SPARKS Forums

So there I was, with enough spare parts to put my T-rex back together and continue enjoying the beautiful afternoon after I had bitten off more than I could chew, and nearly had to run from it again as it piled in inverted at my feet.  The damage was surprisingly minimal for such an impact, and after about a half hour of rebuilding at a fast and furious pace, I had a new helicopter again.  I had to use my coveted 315mm Carbon Fiber blades that you cannot get anymore, and buy a set of paddles from a buddy at the field, but I was ready to get back up on the horse.  The spool-up was smooth-smoother than before. (I must have had something slightly out of whack before, and fixed it with a new part) I picked the machine up and out of ground effect to check the trim, and to my surprise and dismay, I could not control where the machine was going, and managed to get the throttle hold cut just as it smashed into one of the startup tables!  I was dumbfounded. And finished for the day (out of parts), but I still wanted to know what had happened, so I began to disassemble things and soon found one of the failure points-a very important set screw had escaped tightening.  I thought about how much that oversight from haste had just cost me, and then thought about how much more it could have cost me, and was glad that it was only MY blades that I had just trashed!  So, back at the hangar, the rebuild commenced again, this time with a trip to the hobby shop in the mix, but I TIGHTENED EVERY SCREW...Twice. And then I did what I should have done the first time at the field-INSPECT THE ENTIRE HELICOPTER AS THOUGH IT WAS FLYING FOR THE FIRST TIME, because, really, after a crash and rebuild, it is flying for the first time.  And what do you think I found?  Something I sure wished I had found at the field before I trashed my Carbon Fiber 315's...I had killed the gyro!   DEAD!!  And I thought the setscrew on the mast collar had been the cause of the second crash.  Maybe if I were inverted, but not so right side up.  The gyro was nuts!!  And I was left there, thinking.."if only I had just done a proper Post Crash Inspection...."

What else can I say???

 Your not-so-safe-that-day Safety Officer

Jaffray

PS  After the addition of a new gyro to the partslist, I am now ready to get back on the horse!!  If things come in threes, I think I'm safe!!!

sorry for the loss.  After many yrs we all seem to occational make the same stupid mistakes over agian. like wrong model#,rev Control serface etc. The good news is it puts that pilot straight for some time.

Unfortuantly we those who just recently made a mistake will  try to warn or pass on this new WISDOM . However most will look at you like you don't know what your talking about. Only to imedaitaly make the same error.

The was a saying in the AMA that went something like this:

A good modeler has made the mistake ONCE. A Master modeler has made the Twice.

I believe this is also the cause of the "Penut Gallery" most clubs have. Where those experianced pilots will tend to stand at arms length and watch in the marvel of the new Pros go through the same old game.

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www.rcshirt.com

They always come in threes jaffray so if you got three of them now i think that you are safe. 

 

Tom

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Hum....hitting the start up table? Now you know why I have been hard about the heli area being further away from the pits and the pilot stations!! I don't want to be subjected to flying switch blades coming at me if I am at a starting table with my back turned to the flying area with an engine running and can't hear the heli coming.

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Keep the dirty side down!

Take Care! Dan

RCFlyerDan:

Hum....hitting the start up table? Now you know why I have been hard about the heli area being further away from the pits and the pilot stations!! I don't want to be subjected to flying switch blades coming at me if I am at a starting table with my back turned to the flying area with an engine running and can't hear the heli coming.

Hey Dan, This could have been any type of RC flying vehicle, not just a helicopter.  Be thankful that nobody was hurt, a good idea about post-crash inspections came out of it and learn from it. Thanks Jaffery for posting up about the incident and the cause of the crash. Mechanical failures are impossible to predict.

I agree,

I have seen more close calls from un restrained planes in the pits being taxied than from a heli which usually doesn't have a chance to make it far.

( not refering to this feild but in my overall rc career)

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www.rcshirt.com

Let's see, I blew it up in the air, I dumb-thumbed it trying something new, and I wrecked it flying it before I was done fixing it...that's three. 

Suppose I need the Buddy Cord???  Naaahh,  I'm going for that inverted backwards piro-flip.  I've gotten kinda good at overhaul.  Thanks for the support, Buddy.  I'll see ya at the field!

Jaffray

You know Dan's got a good point....... I've been feeling a bit intimidated by the growing number of large scale planes at the field.  I'm not comfortable flying while these guys run up and taxi behind me.  I'm going to suggest that we move the large planes (50cc and bigger) to the other side of the field, west of the hill. Since they can never fly in bounds anyway, they may as well be out there. At least we’ll minimize the risk of a 50cc plane with a 22 inch carbon prop killing someone…..  Sound good guys?  No.... It doesn't. It sounds stupid, just like every suggestion of segregating helicopters from airplanes!

 

  So back to reality……….

  People it’s not enough to just be safe, we have to be safe and smart!  After a crash and rebuild have someone else look over your aircraft before you fly!  Please, for the sake of everyone at the field that flies give your craft at least a quick once-over before every flight not just the first flight of the day.  I can’t count the number of planes I’ve seen go in because the ailerons were backwards, or a link that was never checked poped off, or best of all the onboard battery was not tested.  Think before you fly!!

  

  Thanks and be safe,

            Jimmy Dacey

    

 

 

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Good advice, Jimmy

A third party inspection, even if cursory, will lend ANOTHER SET OF EYES to catch what you might have missed for whatever reason.  I have been doing this for almost 30 years now, but as you have seen, in my haste to get back to flying the only thing I had brought to the field that picture perfect day (out of a long spell of lousy weather), I overlooked something that was very obvious when I was not in such a hurry.  I will never be so proud (or stupid) as to not allow someone else to look over my work.  I just wish I had done that before I trashed my prized blades.  If I remember right, we are all in this to have fun, and a lot of us have just as much fun helping somebody else as we do playing by ourselves.  Thanks again for all the help and comraderie you have provided not just me, but countless others I see you helping at the field!  You are an asset to our hobby, and our club!

 Jaffray

PS          If anybody thinks that you stop crashing airplanes after some arbitrary period of time or level of expertise, I should stand to correct them.  As Dave so correctly pointed out, there is no way to predict mechanical failure, and as we all have seen, even the best of the best pile in something every now and then for what usually amounts to pilot error.  Failing to properly prepare your aircraft for flight falls into the pilot error category.  I have lost count of all of the airplanes I have crashed because I bit off more than I could chew, but I am usually pretty careful about my equipment and the condition it is in before I leave the ground with it.  Haste most assuredly makes waste.  Can I pull the funnel out now?

Jaffray  WELL SAID (  I will never be so proud (or stupid) as to not allow someone else to look over my work ) This is what separates the men from the boys! Also called being humble, not thinking your better than everyone else when really no one cares if your better or not any way. There is always someone that is better than you and once you learn that it gives you a feeling of relief that I dont have to be the best but just to try my hardest is my goal. This is why most of us have fun at this hobby, and this is why some make it frustrating, a burden, and  wine and cry.

This is a great post and I wouldn't have lost my  brand new Twist 40 flown twice in twenty minutes if I had done a pre flight inspection on it. Didn't put the rubber over the clevis and elevator came loose, and didnt secure the  battery in place good enough (used double sided servo tape)   and it came loose.  After reading this post I WILL be more aware of being sure to do a post flight not ony to save me money and my plane but more important for the safety of our Club Members. I think all of us members deserve that  every member( HAS ) to do a pre flight before starting the engine! 

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JAYBIRD
All Planes Have An Expiration Date! We just Don't Know The Date !