First Crash.... Ouch!!

[dvdlock]

Just had my first crash with my Raptor 50. I'm still very much a beginner and still just practising hovering
Can't say exactly what happened 'cos it was one of those 'Now you see me, now you don't experiences
It was quite blustery (excuses on the way) but nothing that seemed to bother the other Heli lads at the club. I think I may have been over reacting to the lift the wind was causing and I must have come down tail first ............ I'm sure my heli was in the air before I blinked

Well, now I know what it feels like and that the Phoenix SIM crashes are actually true to life with bits flying in all directions.

Not too much damage, air frame is fine, just need blades, tail boom, flybar etc. Oh, and a tail gearbox. Should be ready to fly again in a few days.

....... and I'm still smiling

[Sesame]

as long as you keep smiling.

never nice when one hits the ground, glad its not too bad.

[richieclarkie]

As this is a first crash. It's definitely worth going over the WHOLE heli. Remove all the shafts and check them. Even if they look OK, roll them along a piece of glass and be over critical. Also check any plastic parts especially gears and parts with pins through them. You may find you have damage you didn't realise.

Particularly blade grips and bolts as are very stressed in crashes, so be extra cautious and replace if in doubt. I have had blade grip bolts shear in the air, luckily without loss of the heli.

The amount of times we all fix our helis and assume that something is OK, only to find out it isn't and the heli starts behaving badly or worse fails in the next few flights.

P.S. don't forget to check all your bearings

[Sesame]

good point richie. I had a jesus bolt fail after a crash, though it looked ok.

so swap them out too(the bolts that hold on the head and main gear).

[dvdlock]

As this is a first crash. It's definitely worth going over the WHOLE heli. Remove all the shafts and check them. Even if they look OK, roll them along a piece of glass and be over critical. Also check any plastic parts especially gears and parts with pins through them. You may find you have damage you didn't realise.

Particularly blade grips and bolts as are very stressed in crashes, so be extra cautious and replace if in doubt. I have had blade grip bolts shear in the air, luckily without loss of the heli.

The amount of times we all fix our helis and assume that something is OK, only to find out it isn't and the heli starts behaving badly or worse fails in the next few flights.

P.S. don't forget to check all your bearings

Thanks for the advice Ritchie. While I'm waiting for the spares to arrive I'll give the heli a good going over.

Thanks also Sesame, Might as replace them too.

Dave.

[SimonV6]

I was witness to the crash its all part of the RC heli experience

It was quite gusty today at the field, alot more than it seemed when I left my house, the windsock was totally Horizontal at times

anyway, a good excuse for a few upgrades Dave and there does seem to be a huge amount around for raptors


Simon

[dvdlock]

Hey Simon,

Yeah! it was a bit on the blustery side. Looking forward to seeing it fly again once I've repaired it.

Did you manage to get another flight in after I left?

Dave.

[Disc]

Guys,

it was windy but the 50's handled it fine, Tom's Shuttle even handled it fine.

Looked like you let the tail get to low that went in the rest folowed.... As I said they look a lot worse than they are.

I'm sure you'll get it rebuilt and up and flying shortly.

[richieclarkie]

Crashing is learning

[ChrisB]

I have been very lucky for a long time now but in the past i have had some mega crashes and sometimes more than one a day,it feels really hard to persevere some times but try and learn from them and move on

[Fixer]

Crashed my Predator last weekend trying nose in, first crash for a long time now but when these gassers go in they hit hard, your pocket that is.
If I had to buy in all the parts it would have set me back £600, fortunately I had some parts on another airframe I could use so it cut the cost down to £400.
That’s the last time I will be repairing this Heli.