First flight

[James F]

I actually got out to tune the tail today.  Aftrr tuning it was so stable.  Amazed with the stability.  Went to check its handling with some fff figure 8's and that is where it fell apart.  Ball link end snapped just a bit lowere than where the push rod stopped on the swash to blade link.   Not a sound anyone wants to hear on a maiden flight.  Looks like my new E5s is now going to wait a rekit over winter.  Both main frames broke, from the skid mounts by the looks of them and the damage in those areas.  Blade grip arms, main and and tail blades,  boom, tt, skids, skid pipes, anyi rotation bracket, shafts, etc.   All the gears and electronics survived the lawn dart attemp.  Battery trays, and spacers survived.  Canopy looks like it was beat by a group of ticked off drunks.   

It is a shame as it was pretty much hands off in a hover.  2 hovers and 1/4 of a figure 8.  Don't I get a prize for most damage on a maiden?

Did I mention I was loving this heli? Back to flying an align again until I save enough to rekit it.  Jesus bolt and the one going through the gears looked lime snakes.  Glad I killed the power then I heard it let go.   

Some advice........ never have your wife watching your 1300 dollar pride and joy do a dirt nap on its first flight.  She heard the pop and immediately said oh no, what was that,  NO NO NO NO NO! 

At that point I was already headed to pick up what remained.

Sorry Matt, I am afraid I didn't provide a good show for those watching.  I still say it was the best build I did to date.  The rebuild will be just as enjoyed.

James

[Jeff_Barrett]

Oh, man ... I am so sorry to hear it.

[Richard Rollins]

Wow that sucks. Sorry for your loss.
Rick

[James F]

More reason to put turnbuckles and some trays or something on it.  Finished the tear down before work this morning (love insomnia).  Other than the expensive parts aka frames and blades the next would be the metal arms etc that broke or bent.  The rest is just the cheap stuff like shafts, bearings, hardware.  Looked like a total rekit but I think it will get by with some time and repairs.

On the tear down I did find my loctite 242 despite spending hours cleaning oil off everything is not holding as tight as it did on my other model.  Assuming it has a shelf life.  New bottle for the rebuild.

[Mike Spano]

that really sucks.

its odd too....I actually use synergy balls and links on my gassers bc they are so strong....can you take a picture of what your talking about broke so we can see please?

I am not arguing or saying it didn't break, I am truly intrigued at what exactly happened.

[James F]

I think it was the one towards the rear of the heli that let go.  It could of been one on the phasing arms but they I think it was the rear one I  that picture.  I am not at home to take a picture of the link itself.  I. Total 3 were destroyed/lost.  I am pretty sure the pop my wife and I heard were something taking out the antirotation bracket but it could of been the pop of anything letting go.  I call it a fluke incident as these types of things are unheard of on a synergy.  But like I said before it could of had a weak spot or I could of stressed it.  I am pretty meticulous with my builds and double checked everything 20 times before flying.  I pull on every link to ensure they are connected, etc.   It just means I can take my time and change my wiring, and put turnbuckles on during the rebuild. 

[Mike Spano]

yea, as I posted over on HF, that is very heart breaking. just such an odd failure to have, and one that caused so much damage.

I destroyed an E5 not long ago, my ESC went up in smoke and she just fell. I did do an entire re-kit instead of re-building the heli. I saved every part I could save on the bird, if there is anything that I could possibly pass along to you to help you get in the air faster, send me a list of what you need an I will look through my pile. ok.

I am sorry, but my main frames were damaged too.....but with some thin CA glue they COULD be flyable again if you would like to try......the damage was much less than what happened to your frames....I just hate for you to have to look at that bird all winter and not be flying it....

[James F]

A couple more shots.  By the looks it was the one on the bent phasing arm that went first and then took out the antirotation bracket.  That I think took out the other 2.

[Matt Botos]

This is definitely not normal, something is very strange here. What I can't figure out is how the swash follower arm was bent in the opposite direction of the rotation of the head? The arm should have been bent the other direction on a clockwise rotating head. Additionally how did the follower arm end up on the other side of the main shaft? 


Matt

[Kevin Feil]

My opinion, the swash follower arm once the link broke, the arm relaxed as the head rotated in direction of rotation the arm caught one of the swash cyclic Bosses and bent it out allowing it to clear the main shaft and end up on the other side as the rotation continued the swash follower arm again hit one of the Swash cyclic arms and bent it backwards, looking at the picture you can see the (Joggled Bend) in the swash follower arm. It bent one way then bent the opposite way. That's the only way that could of happened. Look at the very first picture, look at the swash follower arm, look at the arm where it transitions to the 90 degree! you can see in the corner elbow where it must have hit ball link or one of the swash bosses.. 

Hate to hear this happened..

Best Regards,

Kevin

[James F]

I don't ever want to see it again.  5 months before I can buy a new kit provided my 500 goes another 200 flights not needing any parts.     It is in good shape though so I will have it to fly until I can rebuild. 


But damm the E5 flew so smooth.  I love that...

[Kevin Feil]

It says a lot James when so many people are using the E5 as the Nucleus of there performance mods, Using it as a platform for the Stretched /SS E5, stretched to an  E7 se, the perfect machine to build scales with, I built my Airwolf last year and she flew awesome. You will be back in the air before you know it... 

K

[James F]

I am hoping to have a line on a used airframe.  I was given a tip that the only other one I ever saw here is up for sale.  Texted the owner already to find out as he demo'd it here at my house one weekend when we made use of the fields behind my house.  Here is hoping it is for sale and at a good price.


My flying spot most days, minus the dirty window lol.

[James F]

Hmm not showing the picture.

[James F]

Wont attach either