers) for letting us use the field, MRCHA for providing the event, and Helifreak's very own Barry "Steeltoes" Dank for being the official heli Doctor this weekend.

I can only tell my part of the story, but I'm sure a few others will chime in.

Day 1: Friday, I arrived around 2PM and right away got working on repairing my 450 to fly that day... spending most of my time over at Steeltoe's table pestering him with questions on my setup and having him point out all the things I do wrong and showing me how to do them right.

I then took this perfectly setup 450 out to the flight line, spooled up, flew some circuts and came in for some flips... Just as I was flipping out and preparing to land, my heli exploded.... The best explanation I can come up with is that the belt snapped and got lodged in the tail case, causing the boom to bend up to the blades.

Set aback, I packed up for the day and spend the evening watching the night flying, sitting by the fire, and looking up at the beautiful stars in the completely clear sky.

Day 2: Saturday, I woke up at around 8AM after having a hard time sleeping due to SOMEONE'S (I'll let them post) snoring sounding like a .60 that wouldn't start all night. I then got some breakfast and spent the day tweaking around on my 450, finding and buying parts here and there... Thanks to Kevin who provided a few parts to me, and king kong and sky hobbies for having other parts in stock at the field for me to buy... Saturday was a blur, by that evening I had my heli all setup and tweaked out to fly PERFECT. I spent half a battery doing some mild 3D and called it a night, hoping I would get some good video the next day.

That evening was some of the best night flying I've ever seen, even compared to videos. The sherrif actually showed up that night, I don't know if he had seen the night flying himself, or if someone passing on the road (which looks like a cornfield from the road) had called the cops. The crowd around the bonfire that night was a lot bigger, and it slowly dwindled down to about 6 of us that stayed till about 1AM, Slyster and I being the last 2 to leave for the night.

Day 3: Sunday... That sherrif came by in the morning and hung out for an hour or so to watch everyone fly. I put in 2 short flights in the morning, feeling out my now AWESOME 450... 100% happy with it for the first time EVER! After lunch Slyster came to the flight line with me and shot a short flight, ending quickly because the wind had been picking up. A few hours later on another flight (with video) I was doing some flips when the boom support rods came loose and caught my blades... My instincts kicked in faster than my logic and I hit hold and tried to flip over from inverted. I made it... but then suffered about a 15 foot freefall. I will probably get it fixed up and running again this week, though.

All in all there weren't really ANY issues at the event, minus one thing Sunday morning with the food trailer, everyone was friendly and helpful, and the entire event went smoothly. Check back throught the week as I will be adding pictures and video as I can. I will start with the only 2 pictures I have.

-Gamah · 08-23-2009, 09:16 PM

Pics and videos will go here.

trickybit · 08-24-2009, 02:37 AM

Man, I'm from California, but I was being held hostage at an in-laws reunion in Rochester all weekend... I was squirming to come join you, just as a spectator, but t'was not to be.

The weather was SO PERFECT... I envy you guys your huge green fields...

I'm happy you had a great weekend.

Jim

ps: also happy to be back in Calif. although I have to work, and we have to sneak flights in between the freeways.

Steeltoes · 08-25-2009, 07:31 PM

Thankyou Gamah, I was not pointing out only bad things but just easier ways to make your setup more perfect.

I am glad I had a chance to meet the fellas and look forward to flying with ya in the future.

I was really impressed at the amount of flying done at ORRO this year it was truely impressive. I am already looking forward to next year

-Gamah · 08-25-2009, 08:09 PM

Perhaps you can fly next year!

EKI16 · 08-25-2009, 09:04 PM

I had a great time this year a ORRO, the weather turned out to be perfect on Saturday. Thanks to all who put on the event. I am looking forward to next year already!

Eric Iverson

Steeltoes · 08-25-2009, 09:27 PM

Nice flying Eric keep up the good work

-Gamah · 08-25-2009, 09:28 PM

Eric you easily had some of the best flying there!

08-23-2009, 09:11 PM	#1
-Gamah My HF Map location Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Minnesota	Owatonna Rotary Ring Out Recap THIS WEEKEND COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PERFECT!!! I should start buy thanking all the sponsors like king kong and sky hobbies, the Owatonna RC club (mostly plankers) for letting us use the field, MRCHA for providing the event, and Helifreak's very own Barry "Steeltoes" Dank for being the official heli Doctor this weekend. I can only tell my part of the story, but I'm sure a few others will chime in. Day 1: Friday, I arrived around 2PM and right away got working on repairing my 450 to fly that day... spending most of my time over at Steeltoe's table pestering him with questions on my setup and having him point out all the things I do wrong and showing me how to do them right. I then took this perfectly setup 450 out to the flight line, spooled up, flew some circuts and came in for some flips... Just as I was flipping out and preparing to land, my heli exploded.... The best explanation I can come up with is that the belt snapped and got lodged in the tail case, causing the boom to bend up to the blades. Set aback, I packed up for the day and spend the evening watching the night flying, sitting by the fire, and looking up at the beautiful stars in the completely clear sky. Day 2: Saturday, I woke up at around 8AM after having a hard time sleeping due to SOMEONE'S (I'll let them post) snoring sounding like a .60 that wouldn't start all night. I then got some breakfast and spent the day tweaking around on my 450, finding and buying parts here and there... Thanks to Kevin who provided a few parts to me, and king kong and sky hobbies for having other parts in stock at the field for me to buy... Saturday was a blur, by that evening I had my heli all setup and tweaked out to fly PERFECT. I spent half a battery doing some mild 3D and called it a night, hoping I would get some good video the next day. That evening was some of the best night flying I've ever seen, even compared to videos. The sherrif actually showed up that night, I don't know if he had seen the night flying himself, or if someone passing on the road (which looks like a cornfield from the road) had called the cops. The crowd around the bonfire that night was a lot bigger, and it slowly dwindled down to about 6 of us that stayed till about 1AM, Slyster and I being the last 2 to leave for the night. Day 3: Sunday... That sherrif came by in the morning and hung out for an hour or so to watch everyone fly. I put in 2 short flights in the morning, feeling out my now AWESOME 450... 100% happy with it for the first time EVER! After lunch Slyster came to the flight line with me and shot a short flight, ending quickly because the wind had been picking up. A few hours later on another flight (with video) I was doing some flips when the boom support rods came loose and caught my blades... My instincts kicked in faster than my logic and I hit hold and tried to flip over from inverted. I made it... but then suffered about a 15 foot freefall. I will probably get it fixed up and running again this week, though. All in all there weren't really ANY issues at the event, minus one thing Sunday morning with the food trailer, everyone was friendly and helpful, and the entire event went smoothly. Check back throught the week as I will be adding pictures and video as I can. I will start with the only 2 pictures I have.

08-23-2009, 09:16 PM	#2
-Gamah Thread Starter My HF Map location Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Minnesota	Pics and Video Pics and videos will go here. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by -Gamah; 08-25-2009 at 12:13 PM..

08-24-2009, 02:37 AM	#3
trickybit Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Palo Alto, CA	Man, I'm from California, but I was being held hostage at an in-laws reunion in Rochester all weekend... I was squirming to come join you, just as a spectator, but t'was not to be. The weather was SO PERFECT... I envy you guys your huge green fields... I'm happy you had a great weekend. Jim ps: also happy to be back in Calif. although I have to work, and we have to sneak flights in between the freeways. __________________ Logo 600: Jive, BLS, VBar "Hansen Built" T-Rex 550E: ICE, BLS 251, VBar Protos 500 (plastic): Jazz, Hyperion/Scorpion, VBar BLS 251 Tornado Coin-Op: Gray marble, XTremeSoft wraps

08-25-2009, 07:31 PM	#4
Steeltoes Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Mankato Minnesota USA	Thankyou Gamah, I was not pointing out only bad things but just easier ways to make your setup more perfect. I am glad I had a chance to meet the fellas and look forward to flying with ya in the future. I was really impressed at the amount of flying done at ORRO this year it was truely impressive. I am already looking forward to next year __________________ Trex 500 ESP Future Fusion 50 FBL AMA #913061 "No you can't fly it"

08-25-2009, 09:27 PM	#7
Steeltoes Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Mankato Minnesota USA	Nice flying Eric keep up the good work __________________ Trex 500 ESP Future Fusion 50 FBL AMA #913061 "No you can't fly it"

08-25-2009, 08:09 PM	#5
-Gamah Thread Starter My HF Map location Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Minnesota	Perhaps you can fly next year!

08-25-2009, 09:04 PM	#6
EKI16 Registered Users Join Date: May 2006 Location: Wisconsin	I had a great time this year a ORRO, the weather turned out to be perfect on Saturday. Thanks to all who put on the event. I am looking forward to next year already! Eric Iverson

08-25-2009, 09:28 PM	#8
-Gamah Thread Starter My HF Map location Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Minnesota	Eric you easily had some of the best flying there!

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