Kissed the Ground

R

RMB677

Member
Other than being overcast and humid yesterday was a nice calm day for flying my 450. I had gone through one battery practicing orientation hovering without any incidents. About an hour later I went out to spend a little more time practicing. I was in a nose right hover and the next thing I knew I was looking at the belly of the heli over my head with it heading for the house, all I could see was replacing an expensive window on the house, I guess I over corrected and before I knew it it was one the gound. Its now on my workbench waiting for the parts I didn't have on hand. Had to replace the tail boom. main gear, feathering shaft, flybar, and blade holders.

I was considering replacing the plastic head with aluminum but with the cost being almost as much as the heli is worth I figure I'll just start saving for another heli.
 
Ken Jackson

Ken Jackson

Active Member
Sorry to here that. I find it very uncomfortable to fly directly over my head, orientation in your brain just goes crazy. I upgraded my head from plastic to metal slowly over time so it didn't hurt as much to change over. Started with an EXI helicopter plastic head and eventually converted it to metal Align.

I just think the 450 is too small for me and I loose orientation on it almost every flight at least once or twice. Compared to my 500. Cost to fix is a little more but if you crash it less then its a wash. Gonna put my 450 back together and sell it. Was going to do that initially but it was flying so well, until yesterday.


Ken
 
Lee

Lee

Well-Known Member
Bad luck dude,
The first crash i ever had was an over the head job. Totally disorientated me and down she came. :(
 
Westy

Westy

LEGEND
Sorry to hear that ! I had a close call like that a while ago .... I was completing a large loop in front of me an the wind (I am blaming it on the wind -heh heh) pulled the heli over my head...... WOOOOAAAHHHH ... was my verbal resonse!!!! haha

As I turned .... my brain looked at the hangar it was heading toward and said NOSE IN NOSE IN ..... and I recovered it luckily! Whew......

i have had some big smacks though ..... so don't feel too bad... better than repairing the window (which I have spashed on my Van wit the 450 back in the day!
 
Karubah

Karubah

Member
It really sucks when you lose oriantation. I do it nearly every flight. Costing me a fortune in parts. The shop where I get my parts put a Tshirt and hat in the last parcel. Guess I must be good customer. ha ha. Cheers Andy
 
R

RMB677

Member
Glad to know that I'm not the only one who has problems flying overhead. What is bothering me is I don't have any wind to blame it on and I can't think of what I did to cause it to get overhead. Granted it was only about 20' in front of me when it happened. All I can say is dumb thumbs.
 
R

RMB677

Member
The parts I need came in the mail today plus replacements for those I used from stock. If all goes well I should be able to work on the heli Sunday, I'm working all day Saturday. Also there may be another heli in the future. A guy I've done some model train work for in the past gave me an engine today that he wants done over in a different road name and some bodywork style changes $$.:encouragement:
 
Graham Lawrie

Graham Lawrie

Well-Known Member
Not so good:(coming to a heli near me soon:) I would have let the window bounce me back out LOL save the heli not the window:)
 
Ken Jackson

Ken Jackson

Active Member
I prefer blade farts to brain farts, big difference. I have my share of brain fart crashes. Those are worse because you usually know what you could have done to prevent it. Unlike "What the hell just happened", "Something must have broke", "It was the wind"

I've used them all, Lol
Ken
 
R

RMB677

Member
Started putting things back together this morning and noticed that the "button" at the top of the head sheared off and is somewhere on the front lawn. How critical is this part? Appears that it is only available by buying a full head assembly.

One thing about this crash is that I'm not missing any flite time, the weather hasn't been good for flying since the crash, though I've been flying a coax in the living room when the wife isn't around.
 
Westy

Westy

LEGEND
The Button is a show piece at best..... no problem with not having it! Will not effect flying characteristics
 
Ken Jackson

Ken Jackson

Active Member
Have to buy button separately if you buy the DFC upgrade, thanks Align.

Ken

Ps) if it breaks I won't replace it but it does look cool on a Flybarless head.
 
Tony

Tony

Staff member
It's a brake so you can put your hand on top of it without getting your fingers caught up in the blades. It's made so you can palm it and stop the blades from spinning. On my heli's, it's a required item.
 
T

taizi

Member
bad luck on the crash, sounds like the kind of thing that happens to me, at least you saved the window
 
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