BOL - first real free flight fun in the wind (sorta)

prof_fate

I'm still flying with my training gear on and working on orientation and not losing altitude on turns and such and it was calm outside this morning so I reckon'd I'd hit the driveway (figuratively) and do some figure 8s. I'm ready I think to do more than hover and fear the walls!

While I felt no breeze and the leaves were quite, the BOL is more sensitive than me I guess. Perhaps I need a windsock or wind speed guage?

No crashes, but can't say I was 100% in control 100% of the time either - the slight breeze kept pushing the chopper toward the house (steps, light, railings...). OK, don't panic...go up to be clear I think and I do...my reaction time and instincts worked even if I was a wee bit slow on 'thinking' it back - so if flew over the porch and the left to the 40' pine tree and a bit of spinning/orientation was going on (wind vaning mostly, so of course it's nose-in to me- an area I'm not real comforable with flying yet). So I set it down avoiding everything, including the dog run wire. Success? Failure? Well, if bringing it back in one piece is success it was one. If the heli is in control and not me, well, then it was a failure.

I must do more tweaking on the heli so it hovers better ( i have a V4 that I got used that does much better so it's possible.)

I then got it back to chest level figure 8s and had more wind than I could fly into for a moment (that's a first for me) but I had about 3 minutes left to fly and I was gonna fly! Back to the figure 8s, doing well, no issues then when turning left had a blade strike, cracking a top blade pretty badly. (left rudder, left aileron, wind from the right) My first for sure one of those. I bought the extended shaft kit and I guess I'll be putting that in ASAP. I didn't want to do major surgery on my first new heli for fear of screwing things up. I guess it's time to dive in!

tombo242 · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 9:16 pm Post subject:

Hi Prof,

Sorry to hear about that, always sad to see a broken heli, especially when it's your own!

Circumstances you describe are perfect for a blade strike. Lower rotor tilted left to lift the right side into the wind from the right. That gives it transitional lift and tilts the rotor more striking the upper rotor which will be flexing (not tilting it can't) down as the flybar trys to compensate for the tilt. Bound to happen sometime, at least it wasn't overcontrolling on your part this time. It's a pity this doesn't happen on the sim no matter how much wind you programme in.

Tom.

prof_fate · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:48 am Post subject:

what kinda sucks it was my last pair of blades (of course) and the 3Dpro ones - which did stand a lot of mild abuse.

I threw some scotch tape on to finish out hte battery It makes an intesting noise when the tape gets loose. Laughing

I'm just glad I was only 3 feet up when it happened so no damage.

platinum · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:40 pm Post subject:

Hi prof_fate,
How about your Big Lama now?. I also fly two Big Lama.
Thanks for sharing the information.

platinum
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/Gaol : relaxed flying with the least fixing. Very Happy