[bensidus197217]

I've finally settled on the heli size that suits me best which is 500 size. I assembled it then tuned it up setting wise and the 500 was almost well behaved so no bells were going off in my mind. The other day I noticed one main blade kept getting loose so while watching the bolt head I noticed the screw was backing off when I would swing that blade back and forth. I checked the lock nut of that main blade screw to find out there was no nut at all, so it fell off at some point but thankfully the main blade did not. Installed a new nut and the tracking was quite far out so I used up the batteries I had to retune the 500, I'm still not done but thank God I never had an incident due to the missing lock nut.

[kip51035]

In the real world we call it a "BFI", Before Flight Inspection. It is carried out before every flight. It might be a good idea to take up this practice!!

[bensidus197217]

Good idea.

[Jimmy P]

Jim, you mention "lock nut" ie: one with a nylon insert that keeps the nut from freely spinning off. I cannot see how a lock nut would come off, unless the nylon insert was missing in production. Better check the other one then and the tail blades as well.

[bensidus197217]

Thanks Jimmy I'll check that out, but so far it seems good.

[Jimmy P]

So , how does this heli do after a little test of time here?

[Max]

Whenever I build a new heli (ore repair a heli), I always have one of the other heli fliers at the club do a complete inspection, nose to tail, top to bottom.

The "other guy" will usually catch things you may overlook just because you have a habit of doing things one way, and other guys will do things and look at things another way. I strongly recommend this practice.

[bensidus197217]

Seems fine still some bugs to adjust out of it. I have been using my free time in designing and building the Ferryman from the river Styx so the heli mainly sits.

[Jimmy P]

Ah.... I see, hadn't seen a comment in some time was just wondering was all.

[bensidus197217]

Well I mounted the BeastX with a brand new fly bar less head set up the BeastX as per instructions but made the mistake of adjusting my elevator and aileron from the radio. It got off the ground OK hard to control as expected so I adjusted the tracking more. Next time it didn't leave the ground just contacted the ground with the blades but I didn't bend anything. Next time it almost left the ground when the screw came off the elevator servo and it sat down hard, checked it and tightened the screw . The next time I tried to lift off it was jerking too much so I thought that's it I better check it over again and found one of the blades was cracked, so that ended my flying for the day. I'm going to unload the BeastX and make another four blade head with a Flybar at least that doesn't eat batteries and is far more forgiving. I likely won't be flying any helis till next year which will be fine by me.