Virtual1
Senior Heliman
Location: Waterloo, Iowa - USA
| I got to hear that for the first time today. Very distinctive WHUMP and then just the sound of the engine at idle.
I was on tank 6 and had been hovering low, high, and very high earlier with fairly high confidence. The wind had finally stopped and I decided to take it in a nice easy tail-in circle around me. Seemed simple enough. Got to 180 degrees, now facing downwind, and out of nowhere comes a big long gust. All sorts of chaotic flying immediately followed. I had an opportunity to land it and didn't take it.  (stuuupid!) Three seconds later it was sliding fast to the right toward a tree. Left, left, LEFT! and of course it then suddenly stopped and immediately tipped over. WHUMP!
Two or three foot fall with engine at very low RPM's onto its side. Battle damage: broke one blade, (the other one survived! yes it's in the trash anyway) bent feathering shaft, bent flybar, bent main shaft. Also found out later I busted one of the boom support attachment posts off the frame. $42 is not a bad first hit I suppose.
Curious, not counting the frame problem, the only things that were damaged were all steel. Nothing else in the head broke. (all of which is plastic) I'm still amazed that anything can bend the main shaft. Very small bend, it arches maybe two or three sheets of paper thickness in the middle when rolled on a flat surface. But I'm sure it'd shimmy like a paint shaker if I hadn't replaced it.
It'll be ready to go again in the morning. Glad I had spare parts on-hand, I don't want to have to wait to fly again. Also was sure to call HeliProz to "restock" for later.  |
