akent
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I love the 500!
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Post by akent on Oct 30, 2009 19:48:52 GMT -6
Well, it had to happen, I guess. I had not crunched up anything in quite a while before today!
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I bought a Spektrum receiver for the P51 and went to fly it this afternoon, freshly setup with my DX7.
Uh, I thought I threw you straight! Why are you turning left when I'm telling you to turn right? Huh? SMACK.
Who'da thunk to check the aileron direction with a friggen plank? Well, I am one huge dummazz...
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I picked up the pieces, went back to my truck and then pulled out the 450. I love flying that thing!
I was doing some FFF and a loop or three and then for some reason I lost orientation while it was fairly low. Dam. No time to react, other than hit the throttle hold.
Actually, that's the first time I have instinctively hit throttle hold. It didn't even strip the main gear! That's a first.
It did bend all the shafts, though, other than the tail shaft, as it went in head first.
So far, main shaft, feathering shaft, flybar, tail boom, fiberglass canopy, main blades, base plate, and other minor stuff. The K&B tail blades are dinged, but maybe salvageable.
The worst part is that I am out of Align main shafts. The two Exi ones that I still have are both already bent, never flown. I'll order some Align shafts now. Ugh.
Kent
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Post by elkmaster01 on Oct 31, 2009 8:18:04 GMT -6
They are called 'brain-farts' Kent! ;D I did something simular with my F-16. I rigged the flight controls with it lying on it's back,,,all the servos are on the belly as usual. When I got to the elevators,,,,,,'hey--those run backwards',,,so I reversed the servo channel. As you can guess,,,it never got airbourne and I ran it off the end of the runway. Hmmmmm,,,,who'd of thunk that once you flip it over the elevators were backwards again? I'm putting my 600 back together today,,,,hopefully the weather will be good for a test flight tomorrow. And I just ordered an EXI cnc head assembly for my Flasher 450,,,,I'm getting real good with my 500,,,so maybe I can handle a 450 now,,,,I'll try that one more time,,,LOL! I'm running out of weather,,,the highs are about 42 degrees these days,,soon I'll be done for the winter!  |
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19000rpm
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Post by 19000rpm on Oct 31, 2009 11:50:39 GMT -6
You'll only make that mistake on the ailerons ONE time Kent. ;D
I found I was crashing in 2's also. Now I stop at ONE. ;D
Elk, don't write the winter off. Put some floats on your bird, they work on snow too, grab your snowmobile suit, some Thinsulite gloves and go fly. ;D
Happy landings
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Post by elkmaster01 on Oct 31, 2009 13:17:39 GMT -6
Yea,,,I thought of that,,,,,but how much cold can these things handle? It can get -20 here for weeks. I assume letting a lipo freeze would not be a good thing huh?
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19000rpm
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Post by 19000rpm on Oct 31, 2009 14:44:38 GMT -6
I've flown at -10. Guys here in MN fly down to -20 too. Just keep the heli and battery at room temp before flying. I keep mine in the car while it's running. Nice for keeping me warm inbetween flights too.
BTW, a freshly discharged pack makes a dandy hand warmer. ;D
Moisture is the only potential problem that I know of. I've heard of guys saying their servos froze up. I guess that means you want the heli in a dry place before flying. And, at -20, It's going to be VERY dry.
I've never let a lipo freeze. I didn't think that would be a great idea; although I've never heard or read anything about freezing lipos being a no, no. Since it's a gel instead of a liquid...Who knows? Well, I'm sure Kent does. ;D
Happy landings
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Post by elkmaster01 on Oct 31, 2009 17:15:47 GMT -6
I guess I'll find out,,,,it will be about 38 degrees while I'm flying tomorrow. And I don't have a problem putting the floats on this winter,,,sounds like fun.
And wow,,,,when the lakes freeze and there is no snow on them,,,can you think of a better runway?LOL Set a few tip-ups out and fly my jets and helis!! COOL!!
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Post by Solitaire on Oct 31, 2009 17:58:07 GMT -6
Well, while you northern midwesterners have your winter flying all figured out, us west-coasters have only one thing to expect...rain, rain and more rain.  Wonder if a heli will fly with an umbrella? |
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akent
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I love the 500!
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Post by akent on Oct 31, 2009 18:51:34 GMT -6
Hey Sol, if you could invent a heli umbrella, you could get rich!!!!
Sorry, but I don't know anything about Lipos, really. I have learned that the cheap Zippies that we buy don't like any heat at or above about 100F, flying or not. They puff. Even an Align Lipo puffed at 106 without being used.
I too have read where folks fly at below zero temps. We just don't have those kinds of temps in Texas. On a normal January day it might be 60-65F. Heck, I didn't even own a coat until I started these trips to Norway. It doesn't even get that cold there. Maybe in the 20's F daytime in the winter. It's rarely colder than that in the southern parts.
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19000rpm
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Post by 19000rpm on Nov 1, 2009 7:01:27 GMT -6
Yeah, I fly the planks out on the lake. I've got skis for a few of them. The guys with ice houses love the entertainment. That usually earns me a drink. Hot or cold. My choice. ;D
Happy landings
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Post by elkmaster01 on Nov 3, 2009 8:43:14 GMT -6
19K,,,,,where do you get skis for these??
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19000rpm
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Post by 19000rpm on Nov 3, 2009 16:07:23 GMT -6
I've been using Dubro plastic skis. DUB830 secure.hobbyzone.com/cgi-bin/UCSearch?MERCHANTID=HZ&MERCHANTSEARCHID=1693343&RANGEBEGIN=1&RANGEEND=50&REFERERURL= They get a little brittle when the temps are very low. I'm beefing them up this year. I'm CAing some washers where the gear goes through the ski since that's the weakest point. Their best feature is the spring that keeps the tips up. I may also use the springs and try building a few pairs out of tougher plastic too. Somebody mentioned that pop bottle plastic works well. I've heard a few guys say the use floats (seaplane) for snow. That may look strange on an EDF, but it would probably work very well. ;D Happy landings |
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Post by elkmaster01 on Nov 3, 2009 17:59:50 GMT -6
I'll have to look elsewhere,,,I refuse to buy anything from HollyBone!
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19000rpm
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Post by 19000rpm on Nov 4, 2009 6:44:51 GMT -6
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Post by akphill on Nov 4, 2009 11:10:38 GMT -6
Hi Guy's I tried floats on snow and usualy ended up with nose of plane in the snow then found a set of aluminum skies they work really well in cold temps I found my fingers giving before anything else -20 or so that is an average temp in the winter my big plane a Cessna 175a model has a battery similar to these lipo and it holds up rather well in the cold I was flying my belt at -10 last winter I just shortend my flight time up as the cold sucks them down a little bit faster instead of 8 minutes I would get 6 minutes but at those temps i didnt mind one bit either hope this helps a little bit
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19000rpm
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Post by 19000rpm on Nov 4, 2009 15:43:45 GMT -6
Phil, How big are your aluminum skis and where did you get them?
Happy landings
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