LUCKY or UNLUCKY

[coptermanic]

Just had an interesting occurrence whilst tracking my blades. Got the 450 sorted, was just plopping around and in an instant, the heli plunged over forwards and into the ground from about 3m. I just about got to the throttle hold in time.
Fearing the worst, I trudge over to the heli, which is now nose down in 4" of snow. Clearing off, reveals little damage, and the culprit: a screw holding the ELEV link and ball to the swashplate.
I feel unlucky as my 450 just seems fated. But lucky that the snow I was wining about was there to cushion the impact.

That's heli flying..................

[Tom Burgess]

I'd say it was lucky Mike, but I am an optimist

Reminds me of a time I was at an indoor meet. Mate of mine took off into the hover with his 250 a couple of inches off the deck, tail in. He was an OK flier but needed lots of height when flying usually. It sat there for a couple of seconds until "whoosh" he flipped in inverted with a forward flip!! Crikey, I was thinking until "BLAM", he nailed it right into the floor!

I asked him why he tried that as he was only learning inverted outside with his 600. His answer was, "it wasn't me"! Bloody link came off the elevator servo

Funny thing was, it was the straightest forward flip I have ever seen

[asomaro]

Mike, sorry to hear about the ball link failure, I live in fear of that happening, I think I'll just check the screws now.....

Cheers,

[Geek]

Bad luck
I hope your taking the rest apart and loctiting it all again.
I would I bet it's one the factory forgot.
Has it flown much Mike?

[Sesame]

I would judge that one as lucky as well, no damage done and now you know the swash screws need checking more often

[spunkmyer]

Sorry fella. Yep always worry about that sort of thing happerning. Must remember to check my heli's later

[coptermanic]

I don't fly it as much as the 600, but it has just had a bit of a re-build and I definitely remember threadlocking the balls onto the swash. There goes!!! Have just repaired and re-flown, now ready for the SCC Sunday indoor fly-in!!!

This afternoon, to check the 600!!!!!!!!!

[Mart61]

Sorry to hear of the "in" but I'd put that down as lucky.

When building my V2 it showed the ball links on the swash as being attached by screws. yet, when getting the bags out of the kit, they were the "normal" align style that I had wth my 500 and 600 - the ball-link is threaded and has a hex hole in the top.

Does the pro have the other style Mike?

[coptermanic]

It was the ELEV input to the swash, through the anti-rotation bracket, the ball and screwing in to the swash. From the rear on a 450Sport Martin. Fortunately, it is a regularly used bolt length and I had spares.

[Tom Burgess]

Sorry to hear of the "in" but I'd put that down as lucky.

When building my V2 it showed the ball links on the swash as being attached by screws. yet, when getting the bags out of the kit, they were the "normal" align style that I had wth my 500 and 600 - the ball-link is threaded and has a hex hole in the top.

Does the pro have the other style Mike?

That must be a new feature Martin as I am sure mine were posi drive. Thats a nice improvement

[Mart61]

That must be a new feature Martin as I am sure mine were posi drive. Thats a nice improvement

Indeed. Mind you, it was an old kit that I got a deal on as it was the last one in the shop.