[tech1]

I had my first auto with a Raptor 50.
First let me say how well this heli flies.

I am still breaking the engine in so it is running rich. The heli still climbs like stink with the OS50 Hyper. Man does it go!

Anyway I was almost down to the header tank when I started a vertical climb from 10 feet. Made it to 30 or 40 feet when the engine bogged down.

Waited a split second and when it looked like I wasn't going to get any power back I let the heli drop with negative pitch. As I came close to the ground I added positive (heard the engine pick up but still no power to the blades) I got a small bounce at tera firma and no damage at all.
Compared to my 30, the 50 comes down like a feather.

The only thing that would explain my problem was that the engine backfired and started to run in reverse. I got RPM's but no power at the ground. The one way, clutch and everything else are OK

I have had engines start backwards but never in flight before.

Did I just push too hard under a rich setting?

How many turns on the high needle for normal running. I am running just over 1 1/2 turns

Thanks