Maiden flight lasted about 3 seconds

[Optimist]

After spending the last 3 weeks slowly putting my heli together finally decided to try a hover this afternoon. Lasted all of 3 seconds.

As the heli was lifting off it started to tilt backwards i.e. nose in the air and tail towards the ground. Didn't try to be a hero and just shoved it straight back down. Unfortunately i did not escape unscathed.

- Small dent in tail boom (really minor but cannot work out how the mark got there given no markings on blades)
- Smallish dent in the fibre main blades
- 9257 servo casing mounting point is cracked.

Been checking everything out this afternoon and I am lost
- Pitch seems fine (+12 to -12)
- All links still connected i.e. no mechanical failure
- centre of gravity seems fine (identified by holding onto the head button)

Hopefully someone can help as i am worried that without identifying the reason for this happening it will merely happen again once i repair everything.

My heli is an Outrage G5 if that makes any difference.

Any help appreciated.

[Boggy]

is your swash working in the right direction? it may seem obvious but its easy to overlook!! i know

[163phil]

If your swash is level with all trims neutral, it may be worth checking your swash mix - set to ccpm?

[machasm]

I was about to say the same thing Ron!
Also double check that the swash is level.

[Boggy]

my madien of my first 600n lasted twenty seconds!! it takes longer to spool up a nitro as phil says its in the swash mix,i messed about at the field before flying and baffled myself with bull$"!t

[163phil]

Fortunately I learned that one on Phoenix when I forgot to change models

[Optimist]

Hi

Thanks for the quick replies. I checked the swashplate with a levelling tool and only had to make minor sub-trim adjustments (checked at 0, 50 and 100% throttle / pitch) to ensure the tool touched the leveller.

Not sure what is meant by swash mix, but I presume you mean the movements when applying pitch / roll on right stick. Movements all seem fine

- Applying the stick up forces the swash to tilt (nose side down and tail side up)
- applying the stick left forces swash to tilt to the left (if viewed from the tail)

will be checking everything again anyway when i strip the head.

[163phil]

Optimist - try putting on throttle hold (or disconnecting the motor) and watch how the swash behaves when you increase the pitch. It should go up level. If it doesn't, then it will be your swash mix.

If it does, then it could be that the swash isn't really level after all, or your paddle control arms aren't symmetrical.

Good luck mate, and post again if you're still having problems

[163phil]

Hi

Thanks for the quick replies. I checked the swashplate with a levelling tool and only had to make minor sub-trim adjustments (checked at 0, 50 and 100% throttle / pitch) to ensure the tool touched the leveller.

Not sure what is meant by swash mix, but I presume you mean the movements when applying pitch / roll on right stick. Movements all seem fine

- Applying the stick up forces the swash to tilt (nose side down and tail side up)
- applying the stick left forces swash to tilt to the left (if viewed from the tail)

will be checking everything again anyway when i strip the head.

It looks like you've got your swash mix set to single servo 90 degrees, rather that ccpm in the transmitter.

What tx are you using?

btw, if the swash tilts nose-down on increasing pitch, the heli would do the same!

[Optimist]

It looks like you've got your swash mix set to single servo 90 degrees, rather that ccpm in the transmitter.

What tx are you using?

btw, if the swash tilts nose-down on increasing pitch, the heli would do the same!

Using a DX7. Swash Type is set to 3 Servos 120 degrees.

Since everyone seems in agreement it is the swash think i should strip the head and check it.

On the subject of the paddles - by symmetrical do you mean same length and paddle at similar angle? If so they are although to be honest the flybar cage is pretty tight i.e. i can move it vertically and it doesn't fall back to level - is this normal? Did check that when spinning up it goes parallel to the ground.

[163phil]

OK, so try making sure the swash is level at half stick. If it's not, then adjust the servo linkages so that it is, and take it from there. May just sort the problem.

[scallybert]

I think a G5 is a good choice...

I started building mine a bit before you, and I've done some basic flights since then.

Have you got training gear on ?

[I've set-up and flown quite a few smaller helis, but IMO training gear is a good insurance policy on first flights.]

How much experience have you got ? (What else have you flown, etc.)

You say you've got +/-12 deg. This makes me wonder which head settings you're on, as I'd probably have struggled to get that on the beginner settings.

[Big A]

After spending the last 3 weeks slowly putting my heli together finally decided to try a hover this afternoon. Lasted all of 3 seconds.

As the heli was lifting off it started to tilt backwards i.e. nose in the air and tail towards the ground. Didn't try to be a hero and just shoved it straight back down. Unfortunately i did not escape unscathed.

- Small dent in tail boom (really minor but cannot work out how the mark got there given no markings on blades)
- Smallish dent in the fibre main blades
- 9257 servo casing mounting point is cracked.

Been checking everything out this afternoon and I am lost
- Pitch seems fine (+12 to -12)
- All links still connected i.e. no mechanical failure
- centre of gravity seems fine (identified by holding onto the head button)

Hopefully someone can help as i am worried that without identifying the reason for this happening it will merely happen again once i repair everything.

My heli is an Outrage G5 if that makes any difference.

Any help appreciated.

Any chance you can find an experienced heli pilot to check the setup and do a test flight? It could save a lot of time and heartache.

[Optimist]

OK, just pulled the head off and checked with the swash plate leveller. At 50% it is still perfectly level and with 0 and 100% minor adjustments using endpoints (previously incorrectly said sub trim) it is still level.

Set the G5 up with 3d settings - which is Optimistic given that apart from Phoenix I have never flown anything except paper aeroplanes. Is one of the things I plan on changing now.

I have training gear which is why i could just bang it down when it was going pear shaped - question on the training gear is whether it is normal that the tail is a bit more twitchy when spooling up. Reason is i noticed that as i applied throttle the tail started wagging a fair amount - 1st time i shut it down thinking my gyro was reversed but after checking it was fine. My training gear is quite spring but presume that is the point.

This is doing my head in - don't mind the crashing (although more than 3 seconds would have been nice) its not being able to work out why which makes me more nervous.

Thanks for the help so far.

[Boggy]

are you sure its not a tx setup problem using the right stick only does swash follow the stick? i.e push the stick forward the swash follows pull back swash tilts back etc.