5 Month Mark

Today is exactly 5 month since 9-Oct-2008, the day I brought the Raven back to my house after I just purchased it!

I have been satisfied with the Raven flying performance in the previous flights, and today is the day were I will be trying inverted hover again. The last time I tried the loop and inverted hover, it ended with very bad crash!

I this was long holiday weekend, Monday is a public holiday for MaulidurRasul celebration in Malaysia.

I have been looking for the time to fly since Saturday, only Monday I was able to find the good time. I was fully occupied with some family activities and the MaulidurRasul celebration at the nearby Surau. Also, I was having problem with broken glow heater before. I had successful put it back using super glue.

It was about 9.30am. Since other fellow fliers in Putra Heights were not flying today, I decided will do the flight session at the nearby PH9 football field area.

I setup for the flight, begin with ground check, making sure all links are firmly attached, and all controls are working for both of the batteries.

Starting up the engine, I was trying to start the engine using the other glow heater which has been charged for about 6 hours or more, but it did not work. Changed to another glow heater ('super glue'd one), engine started right away.

FID: H3.E2.G2.T8.1 2009-03-09:0945
OGT: 08 minutes, Loc: PH9, Football Field

Lifted off, did in flight check, all control ok, switch to idle-up mode, continue with the hover check. Everything is ok. I proceed with figure 8 flying and few stall turns. I brought it back to land, checked the engine temperature using the '5 second finger' method. The engine was not hot at all, seems that I can put my finger there all day without feeling any pain.

Then, lifted off again. Now I am ready with the real flying. I did few stall turns. I was quite windy, can feel the wind from my left to right. Doing tall turn on left side made the Raven a bit drifted to my side, I need to be careful, not to let it fly near to my place on the left side. I tried the negative pitch during the stall turn, it works, the Raven moved accordingly.

So now I am ready for the inverted hover.

From my left side, flew the Raven to the right, then up for the flip.
I was not a perfect flip, the Raven ended up inverted with left side a bit low. Quickly my finger automatically compensate and fix the attitude. It stabilized for 1 or 2 seconds. That should be enough, I started to push the 'elevator' up and increase the engine/negative blade pitch to flip it back up right.

Suddenly, at that moment I heard the engine screamed in high pitch.
Oh my god! I shouted in my heart. Something went wrong here!

Regardless, I continue to flip it back up right. While the Raven flipping, I can hear the engine continue to scream. The Raven started to descend while it was flipping back up. The flip rate was not good! I can see the main blade rotating much slower now, about 2 seconds later the Raven hit the ground on its skid, bounced and rested in inverted position. Still panicking, I realized that the engine still running, quickly I flipped the switch to shutdown the engine, only then it stopped.



Flipped it manually up right, I can see the broken main blade and bend fly bar.



Even the right side frame is dented.

From Remote Control Helicopter - 2009

However, looks like the damage is not as severe compared to my previous crash. No damage at all to skids, tail boom and hopefully main shaft too. Alhamdulillah, I guess, the last second maneuver before impact have reduced the possible damages.

I brought it back home. Just to make sure the engine is still ok, I tried to start the engine. Since the left frame is dented, the holes for starter shaft to the metal fan is not aligned anymore. I need to detach the upper part to access it.

I was able to start the engine, yes it is still working!

From Remote Control Helicopter - 2009