Bird_E Senior Heliman Location: Erie, CO
| Well,
I finally finished my raptor30 and fired it up in my backyard on Saturday... Don't have too much room (lots of trees!), but I thought I would "get it light" on its rotopod. (thank God for the rotopod!) Anyway, on the first tank I had it hovering!!!! WHOOO HOOO! Awesome... Yea, its wasn't perfect but it was hovering..... Heck, I flew 3 tanks and each time it got a little better. Had a few close call/ hard landings but the rotopod did its job.... a couple of times I had it about about 8 - 10 feet up!.
(yea, I know too high for my experience level, but it felt much smoother up there!) G2 Flight sim made this a reality! Anyway, couldn't wait to fly it today. So, I went to an open flield, fired it up and took off. ( it was a little too windy for me and I should have known better, but anyway). I had it hovering but it kept climbing on me.... but I kept with it, then it started to get too close to the tree line ( starting to run out of room!) So, I said "Ease down" on the collective and let it settle to the ground.....
but it dropped a little to fast and a I had a BIG boom strike.... It tore the the boom right off!!! WOOO HOOO, my first crash!!!, I was sad. I think I got too confident. But, about $80.00 in parts it will be good as new :-). A question, I noticed this on my first day as well as today. When I just get off the ground and hover, no problem. But as it starts to climb say 8 - 10 feet up I want to ease it down, just incase but when I lower the collective (just it little, no I'm not chop sticking it!) It seems to come down too fast and usually takes a bounce on the rotopod!. How to you get the heli to "Settle" down. or is this a setup thing or just practice? Any suggestions to prevent a boom strike?
Thanks!
Bob |