To keep going after a scare, or call it a day?

[clough42]

This weekend, I attempted my first vertical stall turn with my 450. I rehearsed the stick movements in my head before I attempted it. It turns out that was a really smart thing to do. It went perfectly. The tail snapped around to vertical, locked in and I pulled it out just as pretty as could be.

After flying a bunch of banked figure-eights this morning, I decided to try it again, but skipped the mental rehearsal. The heli was coming right-to-left in front of me, I pulled back on the elevator and stalled it vertically, and then, instead of snapping the rudder, my thumbs decided to try a banked left turn. I pushed the aileron over about 45 degrees to the left, started drifting the rudder around to coordinate the imaginary turn, added collective to maintain altitude, and then wondered why it was coming straight at me, vertical, nearly tail-down.

I got it punched over and headed away from me and started breathing again. The bark off the bottom of the rotor disc under full collective at close range is a religious experience.

I remember watching it fly away across the field, at a crazy nose down attitude and thinking, "I guess I could try to save it." I got it back under control, brought it back and set it down in one piece.

What do you after a scare like that? Do you pack it up and go home, or continue flying? I decided to fly another battery, just to regain my confidence, and it worked out. But the voice in my head was telling me that was a bad idea.

[wbefield]

I continue to fly, but only try stuff that I am comfortable with and come back to the skeery unfamiliar maneuver another day. I also try to keep the heli at a distance in the first place, so If things don't work out as planned, hopefully I won't have any hair raising moments.

[tommeke]

continue flying and try the trick again...and crash

[rcflier1]

fall off the horse, get right back on, by next week the fear will build

[rdlohr]

Yep, keep flying as long as you have packs to burn.

On the other hand, I've gone out and found myself mentally fatigued to the point where I am sloppy and not really enjoying myself. Then I pack it up.

Rick

[seanh]

power down, turn tx off and clean my drawers. Chill with a cold drink for a few then go back and fly...just a lazy flight for no 1 battery. For no 2, battery, step it up a bit.

[Jermo]

Keep flying but go back to basics. It sounds like your fingers still aren't 100%

[dannylightning]

i keep going, after about 10 seconds i forget all about it.. when i first started i would set down for 10 or 15 min before i flew again after i had a close call. eventually they wont phase you any more

[koppterx]

i think (because it has never happened) that if my scare involved the potential for serious injury then i would call it a day. if the worst result is a good story and momentary weak stomach it has never stopped me. sometimes i'll break out something more relaxing - glider, plane, 700.....

[deca]

If I spook myself I generally call it quits. It usually happens after I've been flying for a while so I chalk it up to mental fatigue and decide to quit while I'm ahead.

Originally Posted by clough42

The bark off the bottom of the rotor disc under full collective at close range is a religious experience.

I know right? That's why I'm always working to keep my 500 closer and closer to myself as I improve

[fastone93]

I try again immediately as long as I know what I did wrong...

If it goes haywire and I don't know why, I hit the sim again first!

[AcidDrink]

I had my protos do a tail stand about a meter in front of me on take off (FBL system went bit crazy). I thought I was going down, but reflexes took over, continued to fly as normal for the rest of the flight .

[Elgyn]

Keep flying or land until the adrenaline is gone and then keep flying. Fear is a useless emotion and can get in the way of rational thought.

[Varc]

When I say, "Just one more time." Is when I should quit.

[Tridztan]

Don't give up. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. I'll come good for you sooner than you think. Keep going.


Dave
Sent from my iPhone using iFingers

[Mr.Andersen]

When something like that happen i start flying slow and safe until i feal comfortable enough to try out something new again.

[drakonis]

if it does not scare ya your not flying it! scareing your self is part of the learning curve. just take a little break. go over what you did wrong. mentally correct yourself for the next flight. did you do a stall turn right up in front of yourself? i would only do them at the ends of my flight area im using. never in front of myself. go ever your maneuvers in your head then go fly them. pretty soon youll have a nice routine you can put together and fly.

[Blayd]

Last time out, on my 14th pack, ( I fly 15 packs between three 500's...) I had an "incident" and one of the birds went in on its side. Second crash in 18 months.. on a newer bird.. bummer....went and picked up the crippled heli, checked it out.. leaned against the tail gate, took a breath, a sigh, a drink of water, .....loaded pack 15 and threw my HC500 around. For me.. a scare or a crash, has GOT to be taken in stride these days.....
My first real crash on a 500 a year and a half ago, really spooked me.. I spent all summer long hovering and stuck.. no progress....no more of that....my skills are much better, and my hands are learning.. so a crash happened.. learn from it.. figure out what happened.. get in the air and break through....

[aralan]

Keep flying. It's important not to let yourself continue to be intimidated by your scare, crash, or whatever the case may be and end up holding yourself back. If I crash in the middle of a flight I'll pull the batteries out, stick them in the other machine, and finish the flight. Preferably right back in to whatever I messed upon the last flight.

[clough42]

Thanks for all the replies.

That's pretty much what I figured. If I stopped at that point, with that being my last experience for the day, I'd be fighting the psychological weight of that my next time out.

So, I took a breath and flew it off. I'm glad I did.