General Check your screws .. Not just the ones visible

[coolgabsi]

Well....
After about 5 batteries ... Doing a tail slide and trying to mix aileron roll in it while coming down, I flopped on some high grass ... Was expecting some good amount of damage... But all I had was a stripped main gear and a servo horn bad. Everything else was good. Inspected the blades closely and nothing.

Main shaft good .. Everything..

Went home to replace stuff and thought in my head , hey let's check how the feathering shaft is doing.. See of everything is tight and what not... To my surprise...

I was 5 threads out on the feathering shaft screw. Loose and the same for the one on the other side!!!!! :O I was scared to death... Really scary when blade grips fly off or blades explode.

Giving everyone a reminder to check the screws not just the ones visible on the outside but also the ones hidden like the motor and motor mount, the feathering spindle. In the tail check the blade grip insides and the blade grip screws holding the tail.

Check these things every 5-7 flights for good measure I would say. Man!!

Mine backed out cause I was oiling the thrust bearings and some oil I think creeped in to the spindle and the loctite didn't bind well.. Scary to think that I flew 25 flights this week without checking this and scary to think how many we're left... :/

Please check yoursl screws and LOCTITE!!

 

[Adam]

Ok i cant let this one go unnoticed. What is with you and tall grass bahahaha. Jk man but i dont think another heli scavenger hunt needs to be done on labor day weekend. Another thing i learned that if your a newbie to soldering you should check those periodically also cause after flying i went to disconnect the battery and well the deans plug on my esc i think was only holding cause of the current going through it. That would of been a disaster.

 

[Lee]

I always pull on my tail and main blades when straightening them, to check for side ways movement. If the screws are coming out you should feel it. But as Gaba says, check everything periodically, say once a week if you fly regularly.