No! Going Going GONE!

[tomatwalden]

Worryingly that's the 3rd 200SRX flyaway I've read about. I'm wondering if the safe mode on these doesn't cut the power if they lose radio signal. If it doesn't that self levelling technology is going to keep them in the air for a long while.

It's not really a flyaway in the same sense as a quad going off on it's own without a GPS signal. This is just a case of the pilot flying it out of sight!

[honwal]

sorry to hear that mate, it is a steep learning curve indeed, head up and battle on,

[Grumpy]

Hopefully the notes you left around the houses will do the trick and you will get it back.

I'll tell you how I've recovered fly-away models in the past:
Take a note of where you were standing, where you last saw the model and get the wind direction and strength at the time. Now take Google earth and plot a line from where you were standing through the models last known position. Based on wind speed and direction and estimated maximum flight time plot a line on the map of the likely flight path and make a print. Go out and walk the line you have drawn on the map and see what you find. If you get into housing then drop your notes through letterboxes along the path.

I did this a couple of years ago with a freeflight airplane model that has an expensive vintage engine in. I'd spent hours looking for it with no luck. After making the map I literally walked straight to it. It was buried in long grass, I almost stood on it!

If that fails you could try writing a grovelling email/letter to Horizon hobby telling them what a wonderful heli the 200SRX is etc etc, and how you lost yours... You might get one at a good discount, it cant do any harm to try:About Us

[Peteski]

I suppose the letter drop could backfire if for example it had hit someone or their car, windows etc! It could have come down pretty hard and it's big enough to do some significant damage. But let's hope it came down on some nice soft grass or in a bush and you do eventually get it back.

[Bluenose75]

think its game over, there is a good chance it is up a tree? anyway I will buy another 200srx this weekend and start again, I cant understand how I let it get so far away, its all a bit of a blur?

[Peteski]

I cant understand how I let it get so far away, its all a bit of a blur?

Don't worry you're not alone! When I first flew my little 130X last week I had the same blurry feeling. I honestly don't remember much of the first flight apart from that it was getting much further away from me than I had intended. I like your attitude of getting straight back on the horse though!

BTW I've noticed there's a new 200 SRX going on ebay right now (£100 bid at the moment, 30 mins to go!), brand new replacement from Midland Heli, no box (but I presume you still have yours anyway). Might save you a few quid.
Edit: No sorry, forget that it's gone now for £100.

[Bluenose75]

Thanks mate, i paid about £140 first time round so will just hide the extra box from the wife!!!

[Bluenose75]

Have brought a new 200 srx thinking about fitting some led's to assist with low vis!

[Grumpy]

If you are worried about another fly away you can get various lost model alarms or trackers, such as: Loc8tor Lite | Loc8tor for Everyday UK | World's Best Finders for Keys & Everything Else

Or just close the throttle next time

[trexamanic]

you could try a bright canopy and tail blades in different colours

[Bluenose75]

I was thinking about dying the White parts yellow with RIT dye

[Grumpy]

Orientation is always a challenge with micro and mini size models, bright colours can only help so much. Experience helps a lot as after a while you can orientate not only based on what you see statically but also dynamically based on control input and response. Keeping it reasonably close is the best option while you are learning. Whatever the orientation closing the throttle brings it down.

[Peteski]

Have brought a new 200 srx thinking about fitting some led's to assist with low vis!

I doubt LEDs would be much use in daylight, especially at a distance. I'm sure if you keep it reasonably close you'll be just fine.

[Peteski]

Orientation is always a challenge with micro and mini size models, bright colours can only help so much. Experience helps a lot as after a while you can orientate not only based on what you see statically but also dynamically based on control input and response. Keeping it reasonably close is the best option while you are learning. Whatever the orientation closing the throttle brings it down.

I was messing on the sim the other day flying the model to a speck in the distance and then trying to bring it back. I found that as long as I knew which direction it was flying to start with I could bring it around with the normal stick inputs for a simple 180 degree turn and it did work better than I had expected. Not that I would try such a thing for real!!

[Mark_T]

As it is a small fixed pitch heli, you have to keep it close so you can see it and relatively low so the wind doesn't just blow it away.

No negative pitch so you can't just fly it down once the wind gets it, have to be prepared to cut the throttle and hope