Boy, we could all use help getting our BCP's off the ground hehe. My BCP lift issues are annoying me pretty badly. I found it had to do with my battery -- the low-voltage NiMH pack lets me use about 90% of the collective pitch inputs I issue (spooled-up compared to idle), but the high-voltage LiPo pack only allows me to use 10% of the collective pitch, and I can't get off the ground any more. I'm going to try the 8t motor, but I'm at a loss as to how to correct this problem.

Wombat! Nice word of advice there, and indeed, taking your eyes off the heli is asking for trouble. I encountered the nose-dive of doom (not from lack of observation tho -- it was lack of skill) and crashed in a similar way (my most recent crash). I too pitched up and cut throttle just as soon as I knew it was going down, and I suffered similar damage. My training gear may have helped slow my blades down (judging from what I saw on the blades and how the crash went), so no real blade damage, but I snapped a skid strut and the two rear skid mounts on the frame. I CA'ed the frame and replaced the skid and she's holding together just fine -- a new frame is in the mail.

Today was a good day for me too! I flew for the first time w/o using my training gear at all. LOVE IT! I think I'll never put 'em back on!